One of the most exciting and yet terrifying things about being a veterinary student is the fact there is always more to know. You can be the best student and even the best vet in the world, but you can never know everything – it’s simply impossible.
I’m in the second year of my course and I’m still getting to grips with this fact; and I know it’s something a lot of other vet students struggle with too.
I think it’s completely understandable; every step towards getting into vet school is incredibly competitive: from day one we’re taught to push ourselves, branch out from our A-levels and be as knowledgeable as possible to stand out from the crowd. It’s only natural we follow this desire to learn and keep learning as we enter the course.
Know-it-all
But it’s important to realise you don’t need to know everything, while also acknowledging learning all the anatomy, physiology and biochemistry available won’t make you the best vet – or even a good one.
Of course, it’s vital you know your stuff (your clients put their trust in both you and your medical knowledge), but when people are trusting you with their animals – whether they are their best friends or livelihoods – they’re not expecting you to be a human encyclopedia.
No, they’re expecting another human being across that examination table; they’re expecting communication, a calm, professional confidence and a reassuring, friendly face in those moments that matter most.
Not by rote
GCSEs and A-levels train us to memorise textbooks like our lives depend on it, but that’s just not feasible when you get to university. In secondary school you’re lucky enough to have a set curriculum and a finite number of facts to learn. We no longer have that luxury, but it doesn’t have to be a bad thing.
The fact there’s always more to discover, that I can never stop growing and improving – I find it amazingly exciting. Daunting, yes, but exciting nonetheless.
I’ve been volunteering at my local veterinary surgery for more than five years and I’ve seen all the staff, including the head vet, refer back to their textbooks on a regular basis – textbooks they bought and studied with all the way back in their first years of university.
Collective intelligence
At the end of the day, medical practitioners are only human; they have strengths and weaknesses. However, one of the key attributes of a good vet isn’t knowing it all, but applying existing knowledge to any situation that might present itself.
Our lecturers are constantly encouraging us to help each other through this course and to share our strengths with others. Working as an intellectual collective is a talent that carries through to general practice.
When I see my local vets duck out of the consult room to confer with their colleagues I don’t lose confidence in them; in fact, quite the opposite. Having the confidence to admit when you’re out of your depth is an invaluable skill and the sign of a true professional.
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