Sometimes finding the right career path just takes a little patience. That was so for a recent Howe Sound Secondary School graduate who was chosen as one of 18 British Columbian students admitted to the prestigious Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) at the University of Saskatchewan.James Kirkham, 24, earned top marks in high school and graduated in 2002 with the science award. But like many young graduates, he was confronted with the demanding yet frightening question: now what?Kirkham took a year off school to earn money working construction in Whistler, but he soon decided his true calling was in science and medicine. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biology at the University of British Columbia and decided his love of animals should guide him the rest of the way. In 2012, he hopes to finish the four-year Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program. Of course, following a passion does not always make perfect sense. Even though veterinary medicine demands a lot of extra schooling, the ultimate wages do not compare to other health professions, he said. "It doesn't matter much to me. I figure I want to do something that I'm going to be happy doing rather than something that is going to make me rich," he said, adding that he foresees working in a clinic as a small animal practitioner. "I think the really interesting thing about vet med and what I'm doing so far is how much there is to know. With human medicine you're learning about one species whereas we are learning about huge varieties of species and how there are differences and similarities."Considering people invest so much into their pets, both emotionally and financially, it's important to be able to understand and empathize with humans as well. His father, Rob Kirkham, said he has been showing those important traits since he was a little fellow. "I see that as a key attribute to match him with that line of work because he has such an affinity and compassion for people that would be experiencing problems with their pets. So he's going to be getting the training and expertise to deal with pets but he already has that connection and compassion for people," he said.Oftentimes a career path leads to places you never considered, too. Kirkham gathered volunteer experience at Garibaldi Veterinary Hospital and Eagleview Veterinary Hospital. But like any animal, Kirkham had to adapt to new surroundings."Living in Toronto was a real shock to my senses because there aren't any mountains and not a lot to do outside," he said. "I really enjoyed growing up in Squamish - just getting outside and being apart of the recreational capital of Canada."
