Why Dr. Philippa Pavia is our confidence role model
Most veterinarians have a rather traditional educational experience. They apply for veterinary school, and if they are able to get in go to one of those schools. If they are not accepted, it is up to them to try and find a different career path or a different college.
Dr. Philippa Pavia turned this usual path on its head by first graduating from Yale before changing her mind and becoming a vet. It’s rare for people who have finished a degree at such an illustrious university to turn around and choose a different career, but that’s exactly what she did at the University of Pennsylvania.
Never looking back
Philippa doesn’t believe careers are static, and that turned out to be a good thing when she decided to change things up from an English Literature degree to Veterinary medicine. At first, she worried that she might not do well in school or be accepted due to the fact that she was coming from a non-traditional background.
Fortunately, it worked out. Not only did she fall in love with veterinary medicine, she was confident in the path set before her—to become a veterinary surgeon after completing a residency at NYC’s Animal Medical Center.
She realized her dream in 2014, becoming a board-certified surgeon.
Advice for others
Dr. Philippa has climbed to the top thanks to her tenacity, passion for the industry, and excellent hand-eye coordination. This isn’t a path others might have taken in the same shoes. By the time she realized that she wanted to be a vet, she had already set on a path in the world of literature.
What she realized from this is that your path doesn’t have to be linear in order to be the right one for you. It’s okay to be flexible, to follow your dreams, and more importantly to realize when those dreams have changed. One of the most important things you can do for yourself is to be open to change, and to realize when that needs to happen.
If she could give advice to her younger self, she might say, “Your thoughts are not the truth. You are stronger than you know. Perfection doesn't exist, and if it did, you wouldn't want it anyway.”
This is good advice for everyone. Even if you’re already in a career and realize it’s not right for you, the best course of action isn’t to be miserable for decades, but to find something that makes you happy. Many people refuse to change because they are scared of what that might mean, without realizing how beneficial change can be.
More about Dr. Philippa Pavia
As of now, Dr. Philippa works as the Medical Director for Blue Pearl Downtown. She lives in NYC with her adorable rescue dog, Pierre - a chihuahua mix. She has many active interests outside of veterinary medicine, including riding and training horses, playing the violin, and challenging herself to improve her cooking skills.
You can stay connected with her on Linked In:
