Life of a Vet Student

Short version, you study a lot

[ausvetstudent]

I love kittens!

Seriously, it doesn’t matter how many I see. They are just so precious. Give me a kitten over a puppy any day! I work at an animal shelter, so I see A LOT of kittens and I’m still not over their adorableness :3

ERMEGEERRRD!

[ausvetstudent]

I didn’t die

Hi Tumblr, it’s been quite a while since I last posted. Just checking in to let you know that yes I am alive. I’ve also survived my first 8 months of being a newly graduated veterinarian - hurray! 

For vet students that are nearing the end of their degree, please take some time off before starting work. The hard work doesn’t end when you finish vet school - it’s not the same kind of work/stress but ensure you still take care of yourselves. I can also attest to many the advice people would’ve given you as well - the first 3-6 months of being a vet are hard. 

[ausvetstudent]

I'm an Australian year 11 wanting to go into vet science, and I was wondering which university you go to? I'm tossing up between Melbourne (nice and close to me) or Murdoch (across the country but I like the uni/course best there). Oh and also do you have to do oral presentations?

Hello friend. I go to Melbourne and I think it’s okay, all courses have their good and bad sides, it’s what works best for you. I haven’t had to do many oral presentations and they’ve removed the oral examinations for final year this year, we only have to do a multiple choice exam - this is because majority of our assessment in final year is based on our internal rotations. 

I think if you think you’ll fit in the Murdoch course best and you’re fine with the adventure of moving away from home then go for it! I’d recommend going to their open days and checking out the campuses. Have a look at what your study environment would be like. 

Also just as an fyi, you can go to Murdoch straight out of high school but for Melbourne you need to have completed a bachelor degree (it’s a post graduate course). 

Good luck and have fun :)

[ausvetstudent]

Things I never did before vet school

I thought this would be a fun post and I know there are a few pre-vets kicking around on Tumblr. Feel free to add to it friends, I’d love to hear your stories!

Before vet school I never:

- touched a cow let alone; milked, muster, put into a crush, picked up a foot, performed a rectal...if I keep going the post will be even longer

- touched a sheep let alone; tip one, drench, shear, muster

- touched a pig...and I hope to not have to again, I find them creepy

- had first hand experience with death before my eyes

- drove a quad bike

- lead more than one horse let alone; inject, take blood, perform a rectal, heck I didn’t know what the bloody hell ‘Bute’ was (I stand by that it makes more sense for it to be short for butorphanol)

- used needles; I was actually pretty scared of needles

- got drunk...or hung over and they kind of happened at the same time, don’t drink the cheap stuff

- drove a dog sled

- worked or volunteered in a vet clinic

 - traveled overseas; vet school really brought be out of my shell and comfort zone and helped me find other passions, turns out I like traveling

-  had moments where I could smell really really bad or be covered in so much shit

- listened to lectures on 2 times speed; now that’s efficiency

- drank this much goddam tea

- had this much fun (I thought I’d end on a positive)

Take of yourselves and each others lovelies

[ausvetstudent]

When you’re not sure if you’re early to the prac or you just read the timetable wrong

[ausvetstudent]

4 hours of lectures for the day makes for sleepy students

[ausvetstudent]

‘Now this next part won’t be examined’

[ausvetstudent]

When it’s a Friday :D

[ausvetstudent]

When it’s been a long degree but the end is in sight

[ausvetstudent]

What I learned in vet school

If all goes well I graduate in around 4 months time and I thought it’d be a nice time to reflect on the four year ride that is vet school. 

1. I learned about death. Horses run towards it, cats go quietly seething, dogs give it their best shot and cows just say ‘fuck you’

2. PPP is inevitable. Poos pus and pee on all of the things

3. There are some really cool people who do vet school. Some of them are crazy but they’re a pretty awesome bunch. Neurotic for sure but fun

4. ‘Professionals’ are still human. You can break that glass ceiling! No one knows everything and we’re all forever learning and trying to better ourselves

5. Don’t compare yourself to others. I don’t even look at class averages anymore, it’s a lot more peaceful that way. I just keep trying my best

6. Nasty people are normally unhappy people. Do happy people belittle other people? No, because they’re happy people, they get their kicks doing other things

7. There is more than one way to do a thing. More than one way of getting into vet school, getting through vet school and progressing your career, heck even putting a bloody catheter in

8. There is such a thing as studying too much. You get burnt out...and end up crying in the middle of your exam as everything you thought you remembered seems to leak out of your ears

9. Work life balance is important! Note lesson 8

10. It helps having a good support network. It could be friends, family, whatever!

11. When it’s time, it’s time. This is applicable in many scenarios. Even though I am sure many in my cohort don’t feel ready to graduate, we are all tired of being students and it’s time to take that next step...mmm maybe leap haha

[ausvetstudent]

There goes my opportunity to study veterinary science at my local university (where it would only take me approximately 1 hr on public transport to get to) without having to move houses 4 hours away or to move interstate to a uni which recognises tafe qualifications (cert 4 vet nursing) as part of an application :/ (end)

Yea, universities can be frustrating with their box ticking. If you didn’t want to move you could do the first year of a bachelors and then transfer (chat to the uni peeps about this though, they might be able to recommend a course and give you an indication in terms of averages you need). A year in the scheme of things isn’t that long and you’re still learning things.  

[ausvetstudent]

I'm an american student and i'm about to finish undergrad with a major of animal science. i was thinking about going to australia for vet school, how different is it?

Oooo I can’t give real details about this but with chatting with my American friends they did find it a bit of a shock with some of the differences. I think even the differences between universities in the same country can be a bit unsettling at times. You won’t be the only one though if you decide to do it, so you’ll be able to build up a nice support network.Good luck with everything!

[ausvetstudent]

I have an interview on Monday morning for a Vet school and I'm so nervous... 😶

No idea when you sent this and if this has happened yet but I hope it went well/good luck :D

[ausvetstudent]

Hi, I'm starting vet school soon and i want to become a specialist in small animal surgery. I was browsing the residencies/internships available in Australia, but it seems that there're barely any, and super competitive. Is there something I should do during vet school that'll increase my competitiveness? Thanks

My advice would be to focus on just getting through vet school first. What you like now COULD change. Yea, they’re competitive in terms of marks I guess but like with many things in the big wide world, it’s who you know. Just try your best and what will happen will happen.

[ausvetstudent]

How's the dating scene in vet school?

80% female, 20% male so if you’re into girls the odds are great

[ausvetstudent]

Rotation #3: Small Animal Surgery

It was a quiet week for surgeries when I was at the hospital. It was great when I was able to get my hands dirty (with sterile gloves on of course). One of the surgeons really let me have a good crack at a dog castration, which, at the end of the day desexing is what I want to get comfortable with, I won’t be doing any TPLOs any time soon.

The only real downside for this rotation was that the main ward nurse was not very nice. I’m under the impression that she’s probably going through some personal stuff...I think she needs to go on a holiday somewhere nice and warm with pretty cocktails.

[ausvetstudent]

For the first time during my 4 years of vet school I finally got validation that I could maybe, somehow, if the planets align, do this.