As I look into possible careers I can go into, one that catches my eye is veterinary pathology. Veterinary pathology is the study of diagnosing diseases in animals by examining bodily fluids and tissues. Diagnosing these diseases and finding cures is extremely helpful for animals. Many diseases that are transmitted between species can be controlled and possibly eliminated thanks to the efforts of pathologists. This can help solve many problems that end up killing animals when there is unnatural interaction between species due to humans. For example, in parts of Africa, unnatural interaction between cattle and wild ungulates causes the passing of diseases. When the wild animals pass the disease to the cattle, the farmers take it upon themselves to "exterminate the pests killing their herds." When cattle pass the diseases to the wild animals, many wild species are threatened and often wiped out because the diseases are totally foreign to their immune systems. With pathologists' work, however, many of these diseases can be eradicated. Primate and human shared diseases can also be treated and minimized with pathology. In many countries, diseases caused by eating bushmeat kills many people. If more people take up animal pathology, diseases like these can be explained and cured.
While there are many benefits to taking up veterinary pathology, including benefits to health of animals and humans and a hefty paycheck of an average $170,000 a year, I don't know how right veterinary pathology is for me. For one thing, I wouldn't be able to interact with animals on a day to day basis the way I want to. The animals I would be studying would be numbers to me; getting attached to them would be disapproved of because they are part of labs and experiments and patients, subjects that we are studying. Also, microbiology has never been a strong suit for me. In AP Biology I understand everything about macrobiology and evolution and things like that, but when it comes to intercellular things, I need help understanding what's going on.
So while veterinary pathology is a very possible career choice for me, I will definitely keep number one on my list of careers open for suggestions.
