Blog. Blog. Bloggity-blog. As I have started telling my dumbfounded classmates, when I was in high school, we didn't have the INTERNET! I learned to find library books via the Dewey Decimal system! Nevertheless, it's a new era, and if I want my narcissism to truly bloom to it's full potential, I must have a blog. In the very unlikely event that you are not related to me (mom, skip to paragraph 2), let me orient you. I am a singer. I sing. Sometimes I act or dance, depending on what the gig requires. A few years ago, I married and decided to procreate. As it turns out, the nomadic existence I called "life" was not terribly conducive to parenthood, so I decided to go back to school to be....a veterinarian! "Why?", you ask. "Hell if I know", I reply. I like animals. I'm good at science and, weirdly, excellent at school, so, why not? I moved from the lovely warm bosom of California to the frozen tundra of Colorado a year ago to begin the combined MBA/DVM program at CSU. (If you think that's too many acronyms, read no further. Apparently, vets refuse to use actual words if they don't have to.) The first year of the program is comprised primarily of business courses, but the real work begins year 2. That's where I sit today. Year 2 of the combined program - Week 1 of the actual PVM (professional veterinary medicine) program. This blog is intended to inform my long-suffering parents of what the hell their seemingly bright child is up to now.
Week One - I Survived!
My classmate Anna told me to celebrate the minor victories, so let's raise a glass to not having spontaneously combusted yet. I've gone from watching MBA courses online at double speed with Barney blaring and whining toddlers demanding pickles every five minutes to actual SCHOOL. It started Monday when poor Brandon (the also long-suffering hubby) chauffeured me to the gym, printer's, and class all before class began at 8. Anatomy. Histology. Physiology. Radiology. Foundations (a new course designed to teach us basic clinical and surgical skills early on so we're proficient when we begin clinical rounds in 2 years). So far, I think the dean was right when he said that vet school classes are not, in and of themselves, terribly difficult (and this is coming from someone whose undergraduate education included pretending I was a lizard). The difficulty is the VOLUME of information we must learn. Veterinarians must understand every aspect of medicine -internal medicine, surgery, dermatology, ophthalmology, dentistry, orthopedics, radiology, oncology, pathology, etc. etc. etc. - but for every species! And we get paid WAY less than human doctors (why did I do this, again?). It's, as they say, "drinking from the fire hose". Week one is a good example. By Friday we had to learn the bones and musculature of the pelvic limb and all their features (on our own), begin dissection of our dog (ew.), understand and be tested on basic histology and radiology, and learn gaits, colors, and 130 breeds of dogs, pigs, horses and goats (again, on our own). Then there's the MBA portion. I have Marketing on Monday and Finance on Wednesday from 5-9pm. All in all, I am IN class about 50 hours a week - not counting study time and work ( Clinical Pathology lab). I miss the kids, but I have to remember that, ultimately, I'm doing this for them. Eventually they'll want clothes, food and a roof over their heads. This first week was encouraging - I have the least scientific background and the most extra-vet-school time commitments (kids, work, etc.) of anyone here, but I think I'm doing OK. Only 119 school weeks to go!
No comments:
Post a Comment