Class of 2019...how ya doing?

Veterinary Science Graduate Programs from U. of I.
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pinkpuppy9 said:
I honestly didn't realize people didn't start studying for the NAVLE until late summer, so I feel a bit better about it now. I just always thought the studying started a early as possible I guess?

Just lately I feel like I'm behind, but you guys are right in that I'm sure everyone does. I did my first neuter before Thanksgiving break and I feel like I sucked at it when other people kept saying they rocked it. Idk, it's probably just me being super harsh on myself as per usual. Pathognomonic for imposter syndrome?

We also have two week rotations, and I've always felt like it wouldn't be enough time.

Shoot, I also should probably start gradually getting more clothes shouldn't I? I have nothing but t-shirts haha.
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I purchased NAVLE in May (only recall this because it was during our first rotation). Didn't really get into it until late summer/early fall.. then really started studying hard in October/November. Honestly, you may not have much choice, but if you can, take it earlier, then it is out of the way.

You aren't behind, everyone else is just bragging or you are just overly critical of yourself. Heck the neuter I just did last Friday wasn't my greatest. The tissue on the one testicle just did not want to break down... took effing forever. **** happens and some of that isn't even in your control.

I don't know if two weeks or three weeks is better.. two weeks seemed a bit short, but I feel 3 is almost too long especially since that is just shy of a month and you only have 12 months to get through all rotations. Maybe 2.5 weeks is a good amount? I dunno, take multiple of the rotations you like then you get more exposure. That is what I did.

Yeah, I went on a big clothes shopping binge right before clinics.
 
pinkpuppy9 said:
Blah. I just feel a sense of impending doom. Plus the competitive vibe that my class has always had is ever so gradually increasing, especially with people starting to compare externships, talk about the match/NAVLE, etc. The last thing I need is to feel like an idiot on a daily basis around some of the people that already go out of their way to be unfriendly now. That's probably a huge chunk of my anxiety right there, plus the idea of a clinician asking me a question that I have no clue how to answer.

And we just had VetPrep sponsor a lunch lecture and give us a 40ish minute long presentation on the NAVLE :arghh:

Oh, and we still don't have our clinics schedules finalized yet...
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This is bound to happen and you're just going to have to accept it. Prepare as much as you can for your cases and rounds, but they straight up told us on some rotations "We're going to ask you questions until you don't know the answer to one." They're trying to see how far your knowledge extends. The number one rule is do not BS them, they will see right through you. If you know you don't know the answer to something, tell them it is a learning issue and you will research the answer and get back to them. But then make sure you actually do get back to them because they will see right through that too. They will respect you so much more for that.
 
pinkpuppy9 said:
Shoot, I also should probably start gradually getting more clothes shouldn't I? I have nothing but t-shirts haha.
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I bought all of my clinics "professional" attire at thrift stores because lol @ spending a bunch of money that I didn't have for stuff that was going to get animal hair and various animal body fluids all over it. 😉
 
allieh8607 said:
This is bound to happen and you're just going to have to accept it. Prepare as much as you can for your cases and rounds, but they straight up told us on some rotations "We're going to ask you questions until you don't know the answer to one." They're trying to see how far your knowledge extends. The number one rule is do not BS them, they will see right through you. If you know you don't know the answer to something, tell them it is a learning issue and you will research the answer and get back to them. But then make sure you actually do get back to them because they will see right through that too. They will respect you so much more for that.
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^this.

You don't have to know everything. Hell, there were times I knew basically nothing about a case because it wasn't what I expected/researched and questioning just went off into left field. But have a good attitude, LOOK THINGS UP AFTERWARDS so you know the answer next time, and for bonus points, come back with a question you want re: the topic. My very favourite internal medicine clinician questioned the **** out of me and I basically never knew what he wanted as an answer after the first, like, three questions. Some people hated him because he was really intense about questioning. But I'd come back the next day after researching and ask him, "why don't we do this? can we use this for this? etc etc" and sometimes he wouldn't know an answer and he loved it haha.

But tbh, attitude gets you at least 90% of the way in rotations. Be nice and your life is so much easier. I can't tell you how many times later in the year (when I was only in the teaching hospital occasionally) that I got waved off by ICU/IMC techs and told to go prepare for rounds or whatever instead of finishing some silly time intensive treatment, they'd take care of it, because they remembered me being decent to them early on rotations when I basically lived there. (Also I'd try and bring leftover Food Friday stuff into ICU... a little bribery never hurts. 😛)

You don't have to be the most cheerful person on the planet (I am NEVER cheerful at 5am) but being quick to smile, make fun of yourself if you make stupid mistakes (you will) and being decent to people... it makes a big difference. And honestly, I was not a good student. I didn't - don't still - have a particularly amazing knowledge base from pre-clinical years. Lots of it was crammed and forgotten. But I am damn good at looking things up, I care about my patients, and I'm nice to people, and I did great in clinics and do fine in real life.

But I'm rambling a little at this point.
pinkpuppy9 said:
Shoot, I also should probably start gradually getting more clothes shouldn't I? I have nothing but t-shirts haha.
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Jilary said:
I’ve been asking for clothes and shoes for my birthday and Christmas. Hopefully I’ll have enough by May.
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I started popping into Marshalls every week or two in the previous Spring semester and checking their clearance (and juniors section... I am not a small person, but many of the things fit me and they're generally <$10 a piece). Worked nicely to bolster my closet, which was basically jeans/t-shirts and workout clothes previously.
 
Trilt said:
But tbh, attitude gets you at least 90% of the way in rotations. Be nice and your life is so much easier. I can't tell you how many times later in the year (when I was only in the teaching hospital occasionally) that I got waved off by ICU/IMC techs and told to go prepare for rounds or whatever instead of finishing some silly time intensive treatment, they'd take care of it, because they remembered me being decent to them early on rotations when I basically lived there. (Also I'd try and bring leftover Food Friday stuff into ICU... a little bribery never hurts. 😛)

You don't have to be the most cheerful person on the planet (I am NEVER cheerful at 5am) but being quick to smile, make fun of yourself if you make stupid mistakes (you will) and being decent to people... it makes a big difference. And honestly, I was not a good student. I didn't - don't still - have a particularly amazing knowledge base from pre-clinical years. Lots of it was crammed and forgotten. But I am damn good at looking things up, I care about my patients, and I'm nice to people, and I did great in clinics and do fine in real life.

But I'm rambling a little at this point.
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I've heard this from a few people, and this is something I know I can handle! I'd like to think I'm pretty pleasant in person.
 
As someone who is now partially responsible for teaching and grading students on clinics....attitude makes a HUGE difference. (Also, like, some common sense is good...) But I don't really care if you love or hate horses. The small animal track student who pays attention, helps out, tries hard, and has a positive attitude is going to do better than the large animal student who doesn't put any work into the rotation or acts like a know-it-all or lacks respect for clinicians and clients.
 
Next Friday we are having our "end of core" party, aka "vet prom". I bought a really awesome dress for it that I'm really stoked about. Last night my mom asked to see the dress, so I showed her a picture of me when I tried it on and she replied "you should probably get some spanx to wear with that." I replied "I was wearing them in that picture." Thanks mom, yes I know I carry all my extra weight in my abdomen, thanks for pointing it out. :yeahright:
 
Jilary said:
Next Friday we are having our "end of core" party, aka "vet prom". I bought a really awesome dress for it that I'm really stoked about. Last night my mom asked to see the dress, so I showed her a picture of me when I tried it on and she replied "you should probably get some spanx to wear with that." I replied "I was wearing them in that picture." Thanks mom, yes I know I carry all my extra weight in my abdomen, thanks for pointing it out. :yeahright:
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Dude...not cool.
I'm sure you look great in it. Moms are good at poking at insecurities sometimes.
 
pinkpuppy9 said:
Pathognomonic for imposter syndrome?
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Actually, not necessary.

You might really be behind on that area (surgery, I think it was?).

But here's the thing: that's ok. You don't have to be 'ahead' on everything. Unless you're really just that much of a rock star (I doubt it, statistically speaking), you aren't going to be as good or better than your classmates at every rotation/topic/procedure.

So when you run into one where you're weaker - it won't happen often, but it probably will happen - just see it for what it is: an area of weakness that you should shore up by seeking out a little more practice, a little more review of the basics, etc. And when you run into one where you're ahead - don't lord it over your rotationmates 'cause nobody likes a snob, just make yourself available to help them if they need it.

The 'system' for making vets has lots and lots of deficiencies, but it's also pretty good at making sure that the vast majority of people graduate with a reasonable body of knowledge. You can trust that.

Your posts here suggest you know enough to do just fine, especially if you can reign in your tendency to apply your standards to other people. It's ok to have areas of weakness, and it doesn't make you worse than anyone else. Just makes you normal. From what I see sitting a thousand miles away, you're going to rock fourth year.
 
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Trilt said:
^this.

You don't have to know everything. Hell, there were times I knew basically nothing about a case because it wasn't what I expected/researched and questioning just went off into left field. But have a good attitude, LOOK THINGS UP AFTERWARDS so you know the answer next time, and for bonus points, come back with a question you want re: the topic.
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And the nice thing is - being forced to tell a clinician "Um.... I don't know the answer to that" and then go research it and then come back and go over it with them again ...

... it takes it from a weakness to a strength, because as often as not you really remember those conversations.

Trilt said:
But tbh, attitude gets you at least 90% of the way in rotations.
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True that. Be on time to everything. Don't judge your classmates - support them even if they seem off the deep end. Be honest with the clinicians about your knowledge. Put on a game face. Try hard.

Do those things and you will pass.
 
It's our official last week of classes! We have a final Thursday and Friday, and some of us have a final the following Monday for an elective class. Then two weeks off before the start of large animal block or clinics (I'm doing block). It's kinda nice to know we pretty much over a lot of the major hurdles.
 
Jilary said:
It's our official last week of classes! We have a final Thursday and Friday, and some of us have a final the following Monday for an elective class. Then two weeks off before the start of large animal block or clinics (I'm doing block). It's kinda nice to know we pretty much over a lot of the major hurdles.
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We have a final a day through friday. I just got finished with a four hour nap and 4 pop tarts for dinner, so I'll study for them using my become an expert overnight technique. haha
 
Lupin21 said:
We have a final a day through friday. I just got finished with a four hour nap and 4 pop tarts for dinner, so I'll study for them using my become an expert overnight technique. haha
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Is that where you sleep with your notes under your pillow and hope you somehow absorb some of it? Because that's where I would be right now! 🤣
 
Jilary said:
Is that where you sleep with your notes under your pillow and hope you somehow absorb some of it? Because that's where I would be right now! 🤣
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I started flipping through lectures, and yes, I think that nap is about to turn into nighty night and thank goodness I always put in the effort up front in the semester since the gas runs out at the end. :yawn:
 
Lupin21 said:
become an expert overnight technique. haha
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i-can-learn-whole-chinese-language-a-day-before-the-exam-i-know-i-can-do_o_6096797.jpg
 
Lupin21 said:
I started flipping through lectures, and yes, I think that nap is about to turn into nighty night and thank goodness I always put in the effort up front in the semester since the gas runs out at the end. :yawn:
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That's how I survived everything from undergrad on. Bust my ass to get good grades early ... and then finals roll around it's like "eh... I just need a 65% to hold my A or B... I can guess that well."

Other than a few classes that were tougher for me the whole way, it worked ok.
 
Always curious to hear about how other schools do finals. Sometimes I miss the whole not having 4/8 weeks worth of material from 6-7 classes on one exam, but we also don't have exams every week otherwise. Pros and cons.
 
Yeah...kind of get burnt out having exams every week. But we at least get a bit of a break between our last regular test and finals.

Honestly I wouldn't mind doing the whole midterm week thing but most of my class disagrees. I'm going to study the same way anyway, might as well free up some weekends during the semester.
 
And I am having trouble concentrating because I ordered food delivery from the one place that isn't order up. That means I don't get that lovely map showing me where the driver is and how close my food is to my mouth. I keep looking out the window at every vehicular sound. lol
 
Jilary said:
I'm only about 1/2 way through the material for tomorrow's exam and I can't help but think, what if I just stop studying now? What's the worst that could happen?
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I am watching my grades drop with each test over here. haha

However, All I can think of is one more semester of this, then I'll be over putting this brain to the real test.
 
At the pre-finals stage of just pure frustration. Half of the class was assigned surgery the same week as our last exam. Same half of the class just had surgery two weeks in a row (if you guessing that I'm in that half, you'd be right).

Our course coordinator is fully aware that our midterm was full of legitimately sh*tty questions (not hard, but intentionally misleading/multiple correct answers) and is telling students to prepare for the final to be the same way pretty much.

I know I could just tell myself 'Oh well, you never expected to get A's' but I'm just ready to give up on all of this right now.
 
Jilary said:
I've decided that its more important to try to find the super awesome knee high boots my professor was wearing today. I want them! And I know she's like me and doesn't wear leather, so that makes them even more awesome.
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Found the boots, there was a one day sale... so I bought the boots. I regret nothing.
 
Jilary said:
Found the boots, there was a one day sale... so I bought the boots. I regret nothing.
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noice.

I will miss Optho. I like eyeballs.

One more left before my last free winter break!! I am excite. I have an appointment to get a hair cut and color as is my normal celebration after each semester. haha
 
Woohoo!! Done. Feels good, man.



Jilary said:
Tomorrow is the last day my class will all be together until graduation. I'm actually kind of sad. I really like my class and I'm going to miss them! It's going to be so weird.
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My original class graduated last year, so I can't even remember who is in my current class versus 2020 since they ran together in my head from TAing. haha
 
Just took my last final of the semester!! I'm really looking forward to two weeks off. I also wish they would give us our schedule for next quarter. It makes thinking about having a life a lot easier. (Not that I have one at all, but it's nice to dream.) I almost can't believe I've come this far already.
 
Second exam tomorrow, then I can hit the road, get home (6 hour drive, not terrible), and try to recover mentally from the sh*tshow that our finals have been...
 
So jealous, our finals are in April... the disaster doesn't feel like it will ever end.

Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk
 
Started large animal block today. I'll be spending the next two months in fairly cold barns. Friday will be my first (outdoor) repro lab, and it's supposed to be one of the coldest days of the year (high of like 10, low of 1), at least my one arm will be warm... :yeahright:
 
Karabiner13 said:
Cut the arm off an old sweatshirt. If you have an old coat you can sacrifice, you could do the same to it. Thin long-sleeved shirts also are useful
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Yeah, that was recommended. I don't actually own any sweatshirts that I don't wear on a regular basis. I have thin long-sleeved shirts, but I don't think we're allowed to wear anything that we can't roll up.
 
Jilary said:
Started large animal block today. I'll be spending the next two months in fairly cold barns. Friday will be my first (outdoor) repro lab, and it's supposed to be one of the coldest days of the year (high of like 10, low of 1), at least my one arm will be warm... :yeahright:
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Tell them you need to use both arms... because practice on figuring out which arm works better... 😉
 
Jilary said:
Yeah, that was recommended. I don't actually own any sweatshirts that I don't wear on a regular basis. I have thin long-sleeved shirts, but I don't think we're allowed to wear anything that we can't roll up.
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Goodwill or thrift stores for a coat or sweatshirt you're willing to sacrifice?
 
Jilary said:
Yeah, that was recommended. I don't actually own any sweatshirts that I don't wear on a regular basis. I have thin long-sleeved shirts, but I don't think we're allowed to wear anything that we can't roll up.
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Vetwrap those little warming packs to your arm 😛

In all seriousness, I feel like I've seen coveralls with removable long sleeves before. Perhaps I'm not imagining that and maybe a classmate has a pair you could borrow for the block?
 
4th year scheduling starts soon. Our current 4th years kindly informed us that 4th year is a misery of paperwork and endless on call schedules resulting in massive sleep deprivation and generalized agony and therefore we should use every externship as an opportunity to escape the life sucking nature of vet school. Umm totally thrilled...😱
 
Tante said:
4th year scheduling starts soon. Our current 4th years kindly informed us that 4th year is a misery of paperwork and endless on call schedules resulting in massive sleep deprivation and generalized agony and therefore we should use every externship as an opportunity to escape the life sucking nature of vet school. Umm totally thrilled...😱
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They aren't wrong... I was told to schedule all of my electives off-campus due to this very reason, and it was oh so wonderful that I did.

Now, a lot of people say that while 4th year can suck, they generally prefer it over class (including myself). I think the danger of 4th year burnout can happen, not dissimilar to before 1st year, when you go into clinics thinking it's going to be this amazing thing where you get to do all of these cool things and get to function just like a doctor and it's all going to be just like when you are a vet and sunshine and ponies and kitties... It IS a lot of paperwork, you are pretty much always on call, you can be treated really badly, you might not get sleep, etc. I became a bit happier once I took it for what it was (a means to an end, a crappy transportation ride to destination veterinarian), and realized it's okay to be upset or not thrilled with clinics all the time.
 
Tante said:
4th year scheduling starts soon. Our current 4th years kindly informed us that 4th year is a misery of paperwork and endless on call schedules resulting in massive sleep deprivation and generalized agony and therefore we should use every externship as an opportunity to escape the life sucking nature of vet school. Umm totally thrilled...😱
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Well. The first three years cause sleep deprivation and generalized agony, too. 4th yr does both of those, but not as badly as the first three years. Most people, in my one-school experience, immensely preferred 4th yr to the first three. People tend to get so absorbed in the "I've been here 12 hours...." that they forget how much the first 3 yrs sucked.

And honestly, there are some people who just love to complain about it and love to bring it on themselves. I had plenty of classmates who pulled the "oh my god, I'm so tired, I've been here 5,3021,043 hours in a row" when they <could> have gone home - they just have some sort of bizarre martyr complex.

And, well, I work 14+ hr shifts with no breaks out in real life. So the whole "being in the teaching hospital 12 hours with no breaks" ... meh. Not impressed. I also got tired of the whole "omg my case is going so poorly I just had to euthanize blah blah". You didn't euthanize it (or whatever) - the actual DVM who is actually responsible for the actual case did. Some 4th yrs just have this tendency to over-dramatize everything and pretend to have more responsibility than you really do as a student.

Not saying you shouldn't 'think' about the cases as your own - that's how you start to learn to take responsibility and think like a doctor. But at the end of the day, a DVM owns those cases, not you the student.

I scheduled almost all my externships toward the end (all but one were after January). It was fabulous. Had my NAVLE results, spent the last few months mostly off site peacing out .... I highly recommend that approach. 🙂

Don't let the 4th yrs get you down. You'll enjoy it. It'll be better than the first 3.
 
LetItSnow said:
Well. The first three years cause sleep deprivation and generalized agony, too. 4th yr does both of those, but not as badly as the first three years. Most people, in my one-school experience, immensely preferred 4th yr to the first three. People tend to get so absorbed in the "I've been here 12 hours...." that they forget how much the first 3 yrs sucked.

And honestly, there are some people who just love to complain about it and love to bring it on themselves. I had plenty of classmates who pulled the "oh my god, I'm so tired, I've been here 5,3021,043 hours in a row" when they <could> have gone home - they just have some sort of bizarre martyr complex.

And, well, I work 14+ hr shifts with no breaks out in real life. So the whole "being in the teaching hospital 12 hours with no breaks" ... meh. Not impressed. I also got tired of the whole "omg my case is going so poorly I just had to euthanize blah blah". You didn't euthanize it (or whatever) - the actual DVM who is actually responsible for the actual case did. Some 4th yrs just have this tendency to over-dramatize everything and pretend to have more responsibility than you really do as a student.

Not saying you shouldn't 'think' about the cases as your own - that's how you start to learn to take responsibility and think like a doctor. But at the end of the day, a DVM owns those cases, not you the student.

I scheduled almost all my externships toward the end (all but one were after January). It was fabulous. Had my NAVLE results, spent the last few months mostly off site peacing out .... I highly recommend that approach. 🙂

Don't let the 4th yrs get you down. You'll enjoy it. It'll be better than the first 3.
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Coming from the perspective of someone who hasn't gone through it yet, I agree with this. Some of our fourth years act like they're dying 24/7, like nothing in life could possibly be worse than 4th year. To the point where they push around underclassmen and expect special treatment from company reps (like myself). It gets old, fast. Yes, I understand you got home at midnight and had to be back at school at 6AM. I'm also only getting 6ish hours of sleep a night trying to keep up with lectures, the wildlife clinic, clubs, my job. I already have 12-14 hour days frequently so I guess I'm preparing myself, lol.

Also, we started our orthopedic lectures and holy hell, why is it that every quarter, I have the most trouble with the class that counts for most of our grade?
 
So I guess my concern with externships (here we call them preceptorships but I think we’re talking about the same thing) is cost. The NAVLE and study materials are already adding a big expense to the next year for me, so even relatively low-cost housing options, travel, transportation around the location, figuring out pet care if I can’t bring mine with me... it all adds up. I live alone currently and it has been WONDERFUL but I have a friend in class who is looking for housing for next year and I’m wondering if the extra income of a roommate, as well as being able to help each other as far as pet care, etc. would make it worth it to do that for 4th year? Does anyone have input as to whether the demands of 4th year make it more or less amenable to having a roommate?
 
calvin89 said:
So I guess my concern with externships (here we call them preceptorships but I think we’re talking about the same thing) is cost. The NAVLE and study materials are already adding a big expense to the next year for me, so even relatively low-cost housing options, travel, transportation around the location, figuring out pet care if I can’t bring mine with me... it all adds up. I live alone currently and it has been WONDERFUL but I have a friend in class who is looking for housing for next year and I’m wondering if the extra income of a roommate, as well as being able to help each other as far as pet care, etc. would make it worth it to do that for 4th year? Does anyone have input as to whether the demands of 4th year make it more or less amenable to having a roommate?
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Are you part of the externship housing FB group? Log into Facebook | Facebook really good way to cut costs is to stay with other students who aren't likely to ask for exorbitant rent.

Other than that, I think it would depend on the person you might be rooming with. I lived with two great roommates the first two years, but I do have to say I'm enjoying living on my own (other than paying double in rent...). Pet wise, I think if you're willing to help others then they would return the favor. I'm sure there are classmates/underclassmen nearby. Perhaps get a Google doc going to help organize emergency pet walks when you can't leave the hospital.
 
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