Class of 2026... how you doin'?

Veterinary Science Graduate Programs from U. of I.
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Grades have been released so now I can say that I am officially done with first year! Yaaaaay!!! šŸ„³šŸŽ‰šŸŽŠ

This year has had its ups and downs, but Iā€™ve met so many amazing people and hope to continue to grow and improve as a person. I hope everyone has a great summer filled with new experiences and some much deserved R&R! šŸ˜‰
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Me watching all of you starting summer break. We have another 8 weeks of classes left until our summer. Live life to the fullest yā€™all. Iā€™ll live vicariously through you šŸ©·
 
AceHydro said:
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Me watching all of you starting summer break. We have another 8 weeks of classes left until our summer. Live life to the fullest yā€™all. Iā€™ll live vicariously through you šŸ©·
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In hindsight, I feel like yalls set up is ideal in the long run, tbh. I'd rather have had the two years of clinics in a row than our random AF clinical quarters at Illinois. šŸ¤£
 
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battie said:
In hindsight, I feel like yalls set up is ideal in the long run, tbh. I'd rather have had the two years of clinics in a row than our random AF clinical quarters at Illinois. šŸ¤£
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And thatā€™s even better than only having 1 year of clinics and nothing before them to really prepare you! šŸ˜…
 
I have my first final tomorrow! Feels good to be in the home stretch but exams every day next week is gonna be ruthless. My mental health has led to grades I'm not proud of, but sticking through it is an accomplishment in itself tbh
 
puppydogtor said:
I have my first final tomorrow! Feels good to be in the home stretch but exams every day next week is gonna be ruthless. My mental health has led to grades I'm not proud of, but sticking through it is an accomplishment in itself tbh
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Idk you but Iā€™m so proud of you for pushing through! You can do this!
 
puppydogtor said:
My mental health has led to grades I'm not proud of, but sticking through it is an accomplishment in itself tbh
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At this end of all of this, you'll be a doctor and that's what matters. No one cares about the grades, the rank. Good job for doing the thing and making it to this point! I hope you have a phenomenal break ā¤ļø
 
Disappeared from here for quite a while to focus on my mental health, but I'm feeling really grateful to have gotten through year one! I've been grateful for a chance to get back into the clinic setting this summer and continue learning. This year was really tough, but if I've learned anything... reach out for help when you're struggling- suffering in silence is not worth it.
 
snuggs114 said:
This year was really tough, but if I've learned anything... reach out for help when you're struggling- suffering in silence is not worth it.
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I absolutely second this! If you guys have friends, family, a partner, or even free counseling offered through your school, please reach out sooner rather than later. It took me a very long time to finally see one of our wellness counselors. Your wellbeing is so much more important than any test in vet school.

I hope youā€™re doing better, Snuggs! ā¤ļø
 
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We're back on August 22nd - I'm mostly excited with a little smidge of dread/anxiety. I was excited to see that tOSU took a lot of our feedback about scheduling in the new curriculum, we finally don't have rotating class times each week! I can finally have a consistent work/school schedule!
 
EB73674 said:
we finally don't have rotating class times each week! I can finally have a consistent work/school schedule!
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W h a t?!
Like your classes didnā€™t start at 8/9 every day, lunch from 12-1 and then more classes from 1 to sometime in the afternoon?????? They just had random ass start times????
 
SkiOtter said:
W h a t?!
Like your classes didnā€™t start at 8/9 every day, lunch from 12-1 and then more classes from 1 to sometime in the afternoon?????? They just had random ass start times????
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Well, kinda - our clinical skills labs were all varied times once a week, but otherwise we did generally start at 8/8:30. But we would bounce around to different classes - some Tuesdays we'd be in anatomy lab first, some we'd have lecture first, some we'd have case-based classes first, and it would vary how long we'd need to stay in the afternoons. It just got to be SO hard to schedule work shifts around it, which pretty much all of us agreed upon. Now we have basically the same set schedule weekly, no bouncing around which class is first!
 
We start on the 21st! šŸ˜±
Iā€™m excited to be one step closer to getting that DVM, but Iā€™m also a bit nervous as Iā€™ve heard second year is pretty rough. šŸ˜³

What classes is everyone taking? For this semester we have clin path, sys path, virology, bact, and pharm!
 
EB73674 said:
Well, kinda - our clinical skills labs were all varied times once a week, but otherwise we did generally start at 8/8:30. But we would bounce around to different classes - some Tuesdays we'd be in anatomy lab first, some we'd have lecture first, some we'd have case-based classes first, and it would vary how long we'd need to stay in the afternoons. It just got to be SO hard to schedule work shifts around it, which pretty much all of us agreed upon. Now we have basically the same set schedule weekly, no bouncing around which class is first!
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Oh god that sounds terrible.
Uiuc pretty much always had the schedule available for every 8 week block at the beginning of those 8 weeks and for the most part it was consistent between weeks. Anatomy lab was always the same afternoons of the week unless there was some weirdness that made it need to be in the morning (which I think was maybe once?). Histo lab was always the same mornings of the week as well. Occasionally the specific classes werenā€™t exactly the same if one prof needed extra time vs splitting their lecture up into 2 days, but the time periods we were in the lecture hall still were pretty consistent, even if the actual classes changed on occasion. Iā€™m glad your school listened and is doing consistent scheduling!!!
 
Momochi said:
We start on the 21st! šŸ˜±
Iā€™m excited to be one step closer to getting that DVM, but Iā€™m also a bit nervous as Iā€™ve heard second year is pretty rough. šŸ˜³

What classes is everyone taking? For this semester we have clin path, sys path, virology, bact, and pharm!
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Pharm, clin path, therio, cardiopum, radiology 2!
 
SkiOtter said:
Oh god that sounds terrible.
Uiuc pretty much always had the schedule available for every 8 week block at the beginning of those 8 weeks and for the most part it was consistent between weeks. Anatomy lab was always the same afternoons of the week unless there was some weirdness that made it need to be in the morning (which I think was maybe once?). Histo lab was always the same mornings of the week as well. Occasionally the specific classes werenā€™t exactly the same if one prof needed extra time vs splitting their lecture up into 2 days, but the time periods we were in the lecture hall still were pretty consistent, even if the actual classes changed on occasion. Iā€™m glad your school listened and is doing consistent scheduling!!!
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Yeah, I was a little cynical about whether or not they'd listen to our feedback, but I think they've done a good job working within the confines of what they have while still making improvements. I also just went and checked, they changed it for the incoming first years as well, so that's pretty good too. This new curriculum was overall, I think, implemented fairly well, and I'm definitely retaining more than I did on the old one. I actually have time to study & digest the material when I don't have an exam every single Monday, and I was even able to sprinkle in some fun time last semester.
 
Momochi said:
We start on the 21st! šŸ˜±
Iā€™m excited to be one step closer to getting that DVM, but Iā€™m also a bit nervous as Iā€™ve heard second year is pretty rough. šŸ˜³

What classes is everyone taking? For this semester we have clin path, sys path, virology, bact, and pharm!
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Our new curriculum has us doing essentially the same basics every year - 1 big animal-based class, 1 big population medicine class, communications, professional development, clinical skills, and a case-based problem-solving class. So we've got all of our usuals, but instead of Healthy Animals and Healthy Populations, we've got Diseases & Diagnostics and Population Medicine! We shall see how this all goes! I'm the psychopath already getting my planner out & syncing my Google Calendar & keeping the rest of my class on track with dates in the group chat...
 
Also, out of curiosity, anyone have a method that they feel worked well for managing a higher energy dog while in school? I had a beautiful 2 year old Black Mouth Cur drop into my lap this summer, and I adopted her officially as of last week. She's been on sedation for heartworm treatment all summer, so I'm not 100% sure what her energy levels will be like, but my Googling as led me to think she may need a lot. Current plans are walking and/or training time at least 1 hour daily, except for exam & work days where she'll go to daycare, plus lots of enrichment & hangout time with me while I study. She also has my roommate's dog to play with, so I'm planning some Sniffspot outings for them every few days. Any other thoughts?
 
EB73674 said:
Also, out of curiosity, anyone have a method that they feel worked well for managing a higher energy dog while in school? I had a beautiful 2 year old Black Mouth Cur drop into my lap this summer, and I adopted her officially as of last week. She's been on sedation for heartworm treatment all summer, so I'm not 100% sure what her energy levels will be like, but my Googling as led me to think she may need a lot. Current plans are walking and/or training time at least 1 hour daily, except for exam & work days where she'll go to daycare, plus lots of enrichment & hangout time with me while I study. She also has my roommate's dog to play with, so I'm planning some Sniffspot outings for them every few days. Any other thoughts?
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Mental stimulation can be just as tiring as exercise. Obviously they donā€™t replace each other, but my dogs nap far longer after weā€™ve donā€™t some scentwork or obedience training than if we go on a walk. Providing stuff to chew or puzzle toys to keep themselves busy when youā€™re studying can also be helpful. But honestly most adult dogs spend a lot of the day sleeping so youā€™ll probably be fine.
 
katiemcat said:
The fear/excitement/anticipation of starting 2nd year šŸ˜¤ When does everyone go back? Thoughts? Feelings?
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We also start back the 21st. I'm excited to see everyone again and get back in the classroom, but sad to see break ending.
Momochi said:
We start on the 21st! šŸ˜±
Iā€™m excited to be one step closer to getting that DVM, but Iā€™m also a bit nervous as Iā€™ve heard second year is pretty rough. šŸ˜³

What classes is everyone taking? For this semester we have clin path, sys path, virology, bact, and pharm!
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Looks like we're starting off this quarter with gen path, genetics, immunology, pharm, and toxicology. Next quarter looks like it'll be bact/myco, parasitology, virology, antimicrobials, and various labs.
 
futuredogtor614 said:
We also start back the 21st. I'm excited to see everyone again and get back in the classroom, but sad to see break ending.

Looks like we're starting off this quarter with gen path, genetics, immunology, pharm, and toxicology. Next quarter looks like it'll be bact/myco, parasitology, virology, antimicrobials, and various labs.
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Good luck, my friend. This was my worse quarter by far (for personal reasons mostly). My biggest piece of advice is that immuno sucked and basically had to teach myself. For a lot of those others, see if you can find 605 or 606 quizlets. My class went wild with quizlets that year
 
Honestly super excited to finally get back to it. Summer has been mind numbing not making the mistake of doing nothing next summer.
 
EB73674 said:
Also, out of curiosity, anyone have a method that they feel worked well for managing a higher energy dog while in school? I had a beautiful 2 year old Black Mouth Cur drop into my lap this summer, and I adopted her officially as of last week. She's been on sedation for heartworm treatment all summer, so I'm not 100% sure what her energy levels will be like, but my Googling as led me to think she may need a lot. Current plans are walking and/or training time at least 1 hour daily, except for exam & work days where she'll go to daycare, plus lots of enrichment & hangout time with me while I study. She also has my roommate's dog to play with, so I'm planning some Sniffspot outings for them every few days. Any other thoughts?
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My dogs are always exhausted after daycare so itā€™s a great idea!
 
Iā€™m kind of frustrated with our schools clin skills? Idk if this is common but we donā€™t really practice on real animals everā€¦. Today the instructor scheduled us wrong so there wasnā€™t even enough models for all of us by a lotā€¦. (They increased class size without increasing resources). And then she proceeded to get mad when we practiced bandaging on each other. I feel really badly for the people who came in with little clinical experience, because we do not learn anything there.
 
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katiemcat said:
Iā€™m kind of frustrated with our schools clin skills? Idk if this is common but we donā€™t really practice on real animals everā€¦. Today the instructor scheduled us wrong so there wasnā€™t even enough models for all of us by a lotā€¦. (They increased class size without increasing resources). And then she proceeded to get mad when we practiced bandaging on each other. I feel really badly for the people who came in with little clinical experience, because we do not learn anything there.
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Depending on where you end up, the beauty is you'll be doing limited clinical skills. I can't tell you when the last time I placed a catheter was, for example. The techs don't trust me šŸ¤£

Should we know these skills? Absolutely. But thankfully they won't make or break out careers. It's absolutely ridiculous that your professor was mad at you however. It's not your fault the school isn't thinking ahead.
 
battie said:
Depending on where you end up, the beauty is you'll be doing limited clinical skills. I can't tell you when the last time I placed a catheter was, for example. The techs don't trust me šŸ¤£

Should we know these skills? Absolutely. But thankfully they won't make or break out careers. It's absolutely ridiculous that your professor was mad at you however. It's not your fault the school isn't thinking ahead.
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Thatā€™s good to hear! Iā€™m decent as Iā€™m still working when I can teching but definitely not my favorite part of the job! Ya I completely get not practicing likeā€¦ blood draws on people? But it was bandagingā€¦. And we HAD to practice, it was required and there werenā€™t enough dog modelsā€¦.
 
katiemcat said:
Thatā€™s good to hear! Iā€™m decent as Iā€™m still working when I can teching but definitely not my favorite part of the job! Ya I completely get not practicing likeā€¦ blood draws on people? But it was bandagingā€¦. And we HAD to practice, it was required and there werenā€™t enough dog modelsā€¦.
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Personally I would've given you a high five
 
katiemcat said:
Iā€™m kind of frustrated with our schools clin skills? Idk if this is common but we donā€™t really practice on real animals everā€¦. Today the instructor scheduled us wrong so there wasnā€™t even enough models for all of us by a lotā€¦. (They increased class size without increasing resources). And then she proceeded to get mad when we practiced bandaging on each other. I feel really badly for the people who came in with little clinical experience, because we do not learn anything there.
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Hate to say it, but sounds like an instructor who got defensive when they knew something went wrong...
 
katiemcat said:
This semester is. Dragging. Like no other. Maybe itā€™s because I start clinics this summer and Iā€™m dying to get out of didactics and do something lol.
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Update: I have an exam tomorrow and Wednesday and I have no motivation to get out of bed to study. Help.
 
Has anyone changed their mind about their goals post-grad? I know they say everyone changes their mind, but I really didnā€™t think it would happen to me šŸ˜³ I just went through a period of being in denial, and then accepting it and feeling like I didnā€™t know who I was anymore.
 
katiemcat said:
Has anyone changed their mind about their goals post-grad? I know they say everyone changes their mind, but I really didnā€™t think it would happen to me šŸ˜³ I just went through a period of being in denial, and then accepting it and feeling like I didnā€™t know who I was anymore.
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Yes! I was thinking I was going to do GP, but I've found I'm more interested in emergency and wildlife medicine
 
futuredogtor614 said:
Yes! I was thinking I was going to do GP, but I've found I'm more interested in emergency and wildlife medicine
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battie said:
This was me, just 4 months after I graduated!
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I spent most of undergrad, and vet school determined to be a shelter vet. Now Iā€™ve completely pivoted to building my resume for match with the help of a resident (turned mentor?) to apply for rotatings because Iā€™ve become so entranced with internal medicine! I think I will continue to do a lot of volunteer work with shelters in the future, but itā€™s just not where my heart is like I thought. Itā€™s comforting to know this is a commonplace for sure though.
 
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