Disclaimer

The content of this blog reflects my personal experiences and opinions during my veterinary school education. It does not reflect the experiences or opinions of my classmates, colleagues, or the UC Davis School of Veterinary medicine. If you wish to contact me via email: hamaleo11@gmail.com

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Not Enough Time!!!

I'm sure every first year is feeling the pressure right now, this week is packed full of review sessions and laboratory activities, from Cardiology, Anatomy to Histology, we're living in our scrubs! I myself also have my small animal nursing shifts this week.

In Small Animal nursing, we get an introduction to the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital we will be spending the next four years in. We also learn a little bit of how it is ran, how patients are checked in and housed. We went on a huge tour of the small animal (dog and cat) clinic which is located on the second floor of the VMTH. We also learned where the Pharmacy, Central Service, and Diagnostic Laboratories were. I've had experience with all of these during my equine internships and foal team shifts at the VMTH. We were introduced (or re-introduced) to urinary catheters and all their various components as well as how to read fluid bags and calculate fluid doses. The vet tech that taught us all this was fun, up-beat and very concerned with us learning something from our shift. I go in tonight for my second shift where we will hopefully be applying a little bit of what we learned on Monday's shift as well as reviewing that material.

As for me, I have no time to study! I did go riding yesterday, I ride Tina, on of my professor's horses. She is a gorgeous Morgan mare (who never acts like a mare) and I adore her. It was great spending time out at the barn, but when I got home, I immediately got back to studying. Finals are next week and I have four days until they begin. I don't feel behind in my classes, I haven't missed one all quarter, but I do feel like I don't have enough time to study for each of them.

Tomorrow, we have an exam in Radiology, only one exam for this quarter, but we won't get a final grade. The course spans the entire first year and has a cumulative exam each quarter. Yep, that's right cumulative! Pretty much from here out (i.e. when you start vet school) everything is cumulative! You need to remember this stuff because you will be using part of it at least in your everyday career. It feels overwhelming at times, but I try to take it one day at a time and remember what I can, and review what I don't know when I'm faced with it again.

I was up for my 8am Cardiology lab this morning where we explored our fresh pig heart. It was great to see the real thing and hold it in my hands, it is so complex! I saved my heart so I can go back and study it again over the next few days.

Can't wait for tonight's nursing shift, can't wait, can't wait...until this quarter is over.

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