The Countdown Begins

There are 4 countdowns on my computer desktop. Sometimes I like to look at them consecutively, the numbers inching slowly towards their respective goals. Or, without warning, I open my screen, and the seconds have rapidly ticked away, surpassing weeks and months, until that long awaited time and date looms before me. 

ME! Post White Coat Ceremony

One reads 3 days. In a mere 72 hours, less by the time you’re reading this, I will be sitting in orientation to begin my clinical year at Purdue’s College of Vet Med. 80+ student bodies will gather in 1136 of Lynn Hall, the room which it all began. I can see it now: we’re wide-eyed, some of us self-doubting, still a little fatigued from our LAST FINALS WEEK EVER, yet anxious to make first impressions our clinical professors. Pagers, emergency schedules, new lockers and new protocols will be thrown at us and it will feel like 1^st year all over again. 

“Do you feel ready?” my mother asks. No, I really don’t. She reminds me that I probably know more than I think I do. And I REALLY, REALLY hope that’s true. I will at least look the part, the attire for the large animals is a black polo and khakis. 5 polos and pants hang in my closet, and maybe eventually I’ll grow accustom to wearing black every day.  I don’t think I’ll be wearing my white coat much, but that hangs in my room too. A stark reminder of my passage from classroom to clinics. Approximately 3 weeks ago, I, along with each of my peers, took part in the iconic “White Coat Ceremony.” We each received the coveted white coat, a symbol of our soon to be doctor status and a hallmark for the patient-doctor relationship. 

My parents and I, post White Coat Ceremony

The second one reads 191 days. When I said finals week was over, it meant that we were free from 5 consecutive days of torturous, 2 hour finals. We still have tests and in approximately 191 days, the NAVLE opens and we will face SIX CONSECUTIVE hours of one single test. The NAVLE, or North American Veterinary Licensing Exam is just one of the hurdles to becoming a fully licensed veterinarian. Consisting of 360 multiple choice questions, the NAVLE is comprehensive across species and general veterinary medicine. I can’t wait to take it. 

The third countdown is 230 days. That’s when Christmas is. And I love Christmas, getting together with family, making delicious food, celebrating Jesus’s birth, lights, snow, cold; I really could go on and on. During my clinical year however, I may be working at the hospital instead of coming home for Christmas. Guess those cows and horses can’t save themselves for one day!

Me, Liz, Edith: my girls from the very beginning.

372. The fourth and most sought after deadline. GRADUATION!!!! It’s hard enough to believe that in a few days I’ll be applying the skill set I’ve learned in the classroom, to real-life practice out in the field. But at least next week, I’ll be under the watchful eye and proctorship of a licensed veterinarian. But NEXT YEAR? I will BE a licensed veterinarian. 17 rotations, a few more exams, countless patients and clients away, I will arrive at what my father calls “The Promised Land.” (The Promised Land has a different meaning to him. Haha.)

Clinical year at Purdue is somewhat different than other veterinary schools. Here, we track a specific pathway, and take rotations tailored to that pathway. I will be tracking Large Animal, so a majority of my rotations will take place in the Large Animal Hospital (LAH). I think I’ll enjoy it, because anyone who doesn’t think spending the day with cattle and horses is fantastic is the crazy one. My block schedule is as follows and I hope along my journey, I’ll be able to share my experience with you. 

Block 1: Bovine Therio Production Medicine

Block 2: Ancillary (Consists of 1 week each working in necropsy, clinical pathology, and clinical microbiology)

Block 3: Externship at Conly Koontz in Columbia City, IN

Block 4: Externship at 3H Veterinary Service in New Hill, NC

Block 5: Large Animal Surgery I

Block 6: Swine Production Medicine

Block 7: Large Animal Medicine I

Block 8: Equine Community Practice

Block 9: Large Animal Surgery II

Block 10: Diagnostic Imaging (radiographs, ultrasound, MRI, etc)

Block 11: Large Animal Medicine II

Block 12: Off campus with Board of Animal Health in Indianapolis, IN

Block 13: Large Animal Surgery III

Block 14: Ruminant Production Medicine I

Block 15: Vacation and possibly an externship at University of Penn Large Animal Neonate Center

Block 16: Diagnostic Path

Block 17: Anesthesiology

Dr. Salisbury, Me, Dean Reed; Post White Coat Ceremony

The Heart of the Matter

Heart of the Matter

November. The 5^th of November. Veterans Day. My birthday. Thanksgiving! What a great month. It also reminds me that school has been rolling for… approximately 3 months, and I’ve yet to write, anything. So I figured, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I would begin by delving into the things I am truly thankful for. I do find it somewhat unfortunate that so many times, we only remember these things due to the looming holiday of Thanksgiving. Let’s all try to be thankful on a more regular basis!

1.       Second chances: As some of you know, and most of you don’t, I am currently in my ‘second’ first year of veterinary school. I’ve come to grips with the fact that not EVERYTHING goes according to plan. More like, been forced to come to grips. BUT let’s not dwell… I’ve picked myself up, refocused on my ultimate goal/dream and realized that there ARE such things as second chances. Veterinary medicine has been my dream since I was a weeee six year-old. Nothing has stopped me from coming this far, and nothing will stop me in the future. This kid is not going down without a fight!!!! I am forever grateful to my support team at Michigan State's CVM: Dr. Patricia Lowrie, Dr. Coretta Patterson, Joy Hannibal and Sarah Davis as well as those at Purdue CVM for believing in me and keeping my head in the game.

2.      My unwaveringly supportive parents: When I have two people such as these, that love me so much, and have my back at every twist & turn in life, there is no way I can completely fail. I have said this before, and I will continue to say that I would not be where I am or who I am without my parents. They have molded me into someone who fights for what I want and to earn what I deserve, yet remain humble and compassionate to those around me. Through this past year, I could not have managed without them. Thank you and I love you! 

My Parents: Randy & Deb

3.      Friends near and far: What would I do without my friends? Maybe due to the impending anniversary of my appearance into the world that I feel like this but we’re all getting older, reaching our goals and moving further apart. However, in our busy schedules, we all find time to stay in touch and keep each other motivated.

a.      Shout out to my fellow Spartans! Julie and Melissa – my former roommates & the wonderful vet techs, graduated and pursuing their careers. Krissy – soon to graduate then pursue her goal in the culinary arts. Nadia, Chrissy & Jenn, just to name a few – working hard at MSU’s CVM. DeShawn – DePaul University in Chicago, reaching for political status. Michael – internship at Pepperidge Farms and graduating in the spring. 

b.      My Purdue Vet School Crew. These roads are rough, and we are keeping each other in line, and somewhat sane. YAY! Big thanks to my immediate ‘family’ Edith (my stellar roommate), Liz, Chico & Kyle. There are many more of you so don’t feel left out!

c.       All the others out there, doing your thing, but taking time to stay in touch!

Edith & Walle, my Roommates

4.      Veterinary medicine: What a wonderful career to be involved with. So much around you has probably been influenced somewhat by a veterinarian. Whether it’s the leather shoes on your feet, the steak on your plate, the lab-animal tested lotion you smear on your face or the feather pillow you slumber on at night. Veterinary medicine also has a special angle in helping both animal and human. These days, household pets are given family/human status. When a four-legged ‘child’ becomes ill, the emotional toll on the owner may be analogous to the worry seen in a parent when a human child is sick. As a veterinarian, not only does one have the chance to heal the bone-chewing family member, there is the added opportunity of bringing ease to a fellow human. I cannot wait to become a part of this influential, small knit occupation.

Christy

5.      Faith: It is easy to lose focus in such a busy world, and forget who I’m ultimately trying to please. I can contribute much of my motivation solely to the fact that I believe faith is having confidence that GOD is who He says He is, and does everything He promised to do. He knows the plans for me, and I will keep on relying on Him.

6.      Technology: I have recently ventured into the world of the iPhone and all its glory. There are apps that will do everything for you. I am a big fan of the simple life, but it is nice to have my e-mail, my text messages, a camera, an alarm clock, a calculator, the Internet and apps that organize parasites for studying in a 3” x 5” hunk of aluminum.

7.      Ability to cook: I like to think I’m a foodie. My favorite part of cooking is combining things together that I think will taste good, and having them actually taste good. It is also wonderful to recreate a dish that reminds me of eating at home with my family. Like meat loaf, or spaghetti pie! Of course, I can never top my father on the grill. A) I do not have a grill and B) I am not my father. I think I also relish in the comments of my ‘family’ (Edith, Chico, Liz, Kyle…etc) when they try something I have concocted. Too often, I’m over critical of the food that they are scarfing down, so it is nice to have them validate my cooking skills.

Tuna Fish Sliders. A Favorite at Apt 5.

8.     My health: I’m alive and kicking! It’s true, and I constantly assure my parents that this is all that matters. Sure, every so often Mr. Sniffles stops by, but this is nothing an overdose of orange juice, Vitamin C, and the occasional night of Vicks Vapor rub can’t solve. For the most part, I can run, scream, sing, write, breath, and other fun crazy things a human can do.

9.      Daylight Savings Time: Ahhh. For a short time, it will be light out when I arise and walk to class. As we slowly approach the darkest day of the year (and CHRISTMAS!!) that will change. However, while I’ve got the chance, it is nice to see the sun peeking out from behind the horizon… Who am I kidding? I cannot see the horizon; the buildings of the city are blocking my view.  On the other hand, it is lighter than at dinner time. Pitch black, making me feel like it’s already time to crawl into bed.

10.  Books: Computers are great, and mobile, and everything is wrapped up in one. I just can’t dismiss the great feeling of curling up in a pile of blankets and pillows with a book. There is no worrying about low-power or the whir of the computer over heating as I burrow deep into my makeshift cave. Of course the window is cracked, so I’m just cold enough to surround myself with 8 pillows, several blankets and my stuffed animals. Of course, not all books are fun, especially when there are minimal pictures, and monotonous words like reticular, mesenchyme or G-proteins…

Miss Kitty

 11.   The small things: Staying happy in such an intense educational program is important. So I am extremely thankful for the small things in life that keep a grin on my face. These would be the following things: water, carrots, cheese, Dill & Pickle & Miss Kitty (my stuffed animals), Christmas lights & music, tea, apples, crunchy leaves, dog beds & pillows, knit sweaters, ramen noodles, horse breathe, muddy canine paws and so many more. 

Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things ~Robert Bault. 

Christmas Lights at Apt 5

2011 in Review

2011. Yep, it’s pretty much over, and it seems like the first half of the year was a whole other year in itself. Once I left Michigan State, and started at Purdue’s College of Veterinary Medicine, time seemed to stop and start over. I think I will reminisce about my first semester in vet school as my closing post for this year. I’ve decided not to put writing more on my resolution list, as I would hate to break it (and this is probably inevitable as much as I would want to try). 

Classes

Applications and Integrations: Thankfully I didn’t mind this class so much since I have several more semesters of it. As a case-based class, we used everything we learned from our other classes to evaluate cases that were once seen in the PU hospital. In a group of 7, with a doctor as our tutor, we would start by learning about the animal’s problems, move on to interpreting test results, and eventually would determine the animals’ diagnosis. In between classes, we would have to look up our ‘learning issues.’ These were terms, procedures, or boat loads of information that we did not yet already know. Often times three hours spent researching did not lend us much more insight. By the end of the semester, I’m confident half-a-dozen trees are neatly packed into a teeming 3” binder. 

Anatomy: To the class I love so much! Definitely a highlight of each week, the preserved dog on the stainless steel table provided the best hands on learning one could ask for. The first dog our group had was Chauncey, (lovingly named for a street mid-campus). He was a white and brown spotted dog, with a perpetual grimace on his face from preservation. One often wonders what causes the dogs to end up on our table; from Chauncey we speculated several things from the BBs we found in his body.  From him I learned muscles, nerves, and veins/arteries of the forelimb, as well as muscles of the abdomen. The group then moved on to a dog we just referred to a Big Girl or Girl. She was a young, sleek, brown pit mix. I spent the majority of my time with her. Glorious was the day we got to split open her rib cage. After removing her lungs, the intricate highway of the veins and arteries running to and from her heart was something to be in awe of! Each chamber of the heart was opened. It turned out that Girl had a foramen ovale, an opening between her right and left atrium. This was something that should have closed after she was born. While looking at her other organs, it was clear that she had splenomegaly, or enlarged spleen. We speculated that this could have been the cause of her, unfortunate for her, fortunate for us, demise. 

Behavior: Not initially a favorite for many, behavior consisted mainly of dog behavior. Conflicting views between our instructor and our class proved interesting, as we struggled to be convinced that dogs do not feel jealousy, nor do they display dominance. The end of the semester was more what most of us expected, with behaviors of specific species explained. It was most interesting to see the differences between feral and farmed behaviors of swine and cattle. 

Histology: Histology, histology, how horrid were your exams. I truly did enjoy this class, what with its microscopic images of our tissues, and endless names for the numerous cells. The quantity of information proved most difficult, along with conquering the ability to distinguish between reticular cells, Golgi cells, acinar cells, etc. The list really does g0 on. The slides we saw week after week were intricate and colorful to say the least. Really intriguing. In Dr. Hullinger’s words: “Better tie your shoes tight, because this is going to blow your socks off!” The image below is of a pig embryo.   

Pig Embryo

 Husbandry: Another hands on class, I found husbandry to be extremely enjoyable. I think growing up on a farm gave me a great background, especially when it came to working with the large animals. For someone who had never worked with cattle, swine or sheep, the work tended to be a little intimidating. The cattle we worked with were some sweet old dairy cows; their doleful eyes just watched us as we clustered around and listened to their hearts, learned to tie makeshift halters, restrain them with nose tongs, and tied their tails up. The pigs were slightly less enjoyable, yet still entertaining. Their ear piercing squeals is what bothered many. They tend not to like being snared much. The sheep were super fun; I found it amusing to watch my classmates struggle to restrain them and set them on their rumps. I guess growing up with sheep since I was six provided me an edge!

Buttercup

Neuroscience: I found this an extremely challenging class, yet so interesting. Nerve after nerve, and what they affected took a lot to learn. The detail was massive, and it really helped to have this topic spread between several classes. In A & I as mentioned previously provided several cases to review neurology, as well as husbandry, where we learned to perform a neuro exam and interpret our results. It continues to amaze me on how information is passed from the brain to our needed life actions. 

Physiology: I think I have a love/hate relationship with this class. Hopefully next semester’s physiology won’t make me lean more toward hate. This class was twice a week, with a lab once a week. Not much right? Ha. In order to fully understand this class, I think it was necessary to continually look over the information, and repeat it as often as possible. I don’t think I can forget now that the body is 60% water, with 40% as intracellular fluid, 5% in plasma and 15% as interstitial fluid. I know physiology is needed to understand much of the problems my patients will face, and it was exciting once I understood a topic, to apply it to our A & I cases, but sometimes completely understanding how the body worked was a challenge.

Principles & Ethics: I loved this class; it opened my eyes to the many dilemmas I will face as a veterinarian. As one guest speaker put it, we will continually be victims of moral stress, and as professionals and human beings, we must be conscious of how we deal with it. For several weeks, we spent our class time just going over different issues we might face, and how we might deal with them; issues such as a patient wanting certain procedures, or extra drugs, or malpractice. There are so many different variables that will play into our decisions: the time we have spent with the client, the money we may or may not make, the welfare of the animal, the consequences of doing said procedure, or supplying said drug… There is so much to think about while we try to uphold our oath and our personal morals. 

Finals: What to say, what to say… Finals are finals. I think we got lucky this semester, with one final per day, and with several finals before the end of the semester. I’m sure this won’t happen often. All I can remember is that by the end of finals week, I didn’t think there was much more I could shove into my brain. It actually felt full, if not overflowing. I think if brain could physically vomit, mine would have. Thank God for a 3 week recovery period!

Classmates: Oh, dear lovely classmates. What’s not to love about 83 other people that you spend 6-8 hours a day with, often crammed elbow to elbow? Hmmm, I can think of a few things. As part of our Applications and Integrations class, one of the goals is learning to work well with others. One might think that by professional school time, one should have learned how to do this well. Not the case. As an owner is the only verbal means of understanding a patient’s signs, ability to communicate well is extremely necessary. The whole class took a personality test so that we learn more about ourselves, and how we can better work with others. I’m sure we all took this information to heart in order to better work with our classmates in the time being. Time and time again, we’ve heard the saying “veterinary medicine is a small profession,” so I probably will see them again, or use their infinite knowledge as we each go into our different areas of veterinary medicine. Of course, I am sure I get on some nerves, as well as the next kid. For the most part, my colleagues  are top-notch and I look forward to working with them in the future.

Kyle, Me, Chico, An, Edith and Liz at the Dairy Farm

 Well, that was my 2011, in the world of veterinary medicine. I can only hope that 2012 will go just as well, or even better. In a little over a week, I start my new classes, with my fellow classmates. I am looking forward to the many new opportunities it has to offer, the new people I will get to meet, and the new cases I get to research. There is so much on the horizon! Happy New Year to all!

My Life is A Highway

The country road I wish my life was like...

Hello November. You’ve crept up on me; I don’t even know where October went. It certainly came and went before I had time to update everyone on my life, as it plummets down the highway of infinite veterinary knowledge. I was just going to say road, like the one above, but it’s literally a highway, full speed ahead, with no exits, no stop lights, and NO congestion. Unless I make my own. Every once in a while I’ve got to put on the breaks, pull over and think about where I’m going. It’s easy to get lost and stressed out until I remember why I’m here --> Dr. Jennifer Sexton, D.V.M. 

This month I PLAN on writing more, highlighting things I am thankful for as it is November, the month recognized for giving thanks. (We should really be giving thanks all the time…) 

This past week I had my Husbandry Large Animal Practical. There were 12 stations, we had to do 5 of them. We were given 4 minutes at each station to display how proficient we were at corralling sheep, working with cattle, restraining sheep, etc. THANK GOD for my parents providing me with the wonderful opportunity growing up with large animals. The sheep were restrained, capillary refill time checked; the pigs were corralled, and properly snared; the cow haltered and heart rate taken. As I waited for the timer to buzz, indicating “time’s up,” I chatted with the veterinarian overseeing my cattle station. He was pleasantly surprised on how efficient I was, as supposedly groups before stumbled through the exercise without paying attention to proper technique. I briefly explained my childhood, and my time with Dr. James, knowing this was at least HALF of the reason why I managed to do so well. You can only spend so much time learning the material, but often times it does come down to your previous knowledge. 

My sweet sweet Marybelle

Other things this past week that I am blessed with:

•  Beautiful fall colors, reminding me that snow is coming, as is Christmas and time with my family
• Technology, so I can keep in contact with my family and friends in those spare minutes I have 
•  Family and friends who constantly support me, and remind me why I am here 
•  Cheese, just because it makes every meal a little better =)

Must get back to studying now… only 2 quizzes, two tests, a 14 page midterm and a final coming up. Not a big deal right? =]

Stressfully Fun

84 faces. 183 parts of the canine forelimb skeletal system. 70 thoracic limb muscles. 29 nerves, arteries, and veins. 60 dog breeds. Erythrocytes and leuckocytes. Cell-mediated vs humeral immunity. Innate vs adaptive immunity. Dog restraint. Sheep restraint. Tyrosine kinase receptors… and the list goes on… 

At what point does the human brain implode from an un-measurable influx of information? I’m now in the 5^th week of school, and I cannot wrap my head around the expansive amount of information that I have been exposed to. I say exposed, not learned, (yet) because somehow the human brain (maybe just my brain) has that tendency to take in information and hide it from me. It’s going to take some time to properly sift through the date complied ever so neatly and secretly in my brain cells. My head does feel a little heavier lately… 

For the most part, I love my classes. Especially the ones I understand. For others… [physio], it would be nice to have the option of having a capsule inserted near the base, or directly into, my brain. From there, the information could just infuse into the places they’re supposed to. (Or would my leukocytes attack the pathogens, causing a gigantic infection before I even learned anything…?)

Histology on the other hand, [knock on wood] has proved to be enjoyable and understandable. As much as I grumbled about taking Eukaryotic Cell Biology at MSU, I am SO thankful that I did. [Thanks to you Chrissy Brownlee, my understanding of Euk has somewhat stuck with me! I know you’re reading this!] Dr. Hullinger’s chalk drawings stimulate my visual learning side, everything is just ‘clicking.’ 

Sugar 2 y.o.

Husbandry has proved to be a more relaxed class. At least 5 times a week, I get to ‘have my own dog.’ Groups of 4 share a lab dog, ours is the ever crazy, yet simply adorable Black Labrador, aptly named Sugar. Donated from a breeder, as are all the other dogs, she is not house broken, nor does she have social manners, but she is slowly learning.  Sitting and going up and down stairs were extremely foreign to her. Luckily, she is peanut butter driven, and, I would say, highly intelligent. Sitting and stairs outside are now no problem. We’ll see if that holds true next time we try to get her down the slippery stairs of the veterinary school. For those of you interested, we do adopt our dogs out at the end of the year!

The one downside of constant studying and homework is lack of communication I have with the outside world. If you ask me about something that has happened in politics, government, weather, history, or entertainment, I can almost guarantee you that I know nothing. Maybe I should care a little more, pick up a newspaper every once in a while. So I didn’t know that the Sears Tower was no longer called that, or some hurricane had traumatized some state/country… In undergrad, for my Dad’s sake, I did make MSNBC my homepage so if something REALLY important came up, there was a greater chance of me recognizing it when talked about later. I also do not get a great amount of time to talk to people outside of my class. My parents and friends often think I’m dead, or dropped off the face of the Earth. Thank God for texting. I really do think of you people; I just don’t get to say it. Staying up with this blog has also proved difficult...

Overall, I think I love veterinary school. I would label it as ‘stressfully fun.’ Between the formaldehyde burning my eyes, the lab dogs slobbering me, and the beautiful smocks and overalls we are to wear during husbandry, I think I can manage the 8 hours of sitting in the same uncomfortable seats, with the same people EVERYDAY! 

Apyrl and Me before Husbandry Class.