Not Yet a Vet…dot net

Once I finished my emergency medicine rotation, I packed up my car and headed out in to the country for a 2 week rotation with a large animal practice (technically, it’s a mixed practice but I’m supposed to be with the large animal people). This is the beginning of my 3rd day here and I’m still kind of shell shocked. Everyone is very nice and they’re doing their best to make this city girl feel welcome. It’s a required rotation and this clinic has hosted various students for 10 years or more. It sounds like they’ve had their fair share of snotty small animal kids come through that refused to participate in anything.

Well, I want to make sure that I’m not one of them. I was giving shots and palpating on Monday, and I castrated my first calf yesterday. Throw in some dehorning, and I feel like I’d make James Herriot proud. Today it sounds like I will be doing some more injections (it is really, really hard for this small animal girl to get over the fact that you have to be more forceful with the needles to get through those hides!!) and perhaps I’ll be doing some more palpating. We will see how it goes.

I spent my afternoon on the small animal side of things (it was a slow day for herd checks) and I got to talk at length with one of the older vets about changes in procedures, pay, and veterinary school since he graduated. The small animal vet joined in later and told us that when she was being interviewed for veterinary school, the interview board actually said “why should we spend all this money to educate you when all you’re going to do is find a husband and have babies?” My oh my, how the times have changed. I started veterinary school in a class of 15 men and 65 women and that surprised both of the vets. They were in veterinary school at a time when women just didn’t do things like this. I have to say that I’m quite glad that I am pursuing this career at a time when I’m encouraged to do so. Even if I’m not really interested in the large animal stuff, I love talking to all of the vets. They have seen and done so much that is is hard not to be in awe.

Here is to trying new things and hoping that when I leave, the vets here may not be so hesitant to have a small animal girl ride along with them!