Teaching Others
This semester seems like it has flown by in the blink of an eye. As I look back at what all has happened, one of the most fun things I have had the opportunity to be a part of is helping the first year veterinary students as one of their bovine husbandry supervisors.
First year students must take care of cattle, horses, or ostriches for a week as part of everyday husbandry skills, to learn more about the different species that veterinarians may encounter. My job allows me to interact with and get to know the first year students as well as teach them how to perform a physical exam and everything that is involved in feeding and caring for them over a week’s time.
I can remember thinking back to my first year and having to take care of the ostrich for a week. This was one of the most frightening things I had ever done with an animal. Some of you may be thinking that ostriches can’t be that frightening, but let me tell you that having no experience with large birds and then being inside a little pen with them to perform a physical exam really makes you think twice about being there.
It was also my first year of school when I was overwhelmed with having to learn all these new things that our teachers wanted us to learn. This is why I enjoy being one of the bovine supervisors, because it allows me to take the knowledge and skills that I have learned over the past two and a half years and use it to help the first year students further their knowledge. Not only do I get to help them with their knowledge about cattle, but it allows me to talk to them about school and let them know that I understand school can be overwhelming at times. But, I also tell them not to get discouraged because we are headed into—what I believe to be—one of the greatest professions out there.