Back to School
September 2017
I hope this entry finds you well. It was been quite a while since my last blog post. I went back to Los Angeles this summer. It was a wonderful experience, filled with relaxation, family time and work.
Second-year student
First Year Tips
May 2019
My name is Laura! I just finished my first year of vet school a few weeks ago and I wanted to put together a list of tips that I thought would have been helpful as an incoming veterinary student!
Ophthalmology Wetlab
April 2018
Hello everyone!
It is mid-April, and final exams are looming closer and closer. It’s unbelievable to think that there are only 3 weeks until second year will come to a close.
Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to participate in the Ophthalmology enucleation lab. This wet lab was in conjunction with the Feline Club. Each student had a cadaver dog or cat to practice enucleation techniques.
Mental Breaks - Take Them
March 2018
Greetings folks!
It has come to that time of the semester when us vet students can take a sigh of relief and embrace spring break.
After two months of non-stop midterm exams, I decided to take a mental break and venture out to Chicago for some sight -seeing, as well as to experience the infamous Chicago deep-dish pizza! Chicago is about a five-and-a-half-hour drive from Ames.
Summer Break is Here
May 2018
Hello everyone!
After a week-long of sleepless nights and eating Maruchan ramen soups, finals week is now over! It is incredible to think that the first two years of vet school are over; and there are only two more years of vet school to go. I am currently on the road back to Los Angeles, with my cat Maddy by my side. We stopped in Denver, Colorado for the night and we’re on our way to spend the night in Mesquite, Nevada.
Labs, and More Exams
February 2018
Since my last entry, midterms have been storming in non-stop this whole month of February. On average, the VM2 class has been tackling 2 exams per week this month, with quizzes and assignments sprinkled here and there.
Round 2, Semester 2
January 2018
I am back in Ames for round two of second semester. Winter break seemed to have gone so very fast, but it was very nice to spend time with my family and friends and take advantage of the food galore during the holidays. Now that I am back in Ames, things have been rolling and picking up speed.
Winter Break!
December 2017
It is that time of the year again, where I can rejoice and say “Yes! I did it! I crossed the finish line!” With the first semester of second year under my belt, I feel a sense of relief knowing that I gave it my best this semester and there are no more final exams to look forward to (or not look forward to).
November - and much needed break!
November 2017
It has been a chilly start to November, with mighty winds and sprinkles of rain here and there, but we vet students keep holding strong as the semester is nimbly approaching its end. The last two weeks of October have been very busy for all of us, particularly when the second round of exams occurred right before Halloween.
Rural Practice and Veterinary Shortage
August 2019
The first time I realized I wanted to be a veterinarian, I was in high school shadowing at the local vet clinic in rural southern Minnesota. I knew I loved medicine as my whole family was in the medical field, but I had a passion for animals and I wanted to combine those two interests. What I remember most is being intrigued that the veterinarians I was shadowing would be able to do a spay on a 10-pound cat in the morning and then drive to a farm an hour later and perform a C-section on a 1,200 pound cow. I loved that every day was something new and you never knew what would walk through the clinic doors or what you’d be getting into when a farmer called to come to his barn. The versatility and innovation of a mixed animal practice veterinarian in the rural Midwest was exactly what I wanted to do with my life and I made that my goal.
