Alison writes about procrastinating and what you give up in life to be a vet student

I’ve started the immense task of revision but it’s not been going very well, I’m feeling a bit bogged down with the amount of material and two and a half weeks to learn it all. Scary thought that the exams are so soon, but even this isn’t helping with regards to procrastination.

I hate the feeling of impending doom, it’s not very pleasant having it hanging over you and this holidays it has hit me that most of my friends my age are moving on with their lives; getting mortgages, getting married and starting families while working full time, and I’m still at uni working myself very hard.

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Veterinary Milestones

In every vet’s career you have milestones, and you’ll always remember the animals and circumstances surrounding their case, and ultimately why it changed you for the better.

One of the major milestones we all have or will experience is saving your first animal life. Mine happened around two years ago, before I’d even got into vet school.

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Vet students and depression

A friend told me a story recently whilst waiting in line for her viva examination. The topic of nerves came up, to which one student mentioned she was on Beta blockers, the 6 others soon announced that they too were using them.

It’s my opinion that what might be our greatest virtue, an affinity for animals, can lead us to deal with personal issues in a different way to many others. Whilst a horse might have a bigger shoulder to lean on, the issues at hand are soothed but not necessarily dealt with. That isn’t to say we are introverted by any means but the fact that this is our career choice must reveal something about us.

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Any Questions?

We arrive at Vet school expecting to be taught how to be a Vet. By second year we know there’s more to it than what’s in the lectures.

Being good at what you do is about more than encyclopaedic knowledge of parasitology, pathology and pharmacology, amongst others. That isn’t a surprise. The same has always applied to anyone, in any job.

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Reproduction Week

It’s Reproduction week at the Royal Veterinary College and students are appearing in uni left, right and centre. The 9am lecture ‘Testis, Erection and Ejaculation’ drew the largest crowd to the lecture hall I’ve observed all year. 9am and busy? It’s what most lecturers can only dream of.

You may think vet students are keen, eager and academic but throw an early start into the mix and 50% attendance is optimistic. So what is it about the Repro module that makes vets tick?

I can tell you right now. It’s down-right, simple, puerile humour.

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