Expanding my experience, growing my confidence

Posted February 18, 2021

Four weeks of learning here at my externship have flown by! I have seen so many cases, learned so many technical skills, experienced the victories and losses within veterinary medicine, and perhaps most importantly, have felt my confidence grow.

I remember my first day. I was so nervous and felt like I could not do anything right. Then as the days went by, I quickly learned from my mistakes, studied what I did not know, and became more confident in my knowledge. The best example...

Pearls of practicing preventative medicine

Posted February 11, 2021

As student veterinarians, we are eager, we are curious, and we are excited! We like to be a part of all the interesting cases and try to brainstorm what could possibly be wrong with that mystery patient. I have certainly been guilty of this here at my externship! But time and time again, I have been reminded of the importance of those “simple” yearly wellness appointments. I say “simple” because they usually do not come with any exciting medical history, or vague clinical signs that need to be investigated. But “simple” most definitely does NOT mean...

Connections in veterinary medicine and human medicine

Posted February 4, 2021

Being a veterinarian was my dream for as long as I can remember. When I was young, it seemed like it was the perfect career because I loved animals. As I made my way through high school and university I came to realize that it was not only my love of animals that was driving me to pursue a career as a veterinarian, but also my interest in biology and medicine, whether that be human medicine or animal medicine.

I think the similarities between the human and animal medical fields may take some people by surprise. Many human diseases can also be found in animals, and the diagnostic tests, the medications, and treatment therapies are also very similar. In today’s post...

Ready, set, externship!

Posted January 28, 2021

The day that I have been anticipating for more than a year has finally arrived. I have my white coat packed, along with my notebooks, my stethoscope, my penlight, and most definitely all my excitement and nerves! Today I start my externship! 

What exactly is an “externship”, you may be wondering? Well, let me give you a quick summary of how we get to this point in vet school first. Work endlessly in undergrad to obtain good grades and experience —> apply to vet school —> get accepted to vet school —> Phase 1: Normal Physiology —> Phase 2: Abnormal (bacteriology, parasitology, virology etc)...