4 Weeks done...11 more to go

20 days since the last blog ...I am getting better at updating this thing!!

We just finished our 4^th week of 6^th semester and I am already exhausted!! If I am this tired in 6^th, I can only image how 7^th semester and clinics will be!!

Due to all the rain in the first week, we had to finish up kickball and football this week in the 2^nd week as well as Mr. Ross round 2. Pink ended up winning kickball and coming in 2^nd overall.  Mr. Ross was a lot of fun and not 1 drop of rain.  We didn’t place but as always it was a very fun event.

Working Mr. Ross...Loved all the pink bow-ties

 Now that all the “fun and games” are done it was time to get back into study mode and tackling the semester. The main thing that makes people dread 6^th semester is “Blocks.”  Instead of having each test separate, on a different day/week, for each of your classes, in 6^th all 3 classes have their test on the same day in the same hour and half time.  It is 20 questions per subject and you can go in whatever order you want.  Lets just say after my first experience I am NOT a fan of studying or taking them. There are just a lot of little nitty gritty details to memorize for each class (Small animal medicine, large animal medicine, and Small animal surgery).  Test grades turned out pretty good (kept my goal of nothing below a B) but I am already dreading the next set which are in 9 days.

I also completed my large animal isolation protocol video which is required in 6^th.  Pretty much you have to film yourself following proper isolation protocols for treating a horse/cow/etc.  This includes putting on double set of gloves properly, disposable coveralls, boot covers and then taking them off.  You don’t realize how hard it is to stand on 1 foot when you are super nervous.  I also completed writing discharge instructions for a cat with ring worm.  It was nice not only applying the medical aspect of veterinarian medicine but also the practicality if it.  There are a few different ways you can treat a cat but then you also have to think what will the owner be able to do.  Is it easier to give it a pill once a day or ask the owner to bathe it twice a week, change its food to accommodate a new medication, etc.  I guess it is up to the owner

There is a lot of random projects/written assignments you have to do in 6^th, my advice to future students....Get them done as soon as possible so you don’t have to worry about them later while you are trying to get ready for finals/another set of blocks/etc.

Besides studying I was able to go to the Marriot and bet on the Preakness with Brittany. It is great having a roommate that knows 1) so much about horses 2) so much about horse racing.  It is very interesting comparing everything that happens in “their world” to “my” dog show world…minus the betting part.  Even though I picked California Chrome to win…the payout sucked!! It wouldn’t have even bought me a #1 at In n Out.

Talking about In N Out..this is what happens when you call home

Friday Brittany, Haley and myself went out to dinner to celebrate the end of the first blocks but first we went up to Timothy Hill to take some fun photos.  When else are we all going to be dressed up again??

These coming 2 weeks are going to be busy.  I have my aseptic exam this Thursday.  On this exam I must show I know how to wash, gown, glove, drape/clamp a patient, and accept a scalpel blade, saline and suture without “breaking” and contaminating my patient. I keep having nightmares of accepting the scalpel blade and shaking so bad when I go to put it on the holder that I cut my hand off.  LOTS of practicing will go on before Thursday!! And after Thursday we have our second round of blocks Monday.

Let the “fun” continue!!