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Ahmad Turner Mr.Borrero English 1101-059 27 November 2012

As humans, we value communication greatly. Although we take it for granted, it is the foundation of our everyday life. Every discourse community has their own way of communicating, physically and verbally. When taking part of a certain community, it is important to adapt to their ways of communication. A discourse community that I would like to one day take part of is the one of veterinary practices. In order to be part of it, it is important for the new member to understand their culture. A vet takes important steps when engaging with the pet, when deciding what treatment is best for each pets condition, and in many other ways that they contribute to the community. Whether a pet owner or not, veterinarians play an important role in each of our lives. Because of this, it is very important for us, as part of our community, to understand the role of vets, their preparation for the job, and their importance in our overall lives. The information incorporated in this essay will open your eyes to the discourse community of veterinarians and the way they interact within their community as well as with others. Veterinary practice was not considered important until about 150 years ago. The veterinary schools in the US lacked entrance qualification and diplomas were easily purchased for very low prices. This made countries around the world lack the respect necessary between different veterinary institutions. With time, the United States gained the respect they deserved regarding their veterinary practice qualifications. The institutions raised their entrance standards

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and diplomas were far more difficult to achieve. A vet was required to attend classes and practice what they learned before a diploma was given (Timeline). The important objective of veterinarians is to help pets live a longer, more fulfilling life as well as ultimately serving their purpose as pets. By helping pets stay healthy, vets are undoubtedly also helping humans live longer healthier lives. My ultimate goal of becoming a vet, would result in a contribution to the community by offering humans and their pets the ultimate lifestyle they deserve. Many readers might believe that vets dont play an important role, especially those who dont own a pet or dislike pets. The eye opening fact to that idea is that veterinary care is not limited to house pets, but also to farm animals such as the one we consume. Without the help of a vet, the food we eat could be contaminated and could possibly cause us harm. Veterinarian must first go through a tough curriculum in order to be granted the right to practice in a clinic. The curriculum consists of many unexpected course such as management and statistics. For example, statistics plays an important role in veterinary practice. Just like any other medical field, veterinary medicine requires studies conducted in labs in order to improve the overall status of animal medicine. For example, the published scientific literature is a full of studies in which statistical procedures are employed. In an scientific journal, reference is always made to these studies (Petrie, p.3). When studies are done, statistical inference is created. A sample can estimate population parameters, and in turn can help a veterinarian choose the best treatment for certain situations. The purpose of sampling is to learn something about the population (Petrie, p.45). Within every discourse community, there are a few details that define it such as the setting, members, and dialect. For veterinary practice the consulting room is the most important

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room in the practice. Regardless of the number of intricate surgical procedures carried out in the operating theatre, it is the consulting room that about 80% of the days work occurs in terms of number of cases and it is in the consulting room that reputations are built or destroyed (Bower, p.40). Some of the rules which should be adhered to in the consulting room include: consulting in a clean, smart clinical coat and wear a name badge; always remember that in the consulting room you have to patients- the pet and the owner; think of the pet as a member of the owners family; as well as many others (Milani, p.34). I noticed these rules followed for every case, despite the difference in size and type of the animals. Within the clinic there is a certain dialect followed by the members. For example at the vet office, the front desk receptionist must be familiar with the terminology used by the veterinary surgeon. It is also important for the veterinarian to adjust their dialect and be considerate of terminology barriers when talking to the patient (the owner). The vet must explain to the pet owner the details regarding the consultation in a manner in which they will understand. In many cases the vet must provide the owner with bad news about their pet. During my interview I learned that even the veterinarians, as professionals despise giving bad news. When I asked Dr.Gelfman What are some of the best/worst part of private practices? she said, The best part is seeing the happiness in the eyes of pet owners as well as their pets when they leave my office happy and healthy. Of course, the worst part is giving anyone bad news. The goal of most veterinarians, is to one day start their own practice. For example when I interviewed Dr.Beldegreen, I asked him What are your work goals for the next 5 years? he simply answered with: I hope to grow with this company, and eventually start my own practice back in my hometown This goal requires many prerequisite steps. The most important is mastering the art of communicating with the pets and their owners, as well as other employees in

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the facility. Being able to adapt is also very important, considering all the different situations that they are faced with. Everyday in this field has something new to offer. As a veterinarian you never know what to expect. This was proven to me in my hands on experience while shadowing at the emergency hospital. I could have never imagined that an average day in the life of a vet would go like what I experienced. As a whole, this discourse community is very united and must communicate effectively in order to be successful. Although the day was stressful, I believe it was most rewarding. The feeling I had at the end of my experience made me realize that my heart is in this career choice and that I will follow through with it.

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Works Cited Bower, John, John Gripper, Peter Gripper, and Dixon Gunn. "Veterinary Practice Management [Paperback]." Veterinary Practice Management: John S. M. Bower, John N. Gripper, Peter L. Gripper, Dixon Gunn: 9780632057450: Amazon.com: Books. Blackwell Science Ltd., n.d. Web. 06 Nov. 2012. Milani, Myrna M. The Art of Veterinary Practice: A Guide to Client Communication. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania, 1995. Print Petrie, Aviva, and P. F. Watson. Statistics for Veterinary and Animal Science. Oxford: Blackwell Science,1999. Print. "Timeline of Veterinary Science." Veterinary History. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Nov. 2012.