Many people who become vets start out their careers with that intention, but that wasn’t the case with Dr. Melinda Frye. In today’s episode, we talk about how chance encounters and unexpected opportunities can open up the possibilities of your life in ways you hadn’t imagined, as long as you stay open to them, and commit to them when they appear. Dr. Melinda Frye is not only a veterinarian, but is also a Ph.D., board-certified internal specialist, the first female Associate Dean of Veterinary Academic and Student Affairs at CSU, and is on the board of the local humane society. Interestingly, she started her career as a nurse for humans, but after a chance encounter while on a run one day, she decided to pursue vet school. Today we talk about being open to change and opportunities as well as the importance of mentors throughout your career, and being okay with having different priorities from peers to keep yourself balanced. Has a new opportunity ever changed the trajectory of your life in a way you didn’t expect? How have your mentors helped you make big decisions? Let us know on the episode page!   In this episode: How chance encounters and opportunities, paired with an open mind can change your career in unexpected and fulfilling ways The importance of self-care in vet school and choosing personal priorities that may be different from your peers, if you need to The overlap between human nursing and being a veterinarian The importance of seeing failure as an opportunity rather than as “failure”   Quotes: “Everyone has to prioritize based on their unique situation, and I don’t think anyone should be judged for prioritizing in a way that may seem different or unusual to others.” 18:15 “So much of it is perseverance, I think that ties into this idea of growth versus fixed mindset, the idea that our level of knowledge is not fixed. If you persevere, grind through, there will be some really fun adventures ahead and great rewards” 30:40 “My nursing mentor always said “my greatest pride is to see my mentees go far above and beyond anything that I’ve ever done” and I would say the same thing.” 40:41   Links: Enjoying the show? Help support Podcast A Vet on Patreon!   Find the full show notes here  Keep up with everything Podcast A Vet  Follow Podcast A Vet on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram Join our community of dedicated vet professionals looking to improve their practices and lives in our free Facebook community