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Ben S. Turner, DVM |
Q. How did you know you wanted to become a veterinarian?
A. I started out in college thinking I wanted to be an M.D. I spent time in the hospital there in Chapel Hill. I thought that maybe this wasn't the environment I wanted to work in, but I still had that interest in medicine. So, I went back and rethought things. I grew up on a farm, where I was always exsposed to alot of animals. I said, well, I got the agricultural background. and I got the medical background. I combined those two and came up with beterinary medicine. It was kind of natural, I though. I analyzed what I wanted to do and where I wanted to do it.
Q. How long did you have to go to school to become a veterinarian?
A. I graduated from veterinarian school in 1967. I went to three years of pre-veterinary school curriculum and I went to four years of veterinary school. (Today pre-vet is usually four years. So that is a total of 8 years.)
Q. What is your favorite part of being a veterinarian?
A. When an animal comes in that you know would ahve died, but you did something to save it's life.
Q. What is your least favorite part of being a veterinarian?
A. The after hours or night calls. Having to come in during an emergency, which could be during your favorite T.V. show or while you are out at a nice restaurant. It could be at 2:00 in the morning when you are trying to get those "Z's". So you do get interruptions in your private life.
Q. What is the most serious situation you've been in with an animal?
A. We see a lot of serious emergencies like, hits by a car, which can cause death or trauma. So the trauma cases would satisfy that category.
Q. What type of person makes a good veterinarian?
A. A person who likes and respects animals and a person who has the scientific background. You also need to react well with people. (those who bring in the animals and those you interact with.) And you need a little business background too.
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