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

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Living by my iCal

Your vet school schedule is automatically loading into your iCal (for Mac users) before the quarter even starts. I have become obsessed with looking at my calendar. I don’t know if these feelings have overcome anyone else in my class, but I really feel that my life is directed and managed around my iCal schedule. It tells me where I need to be and when. It even provides me with a number correlating to a class, kind of like an acronym. I know what a few of these mean, but sometimes I am in for a surprise of what class will be next.

Vet school scheduling is not like undergraduate courses at all. As an undergrad, you gradually become accustomed to a weekly schedule that doesn’t frequently change. In vet school however, classes overlap, end sooner or start later than others, basically there is no weekly familiarity with it. Only one class is always there for you, everyday around 11am……right before lunch…P. Chemistry. You are ensured to get a daily lecture in P. Chemistry and the class moves quickly and covers vast material. Speaking of which, we have our first P. Chemistry test on Monday, two weeks into vet school. I plan on spending the rest of the weekend studying, trying to not memorize the material, but to learn it so I can someday apply it.

Application can begin at vet school, during the TG’s (the every other week Friday parties). There is always great food, kegs, and wonderful company. This week’s TG recognized all the STAR students (Students in Advance Research) who had completed summer research projects. I’m debating doing this program since I had a lot of research experience already as an undergraduate, but research is still something that interests me. Alex (my boyfriend of five years) accompanied me to Friday’s TG and we had a blast.

Sometimes during all these classes while you are starring at your computer, trying to absorb the words that are coming from your professor’s mouth, you’re tired, it’s right before lunch, and you loose sight of why you’re really there and why these things are important. Today, I volunteered at a feral cat spay/neuter program at the Sacramento SPCA. I got a lot of experience preparing the animals for surgery, recovering, vaccinating, and ear tipping. We completed spays/neuters on over 25 cats! The program will run every Saturday from now until the first few months in 2011. The clinic was run by 3 veterinary students, two veterinarians, two technicians, and a brave community volunteer. I was surprised that none of my classmates showed interest since we had all gotten the email. I really got to apply myself and test my knowledge. I loved every minute of it!

First Week in Review

After completing my first week at veterinary school, I am excited and overwhelmed at all the same time. It was an intense week, 9am-5pm each day with an hour for lunch. My lunch hours were filled with club and informational meetings that had one main dish: Pizza and lots of it. I never thought I could get tired of eating pizza, but this week proved me wrong! I had my first TG (kind of like a thank god it’s Friday). It includes a BBQ& Keg and all the veterinary students, some faculty, and staff come. This week all the campus clubs were there trying to get the first years to join and upperclassmen to re-join old clubs or join new ones. I joined several clubs including: the equine medicine club, the veterinary business management association, and the pathology club just to name a few. Campus clubs provide lectures, symposiums, wet labs, rounds, and lots of other fun stuff to get involved in during the school year.

Sitting in Rm 1020 in Valley hall, I stare at my classmates and realize we are all so lucky to be here, we are all smart and we will all succeed. We’ve all enjoyed the same classes this week such as biochemistry, histology, anatomy, animal behavior, and even our first radiology lecture. I’ve spent only 6 hours in the anatomy lab reinforcing my learning of the forelimb and spinal column, but I know there are many hours to come. Our first exam in anatomy (which consists of a lecture and laboratory exam) is in just two weeks. We have to know every bone and every articulating surface, rough surface, basically everything about bones (at least for now) the muscles, nerves, and veins will follow shortly).  I’m more concerned for our upcoming biochemistry exam this coming Monday!!! We’ve covered enzymes, acid-base, and some intracellular signals. This material is extensive and we have this course every day.

This Friday, we have a group exam in animal behavior (our first official exam in veterinary school). Unfortunately, we only have seven animal behavior lectures, but it has been fun discussing behavior and emerging discoveries about the way animals interact with each other and their people. The exam is open note, open internet, so it should be fun and interactive. It’s more of an interpretation of what we’ve learned and how we’ll apply it.

I’m doing my best to reduce my stress in veterinary school by taking a weekly Yoga class at the Bo Tree. I also get a monthly massage at Massage Envy (thanks to my dad). In addition, I try to get to the ARC at least 2 times a week. Most of my time outside of class is spent studying. It seems overwhelming at times just because there is so much to learn. I’ve found studying anatomy is best done in groups, especially since I study at late hours. All the veterinary school buildings are open to veterinary students 24 hours a day. This is to give us the prime opportunity to study and use the facilities when ever we want.

I’ve already been exploring summer externship opportunities. Many of you may wonder what an externship is and how it is different from an internship? An externship is part time (usually 2-4 weeks in length, and is done while you are still a veterinary student. They are usually unpaid, but a great opportunity to gain hands on, clinical experience. Internships are usually paid experiences done after graduating from veterinary school and often a year long in length.

Orientation: Life Lessons

I have just finished the intense and rewarding 5-day retreat at UC Davis for first year veterinary students. Many of you may be wondering, what is a “retreat”, what was the purpose; why not start learning the material and veterinary coursework right away?

There are many reasons for not just diving straight into the course material. One of the main reasons for establishing a retreat before coursework is to break the ice. Let’s face it, we hardly know each other. Since I went to Davis as an undergrad, I knew some people, but after the retreat, I found I had not known them that well. My fellow students were from all over the US and even one from Canada! During the retreat, we were put into many different groups and introduced to all 133 people in our class. In our various groups, we worked on team-building strategies while at the same time having fun doing it. We were making the transition from being competitive undergraduates striving to be accepted to veterinary school, to a collaborative team that shared a common goal: to GRADUATE from veterinary school.

Team building was the focus of the retreat. It was highlighted during every minute, every hour, every day. Although a team cannot be built in a single day, it is vital that each member understand each other and themselves. What you bring to a group is important in the veterinary profession.
Networking is vital to your survival as a future veterinarian. We learned that sometimes it is not always, what you know, but whom you know. Networking offers the opportunity to learn new things and expand your knowledge and skill set. By making connections with your peers, friends, professors, or colleges, you can greatly benefit. During the retreat, we had networking lunches with our student mentors (second and third year students), our professor mentors, and the CVMA (California Veterinary Medical Association). These lunches were a great way to ask questions about being a veterinary student, opportunities available to us as students, and personal opinions and preferences of current veterinarians on the cutting edge of the profession.

During the retreat, we learned that trust is a critical factor to your team’s success. Trust is like glue and is what holds a team together through the good times and the bad. A team’s strength is seen by how it copes with failures and setbacks, which are inevitable in veterinary school. Trust is relying on one another to reach a common goal or purpose. Building good teams requires the building of a solid foundation built on the foundation of trust. During orientation, actually on our first day, we did several trust-fall exercises. We were able to fall back and trust that our team members would be there to catch us. At first, I thought it was a silly exercise, but when you look at the underlying principal, it is vital to success in veterinary school. One person without trust in others cannot make it in this type of profession.

Being able to understand and work with different personality types is also vital to your success in veterinary school as well as the veterinary profession. Using the Myers Briggs (MBTI) personality typing was super fun. I learned a lot about my own personality as well as how I can adapt to work better with others. It is funny because my boyfriend and I are exact opposites in several categories identified by Myers-Briggs, which may indicate why we often butt heads. I think realizing and remembering that you are working with a mesh of different personality types is important in even being a member of society. I encourage everyone to take the free test online and discover what you may or may not know about yourself, your friends, or loved ones.
http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp

Reflection was a major part of the retreat. After every exercise, time was allotted for reflection on the activity. These points of reflection allowed us to think critically about what each specific activity taught us individually and as a group. Although sometimes many of us were more focused on if we accomplished the task rather than how we worked to meet our goal (myself included).  Our retreat instructors always pointed out that it didn’t matter if we actually saved our Parvo Puppy, or made a perfect square out of rope, but that we had worked together to do everything in our power to try. As the retreat went on, people who seemed shy at the beginning came out and were freely speaking their feelings.

During the retreat, we also learned how to use our computers and the CERE veterinary site which houses all our class lecture material, some quizzes and podcasts. These skills were rudimentary compared to those I learned about teamwork and trust. I am glad that I shared the retreat experience with my classmates and excited to start my first real veterinary classes on Friday.

Summer Reading

Here were some of my favorite books from my Summer Reading List:
  • “If Wishes Were Horses: The Education of a Veterinarian” by Loretta Gage, DVM
    • From Library Journal: Loretta Gage always wanted to become a veterinarian but had allowed herself to be sidetracked until, at the tender age of 34, she became the oldest student at Colorado State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine after applying for admission three times. Writing with her sister Nancy, Gage describes her early life, her experiences in veterinary school, and some of her early postgraduation “clients.” While an interesting success story, her book is even more valuable because it describes veterinary course work in detail and the concentrated effort that it requires.

  • “The Rhino with the glue on shoes”
    • This book is full of stories of zoo and wildlife veterinarians from all over the world, very exciting and easy read. There is even a story about a veterinarian helping a Goldfish! From Amazon.com: A moray eel diagnosed with anorexia…A herd of bison whose only hope is a crusading female doctor from Paris…A vet desperately trying to save an orphaned whale by unraveling the mystery of her mother’s death…This fascinating book offers a rare glimpse into the world of wild animals and the doctors who care for them. Here pioneering zoological veterinarians—men and women on the cutting edge of a new medical frontier—tell real-life tales of daring procedures for patients weighing tons or ounces, treating symptoms ranging from broken bones to a broken heart, and life-and-death dramas that will forever change the way you think about wild animals and the bonds we share with them. At once heart-quickening and clinically fascinating, the stories in this remarkable collection represent some of the most moving and unusual cases ever taken on by zoological vets. A chronicle of discovery, compassion, and cutting-edge medicine, The Rhino with the Glue-On Shoes is must reading for animal lovers, science buffs, and anyone who loves a well-told tale.

  • “Appointments at the end of the World: Memoirs of a Wildlife Veterinarian” by William B. Karesh D.V.M.
    • From Amazon.com: Ever since his childhood days of rescuing, raising, and releasing orphaned blue jays and raccoons, William B. Karesh knew that working with wild animals was his calling. After training as a veterinarian and working for years with zoo animals, he developed the International Field Veterinary Program (IFVP) for the Wildlife Conservation Society, providing advice and assistance to conservation programs worldwide. His adventures battling bureaucrats, poachers, and other short-sighted humans while endangered animals lay sick and dying are recounted in Appointment at the Ends of the World. The book is an exciting, inspiring read that appeals to animal lovers, environmentalists, and devotees of amazing stories alike. From Borneo to Zaire, Karesh has shuttled through much of the world to bring much-needed medicines and surgical techniques to populations of animals that can’t afford to lose even one to disease or injury. Plenty of illustrations and color plates bring the rhinos, peccaries, and macaws helped by the good doctor vividly to life, and the maps and sidebars help the reader achieve a sense of place missing from so many world-spanning books. Appointment at the Ends of the World is as certain to enrage as it is to delight; more than this, though, it kindles the desire to reach out and help those in need. –Rob Lightner

Sqeezing the last little bit out of my summer

I start Veterinary school in exactly 8 days, well orientation, that is, but many say orientation is grueling, although full of character. I am anxious to meet all my fellow classmates and learn about their interests and backgrounds. Luckily, by working for UCD at the state fair this summer, I was able to meet several of my classmates already. Working at the state fair is definitely great experience for veterinary school or applications, however it did not meet my expectations. The hours were long, the days were hot, and they gave you little instruction as to what you were supposed to be doing which was taking care of farm animals, like pigs, cows, sheep, and goats. I love all animals, but a little guidance would have been helpful!

I’m looking forward to meeting my Big Sib, she seems really cool and is a year ahead of me in vet school. I can’t believe I will get to be someone’s Big Sib next year! Not only do we have a Big Sib, but we also get a faculty mentor. UC Davis provides their students a lot of guidance throughout their veterinary program. I’ve also heard that we get free dog food from Purina and Hill’s. I’m really excited just to see what vet school has to offer! This is the line-up of this fall’s courses.

Classes for Fall Quarter, freshman year of veterinary school (23.3 units!!!):

Freshman Doctoring
Normal Anatomy of the Canine Locomoter System
Cardiovascular Anatomy
P. Chemistry
Animal Behavior
Epidemiology
Freshman Clinical Skills
Cell & Tissue Structure and Function
Radiology
Veterinary Ethics & Law

Starting a Blog

I have decided to start my first blog after reading countless other blogs that are interesting, inspiring, and somewhat life changing. At the age of six, my dream was to become an equine (horse) veterinarian. I spent every hour I wasn’t at school at the barn and tried my hand at various riding disciplines from endurance, western, and hunter/jumper. I have always loved horses and have wanted to spend my life treating and working with them.

I’ve just been accepted to the University of California Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. I am excited and nervous all at the same time to be going to such a prestigious school. I am one of the 1,067 applicants that applied and one of the 135 admitted for the class of 2014. I have discovered that admission is difficult, but no where near impossible.

My Personal Statements


My Second Personal Statement: (The one I got accepted with)
 I am competitive and my life experiences have added to my personal character and stamina. Since I can remember, I was addicted to horses, eager to muck twenty stalls just to spend time with them. During my parents divorce, I turned to horses to give me the strength and reassurance I needed. I spent long hours at the barn far away from my troubles at home learning about equine care, training and management. Eager and present to hold horses for the local vet, I had the opportunity to be involved in various diagnosis and treatments.
I was hesitant to attend college at first, although I was drawn to veterinary medicine from my lifelong involvement with horses, I did not know if I could afford a college education or handle the challenging coursework. Scholarships relieved my financial burden; I sought out to tackle the coursework. My successes in learning how to problem solve and developing an applicable study method enabled me to excel in my chemistry courses and receive a position as a tutor at the Sierra College skills center. Always able to establish a good rapport with students, I consider myself to possess a talent for teaching others in an outgoing and professional manner that helps them to perceive difficult concepts easily. My persistence and resourcefulness in obtaining scholarships throughout college is rewarding as I am commended for my academic success. My accomplishments in my college years have helped me to understand my own potential and the path that I wish to pursue. Once I realized that veterinary medicine was my goal, I worked harder to succeed, and obtain experience in the field. My desire and diligence to obtain a variety of jobs and internships in the animal health field is indicative of my motivation for success. 
My internship in equine medicine at the VMTH gave me the chance to see life as a veterinary student and the opportunity to participate as part of an investigative team of knowledgeable veterinarians. One of my most memorable shifts involved a young alpaca that was in labor for almost 24 hours. I watched intently as individuals from various departments of the VMTH worked together to relieve the distressed alpaca. I jumped in the mix when an extra hand was needed to pull the chain wrapped around the trapped Cria. I heaved and thought positive thoughts for the young alpaca and her unborn Cria. As the lifeless Cria was released from its confine, a sense of relief and sadness came among the group. I watched the doctor console the owners as they grieved for their loss of a new life. The experience was a memorable example of the abilities and limits of veterinary medicine.
Working as a foal team member in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at the VMTH introduced me to unique cases requiring critical care. My experiences with foals have always been in a positive light, with the foal eagerly nursing, a curious expression accompanied by a soft nose and fuzzy ears. This picture became drastically different when I met my first critically ill foal. Caring for sick neonatal foals requires a substantial commitment physically, mentally and emotionally.  You have to be able to think quickly when dealing with foals. I was able to remain calm and rational when exposed to stressful and high-pressure situations when we had difficult mares and fragile foals. I worked the graveyard shift under the supervision of veterinary technicians who were more than willing to let me get my hands dirty. I performed physical exams on mare and foal, assisted with milking and feeding of the foal through a nasogastric tube. In addition to assisting in veterinary procedures, I could not help but become attached to patients and always followed up on cases. While providing an invaluable service, I was able to gain excellent veterinary medical experience.
Travel is one of my favorite hobbies. I spent four weeks in South America studying the Spanish language in addition to broadening my cultural awareness. Staying in hostels while traveling through Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia allowed me to meet fellow travelers engaging in their cultures and experiences. Having witnessed the similarities and differences among many diverse cultures and geographical areas has allowed me to relate to various nationalities, a quality that will help me work effectively with colleagues and help me better serve my clients in the future.  I believe that a veterinarian must be attuned to the needs of their community. Veterinarians should have the heart to offer their services for the betterment of their community. Working at the Mercer clinics in Sacramento assisting with treatment of pets of the homeless has given me perspective in the necessities of the services offered by such indispensable programs.
My undergraduate program is a process whereby I have deepened my interest and understanding of Animal Biology. I consider science as a process and means of advancing society. The major allows me the autonomy of my future as an undergraduate by detailing my education to my interests. The practicum research project is what separates the Animal Biology major apart from other majors at the UC Davis. I am currently conducting research for my senior practicum under the supervision of Dr. Gershwin at the VMTH in veterinary immunology. I began my research investigating the field of immunology by auditing Dr. Gershwin’s immunology course for first year veterinary students. I found my experience in her course stimulating, a genuine example of the veterinary curriculum where I learned a great deal about clinical immunology and gained appreciation for the relevance of my research project. My research project aims to examine several antibody classes from equine sera samples in order to develop an assay to predict if a horse may be predisposed to having a vaccine reaction. The applicability of my project to the real world was heartbreakingly made aware to me when Dr. Gershwin informed me of a recent clinical case witnessed by the mobile VMTH on a routine call to examine an older mare with an acute lameness. There turned out to be no problem with the lameness, but as the vet was leaving, she noticed the mare was not up to date on her vaccinations. After administration of the vaccines, the mare dropped dead due to a severe vaccine reaction. The consequence of not knowing if the mare was predisposed to having a vaccine reaction was detrimental to the mare, emotional turmoil for the owner, and shocking for the young vet. The purpose of my research is to prevent endings like these and other problems associated with vaccine reactions.
All of my life experiences have been significant in bringing me to this point. I am mentally prepared and determined enough to succeed at any endeavor, and posses the maturity demanded in the veterinary profession. Working with experts in veterinary careers has highlighted many of the physical, emotional, and financial struggles involved in becoming a veterinarian. My compassionate feelings for animals and zeal for emerging research facilitates my commitment to veterinary medicine that will motivate me through the years to come. My ultimate goal is to be accepted into the Veterinary Scientist Training Program to combine my passion for research and joy of teaching while also serving on the cutting edge of new technologies and the ever-changing face of veterinary medicine. My future is greatly anticipated, as for me, veterinary medicine emerges as the ideal approach for satisfying my intellectual curiosity as well as my desire to contribute to the betterment of animal, human and environmental health.  I am aware that this is a career with many demands, both emotional and physical, but I know that I possess the diligence, ardor and endurance to overcome these obstacles and to become a valuable member of the veterinary community. 

My First Personal Statement: (you can see the difference!) This one was not quite up to par with my second try
 My life experiences with animals have led me to pursue an education in veterinary medicine. Since a young age, I've loved horses, and had a profound interest in working with and helping animals. All my life I have established goals and made a dedicated agenda to accomplish them. Animals, especially horses, have driven me to work hard toward my ambitions. Although my parents couldn’t afford to provide me with everything I desired they were very supportive in helping me succeed. I became self-motivated, taking initiative to work hard for the things I wanted in life.
            At ten years of age, I purchased my first horse. By working at the barn in exchange for riding lessons and my horses’ keep, I became knowledgeable about equine care, training and management. I competed in a wide range of events at local and statewide competitions. By competing in hunter/jumper, western pleasure, and endurance riding I gained insight to the competitive aspects of the equine industry and the concept of the horse as a partner, but also an athlete.
            During high school, I worked at several different barns as an assistant trainer. I had an opportunity to work with a variety of horse breeds as well as equestrians. I started young horses under saddle as well as riding seasoned show horses. I would often encounter difficult horses and then work with my senior trainers to solve the training issues. With the experience I gained in the saddle and the many hours I spent with horses, I was able to teach others how to ride. During my first summer camp, I took responsibility for a group of four ten year olds with no previous horse experience. Over the four weeks of camp, I became a teacher and a mentor to my group. I was able to effectively convey basic equine care and riding techniques through group exercises. I taught my students to communicate with their horses as well as each other. After the camp, I went on to give riding lessons to all different ages and riding levels.
             Though I enjoyed training horses, I still felt strongly about pursuing a career in veterinary medicine. I earned scholarships to attend Sierra College so I could take animal and equine science courses along with my prerequisites for veterinary school. I excelled in my animal related courses, though I struggled through chemistry. I worked diligently to overcome my difficulties, seeking help from the tutoring center. I worked hard to receive an “A” in the class. After my second semester of general chemistry, I realized that I actually liked chemistry. I began working at the tutor center with students individually as well as in groups to help them overcome the same challenges I had faced in chemistry. I learned how to explain the material while being patient with students that struggled.
            In addition to my undergraduate coursework; I became involved with Saddle Pals, a therapeutic riding program for the disabled. As a volunteer, I became involved with weekly lessons that gave students the opportunity to work with horses and overcome the challenges they faced in life. Since many of the horses used in the program were rescue cases with soundness issues that left them only good for light riding, routine veterinary care was essential to the stability of the program. I admired the local vet who had dedicated her time to treat the horses in the program at a low cost, allowing the program to thrive.
              Through hands-on experiences in veterinary settings, I have gained understanding and insight about the veterinary medical profession. Working at Lakeside Pet Hospital, a small animal veterinary clinic, I was exposed to the daily tasks required of a small animal veterinarian. I learned that veterinary work at a clinic was often arduous, but also gratifying. By following up on patient cases, I often gained insight to both routine and emergency situations. One Sunday morning at the clinic, I had the chance to be involved in a unique case. The patient was a mini Yorkshire terrier that had been kicked in the head by a deer. As I watched the doctor examine the small dog, it was evident that the animal had severe trauma to its head, and there was nothing we could do but to end the dog’s suffering. This was my first experience where I encountered the limits of medicine.
            This summer, I had an opportunity to work with Dr. Dave Turoff, a skilled and highly respected local veterinarian. I gained exposure to working with large animals in an ambulatory practice allowing me to assist in exams that showcased the dynamic process of veterinary medicine. I was intrigued by the method of obtaining a patient history, vitals and symptoms to locate a specific problem. We often had to treat patients before getting blood work or x-rays, exposing the limitations of a mobile practice. I had confidence in the logical process of treatment protocol. 
            My dedication to working with horses has evolved into a passion to become a veterinarian. I am confident that my life experiences have driven me to be successful in my pursuits.