Wednesday 1st August, 2018

It’s currently the middle of the summer holidays, and I’m going to apologise to myself again for not writing another post in almost 3 months. The idea of this blog was to act as a sort of diary for myself, as well as a space to allow family and friends an insight into “vet student life”. However, I have as of yet to; 1. Tell anyone I’ve made a blog page, and 2. Actually give any insightful content!

“So, what exciting veterinary opportunities have you got planned this holiday?”

If you had asked me this question 12 months ago, I would have taken a deep breath and then rambled on for approximately 20 minutes about how I’m swept off my feet with pre-clinical placements. I spent weeks searching and then traveling around the country to find a small mammal placement with exactly 11 rabbits and 4.2 guinea pigs. Overall, it was exhausting but incredibly rewarding at the same time.

Honestly, this year I’ve taken the opportunity to do absolutely nothing “vetty”. Not because I’m lazy and disorganised. Not because it’s too much effort and I don’t enjoy it any more. I recently read This Is Going To Hurt by Adam Kay where he made an incredibly valid point regards medical students (and vet students alike) who plan their futures from the age of 13 to revolve around medicine. Weeks of work experience before university, then 26 weeks minimum during, continuing into the work place indefinitely after graduation. I guess you could say I’m scared that one day I’ll wake up in 20 years time and decide I want to do something else if I become worn down by the vocation I chose when I was still scared to talk to boys.

At the moment, I’m still incredibly excited about what a career in veterinary medicine holds for me and I can’t wait to start the clinical foundation course in September. But after 9 weeks of placements last summer back-to-back, I do almost feel I deserve a break  from traipsing up and down the country and packing a boiler-suit and wellies everywhere I go. I also don’t know how much of a help I can be in a clinical setting right now. Although I’m enthusiastic, I’m not too keen on going back to being a work experience student and just “observing” – I want to get my piece of the action! I know, however, this will take time and I need to focus on keeping up my practical skills and working hard in the year to come so I can be an asset rather than a hinderance. I worry I’m getting behind on experience, as I know some people will come back after the holidays having castrated an ostrich or with cow juice in their hair from that caesarian they did last week. In hindsight I probably should have planned at least a week in a clinical setting to keep the vet side of my brain ticking over.

But right now, I suppose I’m waiting and maturing like good cheese. You can never have enough mould.