One baby vet’s highs and lows
A few weeks ago, a friend of mine asked how it felt to be almost half a vet. I looked behind me to see who she was talking to before I realized she was talking to me. To say I feel unprepared for clinical life in just over two years is an understatement. Some days, I feel like I know less than I did coming in! While I’ve accepted that I have much left to learn, I’ve also come a long way in acquiring the skills and knowledge needed to be the veterinarian I’m working so hard to become.
With almost 50 per cent of the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine curriculum behind me, I figured a meaningful last entry for the school year would highlight the moments of greatest impact on me as a vet student, both positive and negative. As I enter my last full summer of ‘freedom,’ no doubt these memories and emotions will spring up in my navigation of this challenging and rewarding profession.
Getting in
Hands down, the best day of my life thus far was the day I found out I got into vet school. Seeing that word ‘admitted’ on WebAdvisor was so much more to me than just an acceptance. It was the product of what felt like 25 years of studying, volunteering, and sacrifice, and a relief from the sting of two previous rejections. It was validation that I am worthy and capable of joining my dream profession. Whenever I’m struggling to stay motivated or begin questioning my belonging here, I close my eyes and remember the unprecedented elation with which I called my parents to tell them the news.
Misconceptions & bad advice
After a decade in university, it’s a frustrating thing to see daily comments online offering (unqualified) advice about the ‘best’ thing to feed, treat, or handle one’s pet. Whether it’s about grain-free diets, vaccines, or emergency medical advice, please consult the advice of a professional. Vets complete years of schooling, continuing education, and professional development for a reason. Taking a stranger’s unqualified advice when it comes to your animal’s health is a bad idea that could cost you more than money in the long run. Oh, and for goodness sake, teacup pigs do not exist!
Meeting Temple Grandin
Anyone who knows me knows my passion for animal welfare. I’ve been working for years at shelters, sanctuaries, and rescues in order to learn current welfare issues and the best ways to address them. University has allowed me to further this knowledge by taking welfare-based courses, heading OVC’s Animal Welfare Club, and competing in North America’s Animal Welfare Judging Contest. As part of OVC’s 2017 team, I travelled to Iowa where we earned a fifth-place finish. The highlight of the trip was meeting Temple Grandin — a celebrity in the world of animal welfare and a ground-breaker that continues to inspire many.
Mental health issues in the profession
Having touched on this in previous columns, I’ll briefly reiterate my concerns. OVC and the University of Guelph preach their support for maintaining the wellness of their students. Yet the low-hanging fruit of dog-petting sessions and Wellness Wagons are not compatible with the lacking curriculum and increasing academic pressure placed on students, particularly as we enter a profession with an exceptionally high suicide rate.
Happy Tails
My job this past summer as a farm sanctuary’s veterinary student was by far the most rewarding experience of my life. I spent two months helping care for and rehabilitate roughly 70 animals, including pigs, alpacas, sheep, goats, birds, and others. I did this under the mentorship of Carla Moore, amazing mother of four who started it all in her own backyard. If that’s not inspiring, I don’t know what is.
Lack of public understanding
Whether it’s sensational headlines about a family ‘forced’ to surrender their dog or the trashing of the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals’ decision not to renew their contract for animal cruelty investigations, biased reporting and online comments show a great lack of understanding about the restrictions those in the animal care sector face. These restrictions can include confidentiality rules, enforcement restrictions, and financial constraints; all of which limit the abilities of veterinary staff and agents to do their jobs.
When stuff gets real
Fostering a rescue dog. Cow palpitations. Mock surgery. Anesthesia equipment. Horse exams. This is the stuff I live for because this is when it all begins to feel a bit more ‘real.’ Someday, very soon, these things will no longer be practice or simulation, but my job. Amongst all the stress and struggle, this is the most exciting thing of all.
If you’re an OVC hopeful like I was only a few short years ago, it’s never too early to start preparing. Regardless of the institution you attend, it’s important before applying to understand what life as a veterinarian entails, the good and the bad. Knowing what you’re in for will make the challenges easier to handle — and the rewards that much more meaningful.