As a second-year veterinary student, I’m rapidly approaching the halfway mark in my veterinary education. In between the busy schedules and exams this semester, there’s been a lot of cause for celebration in my class! Just a couple weeks ago, many of my classmates received their Aggie Rings with their family and friends by their side. Although I already received my ring as an undergraduate at A&M, I remember how exciting it was to earn that ring and feel like a full member of the Aggie family. Now, we all have a physical reminder on our hand of all the hard work we’ve put into our education and the bonds of tradition that tie us to this school forever.
In another exciting development, my class recently selected their electives for the upcoming school year. The third year of vet school is unique because it allows students to build their class schedules around their individual career goals, and it focuses more on the clinical application of everything we learn. We’re encouraged to select a “track” of interest—which can focus on small animal, equine, food animal, or exotic animal medicine—and choose our electives accordingly. If you’re unsure of your future career path, or just want to learn more about a subject, you’re free to take any class that interests you! I don’t know my exact elective schedule yet, but I’m excited for all the possibilities and the opportunity to learn more about what I love.
Now, my classmates and I are looking forward to our White Coat Ceremony, an event during which we celebrate our halfway point and are presented with a white coat to recognize the progress we’ve made. It’s also an excellent opportunity to thank all of the people who have helped us get this far by recognizing how instrumental they are to our success. Whether it’s your parents, significant other, professors, or friends, no one goes through vet school alone. The White Coat Ceremony is an opportunity to bring all of those important people together under one roof to share in the excitement as we progress into our third year.
Needless to say, this has been a very busy semester, with a lot of exciting events and important changes. It’s hard to believe I’m (almost) halfway done, but I’m eager to see what this next year has in store for me.