Goodbye Vet Med

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StartingoverVet

StartingoverVet

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It is with heavy heart that I have decided that I will not be returning to vet school in the winter when I am eligible to come back. I thought announcing it first on SDN is the right thing to do....

A lot of you know my story and troubles, and I am not sure it is all that different from what a lot of you are going through, or have gone through, but for me, I think the best thing is to move on.

My reason to post this is not to discourage ANYONE from going to vet school, but to answer questions honestly about the dark side. Ultimately, when I thought about what the right thing to do was, it really didn't seem that hard, but actually pulling the trigger was. I can be a pretty stubborn person (shocking!), and any thought of quitting seemed anathema to me, but ultimately, I think my training as a trader won out.... When you have a bad, losing position, cut your losses and move on to the next trade. And that is what I am doing, cutting my losses and moving on (both literally and figuratively).

My biggest regret probably is the fact that I will not get to be colleagues with all the wonderful people I have met along the way. I wish you all the best, and whenever you treat an IG throughout your career, I hope you think of me (and it might very well be me!). I love all of you on SDN, you have made a tough few years tolerable.

Hang in there and all the best...
SOV.
 
StartingoverVet said:
It is with heavy heart that I have decided that I will not be returning to vet school in the winter when I am eligible to come back. I thought announcing it first on SDN is the right thing to do....

A lot of you know my story and troubles, and I am not sure it is all that different from what a lot of you are going through, or have gone through, but for me, I think the best thing is to move on.

My reason to post this is not to discourage ANYONE from going to vet school, but to answer questions honestly about the dark side. Ultimately, when I thought about what the right thing to do was, it really didn't seem that hard, but actually pulling the trigger was. I can be a pretty stubborn person (shocking!), and any thought of quitting seemed anathema to me, but ultimately, I think my training as a trader won out.... When you have a bad, losing position, cut your losses and move on to the next trade. And that is what I am doing, cutting my losses and moving on (both literally and figuratively).

My biggest regret probably is the fact that I will not get to be colleagues with all the wonderful people I have met along the way. I wish you all the best, and whenever you treat an IG throughout your career, I hope you think of me (and it might very well be me!). I love all of you on SDN, you have made a tough few years tolerable.

Hang in there and all the best...
SOV.
Click to expand...

Sorry that you had to do something so hard, but it sounds like the best decision for you.

I hope you stick around.
 
For those that are wondering the factors in why I left.

1) Health.. I was a healthy guy until I got to vet school. Coincidence? Probably not. MrsSOV also started having issues.
2) Learning. I love to learn, and taking the pre-reqs convinced me this would be an enjoyable process. Unfortunately not. i hate memorization and there is way too much of it for me to ever enjoy school.
3) Family life. I prioritized family over vet school all the time and I didn't see that continuing.
4) I never wanted to be in GP but I don't see myself getting into a residency program.
5) I am not looking forward to loss of sleep. I can work long hours, but I can't lose much sleep. I thought I might not physically last through 4th year and an internship.
6) Finances. Let's face it.... this was never going to be a great financial decision for me.. but school stretching out to 6 years was getting farcical.


That's a few of the factors in my decision, FYI.
 
dyachei said:
Sorry that you had to do something so hard, but it sounds like the best decision for you.

I hope you stick around.
Click to expand...
Thanks, I Will.

I still have to present my poster in September, and I have another paper I am going to publish on non-Basenji Fanconi that I am committed to finishing, so I won't be away from vet med right away.... or SDN I guess. 🙂
 
I'm so sorry that you had to make this decision SOV. Best of luck to you in your future endeavors! I, too, hope you stick with us if you feel like you can.
 
StartingoverVet said:
Thanks, I Will.

I still have to present my poster in September, and I have another paper I am going to publish on non-Basenji Fanconi that I am committed to finishing, so I won't be away from vet med right away.... or SDN I guess. 🙂
Click to expand...

Are you going back into finance? Just curious, you don't have to answer. But seriously, sometimes I think I should have gone into a different field. So kudos to you for taking the terrifying first step
 
Your list hits close to home. I think my only real advantage over you is my age, otherwise... same stuff.

Definitely stick around - you know we don't care what you are doing. You're a part of the crew no matter what!
 
Sorry to hear that, SOV 🙁 You definitely know what's best for you! I hope you find success in whatever you decide to pursue.
 
I am sad to hear this, but am happy that you made the best decision for you.

You may not know it, but you have taught me a lot over the years through SDN, and I thank you. We may not be colleagues in the future, but I would be really happy if we could still be friends 🙂

I hope you stick around SDN and play some WW...

Best of luck SOV.

Your emoticon loving ex co-mod😍
 
I know how tough this must have been for you, but I am sure it was the right decision and you will probably much better for you health wise and family wise. I have had a lot of health issues recently as have a lot of others on SDN, so I know how much of a toll they can put on you especially when you are trying to get through vet school.

I am very glad I have gotten to know you through SDN and am happy to hear you will be sticking around, even though I know I can connect with you through FB as well. I do wish you all the best in whatever you decide to do!

big 😍
 
Hi SOV,

I'm relatively new to the SDN community, but I know who you are and wish you all the best with your decision.

I can relate to your struggle. I left my PhD in my eighth year of graduate school. I was ABD, and walking away was definitely one of the most difficult decisions I have made in my life to date.

I don't regret going to graduate school, nor do I regret departing the program with a Master's. I know why I made the decisions I did, and have complete confidence that I made the right call in my best interests.

Wishing you happiness and peace!
 
I wish you all the best SOV! Glad you're sticking around SDN at least for a little while. 🙂
 
G'luck SOV. I'm sure that was a tough choice.

Pretty much all those points are things I think about pretty regularly - in fact, every one of them aside from the GP/residency issue (I've always planned on GP work) - and I can very well understand your decision.

Grumpy Old Men of SDN is going to get lonely.
 
Sorry to hear SOV, but I'm glad you've finally been able to find closure and move on. Best of luck to you and Mrs. SOV! You'll have to keep us all updated on what shenanigans you're up to 🙂
 
twelvetigers said:
Your list hits close to home. I think my only real advantage over you is my age, otherwise... same stuff.
Click to expand...

Yes definitely! It's been a rough few years for me as well for the same reasons. Difference being that I have nothing else to fall back on, so leaving vet med really wasn't a smart choice for me. I've definitely had to make some big sacrifices as a result, and in the end I have major regrets I will have to live with. SOV, I'm glad you've been able to share your experiences because I think it really makes the real hardships of vet school so much more tangible to everyone who hasn't experienced it. It's really not just a matter of getting in and passing your classes. If school were a vacuum, I think a vast majority of us would have been able to whip right through it easy peasy.
 
Best of luck, SOV. You will do great things no matter what you pursue. :luck:
 
I just hope your health and Mrs. SOV's gets back to where it should be. You can always be a part of vet med, you don't need the four years of hell and beyond to belong to the community. You are, have been, and I hope will be an incredible asset to our little community here on SDN. 😍
 
Bummer SOV, but good on you for making a tough decision. Best of luck to you and MrsSOV; you'll undoubtedly excel wherever life takes you from here.

Stick around for a bit.
 
Aww geez, SOV, I'm really sorry to hear this, but it sounds like it is the best for you and your family. Selfish bit: I really am sad that you won't be joining us as a colleague in the veterinary profession! Good luck with your next journey!!
 
thanks for all the good wishes. See, this is why I say vet med people are so great.

Dyachei - not likely to go back to finance. My old boss says I could probably get a job pretty quick, but my heart is not in it, and I left for a reason.
Although, maybe there are a million reasons to go back? :laugh:
 
StartingoverVet said:
thanks for all the good wishes. See, this is why I say vet med people are so great.

Dyachei - not likely to go back to finance. My old boss says I could probably get a job pretty quick, but my heart is not in it, and I left for a reason.
Although, maybe there are a million reasons to go back? :laugh:
Click to expand...

you could go back and start vet med scholarships 😉
 
I'm sorry to hear this SOV! I'm fairly new to the SDN community but I know you, and I'm sure this decision was well thought out and an extremely difficult one for you. Best of wishes.
 
SOV,

I'm so very sorry, but I know this is for the best.

You better not go anywhere, because SDN won't be the same without you.

Thanks for the insight.
 
SOV

I'm sorry you have had to make this tough decision. I respect you for being able to walk away.

I hope things will improve for you and yours from here on out.

Please keep in touch......we would miss your wisdom.

Best to you!
 
SOV, I am so sorry to hear but as everyone else has said, I wish you the best of luck wherever life takes you. You will be missed but please pop in once and a while (at least) to keep us updated! 🙂 thank you for all you've contributed to the SDN community, it is much appreciated!
 
Sorry to hear this SOV 🙁 I wish you the best in whatever you decide to do.

I met Zanydogz over the summer (I think she peeks on here everyone once in a while like me) and we discussed your love of IGs - so I'm sure you have at least a little legacy that will live on.
 
🙁 You have to do what's best for you. Here's to you and the Mrs. getting healthy again. :xf:

But, don't leave us!
 
Haven't been on SDN for a while and this is what I see? 🙁 I was looking forward to you being a colleague but I understand your decision after the difficulties i went through last year.l. Glad to hear you are sticking around SDN!
 
I only really know you from playing WW for a short time but I have seen some of the informational posts you've made and they've all been very helpful. You should definitely stick around! Good luck to you and your wife.
 
SOV, I'm very sorry and surprised to hear this. As someone on the outside looking in it is difficult to imagine anyone leaving vet school after having fulfilled the dream of getting in, but I'm sure you made the best decision for you and your family. Some years ago I too left a program of study part-way through, so I know how difficult it is to walk away without regret.
 
Glad you're doing what's right for you, as difficult a decision as that might have been. So glad you could be a part of this with us. I expect to still see you on here from time to time though!
 
Thanks for all your help during the time you've been on here, and I hope the move away from vet med quickly proves to be the positive move you know it is. Hope we'll still be seeing you around here.
 
The profession is losing an awesome member! I wish you luck in your future career!
 
Aw SOV, I'm sorry to hear this, even if it is what's best for you and yours. I hope wherever life takes you is a good,place for you finally. And seriously, please don't leave sdn! You're on of the greatest ww minds on here🙂
 
While I'm sorry to hear you are leaving, its for purely selfish reasons 😛 - you are making the correct choice with regards to your family and health. Those two things should always come before anything else. I don't doubt that it was a hard decision, but it sounds like it was the right one.

I think the phrase "Vet school is not for everybody" is misused/misconstrued nowadays to carry a douchey a sense of superiority. Vet school is not this ivory tower of knowledge, it isn't this magical place where all the smartest people go and if you can't cut it, you're weak or lazy.

However, the phrase itself is true once you strip the false inferences from it. E.g. I struggled mightily and almost failed out my third year because I was working two part time jobs and also dealing with several health issues, both physical and mental. I am an awful memorizer and wanted nothing to do with clinical (GP) stuff, making a significant proportion of my classes and rotations uninteresting and irrelevant. Vet school was not "for me" either (and I have no idea how I made it). Not due to my intelligence or work ethic, but my circumstances and the environment; that doesn't make me (or you) lesser than anyone else here.

If I had a family on top of it, plus the other factors you mentioned, I would have absolutely made the same choice as you. No doubt about it. Some things in life take precedence.
 
WhtsThFrequency said:
I am an awful memorizer and wanted nothing to do with clinical (GP) stuff, making a significant proportion of my classes and rotations uninteresting and irrelevant.
Click to expand...

I'd hate to derail the thread, but I'd love to hear how you made it through boards, WTF. Because the above pretty much fits me perfectly - bad memorizer (like, really bad), don't really do well trying to focus in on topics out of my interest (so, uh, half or more of the material)..... I wouldn't say I'm "panicking" or anything (I keep reminding myself of our pass rate here), but .... I pretty regularly start feeling anxious about it, and it's still 14 months away.
 
I haven't been on SDN in a while, but I am sad to sign on and see this. I hope your journey leads you in a sunny direction and that you and Mrs. SOV are healthy again soon. I will miss seeing you around, but I'm glad you made the decision that you needed to make.
 
LetItSnow said:
I'd hate to derail the thread, but I'd love to hear how you made it through boards, WTF. Because the above pretty much fits me perfectly - bad memorizer (like, really bad), don't really do well trying to focus in on topics out of my interest (so, uh, half or more of the material)..... I wouldn't say I'm "panicking" or anything (I keep reminding myself of our pass rate here), but .... I pretty regularly start feeling anxious about it, and it's still 14 months away.
Click to expand...

Np, I'll send you a PM. Mostly endless vet prep, mnemonics (sp?) and storytelling type studying.
 
I have received a few PMs from people asking me about this.

FYI, I posted this thread in large part to let people learn from my experience, I am not adverse to discussing things openly. If you have specific questions, I am fine posting answers on here. I am sure the people who have PM-ed me are not the only ones interested, so it is probably best if I can reply to everyone.

If you prefer to remain confidential, I can understand that as well though.
 
Sent in my official notice of withdrawal this morning. Guess I left it to the last minute (classes start up on Thursday) waiting for some reason to change my mind, but alas no dice.

Kind of sad.

To make it official I have changed my SDN status to "non-student". :blackeye:
 
StartingoverVet said:
Sent in my official notice of withdrawal this morning. Guess I left it to the last minute (classes start up on Thursday) waiting for some reason to change my mind, but alas no dice.

Kind of sad.

To make it official I have changed my SDN status to "non-student". :blackeye:
Click to expand...

I'm sorry SOV. Any relief though?
 
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