The Lesson I Learned from a Future Vet

I have been teaching for years, instructing students in biology, anatomy, physiology, and genetics — primarily those preparing for university entrance exams.

The Unlikely Student

One day, I had a new student — Karina. Honestly, I don’t quite remember how she ended up in my classes, but I believe she was my daughter’s friend. She was an unusual, extraordinary girl — kind and polite, yet, as it seemed to me, completely uninterested in studying.

She dreamed of becoming a veterinarian, but I was never certain she would succeed. It seemed to me that someone aspiring to a medical profession should approach learning with a completely different mindset. I often wondered: even if she got into university, would she be able to finish it? And if she did, would she truly become a good specialist?

A Passion for the Unusual

Karina had always been fascinated by exotic animals. She had snakes — a python and a harmless species — as well as tarantulas. Many amusing and sometimes unsettling stories were associated with them. Once, she lost one of her spiders, and we even suspected that it had crawled into my bag. I wouldn’t say I’m afraid of such creatures, but at that moment, I certainly felt uneasy.

A Grandmother’s Revelation

Karina lived in the same building as her grandmother, but on a higher floor. One afternoon, after our lesson, her grandmother stopped by for a visit. As we talked, she invited me over for tea, and we went downstairs together. That was when she shared a story from Karina’s childhood that completely changed my perspective on her.

The Spider and the Glue

This remarkable event happened when Karina was around 12 or 13 years old. She was feeding one of her spiders with tweezers. At some point, the spider suddenly jerked, and the tweezers accidentally pierced its abdomen. Hemolymph — the fluid that serves the same function as blood in vertebrates — began to ooze from the wound. The spider seemed doomed.

But Karina didn’t panic. She immediately ran to the pharmacy, bought medical adhesive, and carefully sealed the wound. Thanks to her quick thinking and ingenuity, the spider survived.

When I heard this story — about a young girl who responded so decisively in a stressful situation — her unfinished assignments suddenly seemed far less important. Can you guess why?

A Lesson for the Teacher

We prepared for the exam, and Karina was accepted into university. She graduated and even worked as a veterinarian. Later, she got married and moved to another country. I’m not sure if she still works in the profession, but that’s not the point. Too often, we are misled by our own stereotypes. Quick thinking and decisiveness can be far more valuable than just diligent studying and exam preparation.

My own daughter, while in her second year of veterinary school, started working part-time at a clinic. Because of this, she didn’t have enough time to achieve perfect grades in every subject. She didn’t graduate with honors, but she became a real doctor — one who knows how to calculate anesthesia, perform minor surgeries, and make accurate diagnoses. Meanwhile, some of the top students didn’t even know how to insert a catheter.

Of course, everything should be balanced. But I also learned a lesson. I stopped insisting on completed homework. I stopped questioning whether my students would overcome their challenges. I simply knew that they would.

Some might call it overconfidence, but I call it faith — and giving every student a chance.