As Thanksgiving approached, it meant more than just good food with good friends, but also that we are closing in on the end of our first semester in veterinary school It is too surreal, coming to grips with the fact that our class has completed so much together, yet we still feel like we’re in week four of the semester.
Multiple Friendsgivings had been in the making, allowing me to eat with my new friends during Thanksgiving week and express my appreciation toward the relationships I formed. I wasn’t involved in such a large group or “family” while in undergraduate or graduate school, and it surprises me how so many of us lift and support each other during difficult times we encounter in veterinary school. Every day we are in the same classes together, and although we can’t seem to get away from each other during our 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. classes, we strongly attempt to meet afterwards, encouraging each other to not let up on the vast amount of material we cover each day.
Having experienced just a drop of the veterinary life, I was immediately taught that the veterinary school program stretches and strengthens not only my intellect but also my critical-thinking process. What first appeared to be cases with a simple issue and solution when presented in class have morphed into complicated, continual problems that veterinarians are expected to solve for months, if not years.
Success with a patient may occur with a simple remedy but that isn’t the most common situation when a patient walks into the exam room. That’s where I need to go above and beyond to give patients their best care and treatment, as well as serving the needs that they require on an individual basis.
This outlook has awakened a hunger in me; it has also make me realize that being a veterinarian requires continual learning and pushing myself to be the ideal veterinarian that every owner will be expecting from me as I face peculiar or problematic cases.
