Class of 2020... how you doin?

[LyraGardenia]

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We don't even have electives yet, next quarter I believe we can do an optional elective. What electives are everyone taking or planning to take?

Next semester I'm taking embryology. Last semester I took history of vet med ( 😴 ), practicing vet med in a multicultural society (meh), and 3D imaging anatomy of the canine (actually pretty useful!). We're required to take 12 credits of electives before 4th year, but apparently most of the good ones aren't until 3rd year.

Our main classes next semester are anatomy II, physiology II, immunology and epidemiology.

I'm like 1 of 3 people in my class interested in shelter med lol. Interesting to hear that it's such a popular subject at other schools.

Weird! I don't know how many people in my class actually want to go into shelter med, but the shelter med club and rotation are pretty popular because they're good opportunities for surgical experience. I don't think we get to help with the mobile spay/neuter unit either other than the 4th year elective rotation, but there are opportunities to help out at the local shelter.

Edited to fix the emoji and add stuff I forgot because I may have had a bit of wine.

 

[HorsesandHogs]

At Auburn we only have to take 4 elective classes. Next semester I'm taking equine therio for my elective. Our main classes are Anatomy II, Physio II, Organology, Parasit II, and Neuroanatomy.

 

[LyraGardenia]

At Auburn we only have to take 4 elective classes. Next semester I'm taking equine therio for my elective. Our main classes are Anatomy II, Physio II, Organology, Parasit II, and Neuroanatomy.

What is organology??

 

[Ashgirl]

What is organology??

Organology (from Greek: ὄργανον – organon, "instrument" and λόγος – logos, "study") is the science of musical instruments and their classification. 😛

Actually in the boring vet school world I believe it is histology (probably organ based).

 

[wheelin2vetmed]

Purina pays the vet school professors to tell us lies about nutrition WZ, duh

Anything can be cured with coconutz oil...and gluten, don't get me started on that devil protein.

 

[LyraGardenia]

Organology (from Greek: ὄργανον – organon, "instrument" and λόγος – logos, "study") is the science of musical instruments and their classification. 😛

Actually in the boring vet school world I believe it is histology (probably organ based).

I Googled it and saw that too, but figured that wasn't it. 😛 Histo would make sense, I couldn't think what there would be to learn about organs other than their anatomy and physiology.

 

[HorsesandHogs]

I Googled it and saw that too, but figured that wasn't it. 😛 Histo would make sense, I couldn't think what there would be to learn about organs other than their anatomy and physiology.

Its basically our second semester of Histo. I think its just more about the specific organ systems and being able to identify them.

 

[Bailbru]

The only class I was in serious danger of not passing for a bit was Neuro, but I did really well on the last exam, and I felt really good leaving the final today. I can't get a B but it's all good.

too busy playing that Pokeman GO

 

[WildAnimal]

Classes start up again tomorrow and I don't wanna

 

[missdarjeeling]

Classes start up again tomorrow and I don't wanna

Word.

Also, I'm a little annoyed we haven't gotten our grades yet. Especially since I'm filling out a scholarship application that asks for our vet school GPA. And I'm getting some extra annoyance in there since among the files I lost in the Great Laptop Disaster of 2016 were my most recent CV and resume. Managed to salvage my most recent resume from a month ago since I had uploaded that, but the last full CV I can dig up is from 2015. Gotta love that extra pain in the ass.

 

[battie]

Word.

Also, I'm a little annoyed we haven't gotten our grades yet. Especially since I'm filling out a scholarship application that asks for our vet school GPA.

That is suck. I'm also filling out our scholarhips and they tell first years to use our VMCAS GPA. Maybe it's cause we have a weird grade calculation, but you would think they would give you your GPA if they require it for their scholarships.

 

[LyraGardenia]

We don't go back to classes until the 17th. 😀 But third years start back the 4th, so I will know your pain then.

 

[WildZoo]

Yeah we go back the 11th, so I've got one more week at home

 

[HorsesandHogs]

I start back on the 9th.

 

[awesomenessity]

We started yesterday 😕 Got a whopping 13 days off hahahaha

 

[JaynaAli]

We started yesterday 😕 Got a whopping 13 days off hahahaha

I completely understand this sentiment and felt this way when I was in school but now I realize and have to say that 2 weeks is about the most or even more than you'll likely get in a row in 'real life' once vet school is done unless you're really lucky! I'd love a two week vacation. 🙂 It's all about perspective I guess.


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[hazelmoo]

Today was our first day back, and class from 8-5 has me SO exhausted. Instead of being productive and studying or cleaning (like I should be doing), I'm all snuggled up in bed, eating chocolate, and watching Aladdin.

I think I have a problem

 

[Caiter92]

Today was our first day back, and class from 8-5 has me SO exhausted. Instead of being productive and studying or cleaning (like I should be doing), I'm all snuggled up in bed, eating chocolate, and watching Aladdin.

I think I have a problem

TBH this was me most days after class unless I had a test coming up

 

[awesomenessity]

I completely understand this sentiment and felt this way when I was in school but now I realize and have to say that 2 weeks is about the most or even more than you'll likely get in a row in 'real life' once vet school is done unless you're really lucky! I'd love a two week vacation. 🙂 It's all about perspective I guess.


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Haha, I totally understand that. Just seems like everyone else I know got 15-20 days off... in fact the vet students are the only ones in school at my university right now! Everyone else starts tomorrow. So from that perspective it sucks 😛

 

[missdarjeeling]

I completely understand this sentiment and felt this way when I was in school but now I realize and have to say that 2 weeks is about the most or even more than you'll likely get in a row in 'real life' once vet school is done unless you're really lucky! I'd love a two week vacation. 🙂 It's all about perspective I guess.


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Fair enough, and I've been there, working full-time in a job where I got a whopping grand total of 40 hours PTO per year and zero sick days. Two weeks would've been a freaking dream. But it definitely feels different when you're away from home for months at a time. At least when I was working in "real life," I was able to have a home to make my own and a more or less stable life to build. Being in that temporary, suspended state that is going to school in a new place far from where consider home to be is disorienting. Doesn't help that my perspective is skewed by being separated from my spouse, but I wouldn't be surprised if most of my classmates have some of that homesickness going on, too.

 

[flameshock]

We start in two weeks. No schedule yet on the calendar. One 20 credit course and one 2 credit course.

Buuuuuuut one of my friends snagged a copy of the tentative schedule from the course leader. What does it have on it?

It has what looks like a three day comprehensive first year assessment.

THREE DAY COMPREHENSIVE FIRST YEAR ASSESSMENT

...dead. x_X

 

[supershorty]

We start in two weeks. No schedule yet on the calendar. One 20 credit course and one 2 credit course.

Buuuuuuut one of my friends snagged a copy of the tentative schedule from the course leader. What does it have on it?

It has what looks like a three day comprehensive first year assessment.

THREE DAY COMPREHENSIVE FIRST YEAR ASSESSMENT

...dead. x_X

You have 1 course that's 20 credits?

 

[battie]

You have 1 course that's 20 credits?

If we had 16 week semesters instead of 8 week quarters, our main course would be 18.5 or 19 credits. . Makes your GPA fun.

 

[supershorty]

If we had 16 week semesters instead of 8 week quarters, our main course would be 18.5 or 19 credits. . Makes your GPA fun.

Is your "course" basically a block of courses and you only get one grade for the whole thing? This is not clicking in my brain (this bodes well for the semester...).

 

[battie]

Is your "course" basically a block of courses and you only get one grade for the whole thing? This is not clicking in my brain (this bodes well for the semester...).

That's exactly what it is. We only get one grade per quarter.

 

[supershorty]

That's exactly what it is. We only get one grade per quarter.

That's intimidating, wow.

 

[battie]

That's intimidating, wow.

It definitely can be. My first year GPA can max at 3.0 because of first quarter I think. But on the other hand, it can save you if you drop the ball. I like how we only have two tests per quarter, though. So it is what it is.

 

[katashark]

I'm so not ready for school next week. I want to stay warm and in the sun.

 

[WildZoo]

I'm so not ready for school next week. I want to stay warm and in the sun.

I just want to keep sitting around watching TV and playing video games and reading books

 

[WildZoo]

And seeing Mr. Z every day 🙁

 

[flameshock]

If we had 16 week semesters instead of 8 week quarters, our main course would be 18.5 or 19 credits. . Makes your GPA fun.

We run pass/fail so it takes a bit of the edge off.

Is your "course" basically a block of courses and you only get one grade for the whole thing? This is not clicking in my brain (this bodes well for the semester...).

We don't have a concrete block per se, but a smattering of lecture hours on various topics about the main subject. So our spring course is 'Moving and Sensing' and everything revolves around that. Anatomy, neurolo, procedures, etc. it's more diffuse but everything is supposed to fit together better in the long run.

 

[battie]

We run pass/fail so it takes a bit of the edge off.



We don't have a concrete block per se, but a smattering of lecture hours on various topics about the main subject. So our spring course is 'Moving and Sensing' and everything revolves around that.

That's really interesting, actually. How do you guys do GPAs/rankings for scholarships/residencies/etc?

 

[deleted676737]

Man, I would love for our curriculum to be pass/fail---it would seriously take away a lot of the grade-related stress, though like bats I'd have to wonder how rankings for internship/residency/scholarships would work in that case.

 

[Caiter92]

We're on a Pass/Marginal/Fail system here, too.

I wouldn't say it takes away grade stress. For most classes above an 80 is passing, 80-70 is marginal, and below 70 is failing. Some classes need lower to pass (anatomy was 73), but for the most part passing is 80. You can't really slack off still. 5 or more credits of M is like an F and you have to petition to continue.

It has pros and cons. It does seem to help make a less competitive environment, which I love. But, with my grades this semester I probably would have had around a 3.4. I'm probably only about the 50th percentile with that though when it's purely off class rank.

We don't get a letter grade, but the school does keep track of all our final grade points and calculate our rank based on that. They don't publish it anywhere, but you can ask the office any time you like and they'll tell you yours.

I don't think any grading system is perfect, but I do like it seems to discourage competitiveness. I had enough of that crap in undergrad.

 

[Teepster87]

We're on a weird grade scale here

100-92 = 4.0
91-88 = 3.5
87-84 = 3.0

And so on. Anything lower that a 76 is failing, and it's pretty hard to adjust to.

 

[psilovethomas]

We're on a weird grade scale here

100-92 = 4.0
91-88 = 3.5
87-84 = 3.0

And so on. Anything lower that a 76 is failing, and it's pretty hard to adjust to.

Did things change? It used to be anything below a 1.0 (68) was failing. But, you had to maintain a 2.0 average for the semester.

 

[flameshock]

That's really interesting, actually. How do you guys do GPAs/rankings for scholarships/residencies/etc?

Our assignments are still graded on a point system, so we get a percentage. Then everyone is compared at the end for a class ranking list.

I don't have anything to compare it to but I definitely find it less stressful. I'm not obsessing over cutoffs and just use the numbers to evaluate performance in general terms.

For us, a 64 is a fail, so there's a good range where you'll be okay.

 

[awesomenessity]

We're on a weird grade scale here

100-92 = 4.0
91-88 = 3.5
87-84 = 3.0

And so on. Anything lower that a 76 is failing, and it's pretty hard to adjust to.

Lord almighty if that were true at my school I'd be failing anatomy/histo right now lol... 74% average 😕

 

[Teepster87]

Did things change? It used to be anything below a 1.0 (68) was failing. But, you had to maintain a 2.0 average for the semester.

No you're right. Have to average 2.0 for the semester. If you get less than a 2.0 average than you get put on academic probation, or if you get 2 grades of 1.0 than you also get probation. Two semesters of probation and you either get rolled back a year or dropped.

 

[deleted676737]

But, with my grades this semester I probably would have had around a 3.4. I'm probably only about the 50th percentile with that though when it's purely off class rank.

If ~3.4 is at about the 50th percentile at your school, I would hate to see where my current GPA falls. Sigh. 🙁

 

[psilovethomas]

If ~3.4 is at about the 50th percentile at your school, I would hate to see where my current GPA falls. Sigh. 🙁

I graduated with a 3.85 and was only in the top 25% of my class (don't know my rank because I don't give an eff, only know what I stated because I'm in phi zeta). I think 3.6 was the 50% mark for my class. Your grades and class rank don't matter as much as you think they do for residency. They mean jack **** for jobs/the real world. Don't get caught up in the vet school GPA ponzi scheme.
I'm obviously not one for long drawn out explanations, but you can make things happen if you want them to happen. I met residents that told me they had mediocre grades but worked their butts off in clinics and had great connections.

 

[raf2769]

Is anyone else just completely procrastinating going back to school? I was originally planning to go back to Iowa yesterday, but of course the weather was iffy so I decided against it. So then I planned on Saturday, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that there was no point on going back on Saturday vs. Sunday... one day before we start spring semester. 😛

We started last tuesday and I'm still procrastinating starting back.

 

[WildZoo]

Is anyone else just completely procrastinating going back to school? I was originally planning to go back to Iowa yesterday, but of course the weather was iffy so I decided against it. So then I planned on Saturday, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that there was no point on going back on Saturday vs. Sunday... one day before we start spring semester. 😛

We start Wednesday and I'm not going back until Monday 😀

 

[LyraGardenia]

Is anyone else just completely procrastinating going back to school? I was originally planning to go back to Iowa yesterday, but of course the weather was iffy so I decided against it. So then I planned on Saturday, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that there was no point on going back on Saturday vs. Sunday... one day before we start spring semester. 😛

We start back the 17th and I'm not going back to Kansas until the 16th, mostly because the bf comes home from China tomorrow and I want as much time with him as possible. 😀

We started last tuesday and I'm still procrastinating starting back.

Last Tuesday as in before New Year's???

 

[katashark]

We start Monday. I'm going back on Sunday. I'm a big fan of using my entire break.


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[wheelin2vetmed]

Don't get caught up in the vet school GPA ponzi scheme...

Elaborate on the ponzi scheme, I'm innnnterested

I got A's and B's my first semester but I saw my GPA and was like: "Well, there it is ladies and gentlemen." Since some of the classes are huge amounts of credits, it just tanks your GPA.

 

[SARdoghandler]

Ugh. We started back into class (though it was more of a field week than class) January 2. Seems much earlier than most haha

 

[alohacat319]

Elaborate on the ponzi scheme, I'm innnnterested

I got A's and B's my first semester but I saw my GPA and was like: "Well, there it is ladies and gentlemen." Since some of the classes are huge amounts of credits, it just tanks your GPA.

Same here. Even if I know As and Bs are good, it was kinda a hard pill to swallow when I saw my GPA compared to what I'm used to.... but honestly, I know I gave it my all and I am just happy to move on to a new set of classes.

Also my grandma came from Colorado to visit and she saw the article about you in a paper back home or something and was asking if I knew you last night. You are officially dinner time conversation in our house. How does it feel to be famous? Lol

 

[twelvetigers]

Same here. Even if I know As and Bs are good, it was kinda a hard pill to swallow when I saw my GPA compared to what I'm used to.... but honestly, I know I gave it my all and I am just happy to move on to a new set of classes.

Also my grandma came from Colorado to visit and she saw the article about you in a paper back home or something and was asking if I knew you last night. You are officially dinner time conversation in our house. How does it feel to be famous? Lol

Too bad you didn't have a copy of the (alleged) shirtless photo from the drunk thread last week. Would have *really* given granny something to talk about.

 

[wheelin2vetmed]

How does it feel to be famous?

Are you talking to me? You need to go through my agent from now on.