Personal statements are often the most difficult part of the VMCAS process. You have to impress a lot of people in a very short piece of writing. I was lucky, because I was an English major, so I was fairly comfortable in writing my personal statements. I will post my own personal statement below, if you need an example. In addition, here are my tips for writing your perfect personal statement:
1. Start Early.
I cannot stress this enough. It is way too easy for you to focus on other areas of your application, and then before you know it, there's a week left until VMCAS closes and the panic sets in. Start your personal statements before you even put your grades in. Having at least a rough draft will help reduce the stress of the application, and being able to take a break to revise is a Godsend when you are exhausted from entering four years of coursework.
2. Revise, Revise, Revise.
Do NOT EVER submit your first draft of your statement. Read it over and over, several times a week. Ask yourself, does this flow well? Does it answer the question at hand? Does it show my capabilities in the best way possible? One technique I used when I was teaching my students about writing was to free write. In this method, you pretty much word-vomit everything you can think of onto the paper or computer, without thinking about grammar or spelling. This will help you have all of your thoughts down. Then, take a highlighter and mark the most important things that you want to mention in your statement. Finally, piece it together and you have a statement!
3. Narrow your Focus
This might be the hardest part of the entire process. There are a million things you want to tell the admissions committee, but you are limited on space, so it is crucial that you discuss only the most important things. Focus on a specific moment in your experience, or a lesson that you learned. Having one focused idea that is clearly stated and put into a well-written essay is better than listing every accomplishment you have achieved.
4. Get Feedback
Have as many people as possible read your essay. Go to your colleges' writing center, have your professors, parents, friends, siblings, mentors,EVERYONE read through your essay. Make sure that they have the objectives as well, so they will know what is expected in the personal statement. It can be embarrassing to have others read your work, but it is important to make sure that you are putting the best example of yourself forward, and who better than the people who know you best to read your work?
5. Proofread
This is pretty much a restatement of #2, but that shows how incredibly important proper revision is in the writing process. Another trick I taught my students was to read the paper aloud. This will often help you catch errors in your grammar, because your eyes will move slower as you read aloud. Go slowly and make sure you have proper spelling and grammar throughout your paper. You don't want the admissions committee to focus on your improper use of affect/effect rather than your experience saving a life.
Those are my top tips for writing the personal statement, and, as promised, here is my first rough draft of my personal statement.
Most girls find bugs disgusting and shy away from these creepy creatures. I was not that child. With the exception of June bugs, which are still my worst fear, I found insects to be fascinating. I remember when my mother would weed the flower gardens, I would lift up the large stones she had used as a border and see what gross things I could find underneath. I was never afraid to remove ticks or leeches when we went camping or swimming, and I loved to watch the worms emerge from the soil during thunderstorms. My interest in the disgusting grew as I became more interested in other animals and the creatures that could harm them. When our Labrador was diagnosed with Lyme disease, I began learning more about ticks, and consequently, the bacteria and parasites that inhabit them. I had always been intrigued with the medical field, and considered becoming a medical examiner or death investigator when I grew older. I even completed my high school health project on how a body decomposes following death. My real passion for animal parasites flourished during the summer of 2011, when I discovered a colony of feral cats living in an abandoned building in my town. I began trapping the colony residents, sterilizing and releasing the adults, and taming the kittens and adopting them out through the Animal Humane Society, where I was a volunteer. My project became known as Feral to Sterile, and I gained public support through a fundraising page. My hands-on experience with parasites began when I noticed all of the kittens had worms, and several kittens had cuterebras, botfly larva, living in their skin. Dr. Jessica Dinham, whom I was shadowing with weekly, showed me how to remove the maggots, and treat the worms with medication. In our endeavor together, we encountered maggots, roundworms, fleas, ticks, and an especially stubborn tapeworm, that took weeks to kill. During this time, I decided that I wanted to learn as much as I could about parasites, bacteria, and fungi. I took a Microbiology class, and aced it. I also enjoyed watching Monsters Inside Me, a television show about people who have battled parasitic infections. I had been working in a pharmacy for several years, and knew several anti-parasitic drugs, but never encountered patients who needed them. After being hired at Unity Hospital, I began learning more about infectious disease, and I became more interested in public health. The pharmacists I work with are wonderful with explaining various drugs and treatments, and I am allowed to have hands-on learning with identifying the drugs necessary to treat a variety of diseases, including an occasional worm. In addition, shadowing with Dr. Dinham at the veterinary clinic has been a great experience that has strengthened my clinical skills. As part of my Animal Biology course, I completed a research project outlining the trend in Lyme disease diagnoses within the patients at the veterinary clinic. This project allowed me to graph the increase in Lyme diagnosis, and develop an educational pamphlet for owners to encourage parasite prevention. Because of my experience in dealing with human patients with serious illness, I know that studying parasitology or infectious disease would be an ideal balance of working with animals, which are my passion, and people, whom I have grown to really enjoy working with during my time working in pharmacies. With a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine, in a clinic or hospital I will be able to diagnose and prescribe medications and treatments for ill animals, and work with the owners to educate and develop better prevention protocols for potential infections. As a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, my goals would either be to work in a lab or research facility, in order to develop new treatments, or to work in a specialty area of an animal hospital, or potentially with the Center for Disease Control to manage potential outbreaks of infections. It is important to recognize the overlap of infectious disease between animals and humans, and working within public health presents opportunity to improve the health of animals and humans. With my background in teaching, which I had done for two years prior to deciding to apply to vet school, I have acquired communication skills that will be vital to working with pet owners. In addition, I hope to eventually return to teaching within a veterinary program when I am older so that I may pass on my knowledge to the future of veterinary science. Furthermore, my experience in working with animals that have had parasitic infections has prepared me for the less-than-pretty side of veterinary medicine. The field of veterinary medicine requires a strong heart, an open mind, and a high degree of professionalism. All of these things I have developed under the supervision of skilled veterinarians and pharmacists, and I hope to continue to develop these skills as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.
Friday, November 20, 2015
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
Interview 101
Getting the interview invite is one of the most exciting parts of applying to vet school. Although I have only ever received one interview, I said from the beginning, "If I can make it to the interview, I can get into that school." That may sound pompous or pretentious, but I truly feel that way.
I didn't get into vet school because of my grades.
I got here because of my interview skills, which are a reflection of my personality, and my experiences with work/volunteering. The interview is your chance to showcase those things and allow the school to see who you are as a candidate. I have had several job interviews, and the one thing each interviewer has told me was that they admired my personality. It was because of my personality that I often was offered jobs that I wasn't entirely qualified for.
Case point, I was the least qualified person that applied to the hospital, but the pharmacy manager told me that I was chosen because I had such a special personality. Now, this could all be entirely false, but I like to think that I have social skills that are at a superior level, and when combined with my intellect and grasp of the English language, I can reason my way through any situation.
That being said, I have assembled some interview tips for you all to consider:
1. Be genuine.
I hate the term, "be yourself", because there are different versions of yourself. I certainly act differently at home with my family than I do when I am in a professional setting. If I were to always be myself, I would probably be visiting HR quite often. Instead, I like the term, genuine. This means you should be a reflection of the person you want to be. In the same aspect, don't try to be something you are not. If you aren't interested in research, don't claim that you want to seek an internship in public health. Interviewers are able to see when you are putting on an act, so don't try to pretend to be someone you aren't.
2. Be honest, for the most part.
There are certain areas where you should never ever lie, such as, your experiences, job history, and volunteer opportunities. BUT, that doesn't mean that you can't exaggerate your skill sets within those areas. No one is completely honest in an interview; we want to make ourselves look the best we can, especially when we are competing for a coveted spot. Therefore, be honest, but avoid mentioning any negative in your interview.
3. Do your Research.
It is important to know the company/school you are interviewing with. By having information about the school ahead of time, you can frame your answers to mention why that school is the right one for you. For example, say they want to know whether you intend to pursue small animal or large animal medicine. If you are interviewing at a school such as Iowa, you could mention that you are interested in working with pigs, especially since there is a large Swine Research Center in Ames.
4. Bouncing off #3, Ask Questions.
This will allow you to in some ways control your interview, and in the case of my interview, it almost felt as though I was asking them why I should pick their school over another. Ask what that school has to offer in comparison to other schools. Ask how the classes are framed. Ask what clubs are offered for students. Ask about housing, and study groups. Having an active interest in the school shows that you are serious about attending there, and will also help you make a decision, should you be so blessed to receive several offers.
5. Wear a SUIT.
One thing that bothered me about my interview group was that some students dressed in business casual attire. While this probably has nothing to do with their decision, wearing a suit shows that you are already acting in a professional manner. My school requires students to dress business casual, and when they see suits, they know that you are interviewing for something. A suit is an example of your professionalism.
Men, have your suit tailored to fit you well, and you will be able to use that for many years. Shine your shoes, and invest in a nice tie clip and cuff links. Dressing well will help you feel confident.
Ladies, knee length skirts, but nothing short. No low-cut tops under your jackets, and make sure the jacket fits you well. Tailoring can make a pencil skirt look amazing on anyone. Also, wear appropriate shoes. No stilettos or open-toed sandals. Make sure you can walk in them for two reasons: 1) They may take you on a walking tour of the campus and you will be on your feet for awhile and 2) No one wants to see you teetering around like a newborn calf (or a freshman girl on frat row). Keep your hair well groomed, and neutral makeup. Minimal jewelry and accessories as well. A few classic pieces will be fine.
Those are my top tips for doing well in the vet school interviews. Most of all, have fun and make friends!
I didn't get into vet school because of my grades.
I got here because of my interview skills, which are a reflection of my personality, and my experiences with work/volunteering. The interview is your chance to showcase those things and allow the school to see who you are as a candidate. I have had several job interviews, and the one thing each interviewer has told me was that they admired my personality. It was because of my personality that I often was offered jobs that I wasn't entirely qualified for.
Case point, I was the least qualified person that applied to the hospital, but the pharmacy manager told me that I was chosen because I had such a special personality. Now, this could all be entirely false, but I like to think that I have social skills that are at a superior level, and when combined with my intellect and grasp of the English language, I can reason my way through any situation.
That being said, I have assembled some interview tips for you all to consider:
1. Be genuine.
I hate the term, "be yourself", because there are different versions of yourself. I certainly act differently at home with my family than I do when I am in a professional setting. If I were to always be myself, I would probably be visiting HR quite often. Instead, I like the term, genuine. This means you should be a reflection of the person you want to be. In the same aspect, don't try to be something you are not. If you aren't interested in research, don't claim that you want to seek an internship in public health. Interviewers are able to see when you are putting on an act, so don't try to pretend to be someone you aren't.
2. Be honest, for the most part.
There are certain areas where you should never ever lie, such as, your experiences, job history, and volunteer opportunities. BUT, that doesn't mean that you can't exaggerate your skill sets within those areas. No one is completely honest in an interview; we want to make ourselves look the best we can, especially when we are competing for a coveted spot. Therefore, be honest, but avoid mentioning any negative in your interview.
3. Do your Research.
It is important to know the company/school you are interviewing with. By having information about the school ahead of time, you can frame your answers to mention why that school is the right one for you. For example, say they want to know whether you intend to pursue small animal or large animal medicine. If you are interviewing at a school such as Iowa, you could mention that you are interested in working with pigs, especially since there is a large Swine Research Center in Ames.
4. Bouncing off #3, Ask Questions.
This will allow you to in some ways control your interview, and in the case of my interview, it almost felt as though I was asking them why I should pick their school over another. Ask what that school has to offer in comparison to other schools. Ask how the classes are framed. Ask what clubs are offered for students. Ask about housing, and study groups. Having an active interest in the school shows that you are serious about attending there, and will also help you make a decision, should you be so blessed to receive several offers.
5. Wear a SUIT.
One thing that bothered me about my interview group was that some students dressed in business casual attire. While this probably has nothing to do with their decision, wearing a suit shows that you are already acting in a professional manner. My school requires students to dress business casual, and when they see suits, they know that you are interviewing for something. A suit is an example of your professionalism.
Men, have your suit tailored to fit you well, and you will be able to use that for many years. Shine your shoes, and invest in a nice tie clip and cuff links. Dressing well will help you feel confident.
Ladies, knee length skirts, but nothing short. No low-cut tops under your jackets, and make sure the jacket fits you well. Tailoring can make a pencil skirt look amazing on anyone. Also, wear appropriate shoes. No stilettos or open-toed sandals. Make sure you can walk in them for two reasons: 1) They may take you on a walking tour of the campus and you will be on your feet for awhile and 2) No one wants to see you teetering around like a newborn calf (or a freshman girl on frat row). Keep your hair well groomed, and neutral makeup. Minimal jewelry and accessories as well. A few classic pieces will be fine.
Those are my top tips for doing well in the vet school interviews. Most of all, have fun and make friends!
Monday, November 16, 2015
Vet School Essentials: First Year
Vet school is tough, you will hear that frequently from the moment you decide you are going to apply, until well after you've been accepted and enrolled in your classes. It can be hard to pack up your entire life and move into a professional career, especially if you are just coming out of undergrad. What is professional school like? Do you really need textbooks? What about a calculator? Notebooks? It can be confusing, and fortunately, many schools have forums and Facebook groups for incoming students to join and they can have all these questions answered. But if you're not into social media, fear not. I'll tell you what I think are the essentials for your first year in vet school.
iPad: or some sort of tablet or laptop. This will be a life saver in lecture, as well as outside of lecture. You can download all the power points into a note-taking app such as One Note or Notability (I prefer Notability), and then highlight, add notes, or customize the presentations for your studying. Many students take notes directly on their electronic device. I am old school, and still hand write my notes, but I always have my iPad open with the lecture slides pulled up in case I miss something, because professors sometimes speak FAST.
Notebooks: For those of you who are like me, and learn best by hand writing your notes, notebooks are crucial. Now, any cheap notebook will suffice, so don't worry about getting the fancy five-subject notebooks, because chances are, you are going to have a LOT of notes. I actually went through an entire three subject notebook for one class in one quarter because I took so many notes, and often re-wrote my notes to help me remember. Because I used so much paper, the cheap notebooks were a better investment for second quarter.
Writing Supplies: Pencils are great, but they tend to smear, so I write my notes in pen. Actually several pens. I like to color code notes, and often will go over my notes when I study by underlining or boxing concepts and key ideas to remember. Highlighters are also excellent tools for color coding your notes, and highlighting texts. However, keep some #2 pencils on hand for those pesky scantrons!
Whiteboard: Whiteboards are great for quizzing your friends, and testing yourself with drawing out pathways for biochemistry, or blood vessels and nerves for anatomy. I use a small one during study group, but having a large one at home is great if you want to draw out larger maps or pathways. Have a collection of different colored dry erase markers to make your maps easy to navigate.
Textbooks: Okay, confession: I never bought the textbooks for classes. For the most part, the exam information was presented in class. However, the textbooks are a great source if you don't understand a concept and are looking for clarification , or if you are looking for additional information on a subject. So if you feel like you might even consider using the textbook, go for it and buy them. And buy them on Amazon, because they are cheaper!
Backpack: While backpacks don't necessarily look the most professional, they are the most practical for students who have large, heavy textbooks to carry, ie: vet students. Do yourself, and your back, a favor and use one with two straps rather than a messenger bag or tote. Your shoulders will thank you!
Planner: I don't care if you are the most organized person on Earth, having a planner will SAVE your life in vet school. Unlike undergrad, your classes rarely meet at the same time every week, and for many schools, some classes last only a few weeks and begin in the middle of the term. Being able to know when and where you need to be is always a good way to succeed in vet school. You can use an electronic device (I use iCal), or an old fashioned book-style planner. I keep my class schedule in the iCal, but use my other planner for everything else. I make my to-do lists daily, and keep track of all my exams, simulations, and volunteer events that way.
Printer: I really think this is a good investment for students. Sure you can print at the library, but having a printer at home comes in really handy for printing last minute things, especially if you are a night owl like myself. Having one with a scanner might come in handy as well, because you can scan notes into the computer and add them to Notability or OneNote.
Good Snacks: Okay, this is a little random, but I am a big snacker. I like to eat something every couple of hours. Not only does this help you stay awake in class, it keeps your blood sugar from dropping, and keeps your mind focused on lecture rather than lunch. I think whatever you like to eat is considered a good snack, as long as it isn't messy, have loud wrappers, or capable of stinking up a lecture hall. My favorite snacks for class are trail mixes, protein bars, and fruit or vegetables.
Good Bedding: I'm a huge advocate of the nap, and thanks to polyphasic sleep cycles, I take a lot of naps. Sleep is especially important in vet school, because it helps you maintain your mental health as well as your physical health. I refuse to sacrifice sleep unless I absolutely have to, and I make it a priority to ensure that I am well rested. The key to good sleep, in my book, is having good bedding. That means investing in a high quality mattress, and having sheets with a thread count of at least 400 (the higher the better). Also, have supportive pillows so you don't wake up with a headache or stiff neck. In addition, black out curtains have been an amazing investment, especially in sunny Arizona!
Scrubs: Chances are, you will probably have an anatomy lab. Scrubs are great for anatomy lab because they are comfortable, relatively inexpensive, and easy to clean. Your school may have a preference on color, but most are usually open in regard to brand. My favorite brands are Butter Soft and Urbane. I think the quality is excellent, but they are also really soft. Also, take the time to invest in some comfortable shoes. As ugly as they are, Danskos have saved my life when it comes to standing for long periods of time, plus they are easy to clean. And let's face it-anatomy lab is gross, and stuff is gonna get on your shoes.
Stethoscope: This is a necessary tool for all veterinarians to have, so invest in one early on so you can become comfortable with using one. I have the Littman Cardiology III, and it is awesome.
Penlight: You will need this for physical exams, and they are cheap, so pick one up early so you don't forget.
Watch: NOT Digital. I made that mistake, and it is incredibly hard to count six seconds if your using a digital watch. But it works nonetheless, it just takes me a little longer to calculate heart rates.
Those are the most crucial supplies I think first year vet students should have. What school supplies can't you live without?
iPad: or some sort of tablet or laptop. This will be a life saver in lecture, as well as outside of lecture. You can download all the power points into a note-taking app such as One Note or Notability (I prefer Notability), and then highlight, add notes, or customize the presentations for your studying. Many students take notes directly on their electronic device. I am old school, and still hand write my notes, but I always have my iPad open with the lecture slides pulled up in case I miss something, because professors sometimes speak FAST.
Notebooks: For those of you who are like me, and learn best by hand writing your notes, notebooks are crucial. Now, any cheap notebook will suffice, so don't worry about getting the fancy five-subject notebooks, because chances are, you are going to have a LOT of notes. I actually went through an entire three subject notebook for one class in one quarter because I took so many notes, and often re-wrote my notes to help me remember. Because I used so much paper, the cheap notebooks were a better investment for second quarter.
Writing Supplies: Pencils are great, but they tend to smear, so I write my notes in pen. Actually several pens. I like to color code notes, and often will go over my notes when I study by underlining or boxing concepts and key ideas to remember. Highlighters are also excellent tools for color coding your notes, and highlighting texts. However, keep some #2 pencils on hand for those pesky scantrons!
Whiteboard: Whiteboards are great for quizzing your friends, and testing yourself with drawing out pathways for biochemistry, or blood vessels and nerves for anatomy. I use a small one during study group, but having a large one at home is great if you want to draw out larger maps or pathways. Have a collection of different colored dry erase markers to make your maps easy to navigate.
Textbooks: Okay, confession: I never bought the textbooks for classes. For the most part, the exam information was presented in class. However, the textbooks are a great source if you don't understand a concept and are looking for clarification , or if you are looking for additional information on a subject. So if you feel like you might even consider using the textbook, go for it and buy them. And buy them on Amazon, because they are cheaper!
Backpack: While backpacks don't necessarily look the most professional, they are the most practical for students who have large, heavy textbooks to carry, ie: vet students. Do yourself, and your back, a favor and use one with two straps rather than a messenger bag or tote. Your shoulders will thank you!
Planner: I don't care if you are the most organized person on Earth, having a planner will SAVE your life in vet school. Unlike undergrad, your classes rarely meet at the same time every week, and for many schools, some classes last only a few weeks and begin in the middle of the term. Being able to know when and where you need to be is always a good way to succeed in vet school. You can use an electronic device (I use iCal), or an old fashioned book-style planner. I keep my class schedule in the iCal, but use my other planner for everything else. I make my to-do lists daily, and keep track of all my exams, simulations, and volunteer events that way.
Printer: I really think this is a good investment for students. Sure you can print at the library, but having a printer at home comes in really handy for printing last minute things, especially if you are a night owl like myself. Having one with a scanner might come in handy as well, because you can scan notes into the computer and add them to Notability or OneNote.
Good Snacks: Okay, this is a little random, but I am a big snacker. I like to eat something every couple of hours. Not only does this help you stay awake in class, it keeps your blood sugar from dropping, and keeps your mind focused on lecture rather than lunch. I think whatever you like to eat is considered a good snack, as long as it isn't messy, have loud wrappers, or capable of stinking up a lecture hall. My favorite snacks for class are trail mixes, protein bars, and fruit or vegetables.
Good Bedding: I'm a huge advocate of the nap, and thanks to polyphasic sleep cycles, I take a lot of naps. Sleep is especially important in vet school, because it helps you maintain your mental health as well as your physical health. I refuse to sacrifice sleep unless I absolutely have to, and I make it a priority to ensure that I am well rested. The key to good sleep, in my book, is having good bedding. That means investing in a high quality mattress, and having sheets with a thread count of at least 400 (the higher the better). Also, have supportive pillows so you don't wake up with a headache or stiff neck. In addition, black out curtains have been an amazing investment, especially in sunny Arizona!
Scrubs: Chances are, you will probably have an anatomy lab. Scrubs are great for anatomy lab because they are comfortable, relatively inexpensive, and easy to clean. Your school may have a preference on color, but most are usually open in regard to brand. My favorite brands are Butter Soft and Urbane. I think the quality is excellent, but they are also really soft. Also, take the time to invest in some comfortable shoes. As ugly as they are, Danskos have saved my life when it comes to standing for long periods of time, plus they are easy to clean. And let's face it-anatomy lab is gross, and stuff is gonna get on your shoes.
Stethoscope: This is a necessary tool for all veterinarians to have, so invest in one early on so you can become comfortable with using one. I have the Littman Cardiology III, and it is awesome.
Penlight: You will need this for physical exams, and they are cheap, so pick one up early so you don't forget.
Watch: NOT Digital. I made that mistake, and it is incredibly hard to count six seconds if your using a digital watch. But it works nonetheless, it just takes me a little longer to calculate heart rates.
Those are the most crucial supplies I think first year vet students should have. What school supplies can't you live without?
Friday, November 13, 2015
Life Update
Okay, so I am sure many of you are wondering why I can't manage to keep up with this blog. I promise I am going to be better and stop neglecting you! But a lot has happened in the last three months, and I needed to focus my energy in other areas. But I'm back, and ready to roll with a whole new set of posts.
First off, I'm MOVING.
I know, I just moved to Arizona three months ago, so why am I moving already? Well, my advice to you all is to always look at the apartment or house you intend to rent. Get a feel for who the neighbors are, and take the time to ask current residents what they think of the complex. I did none of those things, and I really made a mistake in choosing my apartment for vet school.
My upstairs neighbor has been a nightmare from day 1. He seemed decent at first, but I noticed that my two dogs were extremely uneasy around him, and I started coming home at random times to check on them. Several times I observed my neighbor standing in front of my windows waving his arms and yelling at the dogs to make them bark. Once they were barking, he would tap on the window and curse at them for barking.
One time, I was home and caught him peering through the window looking for the dogs. I tried to brush off these incidents, but after catching him cursing at the dogs and peering into my home, I had to complain to the complex. They issued a cease and desist, but he seemed to only become upset that I had complained and proceeded to yell at the dogs every time he passed the window.
When another neighbor, an elderly man, confronted him for driving erratically around the parking lot, he lashed out and threatened physical harm to the old man. It was at that point I decided that I needed to move. The complex refused to waive the lease break fees, despite this being an issue of my safety. I spoke to the local police and notified them of the situation as well, so they could be aware of any incidents that may occur.
This whole experience caused a lot of stress and affected my ability to study. Instead of being able to enjoy my apartment, I live with cardboard over the windows, and spend most of the time in the bedroom. The neighbor has only gotten more violent and tried to annoy me further by stomping around his apartment, moving furniture, and making noise at all hours of the night. Because I could no longer focus on school and I constantly feared that he would hurt my dogs or myself, I chose to break the lease. I will be moving on the 24th to a complex right next to school, and will actually be living right by my friend Kelly.
Although this is an expensive decision, I feel that my safety and my dogs' safety is most important, and I no longer feel safe here. Because I am currently living off loans, I can no longer afford to go home for the holidays, which breaks my heart, but my family kindly understands why I had to make this decision. They started a fundraising page for me to help me pay off the rental complex.
If you would like to help, please consider donating or sharing this page with your friends and family. I would appreciate any little bit of help, especially if it meant that I could go back to Minnesota for Christmas.
To view the fundraising page click here.
Secondly, one of my dogs became deathly ill at the beginning of October. One afternoon, she began vomiting. Now, Georgia is a pig when she eats, so vomiting is nothing out of the ordinary for her. However, she continued to vomit every half hour for about four hours (on my couch, of course. Still working on getting the smell out). Then, she began urinating frequently, very large piles of clear urine. I called the Companion Animal Clinic at Midwestern, where I go to school, and after speaking to the veterinarians on staff, they told me to bring her in right away because her symptoms were so serious.
When I put her on the scale, I saw she was down to 12lbs. When we moved, she weighed 17lbs, meaning she had lost 5lbs in only two months. This was concerning, especially when we observed how dehydrated she was. The tech, Sean, (who was AMAZING, by the way) immediately took her back and got her on subcutaneous fluids and took blood and urine. The vet examined her and chose to put her on amoxicillin to begin dealing with any infection that may be present, and also gave us some cerenia, which was to help with her nausea. We also got some canned food to stimulate her appetite and help her start eating.
The next 24 hours were horrible. She continued to urinate every few minutes, and couldn't get comfortable. Finally, Dr. Bennett called with the blood and urine results. She diagnosed Georgia with pyelonephritis, which is an infection of the kidneys. They found both E.Coli and Klebsiella bacteria in her urine in amounts over 100,000 per ml, which is indicative of a very serious infection. She also had proteins in her urine, meaning her kidneys were really not working as they ought to be. We switched her to Baytril, which would battle both bacteria, especially the Klebsiella, which is known to be a resistant bacteria to many antibiotics.
The vet put her on a month of medications and wanted to see her in a month to recheck her blood and urine. I made her appointment for November 9th. She seemed to get a lot better, but her appetite still wasn't that great, and she seemed almost depressed during this time.
On the evening of the 7th, Georgia could not settle down and get comfortable, and that continued into the night of the 8th. She began pacing and wandering around the bedroom every five minutes, and at one point seemed to be weaving her head and stumbling. She fell about four times before I made her sit next to me and I held her while she slept for about an hour and a half before she began pacing again. Needless to say, neither of us got any sleep. When I brought her to the vet the next morning, she was down to 9lbs. To go from 17lbs to 9lbs in three months is bad, but to go from 12lbs to 9lbs in four weeks is horrible. Her muscles had begun wasting, and she was exhausted.
However, her bloodwork and urine cultures all came back normal, so she was on the mend. She will be on a kidney health diet from now on, which is a prescription diet. We are hoping that she will gain about 3-5lbs back and she seems to be eating the new diet well, especially the canned food.
These two issues caused a lot of stress and anxiety for me during the past quarter of school. I am hoping that next quarter will be much less stressful, and that I can finally be happy and maybe begin to enjoy Arizona a little.
Another issue that has caused me stress has been my parents divorce. I debated a lot whether I wanted to bring this to public and discuss it, but I figured maybe someone else is going through this, and I want them to know that they are not alone.
Although I am an adult, this was one of the hardest things I have ever dealt with. My parents never got along when I was a kid, and I remember praying they would get a divorce many times. Unfortunately, timing was not on my side, and they finally decided that a divorce would be a good idea, right when I got accepted to vet school.
I was angry about that for a long time, and I guess I am still angry, and I will be in therapy for awhile to handle my emotions with this. I couldn't understand why this had to happen right when I was getting ready to pack up and leave my home. I felt like they were breaking up the only home I had ever known. I will admit, it made it a lot easier to leave because I just wanted to be away from the bitterness and constant fights.
My final months in Minnesota were the hardest times I have ever gone through. The fighting was vicious, and loud, and I cried more in those months than I have my entire life. I cried most of the trip down here, even. Anyway, I was angry and felt that I could not enjoy what little time I had left in Minnesota. With my mom buying a new house, and packing up the entire house, I felt pushed aside. I felt like she was taking this moment of joy away from me.
I held a lot of things in during the past few years, and I'm only starting to deal with my thoughts now that I am on my own. I feel strange because I want to go home, but there isn't a home to go to. My room is empty-I took everything with me. My dad lives in a relatively empty house. It's weird. Another thing that makes me anxious about going home is figuring out how to deal with my parents. I love both of my parents. I'm closer to my dad, but I still want to be supportive of my mom too. I don't know how to balance my time between my parents. I don't know where I will sleep when I return to Minnesota.
It is hard when parents run each other down in front of their children. I found a newspaper article that really summed it up nicely, I'll post it:
First off, I'm MOVING.
I know, I just moved to Arizona three months ago, so why am I moving already? Well, my advice to you all is to always look at the apartment or house you intend to rent. Get a feel for who the neighbors are, and take the time to ask current residents what they think of the complex. I did none of those things, and I really made a mistake in choosing my apartment for vet school.
My upstairs neighbor has been a nightmare from day 1. He seemed decent at first, but I noticed that my two dogs were extremely uneasy around him, and I started coming home at random times to check on them. Several times I observed my neighbor standing in front of my windows waving his arms and yelling at the dogs to make them bark. Once they were barking, he would tap on the window and curse at them for barking.
One time, I was home and caught him peering through the window looking for the dogs. I tried to brush off these incidents, but after catching him cursing at the dogs and peering into my home, I had to complain to the complex. They issued a cease and desist, but he seemed to only become upset that I had complained and proceeded to yell at the dogs every time he passed the window.
When another neighbor, an elderly man, confronted him for driving erratically around the parking lot, he lashed out and threatened physical harm to the old man. It was at that point I decided that I needed to move. The complex refused to waive the lease break fees, despite this being an issue of my safety. I spoke to the local police and notified them of the situation as well, so they could be aware of any incidents that may occur.
This whole experience caused a lot of stress and affected my ability to study. Instead of being able to enjoy my apartment, I live with cardboard over the windows, and spend most of the time in the bedroom. The neighbor has only gotten more violent and tried to annoy me further by stomping around his apartment, moving furniture, and making noise at all hours of the night. Because I could no longer focus on school and I constantly feared that he would hurt my dogs or myself, I chose to break the lease. I will be moving on the 24th to a complex right next to school, and will actually be living right by my friend Kelly.
Although this is an expensive decision, I feel that my safety and my dogs' safety is most important, and I no longer feel safe here. Because I am currently living off loans, I can no longer afford to go home for the holidays, which breaks my heart, but my family kindly understands why I had to make this decision. They started a fundraising page for me to help me pay off the rental complex.
If you would like to help, please consider donating or sharing this page with your friends and family. I would appreciate any little bit of help, especially if it meant that I could go back to Minnesota for Christmas.
To view the fundraising page click here.
Secondly, one of my dogs became deathly ill at the beginning of October. One afternoon, she began vomiting. Now, Georgia is a pig when she eats, so vomiting is nothing out of the ordinary for her. However, she continued to vomit every half hour for about four hours (on my couch, of course. Still working on getting the smell out). Then, she began urinating frequently, very large piles of clear urine. I called the Companion Animal Clinic at Midwestern, where I go to school, and after speaking to the veterinarians on staff, they told me to bring her in right away because her symptoms were so serious.
When I put her on the scale, I saw she was down to 12lbs. When we moved, she weighed 17lbs, meaning she had lost 5lbs in only two months. This was concerning, especially when we observed how dehydrated she was. The tech, Sean, (who was AMAZING, by the way) immediately took her back and got her on subcutaneous fluids and took blood and urine. The vet examined her and chose to put her on amoxicillin to begin dealing with any infection that may be present, and also gave us some cerenia, which was to help with her nausea. We also got some canned food to stimulate her appetite and help her start eating.
The next 24 hours were horrible. She continued to urinate every few minutes, and couldn't get comfortable. Finally, Dr. Bennett called with the blood and urine results. She diagnosed Georgia with pyelonephritis, which is an infection of the kidneys. They found both E.Coli and Klebsiella bacteria in her urine in amounts over 100,000 per ml, which is indicative of a very serious infection. She also had proteins in her urine, meaning her kidneys were really not working as they ought to be. We switched her to Baytril, which would battle both bacteria, especially the Klebsiella, which is known to be a resistant bacteria to many antibiotics.
The vet put her on a month of medications and wanted to see her in a month to recheck her blood and urine. I made her appointment for November 9th. She seemed to get a lot better, but her appetite still wasn't that great, and she seemed almost depressed during this time.
On the evening of the 7th, Georgia could not settle down and get comfortable, and that continued into the night of the 8th. She began pacing and wandering around the bedroom every five minutes, and at one point seemed to be weaving her head and stumbling. She fell about four times before I made her sit next to me and I held her while she slept for about an hour and a half before she began pacing again. Needless to say, neither of us got any sleep. When I brought her to the vet the next morning, she was down to 9lbs. To go from 17lbs to 9lbs in three months is bad, but to go from 12lbs to 9lbs in four weeks is horrible. Her muscles had begun wasting, and she was exhausted.
However, her bloodwork and urine cultures all came back normal, so she was on the mend. She will be on a kidney health diet from now on, which is a prescription diet. We are hoping that she will gain about 3-5lbs back and she seems to be eating the new diet well, especially the canned food.
 |
| Waiting for the doctor |
 |
| Her hump of fluids. She jiggled when she walked! But she felt a lot better after she got re-hydrated |
 |
| She finally started snuggling with me, so I knew she was starting to feel better! |
 |
| Lots of rest, food, and television. She watched a lot of COPS and Law and Order SVU |
 |
| Hopefully we won't have to see one of these for awhile now! |
These two issues caused a lot of stress and anxiety for me during the past quarter of school. I am hoping that next quarter will be much less stressful, and that I can finally be happy and maybe begin to enjoy Arizona a little.
Another issue that has caused me stress has been my parents divorce. I debated a lot whether I wanted to bring this to public and discuss it, but I figured maybe someone else is going through this, and I want them to know that they are not alone.
Although I am an adult, this was one of the hardest things I have ever dealt with. My parents never got along when I was a kid, and I remember praying they would get a divorce many times. Unfortunately, timing was not on my side, and they finally decided that a divorce would be a good idea, right when I got accepted to vet school.
I was angry about that for a long time, and I guess I am still angry, and I will be in therapy for awhile to handle my emotions with this. I couldn't understand why this had to happen right when I was getting ready to pack up and leave my home. I felt like they were breaking up the only home I had ever known. I will admit, it made it a lot easier to leave because I just wanted to be away from the bitterness and constant fights.
My final months in Minnesota were the hardest times I have ever gone through. The fighting was vicious, and loud, and I cried more in those months than I have my entire life. I cried most of the trip down here, even. Anyway, I was angry and felt that I could not enjoy what little time I had left in Minnesota. With my mom buying a new house, and packing up the entire house, I felt pushed aside. I felt like she was taking this moment of joy away from me.
I held a lot of things in during the past few years, and I'm only starting to deal with my thoughts now that I am on my own. I feel strange because I want to go home, but there isn't a home to go to. My room is empty-I took everything with me. My dad lives in a relatively empty house. It's weird. Another thing that makes me anxious about going home is figuring out how to deal with my parents. I love both of my parents. I'm closer to my dad, but I still want to be supportive of my mom too. I don't know how to balance my time between my parents. I don't know where I will sleep when I return to Minnesota.
It is hard when parents run each other down in front of their children. I found a newspaper article that really summed it up nicely, I'll post it:
I found those a long time ago, and kept them to remind me that this is a common thing. There are millions of other kids that go through this too. So if your parents are fighting or divorcing, it will be okay. Please don't feel alone. And most of all, don't hold the hurt inside. Talk to someone. So many of my friends have let me vent to them and cry to them, and I honestly don't know how I would have made it though without them there to hold me up.
And parents, if you are in a relationship, marriage, situation in which you find yourself hating the parent of your child, please remember these things. When you put down your child's father or mother, you are insulting that child. Half of that person is in your child. Don't make your child feel like they are bad too. It's damaging. If you are hurting, go seek help from a therapist. But lashing out against your co-parent in front of your child is not acceptable. Your child shouldn't have to feel forced into the middle. Don't put them there.
Anyway, that was what was going on with my life the past few months. I hope you forgive me for my lack of posts, but I am back and ready to roll!
Wednesday, November 11, 2015
First Finals
Well, I survived the first quarter of vet school. I'm officially 1/12th of a DVM! My first quarter was tougher than I expected, I'm not going to lie. A lot of unnecessary stress came from my living situation (which I will explain in a separate post), as well as stress with my family in Minnesota. I am relieved to be finished with the first quarter and am looking forward to a fresh start.
That is one thing I always loved about school, new semesters brought the opportunity to start over and correct the mistakes you made in the past. Plus, new school supplies! (does anyone else love school supplies as much as I do?) As part of the new quarter, I am setting some goals for myself to help me do better:
1. Write Notes in Class.
Before, I mainly just typed notes on my iPad with the Notability app. It is a great way to take notes, but I am the type of person that really retains information better when I write it out by hand. That being said, I also want to make the effort to not write every detail of what is on the power point, but rather use the lecture time to focus and take notes on what the professor is actually saying.
2. Preview the Lectures Before Class
Bouncing off Goal 1, I want to try to write out some notes from the power points before class, then add to them in class. That way, I am more familiar with the information, and I can better understand it and ask questions in class if I have any.
3. Study in Groups
I had previously been studying with an awesome group of girls, but I wasn't performing as well on exams as I wanted to, and I think a lot of the reason was that my study methods were not efficient. I was relying on writing things several times and repeating the information, and listening to others repeat the information. However, I was never prepared for the exam questions. During finals, I met up with a different group that had prepared note cards with questions and we asked the questions back and forth, and that really improved my grades on the finals. That being said, I think it is important to mention that everyone studies in a different way, and that you should never feel pressured to study with a group just because they are your friends if their method doesn't work for you. I was so worried that I would offend my friends by not studying with them, but in the end, they were supportive and really understood that I needed to study in a different way from them. We are still close friends and I am looking forward to hanging out with them outside of studying.
4. Make Notecards
Again, bouncing off my previous goal, making notecards is a form of active learning that has always helped me, but I was making them in the wrong way. For instance, I was writing things down, but not phrasing them as questions. Thinking of questions helps you anticipate what the exam will be like, and I think that can minimize a lot of anxiety that is associated with the exams.
5. Stay Ahead
The biggest issue I had this past quarter was that I didn't listen to the Dean when he said, do NOT get behind in your classes. The way our schedule was set up, we had one exam per week, usually on a Monday, so the entire week I studied only for that class. Sure, I was prepared for that class, but I got waaaaay behind in my other courses so when it came time to study for those exams, I had to go back and pretty much re-learn the material. Advice: LISTEN TO YOUR DEAN. They have been where you are, and they know what they are talking about. Plus, they want you to succeed and they want to help you as much as possible. My goal going forward is to really focus on looking at that days lectures and making my notecards, and then looking at the next days lecture to prepare. This may be a little more time consuming, but it will help prepare for the exam while not neglecting the other courses.
Vet school is hard, they weren't lying. But it can be fun, too. With a little preparation, finals don't have to be scary.
How did your first semesters or quarters go?
That is one thing I always loved about school, new semesters brought the opportunity to start over and correct the mistakes you made in the past. Plus, new school supplies! (does anyone else love school supplies as much as I do?) As part of the new quarter, I am setting some goals for myself to help me do better:
1. Write Notes in Class.
Before, I mainly just typed notes on my iPad with the Notability app. It is a great way to take notes, but I am the type of person that really retains information better when I write it out by hand. That being said, I also want to make the effort to not write every detail of what is on the power point, but rather use the lecture time to focus and take notes on what the professor is actually saying.
2. Preview the Lectures Before Class
Bouncing off Goal 1, I want to try to write out some notes from the power points before class, then add to them in class. That way, I am more familiar with the information, and I can better understand it and ask questions in class if I have any.
3. Study in Groups
I had previously been studying with an awesome group of girls, but I wasn't performing as well on exams as I wanted to, and I think a lot of the reason was that my study methods were not efficient. I was relying on writing things several times and repeating the information, and listening to others repeat the information. However, I was never prepared for the exam questions. During finals, I met up with a different group that had prepared note cards with questions and we asked the questions back and forth, and that really improved my grades on the finals. That being said, I think it is important to mention that everyone studies in a different way, and that you should never feel pressured to study with a group just because they are your friends if their method doesn't work for you. I was so worried that I would offend my friends by not studying with them, but in the end, they were supportive and really understood that I needed to study in a different way from them. We are still close friends and I am looking forward to hanging out with them outside of studying.
4. Make Notecards
Again, bouncing off my previous goal, making notecards is a form of active learning that has always helped me, but I was making them in the wrong way. For instance, I was writing things down, but not phrasing them as questions. Thinking of questions helps you anticipate what the exam will be like, and I think that can minimize a lot of anxiety that is associated with the exams.
5. Stay Ahead
The biggest issue I had this past quarter was that I didn't listen to the Dean when he said, do NOT get behind in your classes. The way our schedule was set up, we had one exam per week, usually on a Monday, so the entire week I studied only for that class. Sure, I was prepared for that class, but I got waaaaay behind in my other courses so when it came time to study for those exams, I had to go back and pretty much re-learn the material. Advice: LISTEN TO YOUR DEAN. They have been where you are, and they know what they are talking about. Plus, they want you to succeed and they want to help you as much as possible. My goal going forward is to really focus on looking at that days lectures and making my notecards, and then looking at the next days lecture to prepare. This may be a little more time consuming, but it will help prepare for the exam while not neglecting the other courses.
Vet school is hard, they weren't lying. But it can be fun, too. With a little preparation, finals don't have to be scary.
How did your first semesters or quarters go?
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