There comes a time in every person's life when it is time to
figure out your path in life and just stick to it. …
Right? Well, sometimes. I am the kind of person who has
a general idea of what I want to be when I grow up, and then I play
the rest by ear. I have a goal - "Plan A" - I want to become
a board certified zoo veterinarian and then later go into a private
practice or an academic setting. But if circumstances change,
I have a "Plan B," "Plan C," and "Plan Z." It's just a good
idea.
But right now, I get to play and explore the many avenues of
veterinary medicine. I am a third year student; I finally
reached the point where I can choose my electives. As third
year students, we are required to take a minimum of 14 hours of
electives, spread throughout the year. Most electives are
worth one or two hours of course credit. I just couldn't help
myself, so I signed up for 18 hours. Why not? This is
my chance to discover and learn as much as possible.
For example, right now I am taking Food Animal Medicine, Exotic
Animal Medicine, and Physical Medicine / Rehabilitation / Pain
Management. In four weeks, I will be taking Camelids (llamas
and alpacas) and Equine Handling, and four weeks after that I will
be taking Feline Medicine, Reptile Medicine, and Advanced
Anesthesia. Not to mention the Avian, Emergency, Exotic
Hoofstock, Cardiology, Dentistry, and Small Ruminant Medicine
classes I took last semester. In just one year, I will have
learned something about every major species I am interested in.
Of course, all of this is on top of our core curriculum which
consists of Small Animal Medicine, Radiology, Practice Management,
and Clinical Correlates.
There are almost 50 different elective choices just waiting for
eager third year students. By fitting my schedule to my
interests, I can prepare myself for the future. Remember
"Plan A?"