Class of 2020... how you doin?

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My best vet school friend and former classmate matched to her first choice small animal rotating internship! She’s overcome so much while in vet school and I am incredibly proud of her.
 
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Got my offer letter from the USDA today.....I'm not thrilled.

It's going to be some tough choices from here
 
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Got my offer letter from the USDA today.....I'm not thrilled.

It's going to be some tough choices from here

I saw your FB post, and the offer for the person at my school. My reaction to both: o_O

At least they didn't wait until like April this year to tell you :dead:
 
I was vaguely assuming that he did the Saul T Wilson program and just got told where the USDA will be sending him after graduation and it was a kind of sucky area, but that's pure speculation on my end from multiple levels.
I tried checking his Facebook but there was no post so idk where he posted something :laugh:
BRITZEN COME BACK. TEEP COME BACK.
 
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I tried checking his Facebook but there was no post so idk where he posted something :laugh:
BRITZEN COME BACK. TEEP COME BACK.

It's in our super secret group for cool kids. No Skis allowed. :p
 
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I was vaguely assuming that he did the Saul T Wilson program and just got told where the USDA will be sending him after graduation and it was a kind of sucky area, but that's pure speculation on my end from multiple levels.

The USDA sent out job offer letters for some of their scholarship recipients (I don't think it's a secret that Teep has one? If yes lemme know and I'll trash this comment).

You can ask to be placed in certain geographic areas or jobs, but at the end of the day they make you an offer based on the needs of the agency. No judgments on any area, but the offers that came out don't match up well with where people asked to be placed.
 
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The USDA sent out job offer letters for some of their scholarship recipients (I don't think it's a secret that Teep has one? If yes lemme know and I'll trash this comment).

You can ask to be placed in certain geographic areas or jobs, but at the end of the day they make you an offer based on the needs of the agency. No judgments on any area, but the offers that came out don't match up well with where people asked to be placed.
This was my suspicion, although I phrased it more negatively lol. I mostly just think it's easier to have a mismatch in location since they have places all the way from super rural TX border to busy cities and metropolitan areas. I knew a few people who did their programs and were kind of bummed with where they got placed despite being placed in areas that other people would have fought one another for - it's all relative and it's hard to control for given that you're not exactly in charge of where the USDA has needs.
 
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This was my suspicion, although I phrased it more negatively lol. I mostly just think it's easier to have a mismatch in location since they have places all the way from super rural TX border to busy cities and metropolitan areas. I knew a few people who did their programs and were kind of bummed with where they got placed despite being placed in areas that other people would have fought one another for - it's all relative and it's hard to control for given that you're not exactly in charge of where the USDA has needs.

I try to keep it positive. :p
(Probably because I'm already stressing about my own placement two years from now. It's fine. This is fine. Everything is fine. )
 
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I try to keep it positive. :p
(Probably because I'm already stressing about my own placement two years from now. It's fine. This is fine. Everything is fine. )
It'll be okay! The people I talked to who weren't excited ended up liking their positions and did eventually get the opportunity to move to or closer to the areas they actually wanted to be in
 
It'll be okay! The people I talked to who weren't excited ended up liking their positions and did eventually get the opportunity to move to or closer to the areas they actually wanted to be in

I've mostly heard the same - essentially that it will probably take about two years, but that if you are actively looking you should be able to find a position closer to where you want to be if your initial placement isn't ideal.

I'm just convinced they're going to send me to rural Alaska or Guam or somewhere equally far, far away.
 
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I've mostly heard the same - essentially that it will probably take about two years, but that if you are actively looking you should be able to find a position closer to where you want to be if your initial placement isn't ideal.

I'm just convinced they're going to send me to rural Alaska or Guam or somewhere equally far, far away.
Yeah, it's definitely hard not being able to plan or prepare for it since you don't know. :(
 
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Clothing question: do you guys like to have arms covered or uncovered when working in clinics? I'm thinking about fractious cats, various substances getting on you etc. Do you guys prefer to wear short or long sleeved shirts under scrubs? What about for warmth --do you prefer the vest life or a zip up fleece over scrub tops?
 
Clothing question: do you guys like to have arms covered or uncovered when working in clinics? I'm thinking about fractious cats, various substances getting on you etc. Do you guys prefer to wear short or long sleeved shirts under scrubs? What about for warmth --do you prefer the vest life or a zip up fleece over scrub tops?
Depends...different rotations here have different dress codes. Generally if I do have long sleeves though I find myself pushing them up to my elbows. Probably wouldn't count on sleeves to protect me from fractious cats if that were an issue anyway lol

If I'm actually cold, a vest isn't my go-to. I mostly just like mine for the extra pockets lol
 
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I feel like advice might be different for a man vs a woman? Especially for the shirts under scrubs. The male techs I've worked with seemed to typically wear a shirt underneath their scrubs and seemed more likely than the women to wear long sleeves. I never wore a shirt under my scrubs at all, but I know lots of (mostly female) techs that wear tank tops under their scrub tops to avoid booty exposure when bending over. I feel like many women I've worked with who wore long sleeves seemed to do it for warmth not necessarily for protection, and like WZ said, tend to push the sleeves up a bit? I wore a North Face style jacket most days of my internship because I tend to be cold even when inside and my practice wasn't big on white coats. That jacket came in super handy when the neurologic cat bit me on the arm...still broke the skin but it was minor compared to what it could have been. The downside of sleeves for 'protection' from substances is that they are a vector/fomite since they're more likely to get junk on them and not be able to wash it off like you could have from your skin.
 
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Depends...different rotations here have different dress codes. Generally if I do have long sleeves though I find myself pushing them up to my elbows. Probably wouldn't count on sleeves to protect me from fractious cats if that were an issue anyway lol

If I'm actually cold, a vest isn't my go-to. I mostly just like mine for the extra pockets lol
I also feel like the vest vs jacket answer is highly dependent on whether you're doing small or large animal

Source: every single one of our equine and livestock clinicians wears vests :rofl:
 
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Hi all,

Just passing this along for Texas A&M, one of their incoming interns dropped out a week after match/scramble so if anyone is regretting not going for an internship this might be a good opportunity!

"We are seeking a small animal rotating intern after one of our matched candidates was unable to accept the position. The successful candidate would become a member of our 10-person intern class, starting on June 11th.

All interested candidates should send the following materials to Nicole Waltman ([email protected]).
-letter of intent
-CV
-Candidates with a VIRMP application this year should also submit their candidate numbers, so that we can access their full packets from the VIRMP site.
-Candidates without a VIRMP application did not apply through VIRMP this year should submit the names and contact information for 3 references, as well as unofficial copies of their transcripts.
Applications will be considered until the position is filled or until March 9th, whichever comes first."
 
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I have an unofficial offer at an amazing clinic that should become official next week and I am so excited. It would have super amazing mentorship for surgery, and the clinic environment is just so amazing.

I’m gonna be freaking out it’s gonna fall through until I get my official offer :laugh:
 
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I have an unofficial offer at an amazing clinic that should become official next week and I am so excited. It would have super amazing mentorship for surgery, and the clinic environment is just so amazing.

I’m gonna be freaking out it’s gonna fall through until I get my official offer :laugh:
I'm so excited for you!! :biglove:
 
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I have an unofficial offer at an amazing clinic that should become official next week and I am so excited. It would have super amazing mentorship for surgery, and the clinic environment is just so amazing.

I’m gonna be freaking out it’s gonna fall through until I get my official offer :laugh:
Congrats Caiter!!
 
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I have an unofficial offer at an amazing clinic that should become official next week and I am so excited. It would have super amazing mentorship for surgery, and the clinic environment is just so amazing.

I’m gonna be freaking out it’s gonna fall through until I get my official offer :laugh:
Good luck good luck!!
 
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Official offer received :D eeek I’m so excited!
 
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Accepted a job offer! Officially heading back to the states after graduation :eek::D
 
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There are some good leads for me to head straight into aquaculture after graduation, and I am very excited.

I have recently gotten into fish! More on the pet vs medicine side but still! Very cool industry. I currently have a saltwater tank I'm slowly turning into a reef tank (corals + fish). I love it!
 
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Fish are wonderful! I hope your reef tank goes well!

Thanks! I hope you get that dream aquatics job! I am wanting to go into lab animal medicine so hopefully I can still enjoy my aquatics fix with that!
 
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Thanks! I hope you get that dream aquatics job! I am wanting to go into lab animal medicine so hopefully I can still enjoy my aquatics fix with that!
Zebrafish are the hot new thing and exploding in many facilities:)

Sent from my phone using the mobile app because I bought it and I'm stubborn
 
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Zebrafish are the hot new thing and exploding in many facilities:)

Sent from my phone using the mobile app because I bought it and I'm stubborn

WHOOOOO that would be awesome! I've worked with them some when I was in undergrad but have come to like fish more and more. I've read some research that they're heavily involved in and it sounds so exciting!
 
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Have to present my research project tomorrow morning in front of all the students and faculty... *screams internally*
 
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WHOOOOO that would be awesome! I've worked with them some when I was in undergrad but have come to like fish more and more. I've read some research that they're heavily involved in and it sounds so exciting!
Let me know if you want some zebrafish training opportunities
 
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Let me know if you want some zebrafish training opportunities

That would be great if I'm in your neck of the woods! I have no idea where I'll be or even if I will match to a residnecy, but I will try my best!! Are there any online training things that you know of?
 
My school just moved all classes online for two weeks following spring break (which starts next week). Pre-clinical students are included in that but we get to continue with clinics, thanks goodness. We're waiting on an email to our class specifically and people are kind of freaking out about the possibility of graduation being cancelled :/
 
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Our admin is having a meeting tomorrow and then I guess they’ll tell us wtf is happening with fourth year. I’m worried for our dc shelter rotation.
 
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Update for us - externships for the next 4-6 weeks have to be cancelled or postponed, even domestic ones unless they're pretty much in East Tennessee. Seems like days off to travel for interviews might not be accepted either...
 
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I’m currently in Nashville, supposed to drive home Saturday. I’m just hoping to get back to Columbus with no issues at this point.
 
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So far Ohio is having 4th years report to clinics as usual. I think they are still figuring out some lab type stuff.

In other news, my scrub top was inside out the other day and I didn’t discover it until approximately 4hrs into my shift. :p
 
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Update for us - externships for the next 4-6 weeks have to be cancelled or postponed, even domestic ones unless they're pretty much in East Tennessee. Seems like days off to travel for interviews might not be accepted either...

Oh jeez. That’s pretty intense. Do you have any externships left or are you done with them?
 
Update for us - externships for the next 4-6 weeks have to be cancelled or postponed, even domestic ones unless they're pretty much in East Tennessee. Seems like days off to travel for interviews might not be accepted either...
Jesus what are people supposed to do if they had an externship scheduled?
 
Oh jeez. That’s pretty intense. Do you have any externships left or are you done with them?
I am finishing up my last one now (a week and a half left). Of note, this was originally scheduled for next block, and is not something I could have easily rescheduled or found something similar within Knoxville. So I'm glad I ended up having to move it.

Jesus what are people supposed to do if they had an externship scheduled?
Either take an elective instead, find a replacement externship in the area, or reschedule for post-graduation. There might be a chance for exceptions (like, I'm hoping for things like humane alliance or zoos people might still be able to do them). But that's kind of up in the air right now.
 
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Update for us - externships for the next 4-6 weeks have to be cancelled or postponed, even domestic ones unless they're pretty much in East Tennessee. Seems like days off to travel for interviews might not be accepted either...

That's crazy... I'm really wondering what will happen with our distributed teaching hospital rotations if COVID-19 becomes a bigger issue here... We only have like 7 weeks left, get it together Canada :bag: I'll be okay since I only have electives left, but some of my classmates still have major 4 week long rotations left :confused:
 
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I like how my school has stopped in-person classes and I think rotations are affected too ... but graduate students are still expected to show up every day to do research. I get it - research going on hold is hard and sucks for a bunch of different reasons, but it also feels a little like a slap in the face that they don't think our health matters.
 
The hospital is still open and rotations are continuing as normal, but the email we got implied that if they do end up having to close the hospital or tell 4th years to stay home, we'd have to make our remaining rotations up after graduation. That will NOT go over well if that happens...
 
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