First year students seem to ubiquitously complain about anatomy. I don't get it, personally. It's just a bunch of names, but there's nothing tricky about anatomy. It's a lot of material, but it's basically straight memorization. If you know any Latin and Greek word roots, you can usually make some sense of the names too. Plus there's all the dirty acronyms for nerves and blood vessels. And dissection is just, well, it's fun. For a given value of fun, mind you. I kind of like it. I have a solid group to work with and we laugh and joke (especially when we're doing the reproductive system....). Anyway, my point is that the people that complain about anatomy have it all wrong. They're wasting their time.
What they need to be complaining about is embryology.
Good lord. All I can say is that I've never had a class suck the life out of me the way embryology does. We had the midterm today, and we're all just praying we passed. I don't know, maybe at other vet schools, embryology isn't as bad. I swear if everyone had to pass an embryology class before being allowed to procreate, we'd have world overpopulation solved. After the test, you could look at my class and truthfully wonder if you'd stumbled onto the set of some zombie movie. Angry zombies ranting about "Who cares where the thyroid cells originate from!?" mind you, but zombies nonetheless.
I've mostly gotten through first year thinking, "Well this isn't too bad..." But embryology? Woo, boy, they saved the best for last, obviously. Just in case you get cocky thinking you can cruise your way into second year. To reference hockey, I feel like I almost had a win, then the other team tied it up late in the third and now we have to go to overtime.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
About halfway through
Not the semester - we passed the halfway mark there awhile ago. No, I mean in tests. Between quizzes, midterms and exams, we write 20 of the buggers this semester. This week when we write our third Parasitology test, we'll have written 10 so far. Which means that we have another 10 crammed into the next six weeks. This is both not as bad and worse than it sounds. Seven of those are in the last two weeks during finals (four during the first week, three during the second). The other three are between now and then, so a little more manageable. Our Parasitology professor put it best - studying in vet school is triage. You deal with whatever is on the horizon next. When that's done, you move on to the next thing.
I wrote my make-up/post-poned anatomy midterm yesterday. Some of those specimens aren't holding up very well. There was a rotting horse gastrointestinal tract we had to identify parts of. (Note: This actually was the best specimen possible that they had to use for that particular part of the body.) And a rotting horse gastrointestinal tract smells more or less exactly what you think it smells like. I will swear up and down that vet students have some of the strongest stomachs (or worst senses of smell) you find anywhere. A word of advice to future vet students: Learn the gastrointestinal tract really well so that you don't have to spend a lot of time poking it in anatomy lab.
We're also creative writers. We don't mean to be, we just forget things. I have a friend (an online friend, but a friend nonetheless) who when faced with an anatomy specimen he couldn't identify, wrote down "os penis of the stegosaurus". I wasn't that creative, but I tend to make up names based on what I see. Sometimes I'm sort of right. Another note to future vet students: Take up etymology as a hobby (that's etymology, not entomology, though the latter might help you with parasitology). Knowing some Greek and Latin root words is hugely helpful, both in taking the GRE to get into vet school, and in learning anatomy and pathology. "Omohyoideus" makes a lot more sense when you know that "omo" means "shoulder" and "hyoid" refers to the hyoid bone of the skull.
The midterm was pretty good overall. I took it with another girl who missed it and it was pretty relaxed. And the professor gave us each a couple Hershey's kisses. Can't complain about that!
I wrote my make-up/post-poned anatomy midterm yesterday. Some of those specimens aren't holding up very well. There was a rotting horse gastrointestinal tract we had to identify parts of. (Note: This actually was the best specimen possible that they had to use for that particular part of the body.) And a rotting horse gastrointestinal tract smells more or less exactly what you think it smells like. I will swear up and down that vet students have some of the strongest stomachs (or worst senses of smell) you find anywhere. A word of advice to future vet students: Learn the gastrointestinal tract really well so that you don't have to spend a lot of time poking it in anatomy lab.
We're also creative writers. We don't mean to be, we just forget things. I have a friend (an online friend, but a friend nonetheless) who when faced with an anatomy specimen he couldn't identify, wrote down "os penis of the stegosaurus". I wasn't that creative, but I tend to make up names based on what I see. Sometimes I'm sort of right. Another note to future vet students: Take up etymology as a hobby (that's etymology, not entomology, though the latter might help you with parasitology). Knowing some Greek and Latin root words is hugely helpful, both in taking the GRE to get into vet school, and in learning anatomy and pathology. "Omohyoideus" makes a lot more sense when you know that "omo" means "shoulder" and "hyoid" refers to the hyoid bone of the skull.
The midterm was pretty good overall. I took it with another girl who missed it and it was pretty relaxed. And the professor gave us each a couple Hershey's kisses. Can't complain about that!
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Hazards of the job
Okay, there's really no denying that vet med is a high risk field (depending on what you're doing, of course - epidemiologists only problem is possible carpal tunnel and pathologists biggest risk is accidentally cutting themselves while gleefully hacking at a post mortem). Your patients will bite you, scratch you, step on you, shove you into walls...
Today, I have a sore neck. Did I strain something picking up a Saint Bernard? Did a cow hit me in the head? Maybe a python tried to choke me?
No, no, and no.
I got a cramp while studying for my histology final. I was typing up notes and going back and forth between the paper notes and online images. The book is to my left. So I spent a large amount of time yesterday looking down and to the left. Hence, the left side of my neck now hurts.
Worst. Injury. Ever.
(Before I get hate mail, I love epidemiologists and pathologists. I kid because I love.)
Today, I have a sore neck. Did I strain something picking up a Saint Bernard? Did a cow hit me in the head? Maybe a python tried to choke me?
No, no, and no.
I got a cramp while studying for my histology final. I was typing up notes and going back and forth between the paper notes and online images. The book is to my left. So I spent a large amount of time yesterday looking down and to the left. Hence, the left side of my neck now hurts.
Worst. Injury. Ever.
(Before I get hate mail, I love epidemiologists and pathologists. I kid because I love.)
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Treading water
It's a reality of any demanding academic program. Med school, dentistry, vet school, law... There will be times when you feel like "Oh, I just want to pass!" Admittedly, this is a major psychological shift for most people in these programs. If you're in vet school, it's because your academics were good enough that you rarely "just passed" in undergrad. But when you put all those high achievers in one room, the average goes up.
Admittedly, I've been doing very well. I've learned how much I need to study to keep me in the 80s and above the average, and sometimes I get a pleasant surprise in the form of a 90+. But we all falter. I've got four exams right now that I really just want to pass. Anything above a 50 is icing on the cake. Now I didn't miss much time for my father's death - I was only out 3 days. But in those 3 days, I missed two exams, and lost a lot of study time, so I opted to reschedule another one. This means I have 3 exams to write in 3 days. This is not going to be my best work. Hence the title of this post. If I keep my head above water, that's good enough right now. Hopefully, I get back on track by the end of next week. On the bright side, these are only midterms, and I have room to redeem my grade (and myself) at the end of the semester.
Which reminds me: End of first year is just 8 long/short weeks away. Six more weeks of classes, two weeks of exams and we're out. Yes! Hard to believe. I got a job interview working with the Department of Health Management studying disease in dairy cattle. Really hoping to land that, or to work in the teaching hospital over the summer.
*looks outside at the snow drifts*
*sighs*
Yeah, summer. I think it still exists. Although right now I'm convinced that if all the snow melts, Charlottetown will become the new Atlantis and disappear under the water.
Admittedly, I've been doing very well. I've learned how much I need to study to keep me in the 80s and above the average, and sometimes I get a pleasant surprise in the form of a 90+. But we all falter. I've got four exams right now that I really just want to pass. Anything above a 50 is icing on the cake. Now I didn't miss much time for my father's death - I was only out 3 days. But in those 3 days, I missed two exams, and lost a lot of study time, so I opted to reschedule another one. This means I have 3 exams to write in 3 days. This is not going to be my best work. Hence the title of this post. If I keep my head above water, that's good enough right now. Hopefully, I get back on track by the end of next week. On the bright side, these are only midterms, and I have room to redeem my grade (and myself) at the end of the semester.
Which reminds me: End of first year is just 8 long/short weeks away. Six more weeks of classes, two weeks of exams and we're out. Yes! Hard to believe. I got a job interview working with the Department of Health Management studying disease in dairy cattle. Really hoping to land that, or to work in the teaching hospital over the summer.
*looks outside at the snow drifts*
*sighs*
Yeah, summer. I think it still exists. Although right now I'm convinced that if all the snow melts, Charlottetown will become the new Atlantis and disappear under the water.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Explanation of my absence
My father passed away on February 22. I was actually planning an update that day (I have no excuse for where I vanished to between the 7th and the 21st).
The reception after the funeral actually sparked the idea for this post. See, I saw a lot of relatives that I haven't seen in a really long time. They know I'm in vet school. They don't seem to know anything about vet school beyond that. I can't blame them. I mean, I don't know anything about law school.
Common questions I got:
- So, how many years is that? (I've heard that some people think it's a two year community college thing. Luckily none of my friends and relations fell into that category and most thought it was around four years.)
- Small animal or large animal? (There's only two kinds of vets to the general public.)
- My dog needs to go to the vet college. Can I ask for you? (Um... I'm a first year. I only get to deal with dead things.)
- How many in your class? Really, 60? That's a lot! (This was especially funny to me, because AVC has one of the smallest classes in North America, and my cell biology undergraduate class was 500+)
Fortunately, no one asked me to diagnose anything.
I'd like to deviate a moment to give a shout-out to all the faculty at AVC. They have been amazing to me, helping me to reschedule tests and get back on track. My classmates have been equally as fantastic. I will say that for anyone with an acceptance to AVC who is considering the school, the community within the school is so close knit and helpful.
The reception after the funeral actually sparked the idea for this post. See, I saw a lot of relatives that I haven't seen in a really long time. They know I'm in vet school. They don't seem to know anything about vet school beyond that. I can't blame them. I mean, I don't know anything about law school.
Common questions I got:
- So, how many years is that? (I've heard that some people think it's a two year community college thing. Luckily none of my friends and relations fell into that category and most thought it was around four years.)
- Small animal or large animal? (There's only two kinds of vets to the general public.)
- My dog needs to go to the vet college. Can I ask for you? (Um... I'm a first year. I only get to deal with dead things.)
- How many in your class? Really, 60? That's a lot! (This was especially funny to me, because AVC has one of the smallest classes in North America, and my cell biology undergraduate class was 500+)
Fortunately, no one asked me to diagnose anything.
I'd like to deviate a moment to give a shout-out to all the faculty at AVC. They have been amazing to me, helping me to reschedule tests and get back on track. My classmates have been equally as fantastic. I will say that for anyone with an acceptance to AVC who is considering the school, the community within the school is so close knit and helpful.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
A note during interview season
So, first off, I'm not doing this to be patronising. And I know that some of you will ignore it, and I don't really blame you, I would have too. But I thought I'd put it out there anyway. If nothing else, it's a brief distraction from studying about heartworm and the eight million things that all look the same and can appear in poo.
The Class of 2016 hopefuls are starting to appear at AVC for their interviews. For now it's the internationals, but in a bit, the Atlantic Canadians will show up (PS - if you're an Atlantic Canadian with an interview, let me know. I love to meet people!) My classmates and I have been talking a lot about what it was like for us to be in those shoes. Those god awful uncomfortable shoes, if I remember correctly (both metaphorically uncomfortable, and literally uncomfortable because I hate high heels as I hate Hell, all Montagues and thee).
I'm going to start by being a massive downer. Not all of you will get in. Depending on where you're applying from, the odds are better or worse, but the cold hard truth is that there's way more applications than seats. On our first day, we were told that there were 360 applications for 60 seats. Some of you will get rejection letters right out of the gate. Some of you will get them after interviews. Some of you will get waitlisted and then never hear anything. Now, an addendum to my previous statement - Not all of you will get in this year. I really can't stress that enough. Yes, it will probably be shattering when you get rejected. But there's always next year. I threw a god forsaken fit when I got rejected post-interview in 2010 the first time around. I sobbed and moaned about how it's just not fair. Eventually, I picked myself up, did a post-mortem review and set a plan into action to spit and polish next year's application. Amazingly, that first fit was really nothing compared with the fit I had in 2011 when I was waitlisted. For crying out loud, what else could I do?! "I'm never getting in!" I mournfully remarked to my mother. (My poor mother...) Lo and behold though, a week later, that waitlist moved and here I am.
Even if you're flat out rejected, there is hope. Chances are, you can improve in some way to boost your chances. And if you're rejected, please remember, it is not a reflection of you as a person. Everyone comes into this with a different background. Different skills, different opportunities, different talents. It may be easier for A to get experience than it is for B. C may be better at science courses than D. Maybe E would have had better marks, but she was working a full time job while going to school, so couldn't devote as much time to physics as F. Everyone's circumstances are different. When you get into vet school, you will be over the moon that everyone is so diverse. I can't tell you how often I go see a classmate because they know cows. Or ferrets. Or physiology. Meanwhile, people come to me because I know histology, and horses, and etymology (you laugh, but it's amazingly helpful in anatomy). My long-winded point is, be the best applicant you can be. Don't complain about how so-and-so had it easier. It won't get you anywhere.
While you're touring the school, take a look at the students around you. They were you. Hell, some of us were you two or three times in a row. We got in. It wasn't easy, it may not have been immediate, but we got in. We're not superheroes. If we got in, so can you. Throw your all at it, have some confidence and persistence, and you'll be in. Maybe not this year, maybe not next year, but you will be in. And then it'll be you blogging at 10:30 at night to avoid studying for a parasitology test.
The Class of 2016 hopefuls are starting to appear at AVC for their interviews. For now it's the internationals, but in a bit, the Atlantic Canadians will show up (PS - if you're an Atlantic Canadian with an interview, let me know. I love to meet people!) My classmates and I have been talking a lot about what it was like for us to be in those shoes. Those god awful uncomfortable shoes, if I remember correctly (both metaphorically uncomfortable, and literally uncomfortable because I hate high heels as I hate Hell, all Montagues and thee).
I'm going to start by being a massive downer. Not all of you will get in. Depending on where you're applying from, the odds are better or worse, but the cold hard truth is that there's way more applications than seats. On our first day, we were told that there were 360 applications for 60 seats. Some of you will get rejection letters right out of the gate. Some of you will get them after interviews. Some of you will get waitlisted and then never hear anything. Now, an addendum to my previous statement - Not all of you will get in this year. I really can't stress that enough. Yes, it will probably be shattering when you get rejected. But there's always next year. I threw a god forsaken fit when I got rejected post-interview in 2010 the first time around. I sobbed and moaned about how it's just not fair. Eventually, I picked myself up, did a post-mortem review and set a plan into action to spit and polish next year's application. Amazingly, that first fit was really nothing compared with the fit I had in 2011 when I was waitlisted. For crying out loud, what else could I do?! "I'm never getting in!" I mournfully remarked to my mother. (My poor mother...) Lo and behold though, a week later, that waitlist moved and here I am.
Even if you're flat out rejected, there is hope. Chances are, you can improve in some way to boost your chances. And if you're rejected, please remember, it is not a reflection of you as a person. Everyone comes into this with a different background. Different skills, different opportunities, different talents. It may be easier for A to get experience than it is for B. C may be better at science courses than D. Maybe E would have had better marks, but she was working a full time job while going to school, so couldn't devote as much time to physics as F. Everyone's circumstances are different. When you get into vet school, you will be over the moon that everyone is so diverse. I can't tell you how often I go see a classmate because they know cows. Or ferrets. Or physiology. Meanwhile, people come to me because I know histology, and horses, and etymology (you laugh, but it's amazingly helpful in anatomy). My long-winded point is, be the best applicant you can be. Don't complain about how so-and-so had it easier. It won't get you anywhere.
While you're touring the school, take a look at the students around you. They were you. Hell, some of us were you two or three times in a row. We got in. It wasn't easy, it may not have been immediate, but we got in. We're not superheroes. If we got in, so can you. Throw your all at it, have some confidence and persistence, and you'll be in. Maybe not this year, maybe not next year, but you will be in. And then it'll be you blogging at 10:30 at night to avoid studying for a parasitology test.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
One month in and back in the swing
Yes, we're pretty much back in full swing. We've written two tests since my last post, with a quiz tomorrow, and another test next Thursday. We seem to have a never-ending stream of tests this semester, due to some courses having more than 1 midterm. For example - for histology, we have a midterm and a final. But histology only officially goes until March 5. So we just wrote the midterm for it on Monday. The final is March 5. Then we switch to embryology. And that has a midterm and a final. Anatomy has quizzes this semester. Parasitology has 3 tests and a final. You get the picture. I counted the other day - this semester, by April 27 when we write our last final exam, we'll have written 19 tests/exams this semester. There's only 17 weeks in the semester. Meaning we have a minimum of one test every single week. Yikes.
On the whole though, I am enjoying the semester. Anatomy is a bit tedious this semester. It's both the pain of learning new stuff, and the pain of trying to remember old stuff. I'm enjoying epidemiology, more or less. I like the concepts, I just haven't really liked any of the lecturers at this point.
My structure and function group is doing our presentation this Friday. That will be nice to have out of the way. At least we're doing it on a week when we don't have much else to worry about. Last week's group had the parasitology test on Thursday and then had to present on Friday. Our presentation is on the function of the udder. My section is on the milk ejection reflex so I'm mostly talking about hormones and neural pathways. Nothing too hard, though I'm hoping I can manage to say "magnocellular neurosecretory cell" without stumbling. While researching "milk ejection reflex", I remembered a rule I should know by now: Always specify the species. I got a bazillion results on breastfeeding. As in, human breastfeeding. (Not that I'm against breastfeeding, I'm all for it in both humans and non-human animals. It just wasn't what I wanted!)
So there's January gone already. Three months to summer break. Bring it on! To my pre-vet readers from Atlantic Canada - I know that time may be flying for me, but I know it's dragging for you. Hang in there, those interview invites WILL come. I look forward to meeting you!
(And my foot has more or less healed up. Never got a big impressive bruise, unfortunately. Boo. And she was very good this week, no fuss with her feet at all.)
On the whole though, I am enjoying the semester. Anatomy is a bit tedious this semester. It's both the pain of learning new stuff, and the pain of trying to remember old stuff. I'm enjoying epidemiology, more or less. I like the concepts, I just haven't really liked any of the lecturers at this point.
My structure and function group is doing our presentation this Friday. That will be nice to have out of the way. At least we're doing it on a week when we don't have much else to worry about. Last week's group had the parasitology test on Thursday and then had to present on Friday. Our presentation is on the function of the udder. My section is on the milk ejection reflex so I'm mostly talking about hormones and neural pathways. Nothing too hard, though I'm hoping I can manage to say "magnocellular neurosecretory cell" without stumbling. While researching "milk ejection reflex", I remembered a rule I should know by now: Always specify the species. I got a bazillion results on breastfeeding. As in, human breastfeeding. (Not that I'm against breastfeeding, I'm all for it in both humans and non-human animals. It just wasn't what I wanted!)
So there's January gone already. Three months to summer break. Bring it on! To my pre-vet readers from Atlantic Canada - I know that time may be flying for me, but I know it's dragging for you. Hang in there, those interview invites WILL come. I look forward to meeting you!
(And my foot has more or less healed up. Never got a big impressive bruise, unfortunately. Boo. And she was very good this week, no fuss with her feet at all.)
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