Class of 2020... how you doin?

Veterinary Science Graduate Programs from U. of I.
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vetmedhead said:
My current approach to the immuno final is to wing it and see what happens. 😎
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WildZoo said:
Give yourself a good, guilt-free half hour break. Like, do something you really enjoy, and try to put studying from your mind. Hopefully that will help you recharge a bit, and then try doing pomodoros. 25 minutes of absolute focus, then 5 minute break (or 30/10 if the 5 minute break isnt long enought for you). After 4 of those take a 20-30 minute break. It's the only way I can get myself to focus when I really don't want to. Hope it helps if you try it, you can do this <3
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rockatiel said:
Do you exercise?

Go for a walk/run. this sounds anxiety fueled and exercise is a good way to beat that out 🙂
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WildZoo said:
2nd the exercise suggestion!
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Thanks, guys. <3 I actually wound up taking a nap and going out to eat last night because, even after working out a bit, I still just couldn't make myself sit down and concentrate enough to make the study time worth it. I went to bed very early and that seems to have helped a lot---I'm four hours into studying and going strong. And, yes, the Pomodoros help. 😉
 
Histo final is tomorrow.

Started out strong yesterday, went through my notes for the first three sections on the final, that make up like over half the material (though I have 8 total sections). Started on review ppt, got through 80 of 850 (not a typo). Got bored, proceeded to watch Property brothers the rest of the night.

I regret all my life choices currently.
 
Caiter92 said:
Histo final is tomorrow.

Started out strong yesterday, went through my notes for the first three sections on the final, that make up like over half the material (though I have 8 total sections). Started on review ppt, got through 80 of 850 (not a typo). Got bored, proceeded to watch Property brothers the rest of the night.

I regret all my life choices currently.
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Honestly though, HGTV is one of the worst things on the planet for my productivity.
 
vetmedhead said:
Honestly though, HGTV is one of the worst things on the planet for my productivity.
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My apartment has free cable. Best/worst thing ever.

I'm through 700/850 now! I go through them really slowly and go back every so many slides and redo them and then every like 200 go back and do those 200 again to increase repetition, so I have those 700 down for the most part.

Now just do finish and go through them all again once or twice tonight and again in the morning.
 
Caiter92 said:
My apartment has free cable. Best/worst thing ever.

I'm through 700/850 now! I go through them really slowly and go back every so many slides and redo them and then every like 200 go back and do those 200 again to increase repetition, so I have those 700 down for the most part.

Now just do finish and go through them all again once or twice tonight and again in the morning.
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I don't own a TV, so it's online streaming services that steal all my free time.

The reality show Skin Wars on Netflix has eaten almost all of the time I have available lol. It's bad.
 
Finished all the slides, met up with a friend to quiz each other. The first 600ish were no problem for both of us, and we discussed everything and I think they're pretty semented. Those last 250+ though.... haha

Going to go over those last ones again a few times and try to get through all of them again tonight.

Thank god this test isn't until 3pm tomorrow haha
 
rockatiel said:
I loved having my finals in the afternoon.
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I was kind of annoyed at first cause we have another final at 8am the next day and I'm kind of useless most days after 9pm so it's not a ton of time to study.

But then I realized it's me and I would be procrastinating and it was actually amazing.

Still haven't started going over the last ones again. I took a break, but am now going to the store for caffeine. Cause I have no caffeine in my apartment and micro required stimulants.
 
All of our finals are at 8am 🙁 I'd love some afternoon finals.

And this snow storm is really complicating things for tomorrow morning!
 
Ours were all at 9am (which sucked for our anatomy professor, he had to get up at like 4am to set up the practical), except advanced anatomy, because we were split into sections, so section 1 had it at 8am and section 2 at 10am.

It was good to get it over with early in the day, and getting up at 7:30 is pretty ideal for me, so the 9am time was perfect. I wish our classes started then instead of at 8.
 
This is our only final in the afternoon, -all the others were at 8am (or 9am if you were in the second section for anatomy). On Tuesday we have our group surgery final after phys, and mine is at 11am, so I guess that one starts later, too.

I am not looking forward to our solo surgery final Wednesday. It's 6 stations but every student goes solo through each station and things tend to get backed up, so usually you're there any where from 4-6 hours, with only like an hour or so of actual testing spread out.

And we can't have our phones, or talk to each other or anything. It's going to be really fun 😛

I also don't think we're allowed to have snacks or drinks since it's in the surgery center, so that'll be even better.
 
I should be studying for my immuno final, but instead I'm reading through current applicant threads and posts from people who were just accepted in the hopes that I can skim some enthusiasm off the top from their posts. I find it amusing how quickly my will to succeed has left me. I mean, I'm not even a first year vet student yet, lol.
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I am out of ****s to give for phys.

Thank god I could get a zero and still technically pass with a marginal.

It's multiple choice, these weird puzzle charts (that he basically uses the same ones as the practice), and like one or two short answer.

I'm just reading my notes over a few times and calling it good. I just want to sleep.
 
Had a immuno test today (got an 82 - not sure how I feel about that), have anatomy Thursday, and genetics Friday. Got home, took a nap, and woke up ready to study... but just couldn't make myself do it. My brain was fried from all of the CDs and pathways and complements and cells and omg MAKE IT STOP
 
hazelmoo said:
Had a immuno test today (got an 82 - not sure how I feel about that), have anatomy Thursday, and genetics Friday. Got home, took a nap, and woke up ready to study... but just couldn't make myself do it. My brain was fried from all of the CDs and pathways and complements and cells and omg MAKE IT STOP
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Never have I been more thankful for a professor than I was when our immunology prof told us we didn't need to learn all the details of complement. I did have to learn it in undergrad though, so I know how awful it is (I have subsequently forgotten all of it). I love immunology but that one part...just no.
 
hazelmoo said:
Had a immuno test today (got an 82 - not sure how I feel about that), have anatomy Thursday, and genetics Friday. Got home, took a nap, and woke up ready to study... but just couldn't make myself do it. My brain was fried from all of the CDs and pathways and complements and cells and omg MAKE IT STOP
Click to expand...
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I've never had a final week like this, and by the beard of Zeus, I did not structure my studying well. I basically have 1 day to study for my cumulative Phys final and then 1 to study for Anatomy.

I'd have to get less than a 10% on Anatomy to not pass, so I think I'm ok there. But after tomorrow's Histo (since Phys/Histo are combined), I'm not so sure what I'll have to get.

Histo to me is like a nightmare game of I spy with my little eye. I spy cells. We good?
 
wheelin2vetmed said:
I've never had a final week like this, and by the beard of Zeus, I did not structure my studying well. I basically have 1 day to study for my cumulative Phys final and then 1 to study for Anatomy.

I'd have to get less than a 10% on Anatomy to not pass, so I think I'm ok there. But after tomorrow's Histo (since Phys/Histo are combined), I'm not so sure what I'll have to get.

Histo to me is like a nightmare game of I spy with my little eye. I spy cells. We good?
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Don't worry, histo is basically like the Rorschach test of medicine. What do you see in the slides?

Hang in there! Finals suck, but you got this.
 
Caiter92 said:
I am out of ****s to give for phys.

Thank god I could get a zero and still technically pass with a marginal.

It's multiple choice, these weird puzzle charts (that he basically uses the same ones as the practice), and like one or two short answer.

I'm just reading my notes over a few times and calling it good. I just want to sleep.
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I'm in a similar place, I only have to get a 10% on the phys final to pass the class, and a 66% to keep my B, so I'm finding it very difficult to care. I'm going to attempt to study the new material really well tomorrow (it's only 6 lectures), but the other half of the test is just one question each from the previous 68 lectures, sooo that's basically impossible to study for. I'll probably just skim over my study guides and call it good. On the bright side I'm done with microanatomy! Now if only they'd post the grades from our anatomy lab final so I know how well I have to do on the lecture portion. :annoyed:
 
LyraGardenia said:
I'm in a similar place, I only have to get a 10% on the phys final to pass the class, and a 66% to keep my B, so I'm finding it very difficult to care. I'm going to attempt to study the new material really well tomorrow (it's only 6 lectures), but the other half of the test is just one question each from the previous 68 lectures, sooo that's basically impossible to study for. I'll probably just skim over my study guides and call it good. On the bright side I'm done with microanatomy! Now if only they'd post the grades from our anatomy lab final so I know how well I have to do on the lecture portion. :annoyed:
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It's a nice place to be in haha

I realized large parts of our notes we don't have to know for the exam (he only tests off his objectives/study questions), so I actually ended up doing them.

I finished the first set, now have to do the other. The most recent study guide/lectures are things we were covering in more detail in micro, so I'm hoping I'll be able to finish those quick so I can go to bed.

Test is at 8, and need to leave at 730, so I'm planning on getting up at 530 to read through my finished study guide one more time.

I finished micro today too! I think it went fine and I only needed a 50% to pass the class, so yay.

He had two bonus questions that had hints from Christmas songs and had lyrics that were basically puns of the answers, but my brain was so dead I totally missed them hahaha
 
Caiter92 said:
He had two bonus questions that had hints from Christmas songs and had lyrics that were basically puns of the answers, but my brain was so dead I totally missed them hahaha
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Haha we had several questions on our anatomy lab final with hints, for example the question about the vermis in the cerebellum had a worm drawn on the card. :laugh:
 
SandstormDVM said:
More of my usual rambling. Just wanting to get things off of my chest. Feel free to ignore.

So... I am upset with myself and how I performed this semester. Really, truly. Yes, it's my first semester and, yes, vet school is an adjustment, but I started slacking about midway through (part of it was my mental health issues cropping up, but I do take responsibility for it) and now I'm paying for it. We had our lecture final for anatomy today; I actually felt like it went pretty well, but apparently not well enough, because I had to also take a remedial exam today... thankfully, it should guarantee at least a C- in the class provided that I did okay on it. I am just frustrated that I got myself into this situation to begin with. Now I really do feel like I've found a study method that works and that I've gotten into my groove with school, but it's way too late now to make a difference for this semester. I'm worried about nutrition still, too, though I have been assured by multiple VM2s that I will pass the class thanks to the final curve.

My grades in our other 6 classes should all be As and Bs, thankfully, but that leaves 2 where I will likely finish in the range of a C- to a C+. I imagine my GPA this semester is likely to be in the vicinity of 2.5. No bueno. I've started to really fall in love with and am hoping to pursue what has apparently increasingly become one of the more academically competitive specialties; I have been told quite bluntly by both a clinician and a resident in that field that I will have to be a near-4.0 student from now on in order to stand a fighting chance. I've tried to compensate by getting as much experience in the field as possible for a VM1---I'm on the exec team for the club, next semester I will be working directly with one of our clinicians in the lab, I've shadowed several times in the VMTH, I've attended practical wetlabs, I'm assisting a resident with their project---but all of the connections and experience in the world won't matter if I don't have the grades. Sure, there are those very lucky select few who snag internships and residencies with lower GPAs, but they are the exception and I'm not banking on it.

That all being said, feeling sorry for myself and remaining transfixed on what I honestly can't really change at this point is useless. Gratefully, my confidence and focus have started to come back. So my approach going forward is channeling that anger at myself and making something positive come of it. I have 2 finals left... I'm giving them both my damnedest and then, after break, I will come back refreshed and ready to take the workload head-on. It's so, so hard to ground myself sometimes, but I was accepted to vet school because those who reviewed my application truly do believe that I can succeed... and I can. Just have to keep swimming and keep moving forward.

Anyway. Back to studying for nutrition.
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I don't know what specialty it is you are considering, but I've heard numerous times that who you know, references and your contacts are >> than GPA. Yes, should probably have as good of a GPA as you can to help get accepted to internships and residencies but don't downplay the importance of making connections which you are already doing. Hang in there, keep fighting the good fight and remember to have a little fun along the way. 🙂
 
DVMDream said:
I don't know what specialty it is you are considering, but I've heard numerous times that who you know, references and your contacts are >> than GPA. Yes, should probably have as good of a GPA as you can to help get accepted to internships and residencies but don't downplay the importance of making connections which you are already doing. Hang in there, keep fighting the good fight and remember to have a little fun along the way. 🙂
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Thank you so much for the support, DVMD, and I will certainly try. I hope that you're starting to feel a little bit better. 🙂
 
SandstormDVM said:
Thank you so much for the support, DVMD, and I will certainly try. I hope that you're starting to feel a little bit better. 🙂
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Thanks. And feel free to PM me anytime. I'm kind of curious to which clinician said that, depending on clinician, I may not be surprised. A few expect perfection in everything.
 
DVMDream said:
Thanks. And feel free to PM me anytime. I'm kind of curious to which clinician said that, depending on clinician, I may not be surprised. A few expect perfection in everything.
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Truth. For every case I know of that I've heard someone say "getting that residencies requires amazing grades" I know of resident or attending in that specialty who was a very average student.
 
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SandstormDVM said:
That all being said, feeling sorry for myself and remaining transfixed on what I honestly can't really change at this point is useless. Gratefully, my confidence and focus have started to come back. So my approach going forward is channeling that anger at myself and making something positive come of it. I have 2 finals left... I'm giving them both my damnedest and then, after break, I will come back refreshed and ready to take the workload head-on. It's so, so hard to ground myself sometimes, but I was accepted to vet school because those who reviewed my application truly do believe that I can succeed... and I can. Just have to keep swimming and keep moving forward.

Anyway. Back to studying for nutrition.
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I would be leary of the bolded. It could just be the way I'm reading it, but it comes across as you wanting to internalize your anger and frustration, almost as a form of punishment hoping to yield success. this is something that can burn you out very quickly.

I would recommend getting rid of any anger inflicted towards yourself. beating yourself up is so very counterproductive. I think your adjustment period is over and next semster is going to be great for you. you're certainly doing an amazing job of networking. to me, that says there's a reason that Iowa State accepted you and a reason that you ended up there. I think you have found something of a calling, which isn't something a lot of us can say at this point. I say you use that to drive you forward 🙂
 
rockatiel said:
I would be leary of the bolded. It could just be the way I'm reading it, but it comes across as you wanting to internalize your anger and frustration, almost as a form of punishment hoping to yield success. this is something that can burn you out very quickly.

I would recommend getting rid of any anger inflicted towards yourself. beating yourself up is so very counterproductive. I think your adjustment period is over and next semster is going to be great for you. you're certainly doing an amazing job of networking. to me, that says there's a reason that Iowa State accepted you and a reason that you ended up there. I think you have found something of a calling, which isn't something a lot of us can say at this point. I say you use that to drive you forward 🙂
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This.

It's always important to learn from mistakes moving forward, but please don't channel that into anger towards yourself. That's just setting yourself for an internal hate spiral, which is not going to do anything for confidence in yourself.
 
WildZoo said:
Never have I been more thankful for a professor than I was when our immunology prof told us we didn't need to learn all the details of complement. I did have to learn it in undergrad though, so I know how awful it is (I have subsequently forgotten all of it). I love immunology but that one part...just no.
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but, WZ, how do it know????
 
So glad we get two more chances next semester for our surgery practical tomorrow. My suturing isn't perfect, but I know what I need to work on still, so that part should be fine (as long as you don't make any "fatal errors" without catching and criticing them, you pass that part). Going through the skills list the only thing they may be a problem is ligation, just because I've only done it a few times on the class models. But knots. For the life of me I can't do the animal handling knots. We have five we're responsible for and I can do three fine, but the last two I just can't for the life of me get.

I'm the earlier start time so in theory I should be done by 12, but in past years they've always gotten very far behind, so who knows. My friend in fourth year said for them they were there from 8 till after 4. Really hope that isn't the case to tomorrow.

Either way, as soon as that's done I'm free 😀
 
Caiter92 said:
So glad we get two more chances next semester for our surgery practical tomorrow. My suturing isn't perfect, but I know what I need to work on still, so that part should be fine (as long as you don't make any "fatal errors" without catching and criticing them, you pass that part). Going through the skills list the only thing they may be a problem is ligation, just because I've only done it a few times on the class models. But knots. For the life of me I can't do the animal handling knots. We have five we're responsible for and I can do three fine, but the last two I just can't for the life of me get.

I'm the earlier start time so in theory I should be done by 12, but in past years they've always gotten very far behind, so who knows. My friend in fourth year said for them they were there from 8 till after 4. Really hope that isn't the case to tomorrow.

Either way, as soon as that's done I'm free 😀
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I'm imagining someone creating a noose and strangling the dog instead of suturing it. That would be a fatal error, right?
 
vetmedhead said:
I'm imagining someone creating a noose and strangling the dog instead of suturing it. That would be a fatal error, right?
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Ha!

We have a list of what the "fatal errors" are for each section. For our asepsis practical today, they were anything that could break sterile technique, which makes sense. But some for suturing are kind of random.
 
Caiter92 said:
Ha!

We have a list of what the "fatal errors" are for each section. For our asepsis practical today, they were anything that could break sterile technique, which makes sense. But some for suturing are kind of random.
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My list:
  • garroting the patient
  • hanging the patient
  • turning the patient into a quilt
  • crocheting the incision closed
  • knitting the incision closed
  • anything that turns the incision into a scarf somehow
  • not knowing how to tie any knots because nobody ever taught you how to tie your shoes and they don't make velcro suture
  • stitching your initials into the patient
  • stitching your patient to another patient
  • accidentally stitching your hand inside of the patient
  • saying "stitching" instead of "suturing"
 
Things I've learned from my paper on rabies prevention campaigns:
  • intending to eat a dog decreases the likelihood that you will get it vaccinated against rabies
  • nobody likes to restrain feral dogs and this makes them hard to vaccinate
  • upwards of 50% of rabies victims are children 🙁
  • if you want to get a dog vaccinated against rabies in most African countries, ask the children, because they are >80% of the people bringing dogs to vaccine clinics
  • close to 2/3 of the dogs in Bangalore are feral
  • If you piss the Philippines off enough, they will eventually control rabies, but only after trying to kill every dog in the Philippines first
  • they will also create a puppet show about rabies
  • how to spell Philippines
  • I'm really scared of rabies
 
I had a school dream last night...
We haven't gotten our schedules or lab sections for next semester (understandable, since the assistant dean handles that and she's probably busy with interview invites and things). So in my dream it was our first day back from break and we were finally getting our schedules and everything. That's literally all that happened.
 
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