Class of 2024... how you doin?

[Old-Country-Vet-Tech]

Lol I think I tubed a total of 1 colic solo before I got out of school. It hasn't been a problem. Granted I did alot of equine work before vet school. You don't need an internship to be comfortable doing colics in a gp setting. We regularly see colics and it's pretty easy. Either theyre surgical or surgery is a potential so we ship them down the road. Or they're not sx candidates so we keep them and do our best and hopefully they'll live.🤷‍♀️ I would say if anything lameness and pre-purchase exams take the most finesse but if you have enough eq rotations even picking up lameness isn't a huge deal

I did a lot of sports med coming out so What I do Is video the case and slow it down unless I can hear the lameness and it's obvious. I'm pretty good at reading the body as well. Usually if chronic progression there's some atrophy of muscles on the lame side and hypertrophy of the other. Not always but I've spotted that before even looking at the feet. Just tired of being told by folks that did internships that I'll just be a burden coming out. Hearing folks here has helped.

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[vetmedhead]

I did a lot of sports med coming out so What I do Is video the case and slow it down unless I can hear the lameness and it's obvious. I'm pretty good at reading the body as well. Usually if chronic progression there's some atrophy of muscles on the lame side and hypertrophy of the other. Not always but I've spotted that before even looking at the feet. Just tired of being told by folks that did internships that I'll just be a burden coming out. Hearing folks here has helped.

I don't really do equine work but when I've gotten them on cases (and the lameness isn't blatant, which for my line of work it usually is) I love putting tape or markers on them at major bony prominences before I video tape too - really makes it easier to tell if they're hiking a hip or whatever. I've done it in dogs too

Another trick - for little animals only, of course - is that you can mount your phone on a selfie stick and take a video at animal-level if you're trying to do a lameness exam on something like a microscopic Chihuahua and having a hard time seeing what's happening at normal camera angles

 

[MixedAnimals77]

I did a lot of sports med coming out so What I do Is video the case and slow it down unless I can hear the lameness and it's obvious. I'm pretty good at reading the body as well. Usually if chronic progression there's some atrophy of muscles on the lame side and hypertrophy of the other. Not always but I've spotted that before even looking at the feet. Just tired of being told by folks that did internships that I'll just be a burden coming out. Hearing folks here has helped.

You'll be fine. Somethings might take a little longer to catch on but some of the best eq vets I know never went to internship. I think finding the right fit is going to be the key...Ideally someone and somewhere that's not looking down on you because you didn't pursue internship because you don't need to 🙂

 

[supershorty]

I'm bummed that today is the last day of the rotation I'm on, which I think is a super good sign tbh.
I have more blocks of it later and I'm going to keep picking up on-call shifts when I'm on rotations that are amenable to it, so super hyped about that. Starting with something I love is probably the best way to start clinics

 

[Polocrosse2017]

Finally added my clinic schedule. This is getting real. Enjoyed my rotations so far. One more week on this one. Hope everyone is doing well. I have to study more for the NAVLE!

 

[EngrSC]

Had my last vet school final on May 9th and just passed my acupuncture finals!!

 

[supershorty]

Why must NAVLE be so expensive 😭

 

[JaynaAli]

Why must NAVLE be so expensive 😭

To prep you for those DEA fees, lol.

I don’t get why any of that stuff is so expensive.

 

[battie]

Why must NAVLE be so expensive 😭

To prep you for those DEA fees, lol.

I don’t get why any of that stuff is so expensive.

I'm normally the person who says that there is a reason for expensive fees/salaries, and that greed is a small part (if a part at all).

But both of these is because we have no choice as a population. NAVLE is required to practice and DEA can be construed as necessary for a lot of us. No different than how exorbitant VMCAS fees are.

 

[EngrSC]

Anyone else struggling to schedule NAVLE in Prometric?

 

[supershorty]

Anyone else struggling to schedule NAVLE in Prometric?

I'm still waiting for them to send my scheduling permit smh

 

[EngrSC]

I'm still waiting for them to send my scheduling permit smh

Got it to work this morning!
If you log in at lunch time or in the evening there's a wait to be let into the scheduling tool, then it loads as slow as molasses. Logged in early this morning and had no issues!

 

[supershorty]

Got it to work this morning!
If you log in at lunch time or in the evening there's a wait to be let into the scheduling tool, then it loads as slow as molasses. Logged in early this morning and had no issues!

My understanding is I can't do that until I get the permit email

 

[EngrSC]

My understanding is I can't do that until I get the permit email

Correct! You need a scheduling number. Just FYI for when you do go to register

 

[EngrSC]

.

 

[JaynaAli]

.

Honestly, this might not be the advice you want, but if it’s tolerable and not actively toxic, I’d just stick it out. Vet med is an extremely small world and you’ll run into people again and again. Connections are everything especially in the specialty world so even if that practice isn’t a fit, you never know if they’re besties with someone where you could end up in the future or if you’ll work with them elsewhere. I’m sure you could learn something with your time there even if you know it’s not a place you want to end up.

 

[EngrSC]

.

 

[battie]

Honestly, this might not be the advice you want, but if it’s tolerable and not actively toxic, I’d just stick it out. Vet med is an extremely small world and you’ll run into people again and again. Connections are everything especially in the specialty world so even if that practice isn’t a fit, you never know if they’re besties with someone where you could end up in the future or if you’ll work with them elsewhere. I’m sure you could learn something with your time there even if you know it’s not a place you want to end up.

Not beating a dead horse for Engr, just emphasizing for future students that word getting around is a real thing. One of my fave techs does some moonlighting at a local referral place where the student coordinator keeps track of students they've had both for their info (do they want to hire this person post-graduation), but also as a reference. So if a grad puts that they did an externship with him on their CV, and a potential boss calls him, he busts out his notes to give his impression.

 

[supershorty]

How's everyone doing? Wild to think that we're about halfway through clinical year.

 

[EngrSC]

How's everyone doing? Wild to think that we're about halfway through clinical year.

I've had great rotations so far! Even enjoying the small animal stuff. I committed to an internship (equine) and am counting down until NAVLE is over with!

 

[Polocrosse2017]

Will be really glad when the NAVLE is over and then work on getting a good small animal internship. Feeling a little pressure, Rotations have been good. Enjoyed Emergency Med and Shelter Med more than expected. Counting down til half over!

 

[WonderingStudent]

How's everyone doing? Wild to think that we're about halfway through clinical year.

Recent rotations have made me feel burnt out and more stressed for my NAVLE since I don’t have much time to study with the hours I currently have to be in the hospital + outside paperwork.

 

[supershorty]

I'm also struggling with burnout right now. I thought this might happen around this point of the year - I'm in the middle of a long stretch of rotations that are completely not my area of interest, and the last rotation I was on was pretty demoralizing because of the way students were treated on it. I feel like right now, I'm just putting one foot in front of the other to get through each day. Plus I'm starting to stress about the match even though I've had all my rec letters figured out for a while now.

@WonderingStudent I hope you'll have some less time-intensive rotations soon and that the ones you've been on are at least providing good learning opportunities that will help you on NAVLE.

 

[couldhavebeenme]

I have a phone call tomorrow with a job prospect in another state (large animal mobile practice) - not an interview, but more of a "should I plan to visit" situation. Does anyone have recommendations of things I should ask? I feel out of my depth a little thinking about big kid jobs. 😅

 

[battie]

I have a phone call tomorrow with a job prospect in another state (large animal mobile practice) - not an interview, but more of a "should I plan to visit" situation. Does anyone have recommendations of things I should ask? I feel out of my depth a little thinking about big kid jobs. 😅

What information do you already have?

 

[couldhavebeenme]

What information do you already have?

Location, # of Drs., general idea of mentorship (although I plan to ask specifically what they expect that to look like with a new grad), species they work on (will ask approximate % breakdown and if there is opportunity for growth in my species of interest).

I figured I'd ask about on-call rotation, how they utilize their techs in the ambulatory setting, what geographic areas they cover, if they have any brick & mortar facilities/availability of local referral options.

It's an area where I used to live and we loved it there, so that alone makes me want to visit; it's just on the opposite coast so logistics are challenging 😅.

 

[genny]

Location, # of Drs., general idea of mentorship (although I plan to ask specifically what they expect that to look like with a new grad), species they work on (will ask approximate % breakdown and if there is opportunity for growth in my species of interest).

I figured I'd ask about on-call rotation, how they utilize their techs in the ambulatory setting, what geographic areas they cover, if they have any brick & mortar facilities/availability of local referral options.

It's an area where I used to live and we loved it there, so that alone makes me want to visit; it's just on the opposite coast so logistics are challenging 😅.

i think it's a good idea to ask about the financial stuff if the answers to your other questions match what you're looking for. you don't want to make a ton of effort to travel to see the place only to find out they don't compensate you enough. and if there are any things that are deal-breakers for you, make sure you ask about that (my small animal GP example is that i won't declaw cats).

 

[battie]

Location, # of Drs., general idea of mentorship (although I plan to ask specifically what they expect that to look like with a new grad), species they work on (will ask approximate % breakdown and if there is opportunity for growth in my species of interest).

I figured I'd ask about on-call rotation, how they utilize their techs in the ambulatory setting, what geographic areas they cover, if they have any brick & mortar facilities/availability of local referral options.

It's an area where I used to live and we loved it there, so that alone makes me want to visit; it's just on the opposite coast so logistics are challenging 😅.

Questions I asked with my job change:
1) style of compensation
2) amount of time given for calls and records
3) schedule wiggle room (I had a 2 month old baby with family babysitting, so needed some specific parameters with the potential for flexibility later)
4) technician turn over and ability/utilization
5) doctor turn over

 

[couldhavebeenme]

i think it's a good idea to ask about the financial stuff if the answers to your other questions match what you're looking for. you don't want to make a ton of effort to travel to see the place only to find out they don't compensate you enough. and if there are any things that are deal-breakers for you, make sure you ask about that (my small animal GP example is that i won't declaw cats).

Questions I asked with my job change:
1) style of compensation
2) amount of time given for calls and records
3) schedule wiggle room (I had a 2 month old baby with family babysitting, so needed some specific parameters with the potential for flexibility later)
4) technician turn over and ability/utilization
5) doctor turn over

Thanks for your input! We chatted for nearly an hour and it was great! Hoping to plan a visit there in the next few months.

 

[Old-Country-Vet-Tech]

Been puttering around on navle studying because they decided to schedule all of large animals huge classes right before navle but have a light small animal schedule...weeeee

I have been on and off studying with 50-70% averaging on my tests I am hoping I'll be ready by Dec 14th but hey if I fail theres always a few months more studying and its basically what I have now anyways to get that done. Going to take my practice tests in early november and then focus hard on what I miss.

 

[Old-Country-Vet-Tech]

Recent rotations have made me feel burnt out and more stressed for my NAVLE since I don’t have much time to study with the hours I currently have to be in the hospital + outside paperwork.

As I said above I feel this, my school does a poor job at really handling the mixed and large animal folks. At least I know I'll be set on the equine stuff lol. I have been doing the species and diagnosis list and trying to fill out each disease in my own words when I have any downtime and its really been helping.

 

[Polocrosse2017]

So when is everyone taking their NAVLE? Mine is in two weeks and I'm a bit nervous. I took a full practice test and scored well above passing so I have my fingers crossed. Starting SA Internal med in a couple days so not much more time to study. Good luck everyone. I realized that having this and the match and worrying about grades (why do they grade clinics here?) because of how competitive residencies are is making me more nervous than I expected.

 

[nontradstdnt]

Hi all, long time no see. Fourth year has been great so far but Navle studying has really put a damp in it. I take Navle Nov 3rd. Can't wait to get this test over with, but also hope I don't have to take it again. Have also taken some ICVA practice tests and the low end of my predicted score is above passing, but not by a huge margin which has me slightly nervous. I'm not applying to match but hoping to secure a job contract at my clinic of choice before the end of the year. Can't believe how fast vet school has gone by. What a crazy adventure.

 

[EngrSC]

Nov 6th for me!

 

[RightMeow!]

Have also taken some ICVA practice tests and the low end of my predicted score is above passing, but not by a huge margin which has me slightly nervous.

I have a few points to spare on my predicted lower end and the NAVLE is Nov 9th.

 

[battie]

As an anecdote, passing was dead center in my ranges I kept getting on practice tests. I passed NAVLE by 30 points. Y'all got this!

 

[supershorty]

Bleh I don’t take it until December, wish I were sooner tbh

 

[MixedAnimals77]

Bleh I don’t take it until December, wish I were sooner tbh

I switch my testing day less than a week before taking it because I was tired of studying and just wanted to be done. It was fine.

 

[nontradstdnt]

As an anecdote, passing was dead center in my ranges I kept getting on practice tests. I passed NAVLE by 30 points. Y'all got this!

This is wonderful to know.

Bleh I don’t take it until December, wish I were sooner tbh

I moved my testing date up by four weeks for this reason. I'm tired of this test ruining my life

 

[Polocrosse2017]

So understand! Mine is Nov 3! I hope my practice test is right. It isn't super high but low end is comfortable. I don't want every free minute taken with this test anymore! Good luck everyone. The only problem with taking it early is the long wait for results!

 

[SkiOtter]

As an anecdote, passing was dead center in my ranges I kept getting on practice tests. I passed NAVLE by 30 points. Y'all got this!

Second this. I don’t remember my exact score but a large number above passing and all my practice ones passing was about the middle of my range.

 

[Old-Country-Vet-Tech]

Bleh I don’t take it until December, wish I were sooner tbh

December 14-15 because accomodations I'm only 20% through zuku 😮‍💨 because this semester has been crazy. Have been filling out the diseases though on the species and disease list and took the vin course

 

[Polocrosse2017]

NAVLE ☑️ Heaven only knows how it went at times I felt like I knew nothing and at others I felt like I got it. Some things weren't like practice but studying more would have made no difference. Now the wait.

Talked to donors in a panel after the exam, golf today with one of my recommendation letter writer's husbands.

Now this week start match application process, make arrangements for transportation and housing for my externship, and back to clinics!

Good luck all!

 

[Old-Country-Vet-Tech]

NAVLE ☑️ Heaven only knows how it went at times I felt like I knew nothing and at others I felt like I got it. Some things weren't like practice but studying more would have made no difference. Now the wait.

Talked to donors in a panel after the exam, golf today with one of my recommendation letter writer's husbands.

Now this week start match application process, make arrangements for transportation and housing for my externship, and back to clinics!

Good luck all!

Pretty much felt the same, like some of it wasn't like the practice. They had photos I couldn't see well or ya know but studying wouldn't made the difference. I have to finish a few interviews may end up in Virginia.

 

[Old-Country-Vet-Tech]

Lost my dog of 12 years at 16yrs old coming home from clinics hasn't been the same. He was a border Collie and they are like Velcro so we were inseparable.

This is him when I first got him at 4^^^^

 

[Btwins1998]

Hitting the point in clinical year where the burn out is REAL. NAVLE scores looming isn't helping, but it feels like recently I've had a lot of blocks where the students are honestly just treated like trash. I can't imagine trying to do an internship after this year - I am so ready to be DONE.

 

[scs589]

Was absolutely hoping today would be the day… guessing not since it’s already 1pm CST

 

[nontradstdnt]

Based on previous years, my guess is NAVLE results will come out this next week, sometime between Tuesday the 16th and Friday the 19th. In previous years, they have typically come out in the morning during business hours on a weekday.

 

[Future_equine_vet]

Anybody else keep having navle stress dreams?

 

[Aloof]

Anybody else keep having navle stress dreams?

Yes, pretty bad ones