New rotation now and life over the past week or so has been crazy hectic, though thankfully the pressure has eased off now and I've finally found some time to make an entry...
The current rotation is surgery, which consists of a week of orthopaedics, a week of soft tissue surgery and one on imaging. Last week I had the Ortho week which was hell on earth, I felt overworked with little if any respect paid to Pete's vital out of vetschool life. Final year work is quite enjoyable and I definately much prefer the all practical approach to vetlife, but when workload goes so massively beyond 8-6 that i can't fit in all the other things I like to squeeze into life it's not dificult to feel some course resentment. However (moan over), the actual work for the week was interesting, I had a couple of good cases to look after and on my neutering day was able to achieve a rabbit spey and castrate. The assessment for Ortho is based on case care and a referral letter, hopefully my case care will be fine to pass, and as for the referral letter I based mine on a shoulder lameness case which I actually found interesting.
This week work is based in the imaging department taking x-rays, watching US and gerenerally trying to come to grips with the role of diagnostic imaging in the vetworld. Work is now 9-5 and I've loved the extra time today needed to sort out many Pete organisation type things (probably shouldn't talk in the 3rd person so much, oh well).
To pass imagaing I've x-rays to assess every day, a day is spent on US and I have to be ticked off for taking a suitable chest and abdo x-ray.
Mark recieved this week for the last 3wk rotation of Small Animal Medicine 2 = Merit. Can't complain.
Other than work social life has been put on hold last week due to Ortho and illness (managed to contract myself a sub-lethal strain of what I'm told is metro-manflu, was bedridden for Tues though this was better than a day of megastress work). Last week I did have a great night with Sarah on Weds, cooked some food, watched a film (much needed de-stress).
Over the weekend I caught up on some much needed sleep and spent time with Sarah at a house party, watching films, walking dogs and calving pumpkins (noticed the error on read through but thought too comical to edit). One very enjoyable weekend!
Other organisational type efforts....
Band practices going awesome! New covers sound good, and our songs coming along well, Andy will hopefully be joinging us more regularly over nxt few wks for a crucial bass imput.
OpenMic2 is set and I'm trying to get people signed up.
Panto rehearsals all good, had one tonight. I've got so many lines to learn though it's not funny.
Upcoming important stuff...
Xmas ski trip needs sorting and paying for (26 of us including Rich are off to France the week before Xmas, can't wait!).
Nxt wk in uni it's onto soft tissue surgery, which is potentially interesting and not too heavy on the workload depending on case input at the time.
Tonight I've got stuff sorted had a chat to the Mother and generally got my life back on track to sail through the next week. I'm not sure whether I wish for a quieter life or not, becuase I don't think I'd know what to do with myself if I wasn't constantly busy.
Right now it's enough typing and off to Dave's/John's for food and family guy.
TTFN xx
Monday, October 30, 2006
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Back into the swing of things now and I feel much more settled, so now I'm into the general routine of vetlife the blogs will follow their standard once weekly pattern, allowing many no doubt highly interested people a quick climpse through the window of the life of a final year vet (at one point that was scary terminology but now I feel I've spent enough time here, though it's still highly enjoyable I definately am sensing that time should be soon drawing to a close on this life chapter)... not entirely sure where that rather overly emotive blurb came from but then I tend to just type as I think with these things.
And so...over the past week things to mention include work, london, Mat's birthday, a drink, my birthday, organising and upcoming events...
Work wise the past week has seen the closing of a cat medicine rotation and the commencing of a week of pathology and opthamology.
Cat medicine week was time consuming (which I always resent) though fairly useful. I had some interesting cases to work up and got to iron out a few of my slight practical issues. The cat week is assessed on answers to questions, practical skills, a physical examination (cat), and a case report. The report took me most of Sunday night which after being busy on call all day wasn't ideal.
This week has so far been ideal, minimal hours and intersing work (ish). Monday we received a slide for us to interpret and conduct a talk on for Thursday, I'm fairly sure mine is a mast cell tumour but could quite easily be mistaken. Tuesday was spent on clinical pathology and today was opthamology. I now feel fairly confeident in doing an opthalmic examination, which is nice.
That's enough work (was lots in the last blog), next rotation is surgery so no doubt they'll be lots more to talk about there.
Saturday me, John, Dave, Paul, Jim, Kieran, Laura plus Dad, Rich and Han all went to london for the day to watch Spamalot for mine and Dad's birthday, it was a highly comedy performance enjoyed lots by all. After we went for a meal then to Soho for drinks.
Mat's birthday was Thursday, Laura cooked food and there was a mas pub attendance (we got him a record box). Yesterday was my birthday, had a pretty good day, unfortunately had to get my pathology slide sorted which meant 3hrs of my birhtday was spent in the pathology barn which is never ideal. Though the evening was cool, we had takeaway then went pub. The house got me some drum kit shaped cuff links.
Night before last I went out to Bris for a first date type drink with a girl called Sarah. Had a great night and hopefully will see her again tonight at the guillemots.
Gerneral organisation is slightly reduced as our house party is pretty sorted including PA booked, I'm now only acting in the panto (playing a Welsh cattle vet) and Open Mic 2 is well underway.
Upcoming fun includes band tonight, jam plus panto rehearsal tomorrow and drinks Bris Fri.
And so...over the past week things to mention include work, london, Mat's birthday, a drink, my birthday, organising and upcoming events...
Work wise the past week has seen the closing of a cat medicine rotation and the commencing of a week of pathology and opthamology.
Cat medicine week was time consuming (which I always resent) though fairly useful. I had some interesting cases to work up and got to iron out a few of my slight practical issues. The cat week is assessed on answers to questions, practical skills, a physical examination (cat), and a case report. The report took me most of Sunday night which after being busy on call all day wasn't ideal.
This week has so far been ideal, minimal hours and intersing work (ish). Monday we received a slide for us to interpret and conduct a talk on for Thursday, I'm fairly sure mine is a mast cell tumour but could quite easily be mistaken. Tuesday was spent on clinical pathology and today was opthamology. I now feel fairly confeident in doing an opthalmic examination, which is nice.
That's enough work (was lots in the last blog), next rotation is surgery so no doubt they'll be lots more to talk about there.
Saturday me, John, Dave, Paul, Jim, Kieran, Laura plus Dad, Rich and Han all went to london for the day to watch Spamalot for mine and Dad's birthday, it was a highly comedy performance enjoyed lots by all. After we went for a meal then to Soho for drinks.
Mat's birthday was Thursday, Laura cooked food and there was a mas pub attendance (we got him a record box). Yesterday was my birthday, had a pretty good day, unfortunately had to get my pathology slide sorted which meant 3hrs of my birhtday was spent in the pathology barn which is never ideal. Though the evening was cool, we had takeaway then went pub. The house got me some drum kit shaped cuff links.
Night before last I went out to Bris for a first date type drink with a girl called Sarah. Had a great night and hopefully will see her again tonight at the guillemots.
Gerneral organisation is slightly reduced as our house party is pretty sorted including PA booked, I'm now only acting in the panto (playing a Welsh cattle vet) and Open Mic 2 is well underway.
Upcoming fun includes band tonight, jam plus panto rehearsal tomorrow and drinks Bris Fri.
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Avid fans and readers will no doubt be joyed to see that the Scales vetblog has not come to an end, though the finale is now certainly in site given that I’ll be sitting my final finals in June and by this time nxt yr should theoretically be busting out some real life hardcore vetwork and may even be earning my very own money…
It’s been many months since my last entry at the end of 4th yr and obviously there are ridiculously large amounts of general Pete life that could be included, though due to constant time constraints only vitals are possible.
Important points to mention I feel: Summer (hols/ems etc), the 5th yr, 1st wk, ongoing org, upcoming events…
Summer was fantastic in places and highly monotonous in others. 2months out of the three I spent doing compulsory work experience all over the country and in the other month I managed to get away for 3w in Greece and spent 1w with friends plus working.
Work experience was pretty good and definitely useful for the majority of the time. It got quite tiresome towards the end of summer as I think there’s only a certain amount of standing and watching a person can take before wanting to get much more hands on. Though to be fair all the places I went to were awesome at getting students involved but still there’s only so much they can let you do before we manage to stretch the practice day length significantly. Some of the best experience was with my good friend Kieran, as consults and operational issues were addressed plus out of hours socialisation was quite ideal, including a comedy night in Marlow and a viewing of the band Get Cape.Wear Cape.Fly.
Other than ems the summer holiday was excellent. The family spent 3w in Greece which was ideal. We had a villa for the five of us in Crete for 2w and then me, Rich and Han went off islanding to Santorini and on to Athens to fly home. I’ve wanted to do a little bit of travelling with the bro/sis for a long time and the experience definitely lived up to expectations. Santorini was by far our favourite place, island was beautiful, though Athens was pretty dam filthy.
The other week I skanked off I spent working at the vetsim conference (always an enjoyable view days) and camping in Penzance with friends. Most comedy events were the tent sick incident or the stolen Weatherspoons chair.
Right, next point to address, the big bad 5th year…
The year really started before summer with two of our three week rotations. These now continue until the end of next term. The year is spilt into groups of 11/12 and each group rotates around 3w blocks in the following areas…
Anaesthesia, Surgery, First Opinion Practice, Equine, Small animal medicine 1 and 2 (including Dermatology, ICU, Pathology, Cat medicine and Dog medicine) and Farm 1 and 2 (including farm hospital, farm practice, ems, abattoir, preventative medicine, and reproduction)… may have missed some areas but I’m sure the jist is achieved.
Currently I’m on SAM2, I had Derm last wk and this wk I’m on Cat medicine. Derm was an easy/useful and fun wk, we saw cases Tues to Thurs and had to produce a report on a fictional case we were each given. I think my case was lethal acrodermatitis in an English bull terrier, but only results next wk will tell.
Cat medicine is slightly less ideal, lots of cases hard work and more stress.
Basically the 5th yr is a hands on practical based year were hopefully we’ll gain some of the clinical skills required once we reach the big bad outside world (that I think is the idea anyway).
Personally I find I spend too much of my time trying to survive the 5th yr than actually getting on with some good learning, but that’s probably my slightly lazy attitude to the whole ordeal. What I mean is my efforts go into making sure clinicians can’t pick faults with what I’m doing and making it through one rotation to the next (I’m sure I’m not the only one). However without realising it no doubt some quality vet info must be seeping into my head when I’m surrounded by the whole thing every day.
Enough vet jabbering the 1st wk bck needs considering… Basically other than getting on with some quality derm wrk the 1st wk has been one ongoing greatness of alcohol fuelled nights, including the fresher’s party, a Langford bar night and a house party. All nights were amazing. The party was fairly lame on the pre-clinical front but 4th/5th yrs made up for the lack of enthusiasm shown and generally went pretty crazy, I also got slapped by a big dark dude but that’s another story (don’t worry family face isn’t to damaged). The bar night involved the stranglers playing for a clinicians leaving do, generally a good night though no specific stories except for John, Dave, me, Ian, Paula and Aniket getting half naked, covered in flour and dancing on a kitchen work surface till the early hours of the morning. Important props included tea towel, spatula, rolling pin, dog bowl, mop bucket and an England flag. Me and Dave got hurt by breaking 3 spatulas, never good.
Over the weekend the main event was the treasure hunt which due to last years madness was supposed to get band. Thankfully the current organisers did a wicked job and fun was had by all freshers and older years involved. Me and Milnthorpe took a team round and they were all absolute legends, the fish was kissed, the games were won, the carrots were sucked and the elephant walk was accomplished.
Not much to say about the party Sat night except comedy moustaches and much dancing, John was an absolute legend as somehow he managed to solely revive a dying party.
Back to school Monday and it was a major shell shock, I’ve spent yesterday and today trying to restore some kind of organisation to my life.
Things Pete is currently trying to organise…
- Soiree, levator’s last 1st term performance, will be awesome (can’t way to play to the school as final years).
- Panto music, I’ve landed myself the role of music coordinator for the panto i.e. get some kind of a band together.
- Spamalot, group of us are off to see the theatre production of monty python and the holy grail for mine and my dad’s birthday, this Saturday (birthdays other days).
- Open Mic, organisation of the 2nd is in the pipe line.
Other big upcoming events include Mat’s birthday, my birthday, and the gillemots (spelling?) with John. Plus I’m off for a drink with Sinead tomorrow and we’re jamming Sunday.
Tonight it’s off to the freshers pub crawl, I’m going as a breakdancer, will have to bust out some crazy big moves. Pauls made me an awesome ketoblaster thing.
Sorry last bit all rushed, have to get moving to go now and give my diarrhoea cat a klean prep.
Speak soon, it’s good to be back. x
It’s been many months since my last entry at the end of 4th yr and obviously there are ridiculously large amounts of general Pete life that could be included, though due to constant time constraints only vitals are possible.
Important points to mention I feel: Summer (hols/ems etc), the 5th yr, 1st wk, ongoing org, upcoming events…
Summer was fantastic in places and highly monotonous in others. 2months out of the three I spent doing compulsory work experience all over the country and in the other month I managed to get away for 3w in Greece and spent 1w with friends plus working.
Work experience was pretty good and definitely useful for the majority of the time. It got quite tiresome towards the end of summer as I think there’s only a certain amount of standing and watching a person can take before wanting to get much more hands on. Though to be fair all the places I went to were awesome at getting students involved but still there’s only so much they can let you do before we manage to stretch the practice day length significantly. Some of the best experience was with my good friend Kieran, as consults and operational issues were addressed plus out of hours socialisation was quite ideal, including a comedy night in Marlow and a viewing of the band Get Cape.Wear Cape.Fly.
Other than ems the summer holiday was excellent. The family spent 3w in Greece which was ideal. We had a villa for the five of us in Crete for 2w and then me, Rich and Han went off islanding to Santorini and on to Athens to fly home. I’ve wanted to do a little bit of travelling with the bro/sis for a long time and the experience definitely lived up to expectations. Santorini was by far our favourite place, island was beautiful, though Athens was pretty dam filthy.
The other week I skanked off I spent working at the vetsim conference (always an enjoyable view days) and camping in Penzance with friends. Most comedy events were the tent sick incident or the stolen Weatherspoons chair.
Right, next point to address, the big bad 5th year…
The year really started before summer with two of our three week rotations. These now continue until the end of next term. The year is spilt into groups of 11/12 and each group rotates around 3w blocks in the following areas…
Anaesthesia, Surgery, First Opinion Practice, Equine, Small animal medicine 1 and 2 (including Dermatology, ICU, Pathology, Cat medicine and Dog medicine) and Farm 1 and 2 (including farm hospital, farm practice, ems, abattoir, preventative medicine, and reproduction)… may have missed some areas but I’m sure the jist is achieved.
Currently I’m on SAM2, I had Derm last wk and this wk I’m on Cat medicine. Derm was an easy/useful and fun wk, we saw cases Tues to Thurs and had to produce a report on a fictional case we were each given. I think my case was lethal acrodermatitis in an English bull terrier, but only results next wk will tell.
Cat medicine is slightly less ideal, lots of cases hard work and more stress.
Basically the 5th yr is a hands on practical based year were hopefully we’ll gain some of the clinical skills required once we reach the big bad outside world (that I think is the idea anyway).
Personally I find I spend too much of my time trying to survive the 5th yr than actually getting on with some good learning, but that’s probably my slightly lazy attitude to the whole ordeal. What I mean is my efforts go into making sure clinicians can’t pick faults with what I’m doing and making it through one rotation to the next (I’m sure I’m not the only one). However without realising it no doubt some quality vet info must be seeping into my head when I’m surrounded by the whole thing every day.
Enough vet jabbering the 1st wk bck needs considering… Basically other than getting on with some quality derm wrk the 1st wk has been one ongoing greatness of alcohol fuelled nights, including the fresher’s party, a Langford bar night and a house party. All nights were amazing. The party was fairly lame on the pre-clinical front but 4th/5th yrs made up for the lack of enthusiasm shown and generally went pretty crazy, I also got slapped by a big dark dude but that’s another story (don’t worry family face isn’t to damaged). The bar night involved the stranglers playing for a clinicians leaving do, generally a good night though no specific stories except for John, Dave, me, Ian, Paula and Aniket getting half naked, covered in flour and dancing on a kitchen work surface till the early hours of the morning. Important props included tea towel, spatula, rolling pin, dog bowl, mop bucket and an England flag. Me and Dave got hurt by breaking 3 spatulas, never good.
Over the weekend the main event was the treasure hunt which due to last years madness was supposed to get band. Thankfully the current organisers did a wicked job and fun was had by all freshers and older years involved. Me and Milnthorpe took a team round and they were all absolute legends, the fish was kissed, the games were won, the carrots were sucked and the elephant walk was accomplished.
Not much to say about the party Sat night except comedy moustaches and much dancing, John was an absolute legend as somehow he managed to solely revive a dying party.
Back to school Monday and it was a major shell shock, I’ve spent yesterday and today trying to restore some kind of organisation to my life.
Things Pete is currently trying to organise…
- Soiree, levator’s last 1st term performance, will be awesome (can’t way to play to the school as final years).
- Panto music, I’ve landed myself the role of music coordinator for the panto i.e. get some kind of a band together.
- Spamalot, group of us are off to see the theatre production of monty python and the holy grail for mine and my dad’s birthday, this Saturday (birthdays other days).
- Open Mic, organisation of the 2nd is in the pipe line.
Other big upcoming events include Mat’s birthday, my birthday, and the gillemots (spelling?) with John. Plus I’m off for a drink with Sinead tomorrow and we’re jamming Sunday.
Tonight it’s off to the freshers pub crawl, I’m going as a breakdancer, will have to bust out some crazy big moves. Pauls made me an awesome ketoblaster thing.
Sorry last bit all rushed, have to get moving to go now and give my diarrhoea cat a klean prep.
Speak soon, it’s good to be back. x
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
