Class of 2021 . . . how ya doin?

[WhtsThFrequency]

Histology is a very difficult subject to teach because you have to get students over the hump of "I'm never going to use this." A lot of them automatically tune out because of that - but it's not true. The fact of the matter is, even if you never look through a microscopy again, you guys are putting in far too much money, blood, sweat, and tears to just be little pill dispensing machines. You're going to be doctors, and doctors need to understand how disease works at a physiologic and cellular level. Not just what symptoms the animal exhibits. Why do they exhibit such symptoms? What is the disease actually doing in that organ? How is the microanatomy of the organ affected and how does that translate into what you see grossly?

That being said, I've definitely seen histology taught without context, which is the #1 way to lose students. You need to make everything applicable. Don't just expect them to be able to differentiate, say white matter from gray matter in the brain. Explain that it is important because a disease like degenerative myelopathy will present in the white matter because it is a demyelinating disease that hits axons the worst. Viral diseases like neuro EHV will hit the gray matter more because viruses need to get into cells, and the gray matter is where the neuronal cell bodies are. Form and function are both important.

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[WhtsThFrequency]

Down with nuclear proliferation.

(I dunno. Are bird RBCs nucleated? I flushed all that knowledge to the gods of alcohol about 0.00000001 seconds after finishing boards. I just randomly remember they are elliptical. And I wouldn't have even sworn to that. But that wasn't really the point.)

Bird RBCs are indeed nucleated. Camelid RBCs are elliptical too.

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

I feel like @WhtsThFrequency is the type to give you a slide labeled "canine blood smear" that's really avian, and then ask you to interpret, expecting you to say "not dog blood," but instead you spend a half hour doubting yourself trying to figure out what pathology would make canine RBCs elliptical before giving the wrong answer.

WTF

Blood smears are more for clinical pathology grease monkeys anyway. @JaynaAli

I do remember some from when I worked as a CP technician, but a lot has gone.

When people show me cytologies I'm just like um....I'm not that type of pathologist. I'll give it my best shot but...errr?

If you give me a slide of skin, though - I can tell you whether it is dog, cat, horse, or pig by the structure of the follicles and sebaceous glands. So there.

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

that could be fun! I just. Ugh. Our histo professor laughs at us if we answer a question wrong in class. Super unproductive hahaha

But it creates more salty tears upon which we feast.

 

[JaynaAli]

Blood smears are more for clinical pathology grease monkeys anyway. @JaynaAli

If you give me a slide of skin, though - I can tell you whether it is dog, cat, horse, or pig by the structure of the follicles and sebaceous glands. So there.

Grease-monkey-in-training and proud.
Give me a H&E section of skin and I can tell you 'haired skin.' I was so excited on our mock boards this year that I actually recognized our histopath tissue AND lesion. It was a cytauzxoon spleen.

...Also if you are going to ACVP we need to meet up this year.

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

Grease-monkey-in-training and proud.
Give me a H&E section of skin and I can tell you 'haired skin.' I was so excited on our mock boards this year that I actually recognized our histopath tissue AND lesion. It was a cytauzxoon spleen.

...Also if you are going to ACVP we need to meet up this year.

Poop, sorry I forgot about your message. Not this year unfortunately, I can't shell out the $

 

[singhb09]

We have our 8th exam in LESS THAN 4 WEEKS time this Monday and then a sweet, sweet 2 week break before exams start up again

 

[cdo96]

But it creates more salty tears upon which we feast.

Well in that case, I worry about how hypertonic his cells are becoming. There’s too much salty tears, not even the kidneys can effectively remedy it all.

 

[WildZoo]

I loved our microanatomy courses (basically histology), but that's because they're team taught by a bunch of pathologists who are all freaking awesome.

 

[LetItSnow]

Grease-monkey-in-training and proud.
Give me a H&E section of skin and I can tell you 'haired skin.' I was so excited on our mock boards this year that I actually recognized our histopath tissue AND lesion. It was a cytauzxoon spleen.

...Also if you are going to ACVP we need to meet up this year.

Hey grease-monkey: How do you tell the difference on a smear between canine and human/primate blood?

(I'm seriously curious how Sharkey did it, especially so quickly, but she's kinda a wizard.)

 

[JaynaAli]

Hey grease-monkey: How do you tell the difference on a smear between canine and human/primate blood?

(I'm seriously curious how Sharkey did it, especially so quickly, but she's kinda a wizard.)

She is amazing. She did a locum at my place a while back. But primate (including human) neutrophils have faint pink 'primary granules' in the cytoplasm that the domestic species don't have.

 

[Trilt]

She is amazing. Sh did a locum at my place a while back. But primate (including human) neutrophils have faint pink 'primary granules' in the cytoplasm that the domestic species don't have.

sooooooo, magic. Gotcha.

 

[LetItSnow]

She is amazing. She did a locum at my place a while back. But primate (including human) neutrophils have faint pink 'primary granules' in the cytoplasm that the domestic species don't have.

She is amazing. Great teacher. Definitely a hard-ass, but a) she'll admit it, and b) it's in an appropriate way. Her heart is in teaching. And she does a LOT of volunteer stuff for students - shows up at UMN's urban student-run clinic every month with her super-nice scope, hauls it to the UMN's reservation trips multiple times/year, etc. As far as I'm concerned, she's exactly the kind of teacher vet schools need.

And thanks for the answer. That's cool. Curiosity sated. I should do a smear of myself sometime - I wonder if I'd be able to tell the difference even WITH your explanation. What you guys do is pretty amazing.

 

[mmmdreamerz]

Joy is surviving your 9th exam in a month and having a few days off for fall break (and no exams for 2 weeks!)

 

[battie]

I really do not want to come to school tomorrow.

 

[LyraGardenia]

I really do not want to come to school tomorrow.

Any particular reason?

 

[battie]

Any particular reason?

It goes back to I just want to stay home for a 24 hour period without going to the school. And I don't go to lecture anyways any more; I just go to the library instead.

 

[cdo96]

Treated myself today with a post- exam visit to the teaching hospital! The clinicians were all very nice people who were having me and my friend actually do and learn things! I even gave my first vaccination in a dog which was awesome!

I also got to play with a puppy. So worth it.

 

[aggievethopeful2021]

School and life the past two weeks has been really rough. Hoping that the rest of the week goes better for my sanity's sake. On a positive note: I am doing an emergency care wetlab this weekend and am going to learn how to do thoracotomies, chest tubes, and watch how to do open chest CPR which I'm super excited about.

 

[battie]

T-minus 1 week until finals.

 

[cdo96]

T-minus 1 week until finals.

what???

 

[SkiOtter]

what???

I'm pretty sure their semesters are split into two different halves

 

[cdo96]

I'm pretty sure their semesters are split into two different halves

Ohhhh that makes sense. I was very confused because we’re almost halfway done so I wondered how that was possible

 

[battie]

what???

I'm pretty sure their semesters are split into two different halves

Ohhhh that makes sense. I was very confused because we’re almost halfway done so I wondered how that was possible

Yeah, we have 8 week quarters. So next Thursday and Friday are finals. Then 8 weeks in clinics!!!

 

[love2hunt]

We are one week out from our final exams for the first class. Seeing those of you posting about all the exams/quizzes/assignments you're taking makes me grateful they changed the curriculum here! We've only had 3 lecture exams and 1 lab exam so far, with a few small group assignments sprinkled in.

Definitely more difficult than undergrad, but not as difficult as last year when I was working 40 hours a week and taking 12 credit hours of pre-reqs each semester. The second years are all trying to scare us about the second half of the semester, though, so we'll see how that goes...

 

[Emily Faith]

I was quizlet dependent in undergrad but kind of strayed away from it at the beginning of the semester due to feedback from a couple of people about changing game plans for vet school. But with less than dazzling results, I recently returned to my quizlet ways and was just comparing number of terms between my undergrad sets and vet school sets. I averaged around 150 for undergrad. I have 400 for my exam tomorrow. If that's not an accurate representation of vet school, I don't know what is.

 

[cdo96]

it stresses a lot of people out/ gives some people bad anxiety to talk about grades so I put my rant/ frustrations in a spoiler.

also if you’re going to verbatim respond that “grades don’t matter though”, I respectfully ask you to not. I value your opinion and your experiences it’s just, for me, I want to do as well as I can and it’s more infuriating that my performance doesn’t reflect the effort I put in. (But that happens I suppose)

Spoiler: Grade talk/ frustrations

First Histology quiz: studied moderately hard, was caught off guard and made a 74%. Said “okay, I’ll study better & harder for the next one and make it up”

First Histology exam: studied very hard, made a 78%.

Second Histology quiz: studied very very hard both with a group and by myself, used every resource I could find: made a 74%

Soooooo done. Hate Histology. Dread my Tuesday Histology lab days. No way I can make an A at this point, and I’m at a very very low B right so I need to get better to keep it from being a C.

(On the bright side, Anatomy is going better and if I keep it up, I might actually have an A in the course! Phys 1 is going better too- I actually kinda like neurophysiology.

Tl;dr I give up with Histology.

Today marks the day in which exactly half of the semester has passed. I also realized we’re only 6.25% done with the program... it’s a rather depressing number. But that’s more percentage of a vet than I was yesterday, or 8 weeks ago- so I gotta keep looking up, right?

 

[cdo96]

wow sorry for the long post everyone. I suppose I’m kinda writing out the things I can’t actually say to my family/ non vet school friends because all I get is “but you’re living out your dream” and I don’t need to fight anyone right now about how just because you’re living out your dream, doesn’t mean you’re having a good time while doing it. Also it’s kinda frowned upon to respond “actually I’m having a horrific time and I feel like it’s never going to end” to when people ask you how vet school is going.

 

[Doctor-S]

it stresses a lot of people out/ gives some people bad anxiety to talk about grades so I put my rant/ frustrations in a spoiler.

also if you’re going to verbatim respond that “grades don’t matter though”, I respectfully ask you to not. I value your opinion and your experiences it’s just, for me, I want to do as well as I can and it’s more infuriating that my performance doesn’t reflect the effort I put in. (But that happens I suppose)

Spoiler: Grade talk/ frustrations

First Histology quiz: studied moderately hard, was caught off guard and made a 74%. Said “okay, I’ll study better & harder for the next one and make it up”

First Histology exam: studied very hard, made a 78%.

Second Histology quiz: studied very very hard both with a group and by myself, used every resource I could find: made a 74%

Soooooo done. Hate Histology. Dread my Tuesday Histology lab days. No way I can make an A at this point, and I’m at a very very low B right so I need to get better to keep it from being a C.

(On the bright side, Anatomy is going better and if I keep it up, I might actually have an A in the course! Phys 1 is going better too- I actually kinda like neurophysiology.

Tl;dr I give up with Histology.

Today marks the day in which exactly half of the semester has passed. I also realized we’re only 6.25% done with the program... it’s a rather depressing number. But that’s more percentage of a vet than I was yesterday, or 8 weeks ago- so I gotta keep looking up, right?

@cdoconn ...sending you lots of good thoughts.

 

[battie]

Tl;dr I give up with Histology.

So, histo is/was one of my better subjects. If you shoot me a pm with you email and what you're working on specifically (like blood vs nerves vs muscle, etc), I may be able to assist.

 

[WildZoo]

Tl;dr I give up with Histology.

Sorry eggo. I think everyone has at least one class/subject that is a big struggle (renal phys for me, which means urinary systems has been...rough. Oh, and ****ing toxicology).

I know you said you used every resource you could find, but don't give up yet! Did you go over your exams with your professor?

 

[cdo96]

Thanks y’all!

Did you go over your exams with your professor?

so he doesn’t have students come to his office to go over tests, but I went over them with a TA. I can understand somethings I missed, it’s just... ugh.

And it’s not even like a “oh I should’ve known that- I’ve seen that picture before” it’s like I get to the practical and it’s like “wat..???”

Does OkSU offer any free tutoring for vet students?

Histo was also one of my better subjects, so feel free to PM me your email, too, and I might be able to send you some stuff and/or help out.

Free tutoring for only students who are failing. I have a friend who’s doing exceptionally well in this class (actually she’s doing exceptionally well in all classes) and she’s gonna help me, but ack.

And yes! I’d appreciate anything you have! I’ll PM you!

 

[PrincessButterCup]

@cdoconn No idea if this will help at all, but when I had classes I hated and dreaded going to in undergrad I would make a point of buying myself coffee or some other treat that day, so my attitude would change. Part of why I did poorly in chem was because I'd psych myself out about it, but if I could get myself into a different frame of mind I'd be able to study better/more effectively. Maybe something to try?

 

[twelvetigers]

Thanks y’all!

so he doesn’t have students come to his office to go over tests, but I went over them with a TA. I can understand somethings I missed, it’s just... ugh.

And it’s not even like a “oh I should’ve known that- I’ve seen that picture before” it’s like I get to the practical and it’s like “wat..???”

Free tutoring for only students who are failing. I have a friend who’s doing exceptionally well in this class (actually she’s doing exceptionally well in all classes) and she’s gonna help me, but ack.

And yes! I’d appreciate anything you have! I’ll PM you!

I heavy sought out pictures for that class - Wheater's, and notes, and also anything I could find floating around on the I drive. I made something like an 80% in the end. I don't even remember. (I had lots of classes with much, much worse grades - that "maybe I'll make As?" thing was dead within like three weeks for me, lol.) A lot of people struggle with histo there. I know it sucks, but at least you are passing, and perhaps there will be a curve. Just do what you can. Not every subject will make sense for you and some will just... hurt. Histo is one that hurts for lots of folks.

wow sorry for the long post everyone. I suppose I’m kinda writing out the things I can’t actually say to my family/ non vet school friends because all I get is “but you’re living out your dream” and I don’t need to fight anyone right now about how just because you’re living out your dream, doesn’t mean you’re having a good time while doing it. Also it’s kinda frowned upon to respond “actually I’m having a horrific time and I feel like it’s never going to end” to when people ask you how vet school is going.

I would usually just say, "Eh, it's going." And then shrug. Most folks would drop it. No reason to be like "Wooooaaaawww it's so awesome and I love it so so much!! when really you just want to stab them with a rusty screwdriver for even asking.

 

[RoryCat]

@cdoconn
Feeling like hard work does not equal good grades was one of my biggest challenges 1st year. To spend many hours preparing for both anatomy and histo to only end up with just passing grades is very frustrating and unrewarding. Glad to hear you are doing well in anatomy! That's a huge achievement.

My mother also does not understand and actually said to me the beginning of 1st year, "well if you find it hard why don't you just quit". Not a very helpful thing to say when you are already doubting yourself. Hang in there!

 

[mmmdreamerz]

it stresses a lot of people out/ gives some people bad anxiety to talk about grades so I put my rant/ frustrations in a spoiler.

also if you’re going to verbatim respond that “grades don’t matter though”, I respectfully ask you to not. I value your opinion and your experiences it’s just, for me, I want to do as well as I can and it’s more infuriating that my performance doesn’t reflect the effort I put in. (But that happens I suppose)

Spoiler: Grade talk/ frustrations

First Histology quiz: studied moderately hard, was caught off guard and made a 74%. Said “okay, I’ll study better & harder for the next one and make it up”

First Histology exam: studied very hard, made a 78%.

Second Histology quiz: studied very very hard both with a group and by myself, used every resource I could find: made a 74%

Soooooo done. Hate Histology. Dread my Tuesday Histology lab days. No way I can make an A at this point, and I’m at a very very low B right so I need to get better to keep it from being a C.

(On the bright side, Anatomy is going better and if I keep it up, I might actually have an A in the course! Phys 1 is going better too- I actually kinda like neurophysiology.

Tl;dr I give up with Histology.

Today marks the day in which exactly half of the semester has passed. I also realized we’re only 6.25% done with the program... it’s a rather depressing number. But that’s more percentage of a vet than I was yesterday, or 8 weeks ago- so I gotta keep looking up, right?

I've found Wheater's to be super helpful. I love that book.

I think being 1/16 done is awesome. It's gone fast! We can do this

 

[mmmdreamerz]

Free tutoring for only students who are failing. I have a friend who’s doing exceptionally well in this class (actually she’s doing exceptionally well in all classes) and she’s gonna help me, but ack.

And yes! I’d appreciate anything you have! I’ll PM you!

I think it's dumb when schools only do free tutoring if your failing...but I've learned that's pretty common in vet schools. Tutoring is free for everyone here.

 

[Lupin21]

There is free tutoring every Tuesday here called study hall. There are usually 2-3 floating tutors that help anyone that shows up.

 

[cdo96]

I heavy sought out pictures for that class - Wheater's, and notes, and also anything I could find floating around on the I drive. I made something like an 80% in the end. I don't even remember. (I had lots of classes with much, much worse grades - that "maybe I'll make As?" thing was dead within like three weeks for me, lol.) A lot of people struggle with histo there. I know it sucks, but at least you are passing, and perhaps there will be a curve. Just do what you can. Not every subject will make sense for you and some will just... hurt. Histo is one that hurts for lots of folks.



I would usually just say, "Eh, it's going." And then shrug. Most folks would drop it. No reason to be like "Wooooaaaawww it's so awesome and I love it so so much!! when really you just want to stab them with a rusty screwdriver for even asking.

oh yeah, I made a slide show with Idrive photos, lab photos, class photos, and went through them until I understood every picture. No change

@cdoconn No idea if this will help at all, but when I had classes I hated and dreaded going to in undergrad I would make a point of buying myself coffee or some other treat that day, so my attitude would change. Part of why I did poorly in chem was because I'd psych myself out about it, but if I could get myself into a different frame of mind I'd be able to study better/more effectively. Maybe something to try?

oh I still do that too. Still doesn’t help. Lolol

There is free tutoring every Tuesday here called study hall. There are usually 2-3 floating tutors that help anyone that shows up.

hmm. Okay. I’ll try that, I didn’t hear much about this before!

 

[LyraGardenia]

oh yeah, I made a slide show with Idrive photos, lab photos, class photos, and went through them until I understood every picture. No change

These are a few websites my microanatomy professor used/recommended, maybe try looking through those and figuring out what's going on on unfamiliar slides, rather than just memorizing what's what on the exact pictures you've seen before. (Not necessarily saying that's what you're doing, but it's an easy trap to get into!)
LUMEN - Medical School Curriculum
http://www.histologyguide.org/index.html
The Iowa Virtual Slidebox | MBF Bioscience

I especially liked the Histology Guide, because you can click on the links in the description and it will zoom in to exactly what it's talking about!

 

[Coopah]

Sorry eggo, I feel you. I'm much the same way right now. It literally seems like vet school doesn't care how much effort you put in at all . Keep trucking you got this!

 

[cowgirl92]

it stresses a lot of people out/ gives some people bad anxiety to talk about grades so I put my rant/ frustrations in a spoiler.

also if you’re going to verbatim respond that “grades don’t matter though”, I respectfully ask you to not. I value your opinion and your experiences it’s just, for me, I want to do as well as I can and it’s more infuriating that my performance doesn’t reflect the effort I put in. (But that happens I suppose)

Spoiler: Grade talk/ frustrations

First Histology quiz: studied moderately hard, was caught off guard and made a 74%. Said “okay, I’ll study better & harder for the next one and make it up”

First Histology exam: studied very hard, made a 78%.

Second Histology quiz: studied very very hard both with a group and by myself, used every resource I could find: made a 74%

Soooooo done. Hate Histology. Dread my Tuesday Histology lab days. No way I can make an A at this point, and I’m at a very very low B right so I need to get better to keep it from being a C.

(On the bright side, Anatomy is going better and if I keep it up, I might actually have an A in the course! Phys 1 is going better too- I actually kinda like neurophysiology.

Tl;dr I give up with Histology.

Today marks the day in which exactly half of the semester has passed. I also realized we’re only 6.25% done with the program... it’s a rather depressing number. But that’s more percentage of a vet than I was yesterday, or 8 weeks ago- so I gotta keep looking up, right?

Super sorry, sucks that its that tough for you. I don't have any concrete help, just sympathy. I'm super scared for my physiology midterm Friday, I have no idea what the teacher is looking for.

 

[Jebb]

I should be studying for my exam tomorrow but I'm drinking a beer and watching TV instead. Ugh this week has worn me out.

 

[amgoose319]

I should be studying for my exam tomorrow but I'm drinking a beer and watching TV instead. Ugh this week has worn me out.

went to computer to study. ended up on sdn eating cookie dough out of the tub. at least tomorrow is Friday!

 

[Jebb]

went to computer to study. ended up on sdn eating cookie dough out of the tub. at least tomorrow is Friday!

Haha and some of our classmates are actually studying right now... Really looking forward to a couple of days off.

 

[vetmedhead]

I should be studying for my exam tomorrow but I'm drinking a beer and watching TV instead. Ugh this week has worn me out.

I didn't even have any exams this week (or next) and I'm so emotionally and mentally exhausted right now. I need some serious mental health days this next week.

 

[Coopah]

Last exam of basic foundations tomorrow. I basically haven't put in any time to studying at all. I've been home since 3 and haven't touched it. I'm doing this right... right?

 

[Teepster87]

Last exam of basic foundations tomorrow. I basically haven't put in any time to studying at all. I've been home since 3 and haven't touched it. I'm doing this right... right?

making a good foundation for the rest of school

 

[LetItSnow]

also if you’re going to verbatim respond that “grades don’t matter though”, I respectfully ask you to not. I value your opinion and your experiences it’s just, for me, I want to do as well as I can and it’s more infuriating that my performance doesn’t reflect the effort I put in. (But that happens I suppose)

FWIW (maybe nothing, and that's fine), don't necessarily take "grades don't matter" as people trying to put their values on you.

I mean, you admit that it stresses you out when your performance doesn't reflect effort. It might really be worth it to you to reframe your thinking on it and detach the concept of "grades = performance". You might fare better emotionally if you DO let it go a bit and don't worry about it.

Anyway. Not trying to steamroll you or ignore your point - if they're important to you, there's nothing wrong with that. I just think there might be benefit to you to moving away from that perspective.

They mattered to me a lot. The further I went, the less I let them matter, and the more my overall emotional health went up. By the time I finished third year, I literally forgot to even check grades in a few classes. It was so .... freeing.

Just something to consider. Either way, hang in there. It's tough, but you'll survive.

 

[LetItSnow]

Sorry eggo. I think everyone has at least one class/subject that is a big struggle (renal phys for me, which means urinary systems has been...rough. Oh, and ****ing toxicology).

I know you said you used every resource you could find, but don't give up yet! Did you go over your exams with your professor?

So true. Mine was parasitology. Just ... too many things that were ALMOST alike, but with enough little differences to trip me up on exams.

I mean, I sucked in some other classes, like anything that had 'bovine' in it, but that was because I just didn't care. I actually cared about parasitology.