My Take Tuesday: One of My Favorite Parts of Being a Veterinarian

I am often asked what I enjoy most about being a veterinarian.

The relationships are always at the top of the list. There is something deeply meaningful about caring for an animal throughout its life, getting to know the family who loves it, and being trusted through both joyful milestones and difficult goodbyes. Those connections are what make this profession so rewarding.

But there is another part of veterinary medicine that I have come to treasure just as much: spending time with veterinary students.

Over the past week, I had the privilege of meeting with students at Washington State University and Utah State University. These visits are among the highlights of my year. Their questions, curiosity, and enthusiasm remind me of the young man I once was, wondering where a veterinary degree might lead and what kind of impact I might one day have.

Returning to Washington State, where I earned my own veterinary degree, makes those conversations especially meaningful. Years ago, I sat in those same classrooms, learning from faculty mentors and imagining what my future in the profession might look like. At the time, I hoped that someday I would have experiences and lessons worth sharing. Coming back now to speak with students feels, in some small way, like completing a circle.

My hope is that students leave our conversations with a clearer picture of the road ahead. Veterinary medicine certainly brings challenges, but it also offers remarkable friendships, a strong sense of purpose, and opportunities that often appear where you least expect them.

I always leave these visits feeling grateful.

After years in practice, it can be easy to become consumed by the demands of the day-to-day. Spending time with students takes me back to the beginning. It reminds me why I chose this profession, what first inspired me to pursue it, and how fortunate I am to be part of it still.

And that is My Take.

N. Isaac Bott, DVM