What situations will Veterinarians use math?

[FantasyVesperia]

I heard many things on this subject and I was just curious about this. I know Pharmacist use math a lot, and Bio-medical Maintenance use basic multiplication and division with physics, but what about Veterinarians? Thanks.

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[TigerWillow]

I heard many things on this subject and I was just curious about this. I know Pharmacist use math a lot, and Bio-medical Maintenance use basic multiplication and division with physics, but what about Veterinarians? Thanks.

Dosage for patients. Conversions of units. That's THE first thing that jumped out in my mind.

 

[heylodeb]

Every single day - countless times!! Every single medication that leaves the hospital is a dosage determined by the veterinarian using math. Every ore med for anesthesia, every nutrition guideline given. It's a pretty math heavy profession. Fortunately, it is almost all basic algebra so it isn't horribly limiting!

 

[StartingoverVet]

Figuring out debt payments.

 

[NStarz]

Figuring out debt payments.

 

[FantasyVesperia]

Oh okay. Thanks

 

[Emiloo4]

Figuring out debt payments.

 

[bunnity]

Also, you will be reading the literature so you will need to understand statistics (usually a pre-req for vet school) and epidemiology (covered in vet school). It's not very complicated but it's very necessary for things like sensitivity, positive predictive value, understanding what an R0 means, etc.

 

[nyanko]

Fortunately, it is almost all basic algebra so it isn't horribly limiting!

Even easier than that, it's basic arithmetic and unit conversions, honestly.

 

[Spinach Dip]

Figuring out debt payments.

I was about to post that EXACT thing!

 

[jalyndani]

Figuring out debt payments.

And things like how much your clients owe you, and how long it will take them to pay off a $700 balance if they only like to pay $25 a month....

 

[DVMDream]

And things like how much your clients owe you, and how long it will take them to pay off a $700 balance if they only like to pay $25 a month....

You can pass that off to your techs/office manager to figure out. (Currently part of my job now is setting up payment plans.)

 

[RetroUnicorn]

What about physics?

I mean, I know pressure and gravity are important in organs and bones for example, but I've never actually seen the vets I shadow apply physics...it just seems more like memorization and logical assumptions.

 

[LetItSnow]

What about physics?

I mean, I know pressure and gravity are important in organs and bones for example, but I've never actually seen the vets I shadow apply physics...it just seems more like memorization and logical assumptions.

Pressure and gravity are important in organs? What does that even mean?

Yes, physics matters. You need to have a solid grasp on heat transfer, on gas laws, on ... oh hell, never mind. If we're at the level of "gravity is important" I don't even know why I'm posting.

 

[hopefulinva]

TPR's if you do the 10 second trick. (My 6 times tables are off the chart. )

Nutrition. As mentioned - statistics, which I imagine would be especially important if you opt to go in to public health.

As for physics - physiology, whatever the veterinary equivalent of kinesiology would be.

But before using math and physics as a vet comes the little necessity of passing your vet school classes. Which you can pretty much count on building on undergraduate math (statistics especially; there's at least one more biological statistics course in my future, and then epidemiology...) and physics (medical biochem, anyone? ).

 

[CalliopeDVM]

What about physics?

I mean, I know pressure and gravity are important in organs and bones for example, but I've never actually seen the vets I shadow apply physics...it just seems more like memorization and logical assumptions.

I'm sure they apply physics all the time, but it's done quickly and quietly in their brains and rarely, if ever in a specific calculation. Math and physics are all around us.

Yup - math (arithmatic and algebra) in clinical medicine all the time, figuring dosages, dilutions, and unit conversions mostly. Some statistics when it comes to reading and interpreting research studies (looking at the efficacy of treatments, for instance). Physics with respect to orthopedics and bandaging (forces), pressures, heat transference, etc.

 

[Zusie]

We've had to use several physics equations to understand physiological principles. Ex. Poiseuille's Law (relevant for airways and circulatory system). There are a lot of equations that explain the principles of the heart and circulatory system.

It is also relevant to anesthesia as well and as mentioned above, heat transfer.

It helps to have the background in it.

Also regarding math/physics.Think of surgeries like TPLOs. There are calculations involved in finding the desired angle. And think of radiology and ultrasound. Dental radiographs have to be taken at specific angles. There is physics involved with why radiology works.

 

[Spinach Dip]

Another use for math:

Figuring out how fast you can pay off your student loans.

 

[CanHardlyWait]

Well, I'm pretty embarrassed to know that not everyone thought physics was a boring waste of time. But I sure did

 

[RetroUnicorn]

My first post was a little scatterbrained...sorry if I made it sound like "I've never seen the importance of physics in the hospital!"

What I meant to say was "I've never seen the vets slave over equations and symbols." Maybe it's just automatic in their brains...?

 

[dyachei]

My first post was a little scatterbrained...sorry if I made it sound like "I've never seen the importance of physics in the hospital!"

What I meant to say was "I've never seen the vets slave over equations and symbols." Maybe it's just automatic in their brains...?

Not really. But I have seen people slave away over math in the hospital.


I use math daily. Dosages, fluid rates, anesthetics, lab values, etc.
I tend to do most math in my head, but sometimes I need to write it out/use a calculator. Like when I have a x mg/mL solution that needs to become a y mg/mL solution.