Vet Times

Tag: vet school

  • Represent, support, engage!

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    The AVS (Association of Veterinary Students) Congress marks one year since my involvement with the association began. Last year, in Nottingham, I stood up at the AGM and gave a hustings speech. Before long, I found myself elected the editor of JAVS (the Journal of the Association of Veterinary Students), which is sent out to students…

  • Sterile pyogranulomatous cysts are worth bearing in mind

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    I recently saw a very large, and very friendly bull mastiff that presented with what appeared to be typical interdigital cysts. These had been chronically recurrent and previous histopathology indicated a pyogranulomatous reaction. However his lesions responded poorly to three weeks’ of cephalexin antibiotic therapy and, in fact, he developed several lesions on his other feet. Cytology revealed mild bacterial colonisation, and it…

  • Hitting the third-year wall

    Hitting the third-year wall

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    Everyone had heard rumours third year at veterinary school was the worst. On coming back to university after a long summer of extra-mural studies and relaxation, we were nervous. Two weeks in, things didn’t seem too bad and we were sceptical. We were indifferently meandering through the bewildering world of Latin names and impossible-to-spell drugs, resigned…

  • D-day

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    It’s that time of year again, when vet students become more competitive than ever and inter-school rivalry (friendly and, for the most part, light-hearted) culminates in the biggest sporting event in the Scottish vet school’s calendar. The renowned “Dick Day” – the annual event where Glasgow’s vet students take on those from the Royal (Dick)…

  • Vet School’s Got Talent

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    When you apply to vet school, there are certain boxes you have to tick: achieve the right A-Levels (or Advanced Highers), complete a number of weeks of work experience, and pass that dreaded interview. What nobody tells you, however, is that being a vet student requires a number of other skills that seemingly have nothing…

  • It takes two to tango

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    Before the full force of third year hit, the first week back at vet school started with everyone catching up on tales from their summer holidays. Before long, it was like we’d never left and the four months of freedom seemed to fade into a distant memory. However, one particular topic of holiday gossip that…

  • Another world

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    This summer, I’ve been working for a thoroughbred stud in Germany, preparing their yearlings for the auction sale at the start of September. I viewed it as a job for the summer and a chance to gain more experience with youngsters, which are unpredictable and more highly strung than the horses I’m used to handling.…

  • Clinical EMS 101

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    At vet school, you learn some basic clinical skills and are taught how to conduct a general clinical examination to prepare you for EMS placements in veterinary surgeries. What they don’t prepare you for is making a complete idiot out of yourself. Before my first clinical placement I told the vets I would be working…

  • How far is too far?

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    In my interview for Glasgow vet school, I was asked the question “how far is too far?”, and recent episodes of The Supervet on TV had me musing on the topic again, particularly as I had used The Bionic Vet as an example in my answer. At the time I discussed kidney transplants in cats…

  • Failure

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    Failure is another taboo subject in the profession, as it is in most walks of life. We don’t like it, and we don’t like talking about it. The CertAVP, as part of its “A” module (Foundations of Advanced Veterinary Practice), has you analysing learning methods. Apparently I am a strongly experimental/empirical learner, which means I learn better…