The Calm Before the Storm
Now that midterms have come and gone, I have the smallest of breaks in tests for the next two weeks. This is a time period I like to call “the calm before the storm.” I always feel that once midterms are over, the rest of the semester flies by. I have enjoyed my semester so far. One of my favorite aspects about this term is shadowing at one of the local animal clinics. A huge aspect of applying and getting into veterinarian school is to make sure to have as many veterinary and animal experience hours as possible. One of the ways to get an ample amount of hours is by shadowing a veterinarian.
The clinic where I currently shadow is a mixed animal practice. There are two veterinarians on staff along with a few veterinary techs. I mainly follow the work of the head veterinarian, who also happens to be a Texas A&M graduate. I spend my Monday mornings, Thursday afternoons, and Friday mornings at the clinic; I look forward to each of my shifts. I have shadowed for other vets before, but I feel like I have learned so much in the small amount of time I have been at this clinic. The staff members are all incredibly nice and are always so helpful and happy to answer all of my questions (which there tend to be a lot of). I have learned about a variety of diseases and surgeries, as well as watched many surgeries performed. I feel like I have watched a million spays and neuters, yet I manage to still be amazed at how the surgery plays out. Being at the clinic is the perfect break from classes and homework; I get to de-stress by being around animals and learning how to treat them.
Having the opportunity to able to learn from a veterinarian who has accomplished so much and seems so wise has been a blessing. He has been so patient with me, attempting to teach me as much as he can about a variety of diseases and species. I hope to one day be able to remember how he ran his clinic and what type of veterinarian he was in order to be like him. There is a farm call to be scheduled soon, and since I missed the last one, I am very excited for this next one. I just hope it’s before the “storm” of finals comes my way!
