Dear Dr. Salinas,

Thank you for coming to Career Day at Westfield Middle School last Thursday. I was the student in the front row who asked the most questions, so you might remember me.

Before your talk, I thought being a veterinarian meant playing with puppies all day. I did not know that you also do surgery, take X-rays, and study how medicines work in different animals. When you said that a cat's body can react to some medicines very differently than a dog's, I was surprised. I had never thought about that.

The part I liked best was your story about the horse with the injured leg. You said it took six weeks of treatment before she could walk normally again, and that her owner cried the first time she trotted across the field. That story showed me that your job takes patience, not just a love of animals.

My mom says that if I keep my grades up, I can volunteer at the animal shelter on Saturdays next summer. I am going to start with my science grade, which needs some work.

Thank you again for answering all of my questions, even the one about snakes.

Sincerely,

Ruben Ortiz