I have been surrounded by animals my entire life and have loved every moment of it and as a result, animals have impacted me enough to consider a couple of careers involved with animals. Although I have a few years before it is necessary for me to start looking at professional, lifelong careers, I have already started the search by looking at and researching about working as a veterinarian, athletic trainer, or wildlife biologist.
During my research, I examined these careers hinged on the level of education, required certifications and tests, salary, aptitude, and versatility. After sifting through these criteria, I would choose to become a wildlife biologist because I work well with with animals and have vast experience with a vast amount of animals.
The comparison chart below lists the criteria evaluated for each career:
Veterinarian Athletic Trainer Wildlife Biologist
| Level of Education | Doctoral or professional degree + 4-year degree | Bachelor’s or master’s degree | Master’s degree or doctoral degree |
| Required Certification and Tests | A state license, pass the state and national exam | For teaching: teaching certificate. Also need to pass state certification exam | Certification with The Wildlife Society |
| Salary | $86,600 yearly (2013) | $51,500 yearly (2013) | $57,710 yearly (2012) |
| Aptitude | Compassion, decision-making, interpersonal, problem-solving skills | Deductive reasoning, problem sensitivity, speech recognition | Computer science, outdoor skills; observation, communication |
| Versatility | Personal or public clinic, teaching, or surgery, pet caretaker, specialize in a specific animal | Sports medicine clinic, high schools, college and professional sports teams | Teaching, extension specialist, game warden |
Sources used for information on chart: http://www.healthcarecareers.org/athletic-trainer/ , http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/veterinarians.htm , http://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/zoologists-and-wildlife-biologists.htm , http://www.careerinfonet.org/Occupations/select_occupation.aspx?next=occ_rep&level=&optstatus=111111111&id=1&nodeid=2&soccode=&stfips=&jobfam= , http://www.bw.edu/academics/hpe/programs/at/
By examining the given information on the chart and considering flexibility of the jobs, an athletic trainer has the most versatility because someone with a degree in sports medicine can work at a sports medicine clinic, high school, college, or professional sports team. This flexibility allows for a multitude of professions, not limiting someone with a sports medicine degree to just one job. Therefore, this career has a vast number of occupational possibilities and would allow me to pursue a career working for college, professional, or high school sports teams, or at a sports medicine clinic.
Another well-supported case, when looking at flexibility, can also be made for a veterinarian. For example, if I were to have a doctoral degree in veterinary science, I could not only work at a veterinary clinic, but also work as a post-secondary teacher, veterinary surgeon, or even a microbiologist. Similar to the athletic trainer career, a veterinarian has a variety of jobs available at their disposal, such as working for someone or opening their own clinic, veterinary surgery, specializing in working with a certain type of animal, or as a pet caretaker. Overall, someone with a veterinary science degree would, again not be limited in their choice of jobs, because they could pursue opening their own veterinary clinic, specializing in a certain animal, or veterinary surgery.
Although the versatility of an athletic trainer and a veterinarian are tantalizing, I would choose the career of a wildlife biologist because some of the key abilities necessary used by wildlife biologists are a perfect fit for the abilities I already possess.
In order to show the reasoning behind my choice of wildlife biology, I would take you back to my childhood when I was at my most curious stage at seven years-old. Around this time, my family’s ranch was full of exotic animals which initially sparked my interest in all animals. After seeing, caring for, and even interacting occasionally with the different breeds of deer, buffalo, and cattle, my curiosity grew as I was always asking what the animals were, how they live, and how long they would live. Through this rare, lucky childhood I had, I always respected and admired all animals, along with loving to be out in nature. As a result, I was, and still am, drawn to any career with animals; however, I’m not just interested in helping domesticated animals, I am also wishing to help wild animals to not limit myself to only a few animals, but to have experience with most animals.
If I pursued a state certification with the Wildlife Society, along with at least a master’s degree in wildlife biology, I could make a pleasant, annual income of $57,710 and could also be helping our natural wildlife thrive. I already have some experience in computer science, problem-solving, outdoor, observation, and communication skills and believe I could quickly learn better interpersonal skills.
All three careers I looked at use my caring need of helping others, whether person or animal, and trying to aid them in their recovery. Although the annual income of a veterinarian is considerably higher than that of an athletic trainer standing at $86,600, I don’t want to limit myself to helping strictly domesticated animals because I want to help the wild animals as well. Furthermore, the job I would choose to devote my effort, energy, and compassion to is wildlife biology, whether it be aiding an injured animal, saving a natural habitat, or finding new ecosystems for wildlife to thrive, working with wildlife seems like my best fit. My spark to help animals all began about seven years ago when I began paying closer attention to our animals, and hopefully one day I will be outdoors saving wildlife.