An Alaskan Vet Student

A fourth year veterinary student from Alaska who is in a combined Alaska/Colorado DVM Program. My particular interest is rural and wildlife medicine, but Vet Med is awesome in every regard. This blog will showcase my four-year journey to the title of "Doctor of Veterinary Medicine" as well as other facets of my life and interests. Gross medical content may apply. Enjoy!

[alaskanvetstudent]

I need to post more vet stuff on tumblr, eh? 

It’s been a while. I’ll have to update you all soon!

[roxolotl-remaking-deactivated20]

my animal behavior professor just emailed me this

[alaskanvetstudent]

Please prescribe me 200 mg Caffeine, PO and TID or PRN

[docinlimbo]

Shared by my preceptor for the month. Sorry Surgery

[cranquis]

[alaskanvetstudent]

Twitch is the world's leading video platform and community for gamers.

Because of the stresses of veterinary school and lack of hobby's, I’ve decided to pick up streaming video games when I have some free time (when I find free time). 

If you want to see a veterinary student struggle at video games time to time, give a follow on Twitch! I play a lot of Legend of Zelda and various PC indie games. Lately I’ve been playing The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Skyrim, and Stardew Valley. 

I intend to also start playing The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, Twilight Princess, and Windwaker HD, all games I have never played before but own. I call it the “Zelda Series Playthrough”. Vet school hasn’t allowed me the time to play them, but maybe if I have it be a fun hobby streaming games I’ll actually get to it!

[alaskanvetstudent]

I told myself I’d study today...

But instead I’ve been playing video games. I guess that’s okay. I needed a mental break anyways. Good thing Spring Break is around the corner!

[traveler-in-the-world]

[alaskanvetstudent]

Request for Veterinary Clinical Resources

I’m approaching my fourth year, which is a year full of clinical work. As I approach this, I've been trying to gather resources that would be helpful for me as I talk with clients, do cases, discussion differentials, etc. 

Throughout my third year I’ve been collecting some resources I may be interested in (such as pocket books, textbooks, online VIN resources, phone apps, etc). I already have a few clinical textbooks and online textbooks, but my library is incomplete. For those veterinary students who were on clinics, what resources or things you had and you used that you feel you couldn’t live without? 

[alaskanvetstudent]

Adventure the blinds!

[alaskanvetstudent]

He’s become accustom to his space. Even though he’s a baby, he’s cruising out more often and not hiding all the time!

[northernwinedregs]

Hi brain, you obstinate fucker. I drank the clear splashy stuff. I ate the green things. I went under that bright fucker up there. I did the thing with the moving and sweating and whatnot. Now make the happy chemical, you lump of fuck.

[7tny]

[alaskanvetstudent]

Sir Snek (aka Monty the Python)

[stability]

[theexoticvet-deactivated2022070]

Veterinary school is expensive. The federal government is proposing scrapping income based repayment and public service forgiveness. This would mean new vets could pay thousands of dollars a month in loans. If you care about this let your elected officials know! Call, email, write letters and get others to as well.

[alaskanvetstudent]

He has embraced the new foliage.

[alaskanvetstudent]

The "Federal ONE Loan Program" is being considered by the senate. It would effectively increase the burden of veterinary students and recent graduates, requiring professional students to take out high cost private loans and ultimately increases the financial barriers of entry into the profession.

With the removal of programs such as the Public Service Loan Forgiveness programs, new graduates would seek out more profitable positions to pay for their veterinary education, resulting in a shift in the supply of veterinarians away from non-profits and certain sectors of public health. This can make it difficult for members of the public to access veterinary health services due to financial or geographical concerns that rely on these services.

If you are interested, I would urge you to check out the following link and write a letter to your senator. The AVMA supplies a template letter if you do not have the time to write a letter, which could be as simple as putting in your name and hitting submit.