Summer activities

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At UTK, students have the opportunity to do summer research projects with faculty at the university. Other students I know are doing the summer anesthesia team (learning experience and sometimes paid). Most just work, usually at a vet's office or wherever they can find work. This summer, a lot of my friends are actually doing externships or not working because its our last summer break. A couple are going to Africa for an experience there, too.

Personally, I am working and getting married in the first half. Then I am doing nothing. Because even though the money would be nice, being burnt out during school will only get worse without the summer break next year.
 
Last summer I did research, but this summer I'll be doing an externship in Fairbanks, Alaska. July can't get here quick enough!

We have a couple doing an Africa trip as well.
 
Some people are doing summer research, others are working, and others are doing internships in Costa Rica or Africa. We can also do "summer clinics" where you work (for free) on certain hospital services as a quasi-4th-year (with much closer supervision).

I'm working and going on a RAVS trip, then taking a couple of weeks off before school starts again.
 
dyachei said:
...Personally, I am working and getting married in the first half. Then I am doing nothing. Because even though the money would be nice, being burnt out during school will only get worse without the summer break next year.
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That is exactly what I did last summer. Truthfully I ended up (to my complete surprise!!) a little bored & stir crazy towards the end & played video games 24-7 straight for the last 3 weeks lol.

This summer I'm EITHER finishing up my bachelors (boring!) OR... going to Caymans (turtle farm!), a weeklong internship in Costa Rica, an equine externship in Virginia, and an emergency clinic externship in Austin. I'm having trouble deciding which route to go. 🙁

I was totally gonna go to Africa, but it ended up lookin a lil shady on their end in terms of finances. Also I was told by a South African that this was not a good time to travel to South Africa (?!). Don't mean to scare everyone but thought I would pass it on if it's warranted!
 
In our mentor group (members of all four classes attend) we were discussing this. It seems like it runs the whole spectrum- some people take the summer to relax, some to gain experience, some to make as much money as they can. It really depends on you and what you're interested in.

I got a fellowship to do research on testicular biopsy in stallions which is not something I ever thought I'd be interested in, but I really like the clinician and I'm sure I'll learn a lot from him. You just need to get involved in clubs and spend time in clinics to get an idea of what you'd like to do and then be proactive if you want more experience. There are great vet programs all over the world and travel scholarships to help out with the cost. See if your school has an international vet med club. Or, take the summer to recharge your batteries after a grueling year of classes! (starting to sound more and more appealing as I get closer to finals!)
 
InfiniVet said:
That is exactly what I did last summer. Truthfully I ended up (to my complete surprise!!) a little bored & stir crazy towards the end & played video games 24-7 straight for the last 3 weeks lol.
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I can see that. But I haven't been bored like that in a long time and my video games miss me.
 
Last summer I did a research project and I loved it, but this summer, since it is more than likely my last one ever 🙁 I decided to do something non-vet med. I have the rest of my life to be a veterinarian, so I want to just relax and do a low-stress job. I'm going to apply for part-time retail jobs (done it before, and I know it's pretty easy for me) and travel around the US to visit friends: more than likely Seattle, North Carolina, and Kentucky. I'm also going to Europe with my dad.
 
pressmom said:
Last summer I did a research project and I loved it, but this summer, since it is more than likely my last one ever 🙁 I decided to do something non-vet med. I have the rest of my life to be a veterinarian, so I want to just relax and do a low-stress job. I'm going to apply for part-time retail jobs (done it before, and I know it's pretty easy for me) and travel around the US to visit friends: more than likely Seattle, North Carolina, and Kentucky. I'm also going to Europe with my dad.
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I think it sounds nice in a way to not do vet med stuff. But I have a question (which I hope doesn't come off obnoxiously). Do you feel like you're missing out on a chance to get experience? Do you feel like you'll be somehow behind your classmates because of this time off? I'm asking because I think it sounds like a nice plan, similar to stuff I have considered (taking a job to make money instead of get experience, basically) but I can't get past my fears that it'll somehow make me fall behind. Pretty stupid since I already took 5 years between UG and vet school, so I realize there sort of isn't a "behind" but still...

Ok, so my question is how do you deal with/manage those concerns? Thanks, pressmom!🙂
 
OK, so this is a bit off topic, but I want to brag...

I got a Morris Animal Foundation grant for the summer to assess the herd health of a group of feral burros. On St. John, in the US Virgin Islands. It is so very tragic, I know.

To the OP, there are tons of opportunities, some you have to look harder for, and some you have to write a proposal for (like mine) and some you find through the professors you meet. You can really do what you like, but I agree with other posters that is nice to do something at least a little different that what you have been doing so you don't get burnt out. You are in vet school at this point too (the hard part), so unless you are gunning for some uber competitive internship/residency I would think it doesn't matter career wise if you work or fart away the summer.
 
VAgirl said:
I think it sounds nice in a way to not do vet med stuff. But I have a question (which I hope doesn't come off obnoxiously). Do you feel like you're missing out on a chance to get experience? Do you feel like you'll be somehow behind your classmates because of this time off? I'm asking because I think it sounds like a nice plan, similar to stuff I have considered (taking a job to make money instead of get experience, basically) but I can't get past my fears that it'll somehow make me fall behind. Pretty stupid since I already took 5 years between UG and vet school, so I realize there sort of isn't a "behind" but still...

Ok, so my question is how do you deal with/manage those concerns? Thanks, pressmom!🙂
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I did this last summer and don't feel like I fell behind any of my classmates. I think it gave me a good chance to get rested for the upcoming year and start off fresh. Sometimes you need a little break with how strenuous classes can be.
 
I can't imagine truly doing nothing, since that just isn't my nature (and I have never had a free summer, since I grew up on a farm and summers = work) but hubby (wonderful man) is encouraging me to seek options for the summer that are just things that fascinate me or that I might not get to do otherwise. I was just curious as to whether summers are heavily 'directed' by the needs of a field or such. (Not sure if that makes sense the way I said it.)

I really appreciate everyone's feed back!
 
I'm doing the student research program at Virginia Tech this summer. Excited about it (will be working on the avian influenza vaccine!), but about 2 weeks after I accepted their offer, I found out that I had been awarded Harvard's comparative pathology fellowship. I might be the only person in the history of the world to turn down Harvard. It hurt! A lot!
 
Dude, that sucks. I would have begged off Va Tech personally.

And you aren't the only one to turn down Harvard. I was going through a box of papers from my mom's office after she died, and found a letter from Harvard asking her to come interview for a psychology lecturer position, which she had apparently refused. Weird to think our parents had lives, huh?
 
I'm spending the summer at home (mmm, home-cooked meals every night!), working at the clinic I've spent the past few years with. I'm going to be a nerd and "apply what I've learned"...yes I actually used that phrase with my boss. We take pharmacology next year so I told them I want them to teach me everything they can about drugs! :laugh: After spending my first year surrounded by mostly specimens and lots of studying, I want to get my hands on some live patients and remind myself why I'm doing this. Just my personal choice. There is definitely no wrong way to spend a summer!
 
I will be spending the summer studying a new approach to treatment of Alopecia X in pomeranians. I am working with one of our dermatologists and am very happy it is an endocrine-related study, because that is my field of interest.

Last summer I chilled with the family, and that was nice, too.
 
I'd love to earn some money, but, since it's my last summer - I want to get as much experience as I can, and not be really 'beholden' to anyone.

I have several (unpaid) externships lined up... including my food animal one, but also including a few referral/specialty practices that I'm really looking forward to, and regular small animal places.

To be home will be nice! 😍
How many more weeks (and tests)? 😱 We take our last final on May 15. Can't wait! Just hoping to survive thru then.
 
critterfixer said:
I will be spending the summer studying a new approach to treatment of Alopecia X in pomeranians.
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Interesting! We had a Pom in the hospital last night and I was wondering what might be causing the alopecia. It didn't seem related to the primary (respiratory) symptoms.
 
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