Did you know that by dropping maths and sciences, girls eliminate at least half of their job opportunities for the future?

Veterinarian

A medical doctor can simply ask the patient, “What hurts?” A veterinarian asking an animal this question could wait a long time for an answer. For Wendy Royle, that is one of the biggest challenges of being a vet - trying to sleuth out the problem. “You really can be the hero sometimes,” she says.

Wendy says it is a myth that most vets can't work with people. She believes to be a good vet you must enjoy working with people, because they are the most important link to the animal you are treating.

“With a Doctorate in Veterinarian Medicine, you can work with almost any type of animal: wildlife, sled dogs, companion pets, even exotic species. You usually develop an interest in working with large or small animals. You might even travel with a circus or go along on the Yukon Quest.”

Being a vet has given Wendy many opportunities for travel and interesting job experiences. She worked in Chile a few years ago on a cattle ranch, and she is now a partner in a new veterinarian practice. If she wishes, later on she could teach, or do consulting work in the agricultural field. Other related fields are meat inspection, research and clinical pathology.

A good thing about being trained as a vet in Canada is that Canadian degrees are recognized and well regarded throughout the world. Wendy admits, “That's good for me because I'm a travel nut and it means I can work anywhere.”

Wendy thinks it's important to keep all the doors open for whatever you want to do. “Be fair to yourself, and do your best. Try different things, be open to new ideas, look for options. Don't worry about what other people think. Decide what seems right for you and go after it!”