Moving into Surgery, Externships

It seems as though the further I get into veterinary school, the faster the semesters seem to fly by.  

As I am writing this post, it is week eight of my second semester as a second-year veterinary student.  It seems like just yesterday that it was week one. 

Probably the most exciting thing about this semester has been starting surgery.  We have our “Introduction to Surgery” course this semester, and it has been such a great experience.  

Even the simple things, like learning how to wrap our surgery gowns and instruments and how to get scrubbed and gowned for surgery, have been exciting for me. So far this semester, we have already practiced a liver biopsy and an abdominal exploratory.  

One of the coolest things about introductory surgery is the extremely realistic models we get to use to practice procedures on. Each model even has its own pump system that simulates blood flow and bleeding.  

I think that practicing on these realistic models is a great way to gain confidence before having real patients put in front of us; the things we are practicing and learning in our clinical skills and surgery courses are going to make us much more confident when it comes time to perform real procedures.  

I definitely feel like I leave every semester of veterinary school more and more confident and prepared to help my future patients.  

Right now, I am focused on going into equine medicine after I graduate, and so in the midst of studying, I am also arranging summer externships.  

I can say that I am truly lucky to have such an amazing group of professors who have been willing to meet with me outside of class to help me establish connections with clinics that I want to extern at.  

I am excited to take what I have learned this semester, and past semesters, and apply it during my externships!

My Veterinary Education Update

I have officially finished another semester of veterinary school! It feels awesome to have another semester under my belt.

 

Though this was definitely my toughest semester so far, I feel as though I have learned so many valuable things from my classes.

 

Clinical pathology was probably my favorite course this semester; clinical pathology encompasses how to perform and interpret lab work, and I really enjoyed how clinically relevant I felt it was.

 

I enjoyed this course because it got me excited to spend time in the clinic over the winter break and practice reading and interpreting lab data. I will be spending a lot of my break working at a clinic and putting what I have learned into action.

 

While I am always excited to go back home and apply knowledge, it is always even more exciting to see just how much I have learned.