I hate disappoint some inquiring readers, but details on the complimentary medicine class may have to wait until next year. I caved under the stress and dropped the class. I felt so much better after I did. I felt like I could breathe. This week was rough and I did not realize that in addition to all day Saturday and the 3 nights this week, the class was also meeting next Monday night. With a huge bacteriology exam looming, it didn't seem possible to lose half the weekend and Monday night and be prepared enough for bacteriology. I was so confused and really did not want to drop it. A friend suggested I talk to the assistant dean, and he put it in perspective. These are core classes versus an elective and if I am that stressed about it, I can take it next year or as CE credit as a practicing yet (here's hoping). While I know I am missing a great class I really did need the time. Although I have been studying for the pathology exam all semester, I still studied for 7 straight hours last night and probably did okay on the exam but definitely not an A. So, I needed the study time for path and I know I'll need it for bacteriology. while the class will be amazing, it was not worth that added stress right now.
Needless to say I was beat today and instead of having a productive FRiday afternoon at te library and the gym I went home for a nap, then to the gym (I love rowing class), but have not done much studying yet. I guess if I was this exhausted today I would have been more exhausted if I took the elective, so another positive of dropping it.
I would like to take this time to wish my best friend Roxy a happy 30th birthday. In the honor of life as a vet student, I cannot make it to celebrate her birthday with her. Oh the sacrifices we make just to be a veterinarian.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Comp Med- dropping like flies
So many classmates are dropping out of this class due to Pathology exam stress. I hope it does not bite me in the butt, but I am going to stay the course. As for complimentary medicine lectures (I had a question, yeah). It includes chiropractic, acupuncture and nutritive therapy in horse and dog and applying Chinese medicine with Western medicine.
More details to come, as I hope this class will be the reward for an exhausting week. It's only Tuesday.
More details to come, as I hope this class will be the reward for an exhausting week. It's only Tuesday.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
It's about to get ugly guys!
Ugly yes, yet possibly very rewarding. This week is the after-hours complementary medicine elective, which I have wanted to take since before I got into school and drooled over all the classes I could take. Because it's an elective it's Wed-Fri 6-8 pm and Saturday all day. This week is also the first big exam week. One pharmacology quiz tomorrow, clinical nutrtion final Wednesday and a huge nas cary path exam Friday. The next 2 weeks are only marginally better. To top it off my weekend next weekend will be shortened due to the elective class and I won't see Matt the following weekend because he is off to see the Hokies play Nebraska at Nebraska. Needless to say, the next few weeks will be rough academically and emotionally for me. But I am dealing.
This weekend was fun mainly because the VT Georgia Tech game was a great (close) game, and also a scorcher. So it may be a while before the next update, but hopefully positive thoughts will get me through. After these next 3 weeks, it does calm down a little and I'll be more acclimated to the world of intense exams by then (I hope).
I am upset though because I have done a pretty good job at staying on top of all my classes, yet it will all fall by the wayside this week studying for 3 exams and being in class until 8. C'est la vie!
This weekend was fun mainly because the VT Georgia Tech game was a great (close) game, and also a scorcher. So it may be a while before the next update, but hopefully positive thoughts will get me through. After these next 3 weeks, it does calm down a little and I'll be more acclimated to the world of intense exams by then (I hope).
I am upset though because I have done a pretty good job at staying on top of all my classes, yet it will all fall by the wayside this week studying for 3 exams and being in class until 8. C'est la vie!
Monday, September 8, 2008
Biding My Time
Despite a super fun bovine restrain lab last Friday, I have not written. Things are pretty good in vet school land, considering it's second year. But that is all about to change. I have not written because I am taking all the time I currently have to avoid the unavoidable horror that will start next week with 2 exams and a night class in complementary medicine. I have wanted to take complementary medicine since before I got accepted to school and would drool over the classes I could take.
Of course it couldn't be a worse week for 6-8 class Wednesday through Friday and Saturday 8-4. It interferes with studying for 2 major exams and my best friend's surprise 30th birthday Saturday. Such are the woes of a vet student.
Anyway back to last week. Last week went well and I am trying to be proactive and keep up on most classes, in order to make it through the rest of the semester with some success and some (not much) sleep. The first football game of the year was not a great showing for Tech, but a fun time for me sitting with my vet school friends this year. I am very excited for the game this weekend. It's not until 3:30pm, and we vet students are sooo excited we have the whole morning to study and soem time to tailgate!!
So this week I am enjoying the lower stress level because next week the real fun I know and love (hate) will begin!
Vet school notes: I really did love playing with cows last week and cannot wait for cow lab take 2 on Wednesday. I also joined the Equine club this year to get more horse experience. Tomorrow is the Royal Canin luncheon, which I hope will be a huge success.
Here's to week 3 of second year. Wake me up when it ends.
Of course it couldn't be a worse week for 6-8 class Wednesday through Friday and Saturday 8-4. It interferes with studying for 2 major exams and my best friend's surprise 30th birthday Saturday. Such are the woes of a vet student.
Anyway back to last week. Last week went well and I am trying to be proactive and keep up on most classes, in order to make it through the rest of the semester with some success and some (not much) sleep. The first football game of the year was not a great showing for Tech, but a fun time for me sitting with my vet school friends this year. I am very excited for the game this weekend. It's not until 3:30pm, and we vet students are sooo excited we have the whole morning to study and soem time to tailgate!!
So this week I am enjoying the lower stress level because next week the real fun I know and love (hate) will begin!
Vet school notes: I really did love playing with cows last week and cannot wait for cow lab take 2 on Wednesday. I also joined the Equine club this year to get more horse experience. Tomorrow is the Royal Canin luncheon, which I hope will be a huge success.
Here's to week 3 of second year. Wake me up when it ends.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Back to the US, Back to School, Back to Blacksburg
It has been a while since my last post and as you may be guessing it has been very busy! I had every intention of writing about London and my first day of school, but unfortunately it did not happen in time. So now I have to write about it all in one fell swoop!
The UK was excellent. I really missed it over there and it felt like home the second we landed. I had a great time running Matt all over London to see it all. We got a lot accomplished in only 3 days in London. I certainly felt my age, as my friend Gemma pointed out. Running around European cities, while one of my favorite activities, exhausted me! Kate and Joe's wedding in the Cotswold region was magnificent and it was a blast to have the study abroad family together again! everyone was as fun as I remember. Matt and I had fun at the Fringe in Edinburgh, and returned to London with one last day to spend with Gemma riding on the double deckers and seeing my best friend Petra.
We got back to the US jet-lagged and I was sad to have left. I vow to return for the 2012 olympics! But we slaved through the jet-lag and got ready to make the trip back to Blacksburg. The cats made it okay, but traffic made the trip long.
The vet school reunion at Rivermill was fun and we were all excited to be back. That lasted for me, until aroudn Thursday.
On Thursday I wondered how on earth will I get through this? The subjects are just as jammed packed, the material more complex, and yes I need to remember a lot of what I learned last year and no I did not review all summer:(
I decided I cannot and will not look far into the future and will go day by day week by week. I must remind myself how important this career is to me and that somehow I can do it. 90 people last year did and so can I. It will be an intense year though, and I have a lot of reviewing to do.
This weekend my sister and her husband came to visit. It was fun we visited Chateau Morisette Winery and the blue Ridge Parkway. They appreciated the beauty of the area as much as I do, which was so much to share. I won't see them again until Thanksgiving, which I hope comes quickly and by then I have more confidence that I will become a 3rd one day.
I have come a long way sincelast year in terms of confidence and questioning why I am here. I know I want to be a vet, I believe (somewhere) that I can become a vet, and where there is a will there is a way!
The UK was excellent. I really missed it over there and it felt like home the second we landed. I had a great time running Matt all over London to see it all. We got a lot accomplished in only 3 days in London. I certainly felt my age, as my friend Gemma pointed out. Running around European cities, while one of my favorite activities, exhausted me! Kate and Joe's wedding in the Cotswold region was magnificent and it was a blast to have the study abroad family together again! everyone was as fun as I remember. Matt and I had fun at the Fringe in Edinburgh, and returned to London with one last day to spend with Gemma riding on the double deckers and seeing my best friend Petra.
We got back to the US jet-lagged and I was sad to have left. I vow to return for the 2012 olympics! But we slaved through the jet-lag and got ready to make the trip back to Blacksburg. The cats made it okay, but traffic made the trip long.
The vet school reunion at Rivermill was fun and we were all excited to be back. That lasted for me, until aroudn Thursday.
On Thursday I wondered how on earth will I get through this? The subjects are just as jammed packed, the material more complex, and yes I need to remember a lot of what I learned last year and no I did not review all summer:(
I decided I cannot and will not look far into the future and will go day by day week by week. I must remind myself how important this career is to me and that somehow I can do it. 90 people last year did and so can I. It will be an intense year though, and I have a lot of reviewing to do.
This weekend my sister and her husband came to visit. It was fun we visited Chateau Morisette Winery and the blue Ridge Parkway. They appreciated the beauty of the area as much as I do, which was so much to share. I won't see them again until Thanksgiving, which I hope comes quickly and by then I have more confidence that I will become a 3rd one day.
I have come a long way sincelast year in terms of confidence and questioning why I am here. I know I want to be a vet, I believe (somewhere) that I can become a vet, and where there is a will there is a way!
Monday, August 11, 2008
The End of Summer is Near...Too Near
My 1 week of freedom is over and boy did it fly by fast! I got back to the DC area last Monday and lounged a little. I brought back a box of anatomy and physiology notes, but did I have a second to look at any of it? The astounding answer is no! This worries me a little, but as many before me had warned me, everyone has the good intention, but no one ever actually studies over the summer. Guess it will be left to chance. I hope the whole BUN/creatinine thing comes back to me.
I spent my time over the week cleaning, seeing some friends, a little outlet shpping, packing, one emergency clinic tech shift, a lot of errands, and networking.
The networking was fun and went well. I caught up with Dr. Bernadette Dunham director of FDA's center for veterinary medicine (CVM for you acronym fans). She was great and shed some more light on a career in lab animal medicine. I started asking her about her work at the AVMA government relations division and instead of answering my questions, she worked her magic and made a call to them. Next thing I know I have an appointment Friday morning to visit the offices. I was very impressed and had a good time talking to the staff there. I hope to get enough time to write some essays and apply for the externship position for next summer.
Friday was a beautiful day in DC, just around 78, sunny and no humidity. I walked out of AVMA and onto GW's campus to see my economics professor, Professor Stekler. Our visit together was great. Next stop, Smithsonian. I saw the Jim Henson exhibit, wandered through the African art museum, and headed to the National Gallery to see the sculptures of Martin Puryear and the glorious beach photos of Richard Misrach. As if the day couldn't be better, I met Matt and friends at the sculpture garden for Friday jazz.
So my last days of freedom in the US were fun, although I could use another week to unwind and actually try to get back into the study rhythm. Tomorrow we leave for England and Scotland, very fun and exciting. Many things to go wrong as well, but hopefully we will have a great travel experience and a grand ole time!
I spent my time over the week cleaning, seeing some friends, a little outlet shpping, packing, one emergency clinic tech shift, a lot of errands, and networking.
The networking was fun and went well. I caught up with Dr. Bernadette Dunham director of FDA's center for veterinary medicine (CVM for you acronym fans). She was great and shed some more light on a career in lab animal medicine. I started asking her about her work at the AVMA government relations division and instead of answering my questions, she worked her magic and made a call to them. Next thing I know I have an appointment Friday morning to visit the offices. I was very impressed and had a good time talking to the staff there. I hope to get enough time to write some essays and apply for the externship position for next summer.
Friday was a beautiful day in DC, just around 78, sunny and no humidity. I walked out of AVMA and onto GW's campus to see my economics professor, Professor Stekler. Our visit together was great. Next stop, Smithsonian. I saw the Jim Henson exhibit, wandered through the African art museum, and headed to the National Gallery to see the sculptures of Martin Puryear and the glorious beach photos of Richard Misrach. As if the day couldn't be better, I met Matt and friends at the sculpture garden for Friday jazz.
So my last days of freedom in the US were fun, although I could use another week to unwind and actually try to get back into the study rhythm. Tomorrow we leave for England and Scotland, very fun and exciting. Many things to go wrong as well, but hopefully we will have a great travel experience and a grand ole time!
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Summer Research Program Complete
Thankfully, flying to Lansing, Michigan went off without a hitch in both directions. The conference was very informative and got me very interested in lab animal and primate medicine careers. I met many vet students from different schools, and got a chance to meet up with some of the Pfizer student reps I had met the week before. The highlight of the conference was a pathology classic rock band, that played classic rock songs with veterinary pathology-based lyrics. It was very funny, and after some cocktails the dance floor was bumpin'!
The poster presentations were a little disappointing for me since most people there were more interested in the more clinical versus microbiological research posters. I did have 1 person seek me out based on the abstract, but he had detailed questions on the next part of the research that I did not have time to conduct.
But the conference presenters and seminars were very well done. While I was a little conferenced-out or overloaded from last week too, it was a great way to end my summer research exploration.
Now I have 1 week until I leave for the UK. While exciting, it means that the summer is almost over and I may not be ready for the marathon to begin. I am ready to learn more info, but there were so many other goals I wanted to accomplish this summer that may now have to be pushed into Christmas break. Of course I have next summer as well. And I have already begun thinking about next summer's plans...
The poster presentations were a little disappointing for me since most people there were more interested in the more clinical versus microbiological research posters. I did have 1 person seek me out based on the abstract, but he had detailed questions on the next part of the research that I did not have time to conduct.
But the conference presenters and seminars were very well done. While I was a little conferenced-out or overloaded from last week too, it was a great way to end my summer research exploration.
Now I have 1 week until I leave for the UK. While exciting, it means that the summer is almost over and I may not be ready for the marathon to begin. I am ready to learn more info, but there were so many other goals I wanted to accomplish this summer that may now have to be pushed into Christmas break. Of course I have next summer as well. And I have already begun thinking about next summer's plans...
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