Class of 2022...how you doin'?

Veterinary Science Graduate Certificate from UofI
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Found out that I got into the CDC's competitive epidemiology rotation for next spring. Eiiiii

Also somehow my clinical year has slowly morphed into basically all Epi all the time. Not my original intent, but definitely not mad about it :heckyeah:
 
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MixedAnimals77 said:
I'm on a sx rotation. I thought I would be more interested in it-but I'm just not. My performance on this rotation has been subpar compared to how I was doing on my previous rotations. Like I want to do some sx in GP, but I'm definitely not excited about just watching sx and writing all the paperwork for it. Client communication of having multi day contact and really following through with pt parents has been nice though.
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I like straightforward surgery that I can do kind of repetitively and get good at (perhaps this is why I am going into a career with a lot of HQHVSN lol), plus again more GP type procedures (think enucs, amps, although I loathe ortho and never want to touch fractures). Overall though I just lack the physicality necessary for longer more complex procedures. I have issues with back pain in particular if I stand too long no matter how ergonomic my positioning is (I can't wear lead aprons for very long for the same reason).

I also don't totally mind planning procedures and am definitely not self conscious about things like my ability to ligate/tissue handle/provide adequate hemostasis but I have found that I tend to get bored in the middle of procedures (or maybe my mind just wanders? Or I'm distracted by trying to get more comfortable?) and it makes me a little nervous because I'm afraid I'm going to autopilot and forget something important like checking a suture line, accurately counting throws, etc.
FrostySparrow said:
Anyone have any favorite resources so far, like things they highly recommend using on any of their rotations?

On primary I’ve used a lot of:
Vsso.org for feline/canine tumor related stuff.
capcvet.org for parasites
Iris-kidney.com for kidney staging
Iscaid.org/guidelines for antibiotic guidelines
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cardiaceducationgroup.org is AWESOME, they have some killer client handouts and excellent guidelines/overviews/formularies for almost every cardiac condition. Plus some case reviews and radiography refreshers
 
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vetmedhead said:
I like straightforward surgery that I can do kind of repetitively and get good at (perhaps this is why I am going into a career with a lot of HQHVSN lol), plus again more GP type procedures (think enucs, amps, although I loathe ortho and never want to touch fractures). Overall though I just lack the physicality necessary for longer more complex procedures. I have issues with back pain in particular if I stand too long no matter how ergonomic my positioning is (I can't wear lead aprons for very long for the same reason).

I also don't totally mind planning procedures and am definitely not self conscious about things like my ability to ligate/tissue handle/provide adequate hemostasis but I have found that I tend to get bored in the middle of procedures (or maybe my mind just wanders? Or I'm distracted by trying to get more comfortable?) and it makes me a little nervous because I'm afraid I'm going to autopilot and forget something important like checking a suture line, accurately counting throws, etc.
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Are we the same person :laugh:
 
I thought 2 weeks would be plenty of time for all my interviews...I may have underestimated my travelling time to all the places...it'll be fine-I'll just be exhausted :hilarious:
 
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Anyone else have that one possible career path that their brain keeps circling back to? For me it's radiology.
 
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MOOSEygoosey said:
2 months in. Tired. What even is medicine? How to doctor?
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I was so tired the other day that I forgot how elevators worked and stood inside an unmoving elevator with a dog for over a minute until someone awkwardly reminded me "um...you need to push the buttons". Is 4th year over yet?
 
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Switching to overnights and it starts Sunday. Thought I was doing well considering I was up late Tues 130am, Wed 1130pm, had call last night and didnt get to sleep until 4am. It's barely 1230am and I'm so tried...#help
 
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I'm beginning to finally lean away from IM and towards ER/ECC. Realized a lot of what I like in IM are things I could also do in those other fields if I made an effort with CE and choosing my job sites. Doing an internship regardless so I'll hold off officially deciding until next year, but I suspect I'll either try and go on to an ECC residency or go into ER practice after at this current point.
 
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Also after 2 years of saying I hate surgery I'm starting to not hate surgery lol.

F ortho, but the emerg soft tissue stuff I think I could see myself being able to do without having a full meltdown.

Still wouldn't be super heartbroken if you told me I would never cut again after school, but I think I might actually like to try and do some cutting after.
 
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TheGirlWithTheFernTattoo said:
I'm beginning to finally lean away from IM and towards ER/ECC. Realized a lot of what I like in IM are things I could also do in those other fields if I made an effort with CE and choosing my job sites. Doing an internship regardless so I'll hold off officially deciding until next year, but I suspect I'll either try and go on to an ECC residency or go into ER practice after at this current point.
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FrostySparrow said:
My brain keeps bouncing between ER doc and criticalist (leaning towards this).
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If it’s any consolation I flip back and forth between doing an ECC residency or working as an ER vet roughly 839102 times a day, including during my shifts during my ECC internship.

I think a healthy dose of uncertainty and indecisiveness is good
 
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I’ve found out that I really like surgery stuff, but I don’t have the motivation to specialize. Current plan is GP and just become the person who does most of the surgeries.
 
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My sleep issues that I thought were resolved are not in fact resolved and I am feel like a zombie every day. I go into the hospital at 7am, work until 6pm, spend 2 hours trying to get my life in order before eventually falling asleep on the couch at 8pm or actually doing stuff that HAS to get done (laundry, dishes, etc.) until 10pm when I flop into bed and the cycle repeats.
 
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kaydubs said:
Oh no, jaboo. Maybe another doctor trip is in order?
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I have an in-hospital sleep study scheduled but they’re booking out until October. I have started the process of trialing stimulants soon because I’m at a point where even with 8 hours of sleep and consistent CPAP use, I’m still exhausted.
 
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TheGirlWithTheFernTattoo said:
I'm beginning to finally lean away from IM and towards ER/ECC. Realized a lot of what I like in IM are things I could also do in those other fields if I made an effort with CE and choosing my job sites. Doing an internship regardless so I'll hold off officially deciding until next year, but I suspect I'll either try and go on to an ECC residency or go into ER practice after at this current point.
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Ah yes... leave the IM and join us in ER

1I1D.gif
 
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jaboo said:
I’ve found out that I really like surgery stuff, but I don’t have the motivation to specialize. Current plan is GP and just become the person who does most of the surgeries.
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At my hospital, 4 of the GP docs have a regular surgery day every week. Then the founders (who do basically whatever they want at this point), also do surgery that remaining day. I might be getting in on this action at some point. Meanwhile the GPs that don't like surgery don't do it. ER docs do surgery as needed or the surgeon of the day squeezes in the surgery
 
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JustPaws said:
View attachment 341019

Forgive my poorly made meme but this is what I thought of lol
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This is exactly why I didn't pursue IM even though I love it! I think the hours would legitimately kill me and I can hear my doctor who told me to not even drink caffeine keeling over if she sensed me disturbing the force by going into it lol
 
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I am having my first in person interview next week. I do want to interview at this clinic but I have other interviews not til late Novmber though. If I get a job offer what are ways to politely say thank you for your offer and I still want to consider it but I cant make a decision until Dec? TIA!
 
MixedAnimals77 said:
I am having my first in person interview next week. I do want to interview at this clinic but I have other interviews not til late Novmber though. If I get a job offer what are ways to politely say thank you for your offer and I still want to consider it but I cant make a decision until Dec? TIA!
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Just tell them you have other interviews scheduled and anticipate making a decision in December.

Nobody had any issue with me saying something like this. They know and understand that as a fourth year student you're looking at more than one clinic.
 
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finnickthedog said:
Just tell them you have other interviews scheduled and anticipate making a decision in December.

Nobody had any issue with me saying something like this. They know and understand that as a fourth year student you're looking at more than one clinic.
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I greatly appreciate this tactful approach. I have received two offers this week and one of them I'm considering, but not ready to make that decision yet. I feel like it's too early to lock myself in somewhere since there are a few other career options or clinics I'd be interested in exploring after NAVLE is done.
 
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finnickthedog said:
Just tell them you have other interviews scheduled and anticipate making a decision in December.

Nobody had any issue with me saying something like this. They know and understand that as a fourth year student you're looking at more than one clinic.
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The other thing to remember is that they know they won't be able to have you working for them for a while anyway! This isn't a situation where they need to hear from you immediately so you can fill their position next month, no matter what you do you won't be able to work for them for almost a year (between time to graduate and time to get a license to practice). I think any clinic that is very pushy to hear immediately and lock you down right away is probably not going to be the most amazing clinic culture. I'm not saying leave them hanging for six months, but letting them know that you're interviewing around for the next X timeframe and considering your options is something they should respond to fairly and considerately imo
 
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Would love to hear people’s thoughts on internship then GP vs. straight into GP post-grad. I was planning on doing the latter but a few residents have made compelling arguments for an internship.
 
jaboo said:
Would love to hear people’s thoughts on internship then GP vs. straight into GP post-grad. I was planning on doing the latter but a few residents have made compelling arguments for an internship.
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To me it just sounds like a worse schedule for less pay.

I went straight into GP and have zero regrets thus far.
 
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jaboo said:
Would love to hear people’s thoughts on internship then GP vs. straight into GP post-grad. I was planning on doing the latter but a few residents have made compelling arguments for an internship.
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Consider that residents too have pretty much ALL done internships to get where they're at so are a little biased in their opinions of how necessary they are. I always tell people that if you are doing an internship then it should be with a goal in mind and for a purpose. Do NOT do one just because you are afraid you will not be a competent doctor otherwise or for confidence reasons. If you want to do a specialty, to explore whether you want to do a specialty, to gain experience in something specific faster than you would be able to without one (and this typically applies to specialty internships), or even just explore whether you'd like to do GP vs ER vs something else without being married into any one specific thing right away, then look into an internship. But internships are not the only way to get mentorship (and I will warn you that many internships promise mentorship and don't provide it!) and they're not the only way to become a good doctor. There are several SDNers on here who did not do internships who are badass doctors in a variety of fields and there are several who did internships/residencies who are also badass doctors in a variety of fields. I think it really depends on what you're interested in and what you want to get out of an internship.

For me, I've been mulling over a residency and my internship gave me a lot of opportunities I wouldn't have as a brand new shelter vet in one location, plus lots of networking with people in the field and people who have done residencies. If I wasn't thinking about it I would have gone straight into practice.

I tell every student this - you have the skills to be a competent doctor on day one of practice out of school, I PROMISE. You won't feel that way, you certainly won't be fast (and remember, don't confuse fast for competent), you will have a lot of questions and need to look a lot of stuff up. You will frequently have to lean on your mentors wherever you practice. But you can do it!
 
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jaboo said:
Would love to hear people’s thoughts on internship then GP vs. straight into GP post-grad. I was planning on doing the latter but a few residents have made compelling arguments for an internship.
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From what I've heard, people tend to recommend whatever path they took. In general the people who did them said they thought it was good and it helped them, and the people who didn't say you don't need them and both are correct. Residents are of course biased to say you should do one because that's what they did, but plenty of GP doctors never did one and are amazing doctors.

Personally, I don't like working in academia nearly as much as I do a private practice where I can get to know my patients over time, so rotating internships don't appeal to me. Since those internships also see more complex/rare cases than what you see in GP I feel like it isn't as representative of the rest of my career. Since it's a year of poorer pay for training that won't correlate as well with my end goal, it does not feel like the right fit for me. However I've heard a lot of people talk about how they gained more confidence during their internships, became more comfortable with emergencies and complex cases, etc. There's definitely a lot to be learned during an internship, and if it appeals to you then by all means go for it. I think it's just important to keep in mind that you don't need to do one, and you can still be a great doctor without it.

Personally the idea of getting paid garbage to slog through academia for another year just to have to re-adjust when I launch out to private practice isn't worth it to me, but I understand that other people want and appreciate the extra year of training.

vetmedhead said:
I always tell people that if you are doing an internship then it should be with a goal in mind and for a purpose.
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This is more or less how I consider internships; if it isn't for a specific goal then you are probably better off finding a practice with good mentorship instead, if only for the better pay
 
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I did an internship and I 100% would not recommend one if your end goal is GP. I did have internmates that did that and I don’t think they completely regret it, but the things you learn as an intern in an emergency only hospital are not all that applicable to GP. Sure I could manage a DKA almost literally in my sleep, but don’t ask me about skin, ears, vaccines or flea/tick meds. We literally didn’t carry any vaccines and the only flea and tick med we really had in the pharmacy was capstar for immediate flea issues. You will eventually see a few of those train wreck cases in GP and doing an internship may make you more comfortable in those emergencies, but they are fewer and father in between in GP and I don’t think it’s worth the **** pay and **** hours for a year to get that. Especially if you’re planning to be in a city and likely refer all your emergencies anyway because you’re too booked to manage/hospitalize a critical patient plus all your regular patients. If people do want to go the internship route then GP it’s definitely their choice and I don’t think it’s wrong, but I also don’t think it is all that beneficial knowledge wise considering they’re two whole different ballgames. It will boost your confidence but that will come with time anyway.
 
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jaboo said:
Would love to hear people’s thoughts on internship then GP vs. straight into GP post-grad. I was planning on doing the latter but a few residents have made compelling arguments for an internship.
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2.5 months of GP and no regrets. I have pretty good mentorship and we're a secondary hospital where I can do more advanced stuff if I want to. I cannot emphasize enough how much I appreciate having a doctor salary. We don't do this for the money; but having a real salary and able to move forward with my life is phenomenal.
 
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An internship is almost negative experience for GP. I had a puppy with worms the other day and I had to text my GP classmates because my internet was down and I couldn't look it up. I don't think I've ever dewormed something before. But damn I do know how to tell people their pets are dying. I do that a lot.
 
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@jaboo I agree that everyone is usually biased in favor of the path they took. I’d GP is your end goal, you’ll learn on the job and make more money compared to an internship. In an internship you will learn a lot more intense medicine and maybe surgery stuff and (in theory) more structured mentorship. You can much more easily apply for specialty programs/residencies.

I went straight into GP and don’t regret it at all. Then I went into a “specialty field” with zero internship or residency :shrug:
 
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