Australian Vet students from North America

[littlehooves]

I'm *anxiously* waiting to hear back from the vet schools I applied to in Aus (Murdoch, Melb and Syd).

Its exam time so I just wanted to procrastinate by living vicariously through you current Vet students at an Aussie school. I visited Australia in 2007, so I do have some experience with Aussies and roos, but...

* How do you find the program, academically? Would you say its about the same as here in North America?

* I read that alot of the curriculum is self taught...do you find that? Or does your school organize you into smaller study groups (as OVC, here in Ontario does)?...

* What is the ratio between you wearing shorts/tanks/t-shirts and pants/hoodies/coats in a typical school year?

* do you ever need to wear mittens?

* do you come back for the Christmas break?

* have you been attacked by a drop bear yet?

* obviuosly there are benefits to int'l and non int'l schools, but - assuming you are coming back to North America, what is one thing you will have obtained that North American students will not have? (i guess what is something that makes you stand out that you would not have had if you went to a north american school)?

* did you ever have an awkward moment when you were walking on a narrow path...and you naturally wanted to pass left to left, but the Aussie you crossed paths with wanted to pass right to right...so you awkwardly had to figure out which side to go on?...

* how long did it take you (approximately) to receive your acceptance letter from the time you sent your applications?

Please feel free to answer any of these questions..or add on any other bits of info!

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[Nexx]

I should be studying too, which means I am compelled to reply

* How do you find the program, academically? Would you say its about the same as here in North America? --

As near as I can tell you certainly cover the same materials but we just go about it differently. I've been talking to some of my friends back home in the states and again, we seem to be at an even pace with the learning. The program is challenging and gets a bit more in depth/difficult each year as one might expect.

* I read that alot of the curriculum is self taught...do you find that? Or does your school organize you into smaller study groups (as OVC, here in Ontario does)?... --

Don't quite follow you on this one necessarily. Murdoch is pretty hands on with lectures and labs, same as most other schools. If anything I do find that a lot of time needs to be spent studying, but it is just going a bit further in depth than what was covered in classes which is the same for any school We do have at least one group project/presentation to give per year which mostly has been assigned groups (ugh.. we all hate group work!)

* What is the ratio between you wearing shorts/tanks/t-shirts and pants/hoodies/coats in a typical school year? --

Winter in Perth is a bit longer than I had in Florida, but overall you could get away with wearing shorts for most of the year, even flip-flops (aka thongs). The only downfall to winter is that it is usually quite rainy. Summer tends to be blisteringly hot, but only for a month or two Overall a nice comfy climate here in Perth. overall ratio maybe 80:20

* do you ever need to wear mittens?

Not usually, I suppose at night during winter or in the country mittens might be required at some point (occasionally)

* do you come back for the Christmas break?

Sometimes, but I've only been back once in a year and a half. Other people go back every break.

* have you been attacked by a drop bear yet?

Twice

* obviuosly there are benefits to int'l and non int'l schools, but - assuming you are coming back to North America, what is one thing you will have obtained that North American students will not have? (i guess what is something that makes you stand out that you would not have had if you went to a north american school)?

Is it a cop-out to say living internationally? I think we have it easier to also travel around the world with our degree in general. Also Murdoch gives a well-rounded education so if I -ever- decide that small animal med isn't for me (not likely) I could switched to a mixed practice or LA prac fairly easily.

* did you ever have an awkward moment when you were walking on a narrow path...and you naturally wanted to pass left to left, but the Aussie you crossed paths with wanted to pass right to right...so you awkwardly had to figure out which side to go on?... --

People in Perth can't drive and they certainly don't follow the "pass on the right" rule when walking through a mall... I figured it was just me but nope, everyone notices this, they walk wherever, so that means someone is moving off the path to pass!

* how long did it take you (approximately) to receive your acceptance letter from the time you sent your applications?

I sent my application at the very end of september, received notification mid-november.

 

[littlehooves]

ah! thanks for the reply! I see that you are part of VSNA... I have a lil' VSNA-facebook-account there too. ...actually I spoke with you a few months ago about australian schools I think... anyways Murdoch is actually my first choice!!

Okay- gotta go learn about marijuana now (*seriously!*)...