Even though I’m a fourth year, I managed to schedule a makeshift Christmas “break” for myself. I spent 1 week doing an externship at a clinic that is 5 minutes from my parents’ house, and I spent 1 week with the Captain. I don’t think I could have asked for a better holiday season. My externship was a lot of fun. I got some surgery experience (1 cat neuter, 2 dog neuters, and a declaw) and I saw a TON of appointments. It’s always refreshing to get out into the real world to a hospital without a clinical pathology lab, MRI, professional ultrasonographers, etc.. It’s not that I don’t enjoy having those resources, it’s more that I have no intention of working in a tertiary referral center like the veterinary school for the rest of my life and it’s nice to see how things go in a standard day practice. I was asked on more than one occasion if I was planning on moving to that area and when I said no, one of the owners said “that’s too bad…” and then told me to list his name as a reference on my resume when I start applying for jobs. It was a really nice way to spend a week.
I spend Christmas Eve with my parents wrapping gifts, planning the day-after-Christmas menu, and relaxing. It has started to sink in that I could have just spent my last Christmas morning at home. Though changes of this magnitude are never easy, I am quite excited to get married and start new holiday traditions with the Captain. In any case, if this was my last Christmas morning at home, we ended on a high note. I spent Christmas night with the Captain’s family and we went back to my parents’ house for the day-after-Christmas party that has become a tradition with my family. We spent a few more days with my parents and then finished out the week (and 2011) with the Captain’s family. It was a whirlwind vacation but I had more fun than I’ve had in a long time.
Needless to say, there was a lot of wedding talk and planning. We took engagement pictures, started our registries, picked invitations, and got my wedding band from the jeweler. I’m getting into the main crunch time now and I have started making a list of all of the things I’d really like to accomplish this week. I don’t know how much free time I’ll have since I start a 2 week small animal medicine rotation tomorrow, but at least there is a lot I can do on the internet.
I should find out at the end of the month whether or not I passed the NAVLE. Additionally, I have to start applying for jobs now that I know what state the Captain and I will call home. He was recently hired by an airline (I can’t wait to see him in his uniform!) and he will by flying by March. I’m so proud that he is taking this step in his career, and I’m glad he kept his end of the bargain by letting me know in January where I should be applying for jobs. I checked my veterinary school job posting website this morning and the first clinic with a listing in the right area sounds like the perfect place to work. Seriously, I think I started drooling when I looked at the website and saw that not only are they AAHA-accredited but they also have digital radiographs (one of the same systems we have at school), digital dental radiographs, 4 doctors, and 10+ CVTs that have been with the practice for 3 years or more (many, many more in some cases). Needless to say, polishing my resume and drafting a cover letter will be my number 1 priorities over the next week or so. I know that a practice of this caliber will receive a lot of applicants (especially since they will take applicants with any experience level, even a soon-to-be recent graduate), and I want to give myself the best chance possible for an interview. The job hunt is scary but finding listings like this one make it exciting.
On that note, I have to make sure to get a full night sleep before starting internal medicine tomorrow. I have a feeling that it’s going to be tough to get back into the swing of things after all of this excitement! Until next time!
