Admissions - UC Davis Class of 2017

Every year, a new veterinary class is admitted to UC Davis to join the veterinary profession. When I applied things were very different in the admission process department. 

This year, 238 candidates will be interviewing for 138 places in the Class of 2017. The new admission process is in place and will be conducting interviews as Multiple Mini Interviews. In order to do this over 5 mornings, there are 24 interviews taking place at one time. Prospective students rotate through several rooms and are given different scenarios. Interviews wrap up today and then the class of 2017 will be carefully selected. 

"The MMI is a series of short, structured interviews used to assess personal traits/qualities. Each mini interview provides a candidate with three minutes to read a question/scenario and mentally prepare before entering the interview room. Upon entering, the candidate has seven minutes of dialogue with one interviewer/assessor (or, in some cases, a third party as the interviewer/assessor observes). At the conclusion of the interview, the interviewer/assessor uses the next three-minute period to evaluate while the candidate moves to the next scenario. This pattern is repeated through a circuit of up to 8 stations.  

The MMI was derived from the well-known OSCE (objective structured clinical examination) used by most undergraduate medical programs to assess a student’s application of clinical skills and knowledge. However, the MMI does not test knowledge of veterinary medicine but rather personal attributes such as communication skills and ability to work as part of a team,  ethical and critical decision-making abilities, and behaviors important to being a veterinarian such as empathy, honesty and reliability." 

Acceptances will be mailed in early January. When I applied, I was notified in late March/early April, but we started courses in September. 

For more information, visit UC Davis SVM admissions: http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/students/dvm_program/admissions/index.cfm

Do we REALLY need MORE veterinary schools?

There has been a great debate on the NEED for veterinarians to join the profession. Many people say we need more vets, but this is not true. What we do need is more vets in rural communities - however most vets can't afford to practice in these rural communities. We also have a share of animal welfare organizations working with vets to provide care to the communities in need by offering sterilization and vaccination clinics. 

As a veterinary student graduating in 2014 I find it daunting to know that it will be difficult to find a job. I am in a very fortunate situation to have a limited amount school loans and the ability to use my resources and acquaintances to find a job, but many of my classmates are starting from scratch and on top of that they will have over $200,000 in debt. 

To think that when the Western University of Health Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine opened in 2003, it was the first veterinary school to open in the United States in 20 years. Now it is quite possible that FOUR new veterinary schools may be opened in the next four years, with one opening it's doors in 2014.  

The AVMA really needs to do more research as to the shortages in veterinary medicine and take a strong stance in support of current veterinarians. 

People considering applying to veterinary school in the future should also do their research and be careful and smart when pursing their future educational goals. 

Links: 
New Vet School Plans Press On Amid an Industry in Flux

More Bad News for New Vets - Dr. Bern

Tight Job Market Squeezes Large Animal Vets - VIN

 


 

My First Cat Spay

11-27-12

Tomorrow, I will spay my first cat - she is gorgeous and up for adoption at the Solono County Shelter - Her name is Darlene. I am a little nervous about being surgeon for the first time in our surgery team. I've castrated horses and cats, but a spay is different. 

I feel confident in my ligatures and suturing abilities, I just hope I pace my self adequately for the surgery ahead...

11-28-12

And I did it! My surgical time was 1 and 1/2 hours from my incision to my last skin suture. I think the part that took the most time was closing my incision! We do four closure layers - mostly to practice tissue handling and suturing since in real life, they don't really do that many!  

Thank You to Darlene - the lovely cat (I hope you find a forever home!) and to my Surgery team - Jes and Hai - you are amazing! And to our wonderful professors and technicians that help us in the Gourley Teaching lab. 

A Summer of Travel Part 2

I know it's been a while since I've been able to post about the rest of my summer travel experience, but here it is! Of course right before a hell week of 4 exams!

I'm planning on making a special post about the rest of my time at the American Fondouk. My experience volunteering there was not the best and there are many factors that contributed to my specific experience there that require a post in itself to explain. I am happy the American Fondouk exists as a resource for Moroccans and their equids and I admire those struggling to run a clinic in the political and progressive Morocco. I'm accounting my diminished experience mostly to bad timing. The UK veterinarian I looked forward to meeting so much was on holiday during my time at the American Fondouk and in her absence I believe the clinic didn't run as smoothly as it should have.

I spent two weeks at the American Fondouk volunteering. After that I spent a week traveling Morocco. I stayed two nights in the city of Fez where I got to explore the city with one of my fellow externs who was from the US originally, but more recently the UK. We traveled 4 hours north by bus to a small mountain town called "Chefchaouen" that was very peaceful and relaxing. We climbed the mountain towering over the town. It's an amazing city and known for it's rich blue colors. Here is a utube video because it's beauty was just so hard to capture in a still shot:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4kY0gH9PpA
 

Overlooking Chefchaouen

Chefchaouen

During my time in Morocco I also saw one of the largest stables - "The Royal Stables in Meknes are an amazing site, as this massive stable yard was constructed to comfortably house no less that twelve thousand of the royal horses. Ismail had a great respect and admiration for these gracious animals, even more than he did for his human counterparts. His horses were waited on hand and foot, with a groom and a slave for each horse, to ensure that all their needs were met, stables kept in immaculate condition and his horses being taken care of. It is even said that after a horse had completed a journey to Mecca, slaves were forced to catch the urine in a bowl, as even the earth was too undeserving for the horse to urinate on. It is easy to say that Moulay Ismail was fanatical about his horses...Another feature that makes the Royal Stables in Meknes one of the finest tourist attractions in Morocco is the planning and location that was specifically chosen to accommodate the horses. There is a canal that ran fresh water through the stables constantly, so the horses never lacked clean water. Also, the sultan was concerned about the feed supply for his stables, and constructed a granary, known as the Water Palace (Der el Ma), behind the royal stables. The granaries were built on a reservoir and were designed to be able to store grain for the horse feed. To feed twelve thousand horses is already a great feat, but the granaries stored enough grain to feed the horses for twenty years!" 
Read more: Morocco.com Channel http://www.morocco.com/blog/royal-stables-in-meknes

The Royal Stables

I visited a Medersa or school of religion. I stayed in a Riad for one night - which was truly a guilty pleasure! I even got to go in a Mosque! I also saw the Roman ruins of Volubilis in Meknes/Idriss. 

To see my photos: (caution some may be of wounds in animals) 
https://picasaweb.google.com/hamaleo11/TheAmericanFondouk?authuser=0&feat=directlink

I think the biggest impact Morocco had on me was the feeling of a country being stuck between modernization and it's cultural roots. The Muslim religion and culture are a big part of Moroccan life and played a pivotal role in keeping Morocco feeling "old". Morocco is a developing country, but it is very different from Peru or Bolivia (from my personal experience). I haven't quite put my finger on it. 

The tension between traditions and modernization will continue to be an ongoing issue in Morocco. A big part of this battle affects the working animals of Morocco. As the new generation seeks to embrace modernization they have little desire to learn the old ways of how to care for animals and use them efficiently for work. As poverty and political issues seem to be a continuing problem for many in Morocco, they are forced to continue use of working animals although they have no desire to. I honestly believe they are thinking about their near future when they will no longer need that animal, it will be replaced by a motor. The younger generation doesn't think about using an animal for work so it will last longer, but using that animal for work now in a purpose that animal will not be needed for later. Life is tough for working equids in Morocco!

Donkeys hauling trash from the Fez medina

 

The "modern" Moroccan mule!

To be continued...in a "Summer of Travel Part 3" - My trip to Poland & Italy!

Veterinarians are OVERPAID? I think not...

I recently read an article on Salary.com titled, "The 8 most overpaid & underpaid jobs". The article compares several profession's salaries and how they are either overpaid or underpaid. The author, Dawn Dugan, even states: 

"In this article I’ll compare eight overpaid jobs with eight underpaid jobs. My methodology? None. I realize that some jobs require a certain level of training and education, while others are merely the victims of supply and demand. While I feel that all the jobs on this list have merit, they simply represent -- in my humble opinion -- jobs that are paid more or less than they are worth given day-to-day responsibilities and duties."

Let me just start by saying I did not seek out this article, but saw it posted on Facebook by a friend. The statements this woman makes are extremely inaccurate. I want to focus mainly on her comparison of Pest Controllers and "Research" Veterinarians. You can see the article by clicking on the hyperlink:

  
http://www.salary.com/the-8-most-overpaid-underpaid-jobs/slide/2/

I don't know how articles like this are written in the first place, especially with no foundational facts or previous field experience. This woman has absolutely no idea what it is like to be a research veterinarian, so what gives her the right to voice her opinion on something she has absolutely no knowledge about? She also has no idea what a veterinarian does all day from her statement: 

"...Veterinarians, for the most part, work in clean, well-lit environments with domesticated animals. While they may be on call for emergencies, their hours are relatively predictable and the pay is above average as well."

I'm sorry Mrs. Dugan, but first of all, veterinarians differ from "Research Veterinarians". They have go through a lot more education than your average veterinarian. 

Research veterinarians are not overpaid...nor are your average veterinarians! Your article is very fallacious. A lot of research veterinarians work with food animals and other large animals like horses, you tell me if that is a "clean, well-lit work environment with predictable hours" - I think NOT. Having been part of a research team myself. A lot of the studies we do are for people using an animal model. That's pretty valuable don't you think? Not to mention that "Veterinary Researchers" go to school for 4 years of undergraduate, four years of veterinary school AND four years of a Doctorate program - some even complete Residencies! Can you add up all those loans? That's a pretty measly salary for 12+ years of your LIFE!

Mrs. Dugan has a B.A. in English/Writing from St. Lawrence University. You'd think she would research the facts before writing and judging any profession or providing her very own "professional" opinion. Salary.com should be ashamed of this article and it's fallacious statements.

Starting My Third Year of Veterinary School

Photo Credit

It's that time of year again, long before the rest of UC Davis begins, the last of the old veterinary school curriculum begins their daily pilgrimages to school. (Although the 1st and 2nd year students started weeks before us cause they are on the semester system). 

This time instead of having lecture in the new and fancy Gladys Valley Hall, we have the majority of our lectures in Schalm 170, the dark and uncomfortable classroom from the early 80's? Yeah, you could say we were spoiled as first and second years, but we're at the peak of our curriculum, less than a year away from beginning our clinical year in the VMTH. We're the last of the old curriculum and yes, we are thankful for our electives!

I'm halfway through veterinary school and man, how time has passed me by! I've done a lot in my short while here, and it's all been worthwhile. 

This quarter, I'm taking both equine and small animal medicine courses and a mirage of electives, such as equine reproduction, large animal toxicology, & small animal radiology case discussions. Our core classes include ophthalmology, neurology, orthopedics, doctoring and surgery! 

Yes, we are starting our surgery courses! That means we get to perform our first surgeries this quarter! This is both exciting and scary. I'm lucky to have such amazing faculty to help me through the process and did I mention the best surgery team? 

Third year is off, my first exam is this weekend, and then one next week (wow...exams in the third week of school! That's a nice change! ;). Haven't even tried to make an exam count for the entire quarter yet, but I know there are a few in each class. 

Volunteering for RVETS - Life Lessons

The Veterinary Team

What an amazing end to my summer! A trip to Northern California with RVETS (Rural Veterinary Experience & Training Services). I learned so much from Dr. Davis and Cindy! They are such humble and patient people and amazing teachers with a passion and a talent for the work they do. I really enjoyed the opportunity to work with them and learned so much and got to do so much to help animals in need.

"Gelding Clinic"

On Friday, August 24th, we left the Davis campus following the RVETS bus headed for SAFER equine rescue in Sonoma, CA to castrate a horse. 

Then we traveled to Covelo, CA (which for those who don't know is roughly north of Willets about an hour near Round Valley. We set up our small animal equipment that night and made sure everything was prepared for the next 2 day small animal clinic. Most of our procedures were spays and neuters while we also did two Etropians, a facial mass removal and a retrieved a fox tail from a dog's ear! 

That Monday morning we traveled to Kettenpom to do a horse clinic (plus a cat spay and a dog neuter). We did some equine dentals, castrations, and a hernia surgery. After a lot of driving on a dirt/gravel road we arrived to a paved road that took us to Red Bluff, CA where we had another gelding clinic. By this time, we were getting good at setting everything up and knocking out those castrations! After a half day, we headed back to Davis which would be our home base for the next couple of clinic days.

I'm castrating a MINI MULE !

Monitoring Anesthesia on a mini horse

Our first two days we worked out in North Highlands area and castrated roughly 32 horses and did a couple of hernia repairs over those 2 days! On our last day, we worked out of a barn in El Dorado, CA...that's right, my home town! It was so neat to be able to do veterinary work in my hometown for rescue groups that needed the services RVETS provides. Of course I ran into someone I knew! Reflecting on my week volunteering with RVETS, I wouldn't change anything about the experience, it was truly amazing! It was hard work and a lot of missed sleep, but I love working hard, and have a passion for learning!   

 http://www.r-vets.org/