Paradise?

Although graduation is still three years and 4.5 weeks away for me, I have been procrastinating studying by finding possible externships and exploring veterinary career choices.

I just can't help but think ahead, it keeps me going to classes and enjoying life, frankly in the midst of my non-clinical years of veterinary school. Lectures can become really dry with limited clinical application and I am always seeking more information after lecture on how I will somehow assimilate all this information on anatomy, physiology, and pathology, etc. and apply it to an actual patient or clinical case. 

I often find myself discouraged when I don't do as well as I had hoped on an exam. Somehow, the veterinary school curriculum makes you feel that if you don't achieve straight A's, you won't be a good veterinarian. I think that is VERY wrong, but I can't help but think I have failed or let myself down by missing questions on exams. I need to remember that part of that learning is making mistakes and trying again. I think it is much better to do this on paper than on a real clinical case. But in real life, clinical cases will not be an exam, I will be able to collaborate with colleges and have the ability to utilize resources in all my cases.

I recently was exploring the American Fondouk website and found a blog of past visitors of the Fondouk. I felt I should share it on my blog because it is inspiring and thought provoking all at the same time.

 Epilogue from Dr. Biros' 2009 Visit

"I have signed each correspondence on this trip “From paradise” but have in my own mind struggled to define exactly what paradise means. Is it having everything you want? Is it a place where there is no suffering and no one has a need for anything? At first I thought I was being a bit romantic; after all I was visiting an exotic place where there is a need for the services that I can offer, that is to help sick animals without asking for anything in return. I soon realized that Fez is a wild place filled with life, death, emotion and action everywhere you turn. The Fondouk is only a small part of that, but it is a part that cannot be taken away. To me, paradise is not the utter fulfillment of one’s desires and the absolute elimination of every bad thing; rather it is the act of giving and receiving, exchanging our gifts to one another no matter how great or small. Paradise is ensuring that we are an active participant, to the best of our ability, in this sometimes crazy world and consciously soaking it all in along the way. No matter how one defines paradise, I feel that part of the definition is the wish for paradise to endure."

http://www.mspca.org/americanfondouk/about-us/blog/day-7-april-27-2009.html

Good Day

Today was a great day! I did well on my quiz for parasitology and had an interesting day. 

This morning I was excited to receive a forwarded email from by boyfriend stating his acceptance to  the teaching credential program at UC Davis. I'm so proud of him, he finished his application on time, did extremely well in interviews and did the majority of it all by himself!

Fate happened today when a classmate and I decided to go to Jamba Juice after parasitology lab to break in our new Jamba cards that give 10% of our purchase back to our vet school class. On our drive to Jamba Juice, we passed a dog on the side of the road in someone's front yard. There did not appear to be an owner anywhere near the dog, but we figured someone must have let their dog out in their yard. His coat stood out to us, he was somewhat of an Aussie mix, and since we'd recently been going over coat coloring in our veterinary genetics class, we mentioned we should try to figure out what colors we would have to cross to end up with his particular coat color. We didn't think anything of the dog on the rest of the way to Jamba Juice or even while we were at Jamba Juice. We ordered our smoothies and sat inside talking for a while about class and life in general. 

As we were leaving, we saw the same dog we had seen earlier in the car sitting right in front of Jamba Juice! We have no idea how he happened to make his way about a quarter of a mile to Jamba Juice crossing a very busy road.

We found a spare leash in the car and took him into the veterinary clinic next to Jamba Juice, which is actually a "cat clinic" to scan for a microchip. He had a leather collar on, but no ID. We couldn't locate a microchip, so we were back to square one. Who owned this lovely dog? He was not neutered, but he was very friendly and beautiful. Since he was freshly groomed, we decided to see if the dog groomers at PetCo might know him. 

They recognized him as we walked in the door and wondered where we found him. They contacted his owner who showed up less than five minutes later. Funny thing is, the dog's owner was one of my undergraduate professors at UC Davis. What a small world! This had to be fate that this dog found us and we returned him to his loving owner! 

 

One Day At a Time...

Veterinary school is overwhelming at times, I spent most of yesterday worrying about all the studying looming ahead. Sometimes you feel as though you can never catch up if you fall behind, which is easy to do. Especially with a part-time job, and responsibilities as co-head coordinators for two very important societal programs (Mercer and C4CC (Coalition for Community Cats feral cat clinic)). 

Many may wonder why I choose to do so much along with veterinary school and one may even argue if I didn't have those other things to do, I might have more time to study. However, I think it is vital to my community to participate in such valuable programs such as Mercer and C4CC. And as for my job, I'm learning so much about veterinary care, things that relate to things I'm learning in class. I'm actually getting to DO things and relate them to what I've learned from sitting on my butt in lecture for 7-8 hours a day. 


Over the past week, I have realized something very tough for me to deal with in the field of veterinary medicine. Owners that love their pets and have good intentions, but are unable to realize when a pet may need medical intervention. For example, the owner who notices blood in their dog's urine and thinks that it will just go away, however after a year, they decide to seek medical intervention when the problem has not only persisted, but gotten worse. I am thankful they have finally chosen to seek medical attention, but it is difficult for me to understand why they didn't get help sooner. I mean, it seems confusing to me that one would think issues would just "resolve" themselves. If you break your arm, you should probably seek medical care and correct your broken arm...So simple, so difficult for many pet owners to understand. It's not that they don't care, it is that they don't seem to understand the gravity of their pet's situation. A similar situation is currently happening to an animal that is very close to me owned by a friend that is very dear to me. 

It makes me think about how many times I will have to deal with these situations in my future. With the economy the way it is, people are trying to save money anywhere they can, whether it be buying cheaper pet food, or seeking less veterinary care/preventative medicine for their pets. I think a great example of this new movement is summarized by a blog post from a veterinarian I often read:
http://avetsguidetolife.blogspot.com/2011/04/scrimping-on-heartworm-prevention.html 

It's not worth it in the end, if you skimp here and there, it quite often may end up costing you more in the long run and the biggest price one will pay is the health and well-being of their pet. We cannot make decisions for the pet, we have to work as a team with the owners to provide proper care to the pet and it is important to establish working relationships with owners. 

I think I've been having a difficult time realizing I can't change the world, I can only help individuals and hope to contribute to changes through the masses. My making a difference in one pet's life, I can make a difference. 

Being a Veterinary Student-Experience is the word everyone gives their mistakes

Veterinary School can be difficult some days. You feel a lot of pressure to get good grades and do many extracurricular activities as well. 
I have already learned that it is inevitable that you will struggle through some aspect of your learning in veterinary school. Whether it be a class, clinics, communicating with a client or co-worker, you are bound to at some point in time make a mistake. The word "mistake" can be a little bit misleading. As long as it is not a fatal mistake (which at least others will learn from), mistakes can only benefit you in the long run. 

Mistakes obviously, show us what needs improving. Without mistakes, how would we know what we have to work on? 

I believe mistakes are a necessary part of the your ever increasing learning curve in veterinary school. The more experience you seem to have, the less mistakes that seem to occur. If people didn't make mistakes they wouldn't be human. I have made mistakes, but I have learned from them. I may seem perfect on the outside, but I'm not, anyone who thinks they are perfect are not. You can get pretty close (although very few do), but you never are a 100% perfect. I believe part of the imperfection is what builds character and knowledge. Embrace your mistakes, try to limit them, but know that they will only teach you something valuable. If anyone wants me to give them a personal example of a mistake I have made and how I learned even more from it, feel free to contact me:

hamaleo11@gmail.com

It's always helpful to learn from your mistakes because then it makes them worth while. 

Other great "Mistakes" quotes

If 

Welcome class of 2015!!!

 

The Class of 2014 UCD SVM

Just under a year ago, we took our oath at our white coat ceremony after completing our orientation to veterinary school. The beginning of our veterinary medicine education and the start of a career for the rest of our lives. 

I cannot believe it has been a whole year since I received my letter informing me that I had been accepted to the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine! I remember there was lots of celebrating involved and I still couldn't believe it had actually happened. Well let me tell you, It HAS HAPPENED! You have been accepted to one of the greatest vet schools in the US, congrats on getting into UC Davis! 

If you guys have any questions, especially only ones current veterinary students can answer, I'm all ears: feel free to comment on my blog, facebook me, or email me. Heck if you even want someone to show you around Davis, let me know :) and WELCOME!

 

White Coat Ceremony: Reading our oath

My first real white coat! With the UCD logo! 

Closing Budget Gaps: The Veterinary Education Crisis

In the most current Dean's update from Dr. Bennie Osburn (the current Dean of the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine), he wrote that “it appears that over the last 2-years, the U.S. veterinary schools will have collectively lost more than $125 million in state funding.” 

This statement is not a shock to me, but is of a major concern. With the increased need for veterinarians, we need to keep our veterinary schools full and up to par with the highest education standards possible. If there is not money for veterinary schools, it will be unlikely that the schools will be able to produce skilled, competent veterinarians with such diminished resources. 

In an article that appeared in DVM 360, it was mentioned that “UC-Davis relies on state funding for about one third of its budget and has endured $5 million in cuts over the last three years. The university is planning a tuition increase of about 12 percent — from $27,045 to $30,246 — for the 2010-2011 school year.” 

These tuition hikes greatly affect my classmates and I. Many wonder if veterinary education will hit a tipping point. "Several U.S. veterinary colleges have met initial budget cuts in part by generating more revenue through higher tuition and increased enrollment.However, these institutions are likely approaching a critical threshold on tuition costs, as evidenced by median educational debt of $130,000 reported for 2010 graduates, an increase of 4 percent over 2009. High student debt load is not surprising, given that mean annual tuition for students at U.S. veterinary schools during the 2010-2011 academic year is $40,017 for full-time, out-of-state students and $22,348 for in-state students."

It is difficult for me to understand why people still think that taking their pets to the veterinarian is too expensive, with such extensive loan debt upon graduation from veterinary school, many new grads are struggling to find a job even though the need for veterinarians is high. I do understand that the general public is under a lot of pressure to meet the basic care needs of their pets due to such an unfortunate economy, but they need to understand where veterinarians are coming from. We would love to offer reduced services for those in need, but our own lives would be greatly affected by this and we would be unable to keep the clinics open and stocked with necessary drugs, staff, and tools for quality veterinary medicine. 


I really wonder how far the schools will have to go as far as accepting budget cuts and managing them effectively. How bad will the states let the veterinary schools get before they decide to raise taxes on the richer sector of our country and re-allocate this upside down pyramid of an economy.

As state buget cuts continue with no sight in end, I think our states and our country need to consider the importance of higher educational needs for the future of our country, it's citizens, our animals and the world.

Round 2: Applying to Veterinary School the second or multiple times

"I applied to Davis this year but didn't get in. I was expecting it though,  I'm pretty sure it was because I have so little experience but I have to wait to schedule a phone interview in April to figure out. Did you do the phone interview after your first application? Any suggestions on questions to ask?" 

This is a great question I recently received from a UC Davis SVM applicant, talk about perseverance, this person is all over it! Way ahead of the game by thinking about these things early. 

Personally, when I applied to Davis the first time, I didn't expect to be admitted, but I did hope to learn a lot from the application process and I sure did! 

I have to say, I am not one of the ones that actually did a phone interview to find out why I had not received admission, but this is NOT advisable. Looking back, I honestly do regret not having done a phone or in person interview with the admissions committee to find out what I could improve, but I was a little scared to have someone point out my "faults" (If you could even call them that...). I guess I felt I knew what I had to do to improve and didn't want it driven into the ground. 

I realize now, that it was NOT the best decision I have ever made, and I think I could have probably been a stronger, more competitive applicant had I chosen to reflect on my "faults" and sought out specific places my application needed improvement. That is the whole basis of the veterinary profession, to learn from your mistakes and be a better person/veterinarian because of it. No one is perfect, so we might as well get comfortable with that fact and do our best to get close to it.  

In response to the question, what can you ask the admissions committee (whom are very friendly people at least at UCD I must add) is that ask them anything you would ask someone you consider to be your mentor. First of all, make sure you care about what you are asking, if you don't at least pretend to care. They don't want to waste their time talking to you if you don't really care what they have to say. I think it is important to keep in mind how many applicants they talk to every year including those that are selected for interviews and those who are not. To be quite frank, to them, you are just another applicant, when you call to find out why you were denied an interview, I believe it is also part of your application process (although I doubt they write anything down, they may remember talking to you next year when they select the new interviewees). I'm just saying it is important to act professional at all times when applying to such a competitive program, I wouldn't let my guard down.

When assessing what went well and what could be improved in your application, I would begin with a "self reflection." Look over your application and pretend you are the admissions committee, what really stands out that convinces them you are the right person for their veterinary school? What do you feel are your strengths and weaknesses. 

When I did this for example, I was almost rolling on the floor laughing when I re-read my personal statement that I had submitted with my first application, it was pretty bad. It was a good start, but definitely lacked individuality. I also realized what little experience I really had in vetmed and knew I was already improving those experiences by getting involved at the veterinary school in research and internship positions. Another weakness I had was the GRE, my scores were not great. My strengths were that I was determined and worked hard to do better my second go around. I also had a lot of experience working with horses and I knew that veterinary medicine was my passion. 

After the "self-assessment", I would recommend discussing your application with your mentor, close friend, or family member (or all of the above). Just having an outside opinion comment on your thoughts about your strengths and weaknesses will really help identify things you might have missed or overlooked. 

The second personal statement I wrote, I had to work very hard to articulate what I felt in a 1500 word essay. I had to convince the committee that they wanted to interview ME. It was about a three month process and I really got tired of reading about myself! In the end, I think it turned out fine though and I did land myself an interview.  

I don't think you need to wait to April to figure out a game plan for next year's application (which I already know you will start EARLY). I don't think it would hurt to make a plan now and then discuss your plan with the admissions committee in April. You can always edit the plan later and go from their if they give you additional advice. 

The best advice I can give personally is it really is sometimes about WHO you know and WHAT you have done. Who wrote your letters of recommendation? were they good letters? were those people dependable and influential in their field? That was one of my biggest improvements, I had done research with a UCD SVM faculty member who is a highly respected professor/veterinarian/researcher and just a wonderful person who wrote my third letter of recommendation. Among the other two letters, one was from the same person who had written my first letter and the other from a horse trainer I had know and worked for for almost 8 years. 

Don't underestimate your experiences, don't sugar coat them or exaggerate them. If you really haven't gotten the experience to confirm you want to and can be a vet, I think you shouldn't apply to veterinary school. These pre-vet experiences are vital to your success in veterinary school and in the profession.

Lastly, I encourage you to look at the link below to maybe answer some of your questions. These are common questions asked by applicants every year. Make sure you try not to ask these questions when you have your phone appointment with the admissions committee, unless you need more details. Again, remember how many people they have to talk to. 

And even after that, don't give up on your dreams! You can improve, just have perseverance!  

UC Davis Frequently asked Questions

What to do with my animal science degree?

"I am a Senior at UCD with a major in Animal Science & Management. I have been having trouble deciding what to do with my life after graduating since my GPA is less than 3.0 and I have little experience at veterinary hospital or animal clinic. I have finally decided to perhaps enroll in a Veterinary Technician program so that I can take the Veterinary Technician examination, but my major adviser and the pre-vet adviser did not know anything about it. I did some research on my own, but I am still very confused, and I am not quite sure who else can I ask about it.

I have found out that there are many colleges in California that offer accredited Veterinary Technician programs, but UC Davis is not one of them.

http://www.avma.org/education/cvea/vettech_programs/california.asp

So I assume that the courses I took to fulfill my Animal Science & Management degree are not sufficient, and I am not able to take the exam until I complete the program?

Even though I will be studying Veterinary Technology, I still hope to go to a vet school afterwords. Is there anything else I should do besides gaining more experience with animal-related internships or jobs?"

 

Having trouble deciding what to do with your life after graduation is a very important question that I am sure a lot of people have (especially animal science and pre-veterinary majors).

I think the first question I would ask you is what ARE your goals? Do you want to go to veterinary school? Do you know where you want to see yourself in 10 years? I don't think you should let a GPA lower than 3.0 prevent you from pursuing veterinary school if that is your goal/dream/passion. I have friends that got in with GPA's lower than 3.0 and are doing well (although working hard) in vet school.

Second, I would like to address your question about pursuing a veterinary technician program. Why do you want to do this? I'm wondering what you think you will get out of attending a technician program on top of your animal science degree at UC Davis. You do not have to be a licensed veterinary technician to work at a veterinary clinic. I think the technician program would be great (although expensive/time consuming) when you could just get employed working and learning veterinary technician skills at a veterinary clinic. I would also recommend internships first or volunteering at an SPCA to gain veterinary clinic technician experience if you cannot find a job in a veterinary clinic, chances are there is something out there for you. Maybe even start by working the front desk and gradually work your way to helping with patients in the back. It's important to see how all aspects of a veterinary clinic run anyways. I'm guessing that after you graduate, you might want to begin earning money, but if you are set on the technician program, I know of a local one offered by consumes river community college. http://www.crc.losrios.edu/Areas_of_Study/Careers_and_Technology/Veterinary_Technology.htm
In order to get an RVT (registered veterinary technician) you have to attend an RVT school. UC Davis animal science courses are not sufficient for that program. Some of my classmates in veterinary school were RVT's, but most of us just worked in veterinary clinics with essentially the same responsibilities as an RVT. 

 

How to Become an RVT in California

Third, before you graduate, take the chance to get involved (or more involved) in the vet aides club which will help you get experience at the MERCER clinic or feral cat clinics, actual veterinary experience with animals. This club is really great and it's only available to you while you are at Davis. If you are considering veterinary school, most applicants have over 1,500 hours of VETERINARY related experience. They want to make sure you understand the profession and demands required of a veterinarian/veterinary school.

Fourth, look at prospective veterinary schools you would like to attend. See what they require of their applications (general to specifics) and find out what they want in applicants. It is also important to select a school that you want to go to. For example, do you want to stay in the US or are you willing to go out of the US to pursue veterinary school. Most veterinary schools have the same prerequisites, but some of them are different. 

 

Fifth, why not pursue a Master's or PhD program or gain experience working with animals in a laboratory setting? I would highly suggest researching your options with higher education as I know that veterinary school admissions committees hold higher education very high on their list when selecting new applicants. I'm not saying you shouldn't also get veterinary-related experience, that is also ESSENTIAL and VITAL should you choose to pursue veterinary school.

 

Also, consider other animal science related careers, one of my back up plans was to become an agriculture education (FFA) instructor. I've always been interested in educating, but there are additional jobs as well out there as well.  

Another Helpful Link: Animal-Related Careers

 

I would highly recommend anyone in graduating in this economy start looking for jobs/careers early upon graduating. There is some intense competition out there for good jobs. Make sure you get the full experience from your education/university before graduating. Use their advising services, use their tutor centers, use their career centers, these are valuable resources right at your finger tips. School can be overwhelming (especially with science courses), but don't forget to get valuable hands-on experience that will be useful to your future. Apply for internships, make connections at job fairs, explore possible career/academic choices.  

Please let me know if you have any more questions: hamaleo11@gmail.com

 

Vet School Choices

“I'm a senior biology major at the University of Portland in Oregon. I was recently admitted to 3 vet schools through the WICHE program: Washington State, Colorado State, and Oregon State. I decided not to accept my UC Davis interview because going to school there would be prohibitively expensive, but I wanted to see if you could make some generalizations about vet school for me.

I guess I want to know what you like about your school and what you think could be better. What makes your school special and what do you wish you had?

I visited CSU this past weekend, but I have no way to assess what I saw, since it was my first visit. What kinds of things should I be asking about when I am trying to make my decision?

I also want to ask specifically about class size. OSU has a class of 56 while CSU has a class of 140. If I am reading UC Davis' site correctly, it appears that you have about 130. Do you wish your class were smaller? It appears that you get enough time with your professors.

I am interested in zoological medicine. I respect your work with horses! Horses scare me a little because the only "large" animals I have ever been around are giraffes, but we're never allowed directly in with them. Hooves are frightening.”

First off, you pose some very good questions that I’m sure many people are wondering themselves. Second, congratulations on being admitted to three different veterinary schools! That is not an easy feat.

I understand your worry about UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine being so expensive, but frankly I wouldn’t have wanted to go to any other veterinary school. I have kind of a biased opinion on this, cause I was born and raised less than an hour away from UC Davis. Plus my family still lives close by and I am kind of in love with California. I'm also lucky to pay in state tuition. I don’t like the freezing cold, and I don’t think I could handle the amount of snow that other vet schools get. I love being near my family, the ocean, the mountains, San Francisco, LA, basically I’m a California girl, so that is my personal opinion. I also chose Davis though because of their program, although we rank 3^rd top veterinary school nationally, I still think we’re the best school! My experience at UC Davis as an undergrad was phenomenal. The university is very involved in research and has a wonderful veterinary program. Several of my classmates who are from out of state also say the same things about Davis, they love the program, and they love the location. I can only make some generalization about my school’s program and what I have researched about others. Many of the world’s top professors work at Davis and most of our professors are also clinicians. They are often at the top of their field of interest and have a passion for teaching.  

I would like to begin with telling you that when you select a school, it should be somewhere you really want to go (and live for the next four years). It should have the programs that you are interested in and allow you to gain the experiences you will need for your desired field. Honestly, it doesn’t matter where you get your D.V.M. from, once you graduate, you are a D.V.M. So having that said, I think it is vital to get the experiences and knowledge you want from your education. Get what you are paying for so to say.

My class has 135 students and from what I understand they plan on raising that figure to allow more out of state students and therefore make more money since they pay additional out of state tuition. I honestly don’t have a problem with such a large class size; I still have one on one contact with my professors and feel as though I benefit from having 135 colleagues and friends to get through vet school with. I don’t doubt that smaller class sizes allow for more individual time and learning, but on the other hand, I don’t at all think a large class size inhibits my ability to learn and get experience (at least from my experience at Davis).

In selecting a future school it is a great idea to ask questions and be able to assess what you see. I would suggest making a list of the pros and cons of each school you are interested in. I did this in the beginning, but quickly came up with the conclusion that Davis and only Davis was for me. For example, when you visited CSU what was your initial gut feeling? Did they make you feel welcome, did you like the location, and did you get a chance to see the campus and veterinary teaching hospital. I would do a little research on the professors that teach there and find out which ones might specialize in Zoo/Wildlife medicine and contact them through email asking their opinion on CSU’s program for this specialty field. See what kind of research they are involved in, what zoo’s they may have affiliations with. For example, I know UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine works closely with the San Diego Zoo, Sacramento Zoo, San Francisco/Oakland zoo’s and Sea World to offer veterinary students specialized training with Zoo/Wildlife animals. We also do research in other countries. For example, a second year, Ryan Sadler, shares his experience working with Gorillas in Uganda: http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/ip/students/experiences/summer_2010/sadler.cfm

He was able to do this research project by getting funding from our international program and STAR program (students in advance research). UC Davis is also on the lead of the emerging “One Health” idea of grouping Human, Animal medicine, and environmental conservation under the same umbrella. So find out what programs your prospective schools have to offer and what funding they have available.

Also, consider what your class schedule will be like. Typically at every vet school, your first two years is primarily learning the basics (the book work) and learning mostly about dogs and cats with some species comparisons. Ask if the school is more traditional or offers a more case-based learning approach. I know that I am the last of the old traditional curriculum at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. Next year the incoming class of 2015 is starting the new curriculum. I am excited but not at all jealous of the new curriculum. It poses a more case-based learning curriculum and switches from the quarter system to the semester system. Subjects will be grouped in blocks rather than having individual classes, there will be more time for students to work in small groups solving cases that pertain to class material rather than just being lectured at. There will be more focus on specializing in a certain kind of medicine during their 3^rd and 4^th years (like small animal OR wildlife OR equine, ect.) rather than allowing students to be able to track multiple types of medicine. So as I believe the new curriculum will have its advantages, I know the old one works just fine and Davis students have a high passing rate for Veterinary Licensing Exams (or Boards). I am confident in my education although I think the opportunity to have more case-based learning would be advantageous. I just don’t think I would want to be one of the first students in the new curriculum as I assume it will have some bumps along the way.

What it really comes down to is your personal opinion. Personally I can only give you my opinion based on my experiences. I encourage you to learn as much as you can about the school’s programs you are pursuing and weigh out the pros and cons of each as you make your decision. I hope I answered your questions and let me know if I can help you any more and good luck!

Top Ranked Schools:

http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-health-schools/veterinarian-rankings