Studying for NAVLE during Clinical year??

[mashedpotatoes5459]

Hi guys! I'm a current 3rd year trying to prepare for 4th year and clinics. We received information about how our school will be scheduling our 4th year rotations and found out that we have two blocks of vacation. For those of you in your fourth year or those of you who have graduated, did you use your vacation block to study for the NAVLE? Or did you use your vacation block for a preceptorship? Our blocks are 3 weeks long and I feel as if a 3 week break from school to study for the NAVLE is very long, but I am really not sure and am looking for input. If you didn't use your vacation block for NAVLE, did you feel like you had enough time during your clinical rotations to study for the NAVLE?

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[supershorty]

Hi guys! I'm a current 3rd year trying to prepare for 4th year and clinics. We received information about how our school will be scheduling our 4th year rotations and found out that we have two blocks of vacation. For those of you in your fourth year or those of you who have graduated, did you use your vacation block to study for the NAVLE? Or did you use your vacation block for a preceptorship? Our blocks are 3 weeks long and I feel as if a 3 week break from school to study for the NAVLE is very long, but I am really not sure and am looking for input. If you didn't use your vacation block for NAVLE, did you feel like you had enough time during your clinical rotations to study for the NAVLE?

You should have blocks set aside for externships. I wouldn't use vacation blocks for those.

I did study for NAVLE during one of my vacation blocks, but my other one is falling after NAVLE and I intend to do nothing during it. You have time to study during your rotations, you just need to recognize that you'll have less time during some rotations than others and plan accordingly.

Use your vacation time for you. Protect your time and take care of yourself.

 

[battie]

Soooooo COVID clinics here, but I used my remaining vacation blocks for vacation because clinics can suck. Work-life balance and that whole thing.

TBH, I had more free time on clinics than I ever did during didactics. COVID format certainly influenced that, but I also wasn't spending 20-30 hours per week doing extraneous club stuff. I did Zuku prep stuff, finished around 50% of it, and passed by a slim margin.

I actually scheduled NAVLE during the Thanksgiving block for the Tuesday after the holiday. Then I had Thursday through Monday off with just on call parameters because of the holiday and because our school gave us the day before our test off.

 

[JaynaAli]

I took my vacation rotations at the very end of the year. No regrets. Passed NAVLE just fine with my only real studying being the VetPrep questions, and had my vacation rotations to vacate, theoretically interview for jobs but I’d done the match so I didn’t need to interview for jobs, and pack up my house at a leisurely pace to move.

 

[WildZoo]

Hi guys! I'm a current 3rd year trying to prepare for 4th year and clinics. We received information about how our school will be scheduling our 4th year rotations and found out that we have two blocks of vacation. For those of you in your fourth year or those of you who have graduated, did you use your vacation block to study for the NAVLE? Or did you use your vacation block for a preceptorship? Our blocks are 3 weeks long and I feel as if a 3 week break from school to study for the NAVLE is very long, but I am really not sure and am looking for input. If you didn't use your vacation block for NAVLE, did you feel like you had enough time during your clinical rotations to study for the NAVLE?

I used my vacation block for a conference (did have two blocks but used the other to make an externship longer). Both were prior to NAVLE. I think I did some studying, particularly during the externship because I took NAVLE during it and there was a lot of down time compared to hospital rotations. But I certainly wouldn't use your vacation time specifically for studying. You'll have time while you're on clinics, and being on clinics and learning things for your cases is a form of studying as well. Of course I can only speak to my school but on most rotations we had topic rounds as well so we'd go over some of the big things to know for NAVLE (and for life).

tl;dr fine to study some on vacation, but don't specifically schedule it for that purpose, make time to enjoy life

 

[SocialStigma]

I scheduled lighter rotations with no on call/patient care responsibilities (radiology, pathology, primary care, derm) in the months leading up to the NAVLE, then took 1 week off before it.

 

[babyvet]

It really depends on what type of learner you are and how much you have retained. If you have terrible long term memory I would take a vacation block to study. If you have good or even decent retention skills you would be fine to not take one and just prep during clinics like everyone else IMO.

For me, I have ADHD, poor executive functioning, and memory issues as a result. I basically remember diddle. I am taking my 3 week vacation block and then taking the NAVLE 1 week later because I know I will forget most of what I have been studying these last few months on vetprep. I also didn't want to risk being on a rotation during the what I presume will be the incredibly anxiety producing weeks leading up to the exam. I am going to study for NAVLE for 5ish hours a day for 3 weeks and then play video games and relax the rest of the day. Be distracted by a new rotation for 1 week, then take NAVLE. Perfect situation for me.

Some of my friends are 1 month away from exam and have a very hectic rotation right before it. I feel bad for them. But they also have better executive functioning than I do.

I also want to say that I have had more free time on clinics at the school than on externals. Usually we are only getting 1-2 appointments assigned to us a day and unless it's an IM case, it's usually not that complicated and I have time to study for a few hours. On externals they are always having u do things.

Just be strategic in the way that suits you. There is no wrong answer just go with your gut. I would say if you have a LA/Equine rotation before the NAVLE that would be best. I wish I had one.

 

[battie]

@babyvet just here to say I love your name