Veterinary Current Events?

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raelake

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Hi,

I have an interview at a veterinary school in a few weeks and am trying to prepare. Does anyone know some major events in vet med that occurred this past year that I should study up on, or a good site where I could find this information?

Thank you so much!!

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I few issues that stand out in my mind:

Job outlook for graduating classes.
Student debt and the fact that 70% of polled graduates say they don't want to be clinic owners one day.
Low-cost spay/neuter services cutting into traditional clinics' profits.
The aging pet population and knowing when to cease medical intervention.
 
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Limited licensure
New veterinary schools opening
Call for transparency for accrediting body for veterinary schools
Large amounts of veterinary medications on back order
Internet pharmacies
Exotic animals as pets (primates, big cats, etc)
 
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I few issues that stand out in my mind:

Job outlook for graduating classes.
Student debt and the fact that 70% of polled graduates say they don't want to be clinic owners one day.
Low-cost spay/neuter services cutting into traditional clinics' profits.
The aging pet population and knowing when to cease medical intervention.
These are great examples, thank you! I really appreciate it!
 
Limited licensure
New veterinary schools opening
Call for transparency for accrediting body for veterinary schools
Large amounts of veterinary medications on back order
Internet pharmacies
Exotic animals as pets (primates, big cats, etc)
Thank you very much! Could you explain limited licensure and call for transparency for accrediting body for veterinary schools in a little more depth? Or point me in the direction of some articles?

Thanks!!
 
Not all of these fall under 'current events' but rather popular topics you might want to have familiarity with:

Zoonoses are biggies:
*Rabies- why it's important, ethical/legal implications.
*Food related - mad cow, foot and mouth, toxoplasmosis (relations to kitties too), etc...
*West Nile, EEE, etc... (I can tell you embarrassingly little about these as a 3rd year student, but they def do make headlines and are important)
*With the hoo haw over all the crazy flu emergencies, influenza might be a good one to have a grasp on even though pig/bird flu haven't been on the forefront of news

Animals as sentient beings

The whole written prescription must be offered for free to every client thing (though I stopped following that so I'm not actually sure how exactly that ended)

Convenience euthanasias - what your definition is, and where you think you will draw the line

The cost of vet med. Is the profession getting so advanced that standard of care is too expensive for the average owner?
 
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*With the hoo haw over all the crazy flu emergencies, influenza might be a good one to have a grasp on even though pig/bird flu haven't been on the forefront of news

there has however been talk of ending the moratorium on h5n1 research which has been in place for over a year. quite a bit to talk about with that.
 
there has however been talk of ending the moratorium on h5n1 research which has been in place for over a year. quite a bit to talk about with that.

Huh, I guess reddit and the daily show as the sole news source just doesn't cut it :) I've been living in such a hole the past 3 years that I don't even know what you're talking about.
 
If asked this question in an interview is appropriate to bring up any breed specific legislation (the recent case in Maryland comes to mind)?
 
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Huh, I guess reddit and the daily show as the sole news source just doesn't cut it :) I've been living in such a hole the past 3 years that I don't even know what you're talking about.

A good overview: http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2013-01/08/bird-flu-moratorium-ending



There's also a case coming up soon before the Texas State Supreme Court over emotional value of pets, which, while I don't know a whole lot about the scope of the case, could, I imagine have quite an impact on at least how people think about such things.


I get daily emails with relevant stories which is how I stay somewhat on top of these things. From this link: http://www.smartbrief.com/news/avma
 
There's also a case coming up soon before the Texas State Supreme Court over emotional value of pets, which, while I don't know a whole lot about the scope of the case, could, I imagine have quite an impact on at least how people think about such things.

Yup! This is what I meant with the 'sentient being' thing. Hugely important to the profession, and a tough one.

I get daily emails with relevant stories which is how I stay somewhat on top of these things. From this link: http://www.smartbrief.com/news/avma
Haha... Somehow I doubt I will ever stay current on current events until
I graduate. Just like I doubt I will eat right, have good sleep hygiene, or exercise...
 
Yup! This is what I meant with the 'sentient being' thing. Hugely important to the profession, and a tough one.


Haha... Somehow I doubt I will ever stay current on current events until
I graduate. Just like I doubt I will eat right, have good sleep hygiene, or exercise...

I'm just dying to know what "good sleep hygiene" is. ;)
 
I'm just dying to know what "good sleep hygiene" is. ;)

Washing your sheets on a semi-regular basis, rather than letting them "fester" for months on end without laundering? :p
 
Washing your sheets on a semi-regular basis, rather than letting them "fester" for months on end without laundering? :p

Well thanks for that wordage, hahaha. "Babe we need to clean the sheets." "Why?" "They're festering."

I'd be out a husband if I did that, I think. ;)


One Health <3 It's huge, there's a lot to talk about with it, and that way it doesn't really matter what you question is (in case it's not a cut-and-dry "Tell me about current events"), because you have a lot of information to draw from. And also it's awesome.
 
Well thanks for that wordage, hahaha. "Babe we need to clean the sheets." "Why?" "They're festering."

I'd be out a husband if I did that, I think. ;)

:lol:

Which reminds me, I need to do laundry so my clothes stop "festering". I think the pile of dirty laundry is reaching 3 weeks old. :p (I do necessities almost weekly. Don't worry! :laugh:)
 
What, you're telling me you bother to shower before going to bed after a day in the clinic? I don't even change out of my scrubs I'm that hardcore :p

I put my scrubs on the night before sometimes so I can just roll out of bed in the morning and not have to worry about it.. Especially when I know it's gonna be cold the next day. :laugh:
 
I put my scrubs on the night before sometimes so I can just roll out of bed in the morning and not have to worry about it.. Especially when I know it's gonna be cold the next day. :laugh:

Um, maybe a bit tmi and totally off topic, but nipple chafing much? I could never in a million years sleep in scrubs, even if they're on the softer side of things and not stiff nylon. That would require that I wear a bra or band-aid my boobins (the poor-woman's strapless) to bed, both of which are a no go.
 
Um, maybe a bit tmi and totally off topic, but nipple chafing much? I could never in a million years sleep in scrubs, even if they're on the softer side of things and not stiff nylon. That would require that I wear a bra or band-aid my boobins (the poor-woman's strapless) to bed, both of which are a no go.

Mine are pretty comfortable and I guess I don't move that much when I sleep so I don't have that problem. Although sometimes I only wear the pants depending on what I'm doing the next day at work.
 
I bet the Barco Grey's Anatomy ones would be fine - that kind is super soft and comfortable, and they are fitted so the top is not just a baggy sack of a shirt. If the G's A part bugs you, get some stitch scissors or a scalpel blade and take off the tag on the pocket. No one will know.

That said, I can't even sleep with a shirt on - they twist around too much. Maybe a tank top. But normally just some undies.
 
I bet the Barco Grey's Anatomy ones would be fine - that kind is super soft and comfortable, and they are fitted so the top is not just a baggy sack of a shirt. If the G's A part bugs you, get some stitch scissors or a scalpel blade and take off the tag on the pocket. No one will know.

That said, I can't even sleep with a shirt on - they twist around too much. Maybe a tank top. But normally just some undies.

Now these are the kind of vet current events I can be interested in! ;)
 
Hahahah! What has this thread turned into??! You guys are crazy :)
 
Well thanks for that wordage, hahaha. "Babe we need to clean the sheets." "Why?" "They're festering."

I'd be out a husband if I did that, I think. ;)


One Health <3 It's huge, there's a lot to talk about with it, and that way it doesn't really matter what you question is (in case it's not a cut-and-dry "Tell me about current events"), because you have a lot of information to draw from. And also it's awesome.

Hey, so I'm very interested in the more public health related vet careers. As someone in a dual program, I thought I'd ask about your specific interest. Or if you have any advice for a newbie getting into it?
 
Hey, so I'm very interested in the more public health related vet careers. As someone in a dual program, I thought I'd ask about your specific interest. Or if you have any advice for a newbie getting into it?

Look into the summer internship programs offered by the government for students interested in public health. I think they're pretty selective, at least at the veterinary student level, and likely depend a lot on the funding available, but worth looking into :) You could also participate in your university's research projects having to do with wildlife disease and/or epidemiology. Just as some starting points.
 
Look into the summer internship programs offered by the government for students interested in public health. I think they're pretty selective, at least at the veterinary student level, and likely depend a lot on the funding available, but worth looking into :) You could also participate in your university's research projects having to do with wildlife disease and/or epidemiology. Just as some starting points.
I'm going to be taking a veterinary public health grad class in the spring, so I'm excited about that. I'm more curious about the kinds of preparation the vet schools are giving to their students and specifically what kinds of career options PH-track vet students are pursuing. If I get in, I definitely want to do some cool internships between years, but I'm also very interested in primates (it's what I did in undergrad), so lab animal medicine is another field I'm looking into as well.
 
I'm going to be taking a veterinary public health grad class in the spring, so I'm excited about that. I'm more curious about the kinds of preparation the vet schools are giving to their students and specifically what kinds of career options PH-track vet students are pursuing. If I get in, I definitely want to do some cool internships between years, but I'm also very interested in primates (it's what I did in undergrad), so lab animal medicine is another field I'm looking into as well.

Ah, okay, misunderstood the question.

I guess it varies across schools; we had a public health class in second year and a couple rotations in fourth year. Career options are by and large through the government, but working with wildlife/research/epidemiology (still often with the government) is another option aside from what most people think of (carcass inspection, etc). As for lab animal, I'm currently in the process of hearing back from residencies, so I'm a little biased about which is better ;) I like to think we have public health slant to our work, just not always as "directly" as someone doing carcass inspection, for example.
 
Ah, okay, misunderstood the question.

I guess it varies across schools; we had a public health class in second year and a couple rotations in fourth year. Career options are by and large through the government, but working with wildlife/research/epidemiology (still often with the government) is another option aside from what most people think of (carcass inspection, etc). As for lab animal, I'm currently in the process of hearing back from residencies, so I'm a little biased about which is better ;) I like to think we have public health slant to our work, just not always as "directly" as someone doing carcass inspection, for example.
That's awesome - wish you luck with the residencies!
 
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