Hello Everyone...I am going to be located here and VSNA.com from now on and that is probably it. I do not have time for facebook or myspace and all the weird things happening on there and everyone telling me I should be doing this or I should not be doing that. I will be deactivating my account shortly. That being said it is time to catch up here.
End of Fourth Year
Well, it is finally over and what an intense year it was. I just was able to find out my results and I actually made it through with a Credit which is better than just a pass and better than I thought I would do :) I am very happy with those results and put ALOT of effort into my exams. Now I get to move on!!!!
I have been missing in action for a little bit not only because of finals but because I also went strait into my MPEC 5th year rotation as well. That would be my Murdoch Pet Emergency Centre rotation. 4 ten hour shifts which always turned into 12 hour shifts. I find it hard to leave when there are cases still needing attending to and at MPEC that is 24/7. I did get to see some great cases, practice talking to clients in not so pleasant circumstances, place catheters, draw bloods and run tests. Assist in surgeries etc. I am trying to get out of the vet tech/nurse mode and into Dr mode :) It is proving difficult as I have been doing it for so long...I think I will always clean, organize, draw my own bloods and place my own catheters. The only diference is now instead of saying "does that sound like the way the case should be handled?" I need to really think about it an say "that is the way I think the case should be handled." I am responsible now, I am going to be the vet and people will be asking me what treatments the animals need to be given and doing that for me on many occasions.
The dynamics are twisting and turning and it is exciting and terrifying at the same time. I still cannot wait to finally be a vet though!!!!
5th and Final Year!!!
Hello everyone,
It is hard to believe but I have made it to my 5th and final year here at Murdoch University. It has been quite the long uphill battle to get here and it is almost over. I have already started and am almost finished with my Murdoch extramural rotations. I have done a weeks rotation in the Murdoch Pet Emergency Centre (MPEC). A week in the Murdoch small animal clinic in internal medicine and right now I am finishing the equine live in rotation.
This is what we have all been waiting for. This is what all the long hours of study has brought me to. I have seen or assisted in many endoscopies, broncheoalveolar lavage, chest tube placement, megaoesophagus, hit by cars, dilated cardio myopathy, ultrasounds, surgery for hernia repair, bladder tumour removal, catheter placements, fluid rates, ventilation, nasal oxygen catheter placement, percutaneos gastrotomy tube placement, horse castration, and the list goes on and on and on.
This year we no longer have any lectures. We will all be rotating through the different departments in large and small animal medicine this entire year. We will be orally quizzed constantly and frequently put on the spot. It is time to put everything we have ever learned into practice because we are responsible now. The time is getting near and I cannot wait :)
I Would Not Mate With you if You Were the Last Male on Earth!!!
Did that title get your attention? Let me explain a little. I am well into fifth year rotations. Six weeks in to be exact. I just finished 2 weeks at the Perth Zoo and it was amazing. We were able to get up close and personal with Black Cockatoos, Figi Iguanas, Tamarins, Lions, Elephants, Rhinos, and much more. This two weeks rotation is an in depth wildlife and conservation medicine. I do not know if such a program like this is offered at other schools or not. The big take home lesson is about conservation of course. That is where the title comes in. Members of the public seem to think that if you get two wild animals in the zoo of a different sex then they should breed and add to the dwindling population. That is not the case at all. There is more than one instance where a zoo will do everything it can for one of it's rare animals and no matter what, that animal does not want t mate with the other and would litterally not mate with their chosen partner if they were the last one on earth, which funny enough, can sometimes not be very far from the truth.
Before the wonderful zoo rotation was an intense 2 weeks of clinical pathology and anatomical pathology. It was very good to go over blood test results and biochem results and how to interpret them early in the course. This is the bread and butter of diagnosing in many cases, just never ever forget the importance of a thourough clinical exam. In the necropsy room we had penguins, mice, dog, cats, birds, a cow, a sheep, and a horse. All were clinical cases, and all needed detailed case reports written about them at the end of the day.
Currently I just finished my first week of production animal rotation. This is a four week rotation and is an excellent way to prepare yourself for mixed practice. We have seen a cow c-section, liquid nitrogen used on cow eyes to remove cancer, LOTS of preg testing, learned to bleed sheep on our own without an additional handler etc. Next week is intensive industries with poultry and pigs and all of their medicine and after that is a week far South at the Agricultural Department of WA. I of course am just keeping my figers crossed for more alpacas because I love working with them whenever I get the chance, which has actually been quite alot, but it is never enough.
I am going to keep this blog updated as much as I can and before I know it I will be done and graduated. But dont worry, I plan on blogging here as a veterinarian as well.
Cheers,
Christina Webb
Director
Student Innovative Community Solutions Pty Ltd
Founder VSNA.com
T 61 8 9498 6481
M 61 8 404 103 023
E admin@stinyexoticvet.com
W http://www.vsna.com/
1/2 Way to the Finish Line
Well my friends, I am sorry it has been so long since my last post. They warned me that the fifth and final year would be busy, but it still does not prepare you for the amount of time you are committed to uni.
I am now so very busy but for different reasons. It is not because I am studying my bum off, although I do try to study occassionally. It is because almost every waking moment is spent at some type of rotation. It is fantastic though, dont get me wrong. Being able to apply all I have learned and have not learned now is exactly what I have been striving for these last 11 years. I have done so much (heaps) and I am only half way through.
The year started out with pathology for 2 weeks with the six students I will be rostered with until we graduate. We were taught everything we learned in the past 4 years all in two weeks. Of course we were taught so much more. We had clin path in the morning aka glued to the microscope for hours and hours and then were able to do post mortems in the afternoon. The assesment was intense for the rotation. Haematology exam, Biochemical analysis exam, anatomical pathology exam, patholgy post mortem presentation in front of way too many people, necropsy reports to hand in, client simulation. After one of the most intense rotations, it was off to the zoo.
The zoo rotation was a very nice contrast to the dark halls in pathology. We spent many hours in a tiny warm box going over wildlife lectures. We did have access to cases in the hospital which was great. Assesment was an oral presentation on a subject selected for you and a multiple choice/ short answer exam.
After the zoo, it was off to 4 wonderful weeks of production animal medicine. Preg testing, sheep wrangling, going to farms, cases brought to the clinic etc. One week of intensive industries with pigs and poultry. One week far away staying at the Agricutural department. Assesment was once again alot. There was a huge nutrition assignment, a few papers here and there. The oral presentation to the Agricultural Department, and a lot of exams.
After the 4 weeks of production it was back to the clinic for the most intensive rotations yet and the real reason for my disappearance for so long. I was engulfed by surgery and anaesthesia. I do have to say, that I have learned more and did more in that rotation than in any others. The assesment was through the roof with journal reviews, oral exams, written exams, surgery reports etc etc. Here is where you can really shine and get as much out of it as you would like. Personally, this was one of my favorites even though I am more interested in large animals. We did lots of speys and castrations for the RSPCA and I assisted in spinal surgery, a liver resection, arthroscopy and I got to do an FHO myself. I had 10,15,20 hour days and was on call on weekends but it was all worth it.
This week, it is small animal specialties with opthalmology, dentistry, and acupuncture. Acupuncture was fascinating especially for someone so geared towards western medicine such as myself. It was a real eye opener and I will never knock it again.
Next week is shelter rotation where we get to spey more cats and dogs. I love the fact we get to do so many surgeries, none of them terminal.
Hopefully I can blog on here while I am doing my special topics rotation in the USA. I will be leaving the 29th for the Camelid Medicine and Surgery course at UMass and Cornell. Anyone live near Cornell or know someone who wants to have a student? Or Amherst Massachusetts?
Hope everyone is doing well,
Christina Webb
Director
Student Innovative Community Solutions Pty Ltd
Founder VSNA.com
T 61 8 9498 6481
M 61 8 404 103 023
E admin@stinyexoticvet.com
W http://www.vsna.com/
Soon to Be Released on the Unsuspecting Animal Population
Hello Everyone,
I am excited to say that I have only three months until the end of school. This is followed by one month of special topics, exams and registration on December 4th. The registration is with the WA Surgeons Board to actually practice veterinary medicine in Australia. It is very exciting times.
I plan on continuing to be involved in this site after I graduate for all of those who are asking. Please continue to send your friends here and the network can grow.
I am going to start my reproduction rotation followed by equine, radiology, referral medicine and general Practice. I have to make up one week in the Emergency Centre because at the time I was doing my special topics in the USA.
For those interested in veterinary experience, Adirondack Veterinary Hospital in Westport New York is a fantastic place to get a real feel for mixed animal practice. I learned so much from Dr Goldwasser and Dr Diane Dodd. I have 2 weeks of veterinary practical experience left out of my 16 that I need to complete.
After all of the experience I have gained, I have learned my real interest lies in farm animals, especially the alpacas and llamas.
I have done practical work in Perth, Esperence, NSW, UMass, New York, Costa Rica, and California.
Stay tuned to this blog to see where the veterinary program takes me next.
Christina Webb
Director
Student Innovative Community Solutions Pty Ltd
Founder VSNA.com
T 61 8 9498 6481
M 61 8 404 103 023
E admin@stinyexoticvet.com
W http://www.vsna.com
Monday, July 27, 2009
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
