Firstly I apologise for the distinct lack of entries for sometime, this is due to a mid-term holiday, loads of work and a ball!
I arrived back from Switzerland on Thursday night after a wicked 6day break over there with my little bro who’s having a gap year. He’s out there for 4months working in a hotel, where he spends his free time skiing in the Swiz Alps…alright for some. I hadn’t really skied much before, one day in Australia and one in Tamworth snow-dome, but picked it up fairly quickly and managed to keep up with Rich on some red runs. We spent our evenings watching films as was both far to nacked to go out, though we did venture out for one very expensive night with some of Rich’s hotel staff.
Unfortunately as I arrived back late on Thursday I missed the centaur (Bristol’s vet society) elections. This is were a brand new centaur committee is elected each year, usually quite a laugh as people bring loads of alcofrol into the lecture theatre, get hammered and then go out. Positions up for grabs included President, Vice President, Books Rep, Clothing Rep, Ents Reps, Fresh Reps and Sports Rep. All voting is done democratically with home made vids for presidents helping to make up peoples minds. Our new president is Gavindar Panisar, top guy, just have to hope the position doesn’t go to his head… joke Gav if read this.
Friday’s main academic task was a pathology cardiovascular test, this went ok despite the fact that revision was principally done on a plane. Most questions went fine except for the last couple as he started to read out the answers so had to quickly hand it in (very informal these pathology tests though they do only count for 1% each of pathology). Also on Friday we had our last microbiology practical before the DSE sessions began. I managed to polish off my table for this the other night so I’m fully prepared for this Fridays DSE. This involves three unknown micro-organisms which we have to identify using a variety of stains, biochemical tests and practical techniques. Probably the most interesting and fun thing we’ve done this year, makes you feel like a sort of microbiologist detective, or that might just be me?!
Friday evening the house had a quiet one in watching Dogeball, would recommend purely for Stiller’s comedy acting in it!
Over the weekend I spent some time nailing my MircoDSE identification table and copied up the lectures I’d missed by having a half term break. On the Saturday night however I did have something exciting to do as it was the vet2005 ball. This year it was held at the winter gardens hall in Weston and was expertly organised by Hayley, Andy, Louise and Tonia (ents reps). We started out the night at the union bar for a few then all pilled on the bus with much alcohol in hand for the 1hr journey there. The night was a great laugh, nothing especially comical happened apart from Steve trying to break JP for letting a party popper off in his ear and all the injuries that were sustained off the flying carpet (it became apparent on Monday how lethal this thing was as so many people had carpet burns on their face and hands, including myself who has a fair patch of skin missing from my thumb). The speakers were great and the meal delicious, good job ents reps!
This week is fairly busy work wise. We had a hectic day in Langford yesterday, three anaesthesia lectures, 1 radiology and an anaesthesia practical. The practical was ok, got to connect each other up to ECG machines and measure each others blood pressures and blood oxygen saturation. However I think the take home part of the practical was supposed to be working out which anaesthetic breathing system should be used for different animal case studies and what gas flow rates are appropriate (got a good bit of notes on this so no worries).
As for work for the rest of the week we’ve got microbiology most of today and then health and safety this afternoon (can’t imagine this being the most riveting subject, though health and safety is of course important so I shall attend with an open mind?!). Thursday we have two endocrinology pathology lectures to attend followed by another miniDSE test on the subject on Friday, these little tests are well annoying.
I suppose I will also carry on with my ongoing DSE tasks this week, probably had better start on pharmacology DSE before Steve gets more stressed about the groups current lack of effort.
Fun wise for this week… not much until the weekend. We have a footy social on Friday (typical stuff, Kings arms for drink, curry and pool then not onto a club for me as my little sis is arriving the next morning).
Saturday I’m entertaining Hannah (sister), will probably take her ice skating with the Hockey social that is there during the day, then maybe shopping and film or pub in the evening (have to let me know how that sounds Hannie).
PS: First results of the year, microbiology midsessional (15%) managed to get myself an A, crazy stuff I know, but not that impressive as the whole years marks were pretty good (what happens when they give us one exam to revise for over xmas and not four).
Tuesday, February 08, 2005
Monday, January 24, 2005
Monday morning and back in Langford again, this year just seems like we spend all our time in Langford or travelling to/from it (but then as we have 2 full days at Langford Monday and Friday and the rest of the week is a few lectures and DSE it’s not surprising). I suppose they’re just easing us in to the 4th and 5th years for continual Langford clinical fun.
The end of last week’s main item of work was my talk for research, which had to be given to the year (was done between 6 of us so not all bad). The subject was fructo-oligosaccharides and their effects on intestinal bacterial overgrowth in dogs, exhilarating I know. Though the subject was dull the practice at public type speaking was fairly useful. The talk went fine, though I doubt many people listened to a word of it (can’t blame them).
Friday night was a bit alternative, you could say we went out but then as we were only in a club for less than an hr and didn’t leave the house till half 12 that’s questionable. Hayley went out with the vet-girls and the 5 of us left decided to save the pennies and drink in. After drinking games (which included the new found comedy game of pants master) JP was the cause of the night’s highlights by producing his holiday litre of ouzo, so after many cut the pack ouzo shots we left calm and civilised to go to a club. A lot of my memory at the club is pretty hazy, but I’m sure it was a good night. Most comedy part of the night has to be mine and JP’s taxi bartering… we decided that £7.70 was too much for our taxi (though we normally pay around this so I don’t get the logic) and so offered him £6, he wasn’t best happy so we all got out and I told Hayley and Steve to leave at a pace. After many minutes of arguing with me and JP the guy threatened to phone the police so of course we took the only logical action and legged it…I suppose that makes me a fugitive now?!
You know without alcohol I reckon these blogs would be pretty short!
As for the rest of the weekend many people didn’t surface best early on Saturday, once 3pm came though I was fairly active. I managed to get some immunology revision done of sorts and then went to Mat friends Stu’s birthday bash for some coke (cola). Stu had got some stand-ups in for the night, very amusing.
On Sunday I got up early to begin a very productive day, the achievements included…
· Tidied the lounge, including hovered, dusted!, cleaned rat out, removed ouzo stains and used a large quantity of air freshener to remove the pungent smell of beer and ouzo.
· Tidied the kitchen, cleaned the surfaces, mopped the floor and cleaned the oven.
· Did many hours of immunology revision in preparation for Fridays mini-DSE test. The test only counts for 1% but it’s the learning of the stuff in general that’s the point. I managed to get through 5 out of 15 sections including antigen presenting cells, the complement pathways, immunological tissue and cells and major-histocompatibility complexes and transplantation.
· Booked a flight for Morocco for the summer. Mat, Emma, Tamsin, Helen and I are off for four weeks. The flight was really cheap at £75 return. However once Helen and Em booked there’s and Mat booked his mine went up to £91, not best happy as I noticed the cheaper flight in the first place…dammit.
As for the week coming I’m crazily busy. I need to get the revision done for this immunology test on Friday plus I need to get some BCS (basic clinical science) DSE done as it has to be handed in very soon after I get back from Switzerland. The subject of the DSE is the anaesthesia of a dog that is to have an operation on its larynx to re-position the arytenoid cartilage, haven’t looked into much yet, hopefully will get started tonight.
Also over this week I have and Idlewild acoustic gig to attend on Tuesday night with JP and Mat plus its off to Switzerland early Saturday to see Rich for 6days ( Next Monday to Thursday I have very few lectures so it shouldn’t’ be too difficult to catch up).
As for the rest of today I’ve got a sedation and premedication lecture in 25mins then this afternoon its IV induction agents followed by poultry post-mortem, will include the main points of this in my next blog.
The end of last week’s main item of work was my talk for research, which had to be given to the year (was done between 6 of us so not all bad). The subject was fructo-oligosaccharides and their effects on intestinal bacterial overgrowth in dogs, exhilarating I know. Though the subject was dull the practice at public type speaking was fairly useful. The talk went fine, though I doubt many people listened to a word of it (can’t blame them).
Friday night was a bit alternative, you could say we went out but then as we were only in a club for less than an hr and didn’t leave the house till half 12 that’s questionable. Hayley went out with the vet-girls and the 5 of us left decided to save the pennies and drink in. After drinking games (which included the new found comedy game of pants master) JP was the cause of the night’s highlights by producing his holiday litre of ouzo, so after many cut the pack ouzo shots we left calm and civilised to go to a club. A lot of my memory at the club is pretty hazy, but I’m sure it was a good night. Most comedy part of the night has to be mine and JP’s taxi bartering… we decided that £7.70 was too much for our taxi (though we normally pay around this so I don’t get the logic) and so offered him £6, he wasn’t best happy so we all got out and I told Hayley and Steve to leave at a pace. After many minutes of arguing with me and JP the guy threatened to phone the police so of course we took the only logical action and legged it…I suppose that makes me a fugitive now?!
You know without alcohol I reckon these blogs would be pretty short!
As for the rest of the weekend many people didn’t surface best early on Saturday, once 3pm came though I was fairly active. I managed to get some immunology revision done of sorts and then went to Mat friends Stu’s birthday bash for some coke (cola). Stu had got some stand-ups in for the night, very amusing.
On Sunday I got up early to begin a very productive day, the achievements included…
· Tidied the lounge, including hovered, dusted!, cleaned rat out, removed ouzo stains and used a large quantity of air freshener to remove the pungent smell of beer and ouzo.
· Tidied the kitchen, cleaned the surfaces, mopped the floor and cleaned the oven.
· Did many hours of immunology revision in preparation for Fridays mini-DSE test. The test only counts for 1% but it’s the learning of the stuff in general that’s the point. I managed to get through 5 out of 15 sections including antigen presenting cells, the complement pathways, immunological tissue and cells and major-histocompatibility complexes and transplantation.
· Booked a flight for Morocco for the summer. Mat, Emma, Tamsin, Helen and I are off for four weeks. The flight was really cheap at £75 return. However once Helen and Em booked there’s and Mat booked his mine went up to £91, not best happy as I noticed the cheaper flight in the first place…dammit.
As for the week coming I’m crazily busy. I need to get the revision done for this immunology test on Friday plus I need to get some BCS (basic clinical science) DSE done as it has to be handed in very soon after I get back from Switzerland. The subject of the DSE is the anaesthesia of a dog that is to have an operation on its larynx to re-position the arytenoid cartilage, haven’t looked into much yet, hopefully will get started tonight.
Also over this week I have and Idlewild acoustic gig to attend on Tuesday night with JP and Mat plus its off to Switzerland early Saturday to see Rich for 6days ( Next Monday to Thursday I have very few lectures so it shouldn’t’ be too difficult to catch up).
As for the rest of today I’ve got a sedation and premedication lecture in 25mins then this afternoon its IV induction agents followed by poultry post-mortem, will include the main points of this in my next blog.
Monday, January 17, 2005
If anyone would like to leave any non-abussive feedback on my blog please send to...
scalesvet@hotmail.co.uk
I can't promise any replies but comments would be insightful, thank you. Pete.
scalesvet@hotmail.co.uk
I can't promise any replies but comments would be insightful, thank you. Pete.
Monday morning and I’m back in the computer room at langfordton. Day started off ok as we somehow managed to get here on time and get that god-forsaken hand out off Avril that Paul and I put so much effort into trying to locate last Friday. With the handout in my possession I had no choice but to attend this mornings lecture on anaesthesia… so very very dull! I find it pretty difficult to follow Avril so that’s why I’m here writing this and not in her second lecture of the day (will copy up and go through it tonight, I’m not being that slack…comment aimed at parents and grandmother).
The rest of today isn’t too bad, a couple of non-Avril anaesthesia lectures and then a practical on housing (apparently Joe Roe gives us tea and coffee during this prac… novel). Tonight a few off us may be going for a couple of drinks at the Highbury Vaults, work depending, plus its up early tomorrow for skiing at Tamworth. I’ve managed to organise the little trip for 9 of us tomorrow (only £15 for 2hours skiing including all hire, pretty good I thought). Tomorrow evening it’s work time again hopefully, need to get as much DSE out the way as possible before going to see Rich in Switzerland.
As for the rest of the week work wise there’s a fair bit to get done. We continue autonomic pharmacology work on Wednesday and continue with the different genera of micro-organisms on Thursday (last week we did Enterobacteriacae and this week its haemophilus, Bordetella and Reoviruses + Calichiviruses). On Friday we have a microbiology practical then I have to do a talk with 6 others for our research course. Thankfully this doesn’t count for anything, but it does mean that I’ve got to read a paper on fructo-oligosaccharides and micro-organisms and discover where the mistakes are in it (will go through this on Wednesday and Thursday night… not much point putting in too much effort when it’s on research and counts for nothing).
Other than work and skiing I’ve not got a lot planned for the rest of the week. The only other thing on my agenda is a 2.5hr band practice Thursday afternoon. This is well needed as Levator Ani are playing Langford Bar on 18th Feb and need two fairly long set lists.
Will write again next Monday.
The rest of today isn’t too bad, a couple of non-Avril anaesthesia lectures and then a practical on housing (apparently Joe Roe gives us tea and coffee during this prac… novel). Tonight a few off us may be going for a couple of drinks at the Highbury Vaults, work depending, plus its up early tomorrow for skiing at Tamworth. I’ve managed to organise the little trip for 9 of us tomorrow (only £15 for 2hours skiing including all hire, pretty good I thought). Tomorrow evening it’s work time again hopefully, need to get as much DSE out the way as possible before going to see Rich in Switzerland.
As for the rest of the week work wise there’s a fair bit to get done. We continue autonomic pharmacology work on Wednesday and continue with the different genera of micro-organisms on Thursday (last week we did Enterobacteriacae and this week its haemophilus, Bordetella and Reoviruses + Calichiviruses). On Friday we have a microbiology practical then I have to do a talk with 6 others for our research course. Thankfully this doesn’t count for anything, but it does mean that I’ve got to read a paper on fructo-oligosaccharides and micro-organisms and discover where the mistakes are in it (will go through this on Wednesday and Thursday night… not much point putting in too much effort when it’s on research and counts for nothing).
Other than work and skiing I’ve not got a lot planned for the rest of the week. The only other thing on my agenda is a 2.5hr band practice Thursday afternoon. This is well needed as Levator Ani are playing Langford Bar on 18th Feb and need two fairly long set lists.
Will write again next Monday.
Tuesday, January 11, 2005
Hello and happy New Year!
I’m back for the 2nd term of the third year, a term most people associate with copious amounts of DSE (directed self education or drinking starts early as you will). Christmas was great, I had only one exam to revise for and I managed to clear the travelling dept so ideal. I worked from the end of term for 9days at the medlink conference in Nottingham, 17hour days and on-call at night, was pretty hectic but the work was fine and the staff very cool. Mat was working to as security and transport. Obviously we can’t have been too crap as we’ve both been asked back to work in July on the Vetsim course, should be pretty cool do work with potential vets and not damn medics. I also managed to get some work at a pub in my village over the festive period.
Christmas was mainly a bit crap as worked it at the pub. However once Xmas day started at 7pm ish was really good, I think my family must have been some of the last people on Earth to open their presents at 9pm, but was worth the wait as I got a mini-fridge and a suit…definitely not working next year.
New year was alcoholic. A big group of mates at home went out for an Indian, which was byo drink, so naturally I took along plenty to save funds later. However I think I over did it as whilst walking home I fell over a wall into field and got a bit muddy you could say, though thankfully my brand new shoes cleaned up really well and I was able to take them back and exchange them as part of the shoe had come apart in the 2hour walk home.
Came back to uni on Sunday, though I had no time to go out and see everyone, as revision was essential for yesterday’s microbiology exam. The exam went really well; if only all exams were like that the course would be ideal. Last night I went out into Bristol with the usual crew, cocktails and shooters in henry africas 2for1 was fun so bit hung over today. Todays lectures have all involved anaesthesia, however unfortunately me and paul haven’t been able to attend them due to a hand-out problem. The story goes… Lots of traffic, late to first lecture, avril gets mad when late so went to play pool with paul (the others chanced it), went back at break to join lecture but avril didn’t break, went back at end of next lecture avril left early, needed 80page hand-out beast to go to this afternoons lectures so went to avrils office, not there, went to Churchill building, small animal hospital and back to office, no joy, went to see the oracle that is Geoff who told us she’d gone to Bristol so now have to wait till Friday to get handouts… frustration.
This afternoon we have an anaesthesia practical that I can attend so looking forward to that.
This evening John’s coming round to show us his skiing vids from xmas and I’m off out food shopping, great?! I hate food shopping, though mercifully I just have to push the trolley and Hayley puts stuff in it.
Best thing up and coming is a trip to Tamworth snow dome that I’m organising for Tuesday as we have the whole day off! This is in preparation for my visit to see my little bro in Switzerland at the end of the month.
Just read this through and realised and haven’t explained about DSE that I mentioned;
We have pathology DSE on going which is mini-tests each worth 1%.
We have farm animal science DSE which is an exam on the end of the term on current issues so I’m meant to be reading vet record and farmers weekly to keep up to date.
We also have pharmacology DSE which is a project of our choice were you compare two completely different treatments for the same disease (we’ve choosen arthritis).
And there’s therapeutics DSE though I don’t know what this involves yet.
I’m back for the 2nd term of the third year, a term most people associate with copious amounts of DSE (directed self education or drinking starts early as you will). Christmas was great, I had only one exam to revise for and I managed to clear the travelling dept so ideal. I worked from the end of term for 9days at the medlink conference in Nottingham, 17hour days and on-call at night, was pretty hectic but the work was fine and the staff very cool. Mat was working to as security and transport. Obviously we can’t have been too crap as we’ve both been asked back to work in July on the Vetsim course, should be pretty cool do work with potential vets and not damn medics. I also managed to get some work at a pub in my village over the festive period.
Christmas was mainly a bit crap as worked it at the pub. However once Xmas day started at 7pm ish was really good, I think my family must have been some of the last people on Earth to open their presents at 9pm, but was worth the wait as I got a mini-fridge and a suit…definitely not working next year.
New year was alcoholic. A big group of mates at home went out for an Indian, which was byo drink, so naturally I took along plenty to save funds later. However I think I over did it as whilst walking home I fell over a wall into field and got a bit muddy you could say, though thankfully my brand new shoes cleaned up really well and I was able to take them back and exchange them as part of the shoe had come apart in the 2hour walk home.
Came back to uni on Sunday, though I had no time to go out and see everyone, as revision was essential for yesterday’s microbiology exam. The exam went really well; if only all exams were like that the course would be ideal. Last night I went out into Bristol with the usual crew, cocktails and shooters in henry africas 2for1 was fun so bit hung over today. Todays lectures have all involved anaesthesia, however unfortunately me and paul haven’t been able to attend them due to a hand-out problem. The story goes… Lots of traffic, late to first lecture, avril gets mad when late so went to play pool with paul (the others chanced it), went back at break to join lecture but avril didn’t break, went back at end of next lecture avril left early, needed 80page hand-out beast to go to this afternoons lectures so went to avrils office, not there, went to Churchill building, small animal hospital and back to office, no joy, went to see the oracle that is Geoff who told us she’d gone to Bristol so now have to wait till Friday to get handouts… frustration.
This afternoon we have an anaesthesia practical that I can attend so looking forward to that.
This evening John’s coming round to show us his skiing vids from xmas and I’m off out food shopping, great?! I hate food shopping, though mercifully I just have to push the trolley and Hayley puts stuff in it.
Best thing up and coming is a trip to Tamworth snow dome that I’m organising for Tuesday as we have the whole day off! This is in preparation for my visit to see my little bro in Switzerland at the end of the month.
Just read this through and realised and haven’t explained about DSE that I mentioned;
We have pathology DSE on going which is mini-tests each worth 1%.
We have farm animal science DSE which is an exam on the end of the term on current issues so I’m meant to be reading vet record and farmers weekly to keep up to date.
We also have pharmacology DSE which is a project of our choice were you compare two completely different treatments for the same disease (we’ve choosen arthritis).
And there’s therapeutics DSE though I don’t know what this involves yet.
Wednesday, December 01, 2004
It’s Wednesday morning and we have the whole day off! This is a very unusual occurrence in Vet School, so naturally I’m going to make the most of it by playing football and having a Christmas dinner.
Since last Wednesday the work front has been fairly minimal...
In basic clinical science we’ve covered hepatic dysfunction and clinical aspects of haematology (fairly interesting stuff as it’s all relevant).
In farm animal science we had a day of poultry lectures. This was incredible dull, I suppose if one had an interest in chickens the lectures may be more exciting, but as it was we had three lectures by the same guy who pretty much just told us crazy stories on his poultry experience.
In pathology I attended a discussion with a quarter of the year on haematology and biochemical tests and their clinical use (it’s only a quarter of the year as on Monday afternoons we have a rotational thing set over four weeks). The talk was really interesting, we were given information on patient background and test results and then we had to interpret the results to work our way systematically to a diagnosis.
The main social event over the last week has to be our weekend break to Hugo’s family mansion in Hereford. A group of 8 of us went up on the Friday and then some more people came on the Saturday so that 12 people were present for a massive roast dinner on the Saturday night. The best night of the weekend has to be the Friday, as me, Pritchard and Paul stayed up till 7:00 playing pool and drinking a few cans. I think pool arrogance tipped us well off the tipsy edge, especially as JP kept putting vodka in the arrogance pint glass (pool arrogance = the two players contending place as much alcohol in a pint glass as they wish at the beginning of the game, the person to losses the game drinks). Once the time came to 6:30ish JP and I decided that we were never going to be up in time to make everyone breakfast as we had been instructed. Therefore we cleared the kitchen and set up breakfast for every one (this included putting out croissants, toast, cereal, all cutlery, fruit, milk, OJ and making huge stacks of blackberry and chocolate pancakes – I think these must have taken us quite a while to make as I can vaguely remember JP making me separate 12 egg whites at 7 in the morning).
On Saturday we went for a walk and played some rounders with a log. Then in the evening we had a much more subdued dinner and a few games of saucy charades. Hugo and Tamsin cooked an excellent meal.
On Sunday I left Hereford fairly early by train to get over to my house in Derby for my little brothers leaving do (he’s off to Switzerland for 4months). The whole thing had been organised as a surprise and Rich didn’t have a clue. He had a good evening I think, apart from tripping up on the way home while giving someone a picky back and busting his face up a little.
On Monday Hayley and I went for a quite drink. I doubt anyone wants to hear anymore than that.
On Tuesday it was cloudy in the morning and then it brightened up in the afternoon.
Today I’m playing footy for vets. We hope to get our first win of the season today as we’re playing a crap 3rd division side (we’re in 1st) – if we can’t win this we might as well give up. Tonight Hayley and John are cooking a Xmas dinner for everyone…nice.
Over the next week the main things to look forward to our…
Friday: Aids awareness ball.
Saturday: Levator Ani one year anniversary/xmas party.
Monday: Darkness and Ash concert in Cardiff.
Tuesday: Hayley and I one year anniversary dinner.
Wednesday: Fi and T joint birthday party.
Thursday: Vet Xmas Party.
Friday: Home.
Last week of term looks to be pretty awesome!!
Since last Wednesday the work front has been fairly minimal...
In basic clinical science we’ve covered hepatic dysfunction and clinical aspects of haematology (fairly interesting stuff as it’s all relevant).
In farm animal science we had a day of poultry lectures. This was incredible dull, I suppose if one had an interest in chickens the lectures may be more exciting, but as it was we had three lectures by the same guy who pretty much just told us crazy stories on his poultry experience.
In pathology I attended a discussion with a quarter of the year on haematology and biochemical tests and their clinical use (it’s only a quarter of the year as on Monday afternoons we have a rotational thing set over four weeks). The talk was really interesting, we were given information on patient background and test results and then we had to interpret the results to work our way systematically to a diagnosis.
The main social event over the last week has to be our weekend break to Hugo’s family mansion in Hereford. A group of 8 of us went up on the Friday and then some more people came on the Saturday so that 12 people were present for a massive roast dinner on the Saturday night. The best night of the weekend has to be the Friday, as me, Pritchard and Paul stayed up till 7:00 playing pool and drinking a few cans. I think pool arrogance tipped us well off the tipsy edge, especially as JP kept putting vodka in the arrogance pint glass (pool arrogance = the two players contending place as much alcohol in a pint glass as they wish at the beginning of the game, the person to losses the game drinks). Once the time came to 6:30ish JP and I decided that we were never going to be up in time to make everyone breakfast as we had been instructed. Therefore we cleared the kitchen and set up breakfast for every one (this included putting out croissants, toast, cereal, all cutlery, fruit, milk, OJ and making huge stacks of blackberry and chocolate pancakes – I think these must have taken us quite a while to make as I can vaguely remember JP making me separate 12 egg whites at 7 in the morning).
On Saturday we went for a walk and played some rounders with a log. Then in the evening we had a much more subdued dinner and a few games of saucy charades. Hugo and Tamsin cooked an excellent meal.
On Sunday I left Hereford fairly early by train to get over to my house in Derby for my little brothers leaving do (he’s off to Switzerland for 4months). The whole thing had been organised as a surprise and Rich didn’t have a clue. He had a good evening I think, apart from tripping up on the way home while giving someone a picky back and busting his face up a little.
On Monday Hayley and I went for a quite drink. I doubt anyone wants to hear anymore than that.
On Tuesday it was cloudy in the morning and then it brightened up in the afternoon.
Today I’m playing footy for vets. We hope to get our first win of the season today as we’re playing a crap 3rd division side (we’re in 1st) – if we can’t win this we might as well give up. Tonight Hayley and John are cooking a Xmas dinner for everyone…nice.
Over the next week the main things to look forward to our…
Friday: Aids awareness ball.
Saturday: Levator Ani one year anniversary/xmas party.
Monday: Darkness and Ash concert in Cardiff.
Tuesday: Hayley and I one year anniversary dinner.
Wednesday: Fi and T joint birthday party.
Thursday: Vet Xmas Party.
Friday: Home.
Last week of term looks to be pretty awesome!!
Wednesday, November 24, 2004
It’s Wednesday morning, and though I’ve come into vet school to do two lectures I’ve had to miss the first one as I brought in the wrong notes (they changed a lecture round between this week and last and I forgot to change it on my timetable). No worries though I’ll just have to catch it up later after football later (don’t panic Mum).
The main thing to write about in this entry has to be the soiree last Friday and Levator Ani’s performance in it.
We (the band) turned up at the Cadbury House (where the soiree is held every year) at 5:00pm to get set up. The guy we hired our PA off was excellent, he brought a great set up and we didn’t have to do anything involving sound levels or sound checks, probably why our sound levels where a hell lot better than at our last gig for the vet pantomime. At 7:30ish everyone started arriving and we got playing 8:30ish. The whole set list went really well. Though I felt there were a couple of critical errors, however when watching Aniket’s recording of us later they don’t seem to have come across. We played supersonic, country house, sit down, shining light, some might say, year 2000, vet life and brim full of asha. It was pretty nerve racking playing to over 400 people, though after a few songs the nerves went and it was really cool, especially as my little bro had driven 2.5hrs to come see me play!
Over the weekend we had to pick up our equipment from the Cadbury house on Saturday and then went to John’s house party in the evening. John’s house mates must have spent loads on alcohol. They had two kegs, punch, shots and vodka jelly. The record for vodka jelly eating went to John’s house mate Matt who consumed 64 desert spoons of the stuff, he then died slowly in a chair for the remainder of the night. Unfortunately I had to leave the party fairly early as was ready to fall asleep wherever I rested for too long (probably still knackered from the Soiree).
On Sunday I had two games of hockey for the vets. We won 6-1 and 2-1. Then in the evening I made a gourmet meal for Hayley. This included garlic mushrooms starter, followed rump steak with home made potato wedges, and then bread and butter pudding for dessert. I think Hayley was fairly impressed, I know I was as I’ve never cooked anything much since Home Ec. in secondary school.
Work for this week is fairly minimal. Monday was, as usual, Langford, where lectures included Blood transfusion, problem solving as a method for working out a diagnosis and prognosis, vomiting and diarrhoea lectures (including the grading of faecal samples) and a lecture on Haemostasis. In the afternoon we had a practical on washing our hands and dressing up (or scrubbing and gowning up, as you will). It was pretty cool to do something indisputably relevant.
Yesterday we had the day off so I decided to repair my PC, make some bread and watch Harry Potter 3 with the house. I also found time to complete the microbiology DSE task. This involved reading some notes on chemical and physical antimicrobial techniques and then answering some timed multiple choice questions on the subject. I got 90% so no worries.
Today I’ve got one more lecture to attend on toxicology then it’s off up to the downs for football. Today Nice Fridge FC are playing Hiatt Baker Halls of Residence.
As for the rest of the week I’ve got a shed load of lectures on Immunology and tomorrow night there’s a vet hockey social at the Indian Ocean Restaurant which I think I might attend (always very messy).
The main thing to write about in this entry has to be the soiree last Friday and Levator Ani’s performance in it.
We (the band) turned up at the Cadbury House (where the soiree is held every year) at 5:00pm to get set up. The guy we hired our PA off was excellent, he brought a great set up and we didn’t have to do anything involving sound levels or sound checks, probably why our sound levels where a hell lot better than at our last gig for the vet pantomime. At 7:30ish everyone started arriving and we got playing 8:30ish. The whole set list went really well. Though I felt there were a couple of critical errors, however when watching Aniket’s recording of us later they don’t seem to have come across. We played supersonic, country house, sit down, shining light, some might say, year 2000, vet life and brim full of asha. It was pretty nerve racking playing to over 400 people, though after a few songs the nerves went and it was really cool, especially as my little bro had driven 2.5hrs to come see me play!
Over the weekend we had to pick up our equipment from the Cadbury house on Saturday and then went to John’s house party in the evening. John’s house mates must have spent loads on alcohol. They had two kegs, punch, shots and vodka jelly. The record for vodka jelly eating went to John’s house mate Matt who consumed 64 desert spoons of the stuff, he then died slowly in a chair for the remainder of the night. Unfortunately I had to leave the party fairly early as was ready to fall asleep wherever I rested for too long (probably still knackered from the Soiree).
On Sunday I had two games of hockey for the vets. We won 6-1 and 2-1. Then in the evening I made a gourmet meal for Hayley. This included garlic mushrooms starter, followed rump steak with home made potato wedges, and then bread and butter pudding for dessert. I think Hayley was fairly impressed, I know I was as I’ve never cooked anything much since Home Ec. in secondary school.
Work for this week is fairly minimal. Monday was, as usual, Langford, where lectures included Blood transfusion, problem solving as a method for working out a diagnosis and prognosis, vomiting and diarrhoea lectures (including the grading of faecal samples) and a lecture on Haemostasis. In the afternoon we had a practical on washing our hands and dressing up (or scrubbing and gowning up, as you will). It was pretty cool to do something indisputably relevant.
Yesterday we had the day off so I decided to repair my PC, make some bread and watch Harry Potter 3 with the house. I also found time to complete the microbiology DSE task. This involved reading some notes on chemical and physical antimicrobial techniques and then answering some timed multiple choice questions on the subject. I got 90% so no worries.
Today I’ve got one more lecture to attend on toxicology then it’s off up to the downs for football. Today Nice Fridge FC are playing Hiatt Baker Halls of Residence.
As for the rest of the week I’ve got a shed load of lectures on Immunology and tomorrow night there’s a vet hockey social at the Indian Ocean Restaurant which I think I might attend (always very messy).
Tuesday, November 16, 2004
I’m not entirely sure where my last blog went up to as we haven’t got the internet working in our house yet. Therefore I think I’ll start from the weekend before last (I apologise for leaving it so long between entries again, I’ve been ridiculously busy!).
The weekend before last was a mega road trip to Yorkshire and Derbyshire. It was James Greenwoods 21st party on Saturday night, and then my brother’s birthday on the Sunday.
We (me, Hayley, Mat, Claire and John) left Bristol on Friday evening and made our way up to Hayley’s house to spend the night in Skipton. Amusement for the journey mainly involved the name game, boring you may say, but it was surprising the comedy provided by it (especially John trying to guess Santa, or my frustration at Mr Potato Head). In Skipton on Saturday we had a wander around the market, got James some JD and cheese and then had a very tasty lunch in the Woolly Sheep Pub.
Saturday evening we made our way over to James’ 21st in Huddesfield. His family had made an amazing effort! There was a massive marquee, a three course sit down dinner for around 150people, champaign reception, as much free alcohol as could be consumed, a banjo player to entertain during the meal and an incredibly cheesy dj to finish off the night. The theme for the night was denim and check and everything was fashioned accordingly, along with the banjo player there were Westerns played by projector screen onto the marquee ceiling and the bar and entrance had loads of straw and random vegetables (a lot of which John decided to eat later). Funny stories for the night include Ian eating a whole raw onion, Pritchard wrestling the last beer off the host, Mat using the chat up line “I’m down with pulling you, do you want to go outside (post grad Claire informed us all the next day), the vet jocks playing drink the bar’s dregs game (I think each person got a set amount of time to drink as much dregs from the bar area as possible), Pritchard sleeping outside and puking on the Greenwood’s very nice patio, Hayley being sick in the marquee and thinking that putting a tea towel on top of her mess constituted as clearing it up.
I suppose it’s not the best of ideas to give vets an infinite supply of free alcohol.
On Sunday we made it away from the Greenwoods at around 3ish (once mat thought himself save to drive) and made our way over to my house in Derbyshire to wish my little bro Rich a happy birthday and give him some presents (got him a comedy skiing hat for his four months in Switzerland coming up).
We made it back to Bristol Sunday night all very knackered!
Work over the past week has been fairly slack as we got a very unusually large number of days off.
Monday at Langfordton was shock lectures followed by a fluid and blood gases clinical skills class. This involved a discussion on fluid therapy with case studies followed by a practical session where some guy showed us how to install catheters and measure the blood pressure inside the right atrium (all fairly interesting as it actually is relevant once I quailify).
Tuesday and Wednesday were both immunology days, though we only had two lectures per day. I learnt about antigen presenting cells, B and T lymphocytes and how precisely they each achieve their roles in the innate and humoral immune systems.
Thursday there was quite a few lectures though unfortunately I could not make these as I had to wait in for the telewest-man to come and install tinternet and tefelome. Thank fully we had all Friday off so that I could lay in bed and think about catching up the lectures then actually do it on Saturday. These lectures included our last anti-inflammatory lecture and a lecture on insecticides (drugs used to treat exoparasites i.e. fleas/ticks/mites etc), a lecture on toxicology and two lectures on growth (one of which was on hormones and growth, the other on the determinants of development and the determinants of growth).
Over the last weekend, as well as copying up lectures, I’ve spent some time watching films, some time trying to network the house and some time with Hayley.
On Friday night Hayley and I had a pleasantly relaxing evening in, as everyone else was out (Mat, Paul and Steve had gone home, JP was in the Wedge). We got our selves a Chinese take-away and a film. The communally agreed choice of film was Rain Man.
Over Saturday and Sunday Levator had a 2.5hr practice in preparation for the soiree next Friday and I managed to network the house. This was a success as we can all connect to each others puters and the router but not to the interent, damn computers, think we’re going to have to get someone in to take a look at it.
Right now it’s Monday evening and I’m sat in my room, this will get posted tomorrow lunch.
Today has been pretty busy at Langfordton. We’ve had a biochemistry lecture on the effects/causes of too much or too little (hyper/hypo) magnesium, calcium and potassium in the body, another biochemistry lecture on anaemia and a lecture on growth and one on wounds and injury. The growth lecture was very dull as the guy talks incredibly slowly about some incredible uninteresting stuff e.g. The different kinds of probes for recording the depth of sub-cutaneous fat in pigs. The wounds lecture was pretty interesting, all about the correct methods of repairing different kinds of wounds depending on how contaminated/dirty they are. This afternoon we has a computer based practical on nutrition, enough said.
Over the next week the main event is Friday when the Soiree is taking place. Levator Ani are making a guest appearance and have a 40min slot at the beginning of the night. Then we’re going to store away the kit and enjoy the rest of the night, my little bro is coming down so should be pretty cool.
Forget to mention two things…
Firstly I had a murder mystery night last week. 11 of us dressed up as different characters and carried out a role play type evening. Even though loads of people where ill from colds it was a really cool night. Me and Mat hosted the evening and were the only two to independently guess the murderer right, who was Hayley (or Madj Ikal Russian magician).
Secondly I’ve managed to land myself a job over Xmas helping at the Rottingham conferences including vetsix. Should get me a nice bit of money to clear the Australia dept that’s still lingering in my account.
The weekend before last was a mega road trip to Yorkshire and Derbyshire. It was James Greenwoods 21st party on Saturday night, and then my brother’s birthday on the Sunday.
We (me, Hayley, Mat, Claire and John) left Bristol on Friday evening and made our way up to Hayley’s house to spend the night in Skipton. Amusement for the journey mainly involved the name game, boring you may say, but it was surprising the comedy provided by it (especially John trying to guess Santa, or my frustration at Mr Potato Head). In Skipton on Saturday we had a wander around the market, got James some JD and cheese and then had a very tasty lunch in the Woolly Sheep Pub.
Saturday evening we made our way over to James’ 21st in Huddesfield. His family had made an amazing effort! There was a massive marquee, a three course sit down dinner for around 150people, champaign reception, as much free alcohol as could be consumed, a banjo player to entertain during the meal and an incredibly cheesy dj to finish off the night. The theme for the night was denim and check and everything was fashioned accordingly, along with the banjo player there were Westerns played by projector screen onto the marquee ceiling and the bar and entrance had loads of straw and random vegetables (a lot of which John decided to eat later). Funny stories for the night include Ian eating a whole raw onion, Pritchard wrestling the last beer off the host, Mat using the chat up line “I’m down with pulling you, do you want to go outside (post grad Claire informed us all the next day), the vet jocks playing drink the bar’s dregs game (I think each person got a set amount of time to drink as much dregs from the bar area as possible), Pritchard sleeping outside and puking on the Greenwood’s very nice patio, Hayley being sick in the marquee and thinking that putting a tea towel on top of her mess constituted as clearing it up.
I suppose it’s not the best of ideas to give vets an infinite supply of free alcohol.
On Sunday we made it away from the Greenwoods at around 3ish (once mat thought himself save to drive) and made our way over to my house in Derbyshire to wish my little bro Rich a happy birthday and give him some presents (got him a comedy skiing hat for his four months in Switzerland coming up).
We made it back to Bristol Sunday night all very knackered!
Work over the past week has been fairly slack as we got a very unusually large number of days off.
Monday at Langfordton was shock lectures followed by a fluid and blood gases clinical skills class. This involved a discussion on fluid therapy with case studies followed by a practical session where some guy showed us how to install catheters and measure the blood pressure inside the right atrium (all fairly interesting as it actually is relevant once I quailify).
Tuesday and Wednesday were both immunology days, though we only had two lectures per day. I learnt about antigen presenting cells, B and T lymphocytes and how precisely they each achieve their roles in the innate and humoral immune systems.
Thursday there was quite a few lectures though unfortunately I could not make these as I had to wait in for the telewest-man to come and install tinternet and tefelome. Thank fully we had all Friday off so that I could lay in bed and think about catching up the lectures then actually do it on Saturday. These lectures included our last anti-inflammatory lecture and a lecture on insecticides (drugs used to treat exoparasites i.e. fleas/ticks/mites etc), a lecture on toxicology and two lectures on growth (one of which was on hormones and growth, the other on the determinants of development and the determinants of growth).
Over the last weekend, as well as copying up lectures, I’ve spent some time watching films, some time trying to network the house and some time with Hayley.
On Friday night Hayley and I had a pleasantly relaxing evening in, as everyone else was out (Mat, Paul and Steve had gone home, JP was in the Wedge). We got our selves a Chinese take-away and a film. The communally agreed choice of film was Rain Man.
Over Saturday and Sunday Levator had a 2.5hr practice in preparation for the soiree next Friday and I managed to network the house. This was a success as we can all connect to each others puters and the router but not to the interent, damn computers, think we’re going to have to get someone in to take a look at it.
Right now it’s Monday evening and I’m sat in my room, this will get posted tomorrow lunch.
Today has been pretty busy at Langfordton. We’ve had a biochemistry lecture on the effects/causes of too much or too little (hyper/hypo) magnesium, calcium and potassium in the body, another biochemistry lecture on anaemia and a lecture on growth and one on wounds and injury. The growth lecture was very dull as the guy talks incredibly slowly about some incredible uninteresting stuff e.g. The different kinds of probes for recording the depth of sub-cutaneous fat in pigs. The wounds lecture was pretty interesting, all about the correct methods of repairing different kinds of wounds depending on how contaminated/dirty they are. This afternoon we has a computer based practical on nutrition, enough said.
Over the next week the main event is Friday when the Soiree is taking place. Levator Ani are making a guest appearance and have a 40min slot at the beginning of the night. Then we’re going to store away the kit and enjoy the rest of the night, my little bro is coming down so should be pretty cool.
Forget to mention two things…
Firstly I had a murder mystery night last week. 11 of us dressed up as different characters and carried out a role play type evening. Even though loads of people where ill from colds it was a really cool night. Me and Mat hosted the evening and were the only two to independently guess the murderer right, who was Hayley (or Madj Ikal Russian magician).
Secondly I’ve managed to land myself a job over Xmas helping at the Rottingham conferences including vetsix. Should get me a nice bit of money to clear the Australia dept that’s still lingering in my account.
Sunday, October 31, 2004
Its got to that time in the week again when I’ve realised that I haven’t written a blog for a while. I think I last wrote around the end of last week, since then I’ve been to a house party, played some hockey, been to a footy social and flunked a pathology test.
The house party was last Saturday night. Me, Hayley, Pritchard and Paul went from my house. It wasn’t the greatest of nights. This is maybe because I’m now a boring third year or due the severe lack of alcohol at the party. Though some must have appeared after me, Hayley and Pritchard left as Paul didn’t arrive home till very late and had a severe hang-over next day.
Hockey on Sunday was an all day 7-aside tournament. The vets have so many fresher hockey players this year that we were able to enter 3teams (though non of them won it). Sunday evening Pritchard cooked us all an amazing dinner, not quite sure what it was though, I know it involved cod stuffed with something very tasty and there lots of olives… delicious!
The best work orientated thing that happened last week was that I learnt some suturing techniques on Monday, this included a couple of interrupted knots and some continuous. Also the guy taught us a hand tie knot, which was damn complicated, though I got the hang of it in the end.
The worst work orientated thing that happened last week was a pathology mini-test on Friday. I’d spent some of Wednesday and all my spare time on Thursday brushing up my knowledge of inflammation and repair and then the test included nothing I’d revised. It was all on histo-pathology (which no one was told) and I’ll be damned if I can see the difference between a plasma cell, an epithelioid cell and a lymphocyte. I hope I’ve scraped half marks, but we shall see. It ain’t a big deal really as the test is only worth 1% of pathology, I just don’t like to fail anything that counts.
Other work stuff last week included lectures on abnormal fluid balance and acid base disturbances, a microbiology practical and the finishing of housing lectures (thank god, perhaps the most tedious subject yet).
Definitely a contender for the best night out of the term was Wednesday’s football social. It started out at the Scotsman and His Pack pub were we had curry and beers and then moved onto the Wedge. It was messy night! Drinking games continued throughout the night and penalties were often and harsh. The fresher initiation was a success, all of them did well and didn’t bring back up their three fosters, though one of them didn’t make it out the pub, obviously the table he chose was a very comfortable place to go to sleep. Interesting stories of the night include Milesey poring a whole pot of pepper in his mouth for no apparent reason and then decorating the toilets with it and some lumpy stuff (the guy was already bladdered at 8:30 when I arrived) though he did do a very good job at cleaning up as he decided later on in the night to clean all the toilets and mop the floor?! The same guy will also be remembered that night for falling off a stall whilst stood on it singing Madonna “Like A Virgin” at the top of his voice.
Not funny but I feel it should be included anyhow is T.Williams senior’s bottling attempt on 4th Yr Rob. Rob was supping away harming no one when Williams launched his attack on him and broke a bottle over him. He wasn’t sure what happened or why he did it, but thankfully no one was hurt.
Once we got to the Wedge drinking continued and most of team enjoyed a night of socialable dancing. Obviously this wasn’t good enough for Big Josh though as he got thrown out for an indecent attack on a female (I did not see the incident, though sources tell me that Josh, apparently finding the girls cleavage very appealing, decided to place a saliva lubricated finger down it – shocking stuff, I’m sure he’s very ashamed!!).
Presently I’m at home in Derby. I had to bring back the car on Friday as my little bro requires it. Though I haven’t got to get the train back down tonight as Mat is giving me a lift (he lives in Stoke-On-Trent).
I’ve had a very nice relaxing weekend at home, went out for a meal with the family last night and then met up with some mates in Derby.
This coming week is awesome as far as work is concerned as we have incredibly little timetabled plus there’s no tests to revise for. Apart from a couple of band practices I haven’t got much planned, though next weekend a few people are off to Yorkshire for Greenwood’s 21st, should be a good weekend!
The house party was last Saturday night. Me, Hayley, Pritchard and Paul went from my house. It wasn’t the greatest of nights. This is maybe because I’m now a boring third year or due the severe lack of alcohol at the party. Though some must have appeared after me, Hayley and Pritchard left as Paul didn’t arrive home till very late and had a severe hang-over next day.
Hockey on Sunday was an all day 7-aside tournament. The vets have so many fresher hockey players this year that we were able to enter 3teams (though non of them won it). Sunday evening Pritchard cooked us all an amazing dinner, not quite sure what it was though, I know it involved cod stuffed with something very tasty and there lots of olives… delicious!
The best work orientated thing that happened last week was that I learnt some suturing techniques on Monday, this included a couple of interrupted knots and some continuous. Also the guy taught us a hand tie knot, which was damn complicated, though I got the hang of it in the end.
The worst work orientated thing that happened last week was a pathology mini-test on Friday. I’d spent some of Wednesday and all my spare time on Thursday brushing up my knowledge of inflammation and repair and then the test included nothing I’d revised. It was all on histo-pathology (which no one was told) and I’ll be damned if I can see the difference between a plasma cell, an epithelioid cell and a lymphocyte. I hope I’ve scraped half marks, but we shall see. It ain’t a big deal really as the test is only worth 1% of pathology, I just don’t like to fail anything that counts.
Other work stuff last week included lectures on abnormal fluid balance and acid base disturbances, a microbiology practical and the finishing of housing lectures (thank god, perhaps the most tedious subject yet).
Definitely a contender for the best night out of the term was Wednesday’s football social. It started out at the Scotsman and His Pack pub were we had curry and beers and then moved onto the Wedge. It was messy night! Drinking games continued throughout the night and penalties were often and harsh. The fresher initiation was a success, all of them did well and didn’t bring back up their three fosters, though one of them didn’t make it out the pub, obviously the table he chose was a very comfortable place to go to sleep. Interesting stories of the night include Milesey poring a whole pot of pepper in his mouth for no apparent reason and then decorating the toilets with it and some lumpy stuff (the guy was already bladdered at 8:30 when I arrived) though he did do a very good job at cleaning up as he decided later on in the night to clean all the toilets and mop the floor?! The same guy will also be remembered that night for falling off a stall whilst stood on it singing Madonna “Like A Virgin” at the top of his voice.
Not funny but I feel it should be included anyhow is T.Williams senior’s bottling attempt on 4th Yr Rob. Rob was supping away harming no one when Williams launched his attack on him and broke a bottle over him. He wasn’t sure what happened or why he did it, but thankfully no one was hurt.
Once we got to the Wedge drinking continued and most of team enjoyed a night of socialable dancing. Obviously this wasn’t good enough for Big Josh though as he got thrown out for an indecent attack on a female (I did not see the incident, though sources tell me that Josh, apparently finding the girls cleavage very appealing, decided to place a saliva lubricated finger down it – shocking stuff, I’m sure he’s very ashamed!!).
Presently I’m at home in Derby. I had to bring back the car on Friday as my little bro requires it. Though I haven’t got to get the train back down tonight as Mat is giving me a lift (he lives in Stoke-On-Trent).
I’ve had a very nice relaxing weekend at home, went out for a meal with the family last night and then met up with some mates in Derby.
This coming week is awesome as far as work is concerned as we have incredibly little timetabled plus there’s no tests to revise for. Apart from a couple of band practices I haven’t got much planned, though next weekend a few people are off to Yorkshire for Greenwood’s 21st, should be a good weekend!
Thursday, October 21, 2004
It’s Thursday lunch and I’ve just finished a hellish morning of pathology and pharmacology. We’ve finished off the pathological response of cells and tissues and have moved onto healing and repair. The most daunting part of pathology is that we have to actually learn the stuff before the summer as we’re tested on it at the end of each week. In pharmacology we had our second antibiotic lecture, spent most of today on the subject of penicillin. Not too bad, though the lecturer talks in monotone.
Since I last wrote the most interesting thing to have happened is that I’ve turned 21. We had a house party on Friday to celebrate and then I went home with Hayley on Sunday on my actual birthday for a meal with the family.
Our house party was pretty cool. We managed to club together 90 squid for punch which went down an absolute treat. Also after the lads had done such an excellent job in the garden we had to make use of our new found space. We built a fire and put up some fairy lights to make a grotto type area. Mat got hold of some tarpaulin to protect everyone against the Bristol rain. I can’t really remember most of the party but I think it went pretty good, it certainly looked like it the next morning, and all the punch got drunk, though birthday cake was found at the bottom.
On Sunday the family got together plus Hayley and Fran (my little bro’s girl) and Mum cooked us a grand meal. Presents on the day included a very sexy ipod, loads o cash, some engraved cuff-links and a cow bell which sounds dam cool.
This week has so far been relatively uneventful. Monday was a Langford day with meet our new clinical tutors in the evening (these will be our tutors for the next three years). Mine specialises in orthopaedics, which as I’m most interested in surgery is a stroke of luck. Perhaps I’ll be able to have a look at a few of his ops next year.
Tuesday we had band practice in the morning, didn’t go that amazing but then we’ve got another on Saturday to hopefully iron out the few probs. In the afternoon we had 2 housing lectures followed by immunology. Housing is incredibly dull and the guy gives us shockingly bad hand outs, meaning we’re forced to jot everything down.
Yesterday we only had two lectures (CNS and the first antibiotics) then footy was cancelled so we had a bit of a training sesh on the downs. In the evening the house had a hard core night playing risk in the lounge drinking hot chocolate…who says 3rd years are boring?!
As for the rest of the week things are looking good, the mini-test for tomorrow has been cancelled so it’s a free evening tonight to get on with some much needed guitar practice. At the weekend there’s a 21st birthday house party on Sat and on Sunday I think there’s vet hockey and then JP is cooking our house a meal.
Will hopefully have tinternet in our house shortly so I don’t have to write these blogs in vet school anymore. God knows what the freshers and second years think reading over my shoulder? Probably why the hell is that crazy third year writing a bloody diary.
Since I last wrote the most interesting thing to have happened is that I’ve turned 21. We had a house party on Friday to celebrate and then I went home with Hayley on Sunday on my actual birthday for a meal with the family.
Our house party was pretty cool. We managed to club together 90 squid for punch which went down an absolute treat. Also after the lads had done such an excellent job in the garden we had to make use of our new found space. We built a fire and put up some fairy lights to make a grotto type area. Mat got hold of some tarpaulin to protect everyone against the Bristol rain. I can’t really remember most of the party but I think it went pretty good, it certainly looked like it the next morning, and all the punch got drunk, though birthday cake was found at the bottom.
On Sunday the family got together plus Hayley and Fran (my little bro’s girl) and Mum cooked us a grand meal. Presents on the day included a very sexy ipod, loads o cash, some engraved cuff-links and a cow bell which sounds dam cool.
This week has so far been relatively uneventful. Monday was a Langford day with meet our new clinical tutors in the evening (these will be our tutors for the next three years). Mine specialises in orthopaedics, which as I’m most interested in surgery is a stroke of luck. Perhaps I’ll be able to have a look at a few of his ops next year.
Tuesday we had band practice in the morning, didn’t go that amazing but then we’ve got another on Saturday to hopefully iron out the few probs. In the afternoon we had 2 housing lectures followed by immunology. Housing is incredibly dull and the guy gives us shockingly bad hand outs, meaning we’re forced to jot everything down.
Yesterday we only had two lectures (CNS and the first antibiotics) then footy was cancelled so we had a bit of a training sesh on the downs. In the evening the house had a hard core night playing risk in the lounge drinking hot chocolate…who says 3rd years are boring?!
As for the rest of the week things are looking good, the mini-test for tomorrow has been cancelled so it’s a free evening tonight to get on with some much needed guitar practice. At the weekend there’s a 21st birthday house party on Sat and on Sunday I think there’s vet hockey and then JP is cooking our house a meal.
Will hopefully have tinternet in our house shortly so I don’t have to write these blogs in vet school anymore. God knows what the freshers and second years think reading over my shoulder? Probably why the hell is that crazy third year writing a bloody diary.
Thursday, October 14, 2004
Well I'm back for round 3 of vet school, the summer has flown past, and it seems only yesterday when I was coming here to discover whether I’d made it through round 2 or not. It’s two weeks into term at the mo. I was hoping to write some entries before now but we haven’t got tinternet yet in our new house and so I’ve had to resort to writing in the vet school library (not to bad as long as you don’t mind being surrounded by preserved anatomical parts and keen freshers getting into their new anatomy books).
I suppose the best way to do this is to talk about my summer and then give the run down on the activities over the past couple of weeks.
Well summer is pretty difficult to describe in one word, though everyone expects you to achieve this. Basically I managed to fit in my pig and cattle EMS plus a bit of travelling.
The summer started very well with a few days in Barcelona with Hayley. We managed to get return flights for only £40 and so is was quite a budget trip. We spent our time viewing Gaudi Architecture, looking round art galleries, going on a boat trip, visiting an aquarium and walking the ramblas. Would definitely recommend Barcelona.
After I had a wonderful time in Spain pig EMS was a bit of a downer. Early starts and poor working conditions weren’t ideal, though the people were pretty cool/amusing and I spent most of my time tailing and injecting newly born piglets. They also let me name a boar on the farm, so there’s now a Bevis the pig on Foston Pig farm.
Between the end of pig EMS and travelling I spent my time finishing my pig report (a 4000 word report on the pig farm, you have to five of these in total before the 3rd year, one for sheep, pigs, cattle, horses and a small animal practice). I also spent quite a bit of time with Hayley, she came down to Derby for a few days and I went up to Yorkshire. For some reason we did loads of walking, in a week we went to three different national parks (exciting stuff to read about I’m sure?!).
Well that brings me onto travelling. I spent six weeks out of the UK, though 10 days of this was on a cattle farm in NSW Australia getting my cattle EMS done. Definitely the best way to get the EMS sorted, especially when I compare it to my other option of working on a little dairy farm in my village. The farm was amazing! The area was surrounded with Australian bush and the wildlife was incredible, there were parrots flying around the farm and the surrounding land was swarming with kangaroos, I even saw an emu when the local vet took me for a drive round the area.
After ten days on the farm my mate John (in my year) came down from Sydney to meet me and then we set of travelling from the farm. Before we bussed to Melbourne we spent a day skiing in the snowy mountains (first time we’d both been skiing though we picked it up pretty quick. However John had one little accident on a j-bar lift when he fell asleep on the way up and veered off. To be fair he was well jet-lagged and the night before I’d forgotten to pick him up from the bus station in the middle of the night, so he was left for an hour in a tiny Australian town. Don’t think he was best impressed with me?!). From Melbourne we flew up to Cairns to learn to dive on the great barrier reef. Probably the best thing all holiday, as we saw sharks, turtles, clown fish and thousands of amazingly coloured tropical fish, it was like swimming in the worlds largest aquarium.
After Cairns we made our way down the East Coast back to Sydney, stopping off at the usual tourist sites i.e. Airlie Beach and the Whitsunday Islands, Hervey Bay and Frasier Island, Brisbane and Byron Bay. Also on the way back home we did a four night stop in Tokyo. Best thing we did there was visit the tuna fish auctions, where 90% of Tokyo’s fish comes through each day. There was the most incredible amount of huge frozen tuna and the auctioneers were very amusing. John got a lot of attention in Tokyo being almost 7” tall, I think he got a bit fed up of being asked whether he was a basketball player or not though.
Despite the fact that I had an awesome time travelling it was nice to land back in the UK and get back to normality (though now I’m wishing it was vice-versa).
I had two days at home before me and my dad drove down to Bristol. I could have left it a little bit later to come back but I quite fancied seeing Hayley and making freshers week. Fresher’s week was pretty cool this year, it wasn’t ideal being jet lagged and waking up at 7:00am each day, though I had some great nights. The best night was probably the vet freshers party in Walkabout, so many people!!
My house this year is very cool. There’s six of us, all vets, and the house is massive. Each room has double beds and the living room is a good size. We’ve sorted out a nice entertainment system for the lounge so work this year could be minimal. The only down side to the house is that’s it’s a twenty minute walk to vet school, though as we’re at Langford 2days a week this year that doesn’t matter too much.
The first week back was pretty weird. Its taken me a while to settle in after getting used to the laid back travelling way of life. The subjects we study this year are Pharmacology (started last year), Pathology, Microbiology, Farm Animal Science and Basic Clinical Science. Pharmacology (drugs and how they work) would be pretty dull if it wasn’t for the cool Scottish lecturer we have at the mo. Pathology looks like it going to be the bane of my life this year, with tests every week that count to the end of year mark and a lecturer that just recites the hand-out. Microbiology has been the most fun so far, the practical in Langford last week was pretty cool and the lecture was interesting. In Farm animal science we’ve spent the lectures so far learning about housing, yesterday I learnt how to make concrete and I now know the adv and disadv to the various types of livestock flooring… fascinating hey!? Basic Clinical Science has been incredible dull so far though the week after next I get to learn about suturing so that should be good!
During the first week my little brother Rich (age 18) came down for a few days and joined us on the freshers pub crawl and one of our house meals. The pub crawl was cartoon themed so we went as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Our costumes were immense! Hayley found a bright yellow skirt and black wig so nailed the Snow White part and us dwarfs were awesome, we had hand made beards and hats and top quality dwarf clothing from the charity shops. Best efforts have to go to John and I for John’s Dopey dress and my night time bear sleepy pyjamas.
The first house meal of the term was a success at Claire’s, though we were all hung over from the pub crawl the night before. Claire cooked an excellent Spag Bog.
Last weekend I did very little. After a wicked Wedge on Friday night Saturday was very unproductive. Mat showed up some time in the afternoon, after deciding he wasn’t drinking Friday night he’d ended up in Wedge with us then finished the night off killing a bottle of Jack Daniels at the vet girls house…crazy fool!
On Sunday Levator Ani had their first jam of the term which was promising. We should have no problem getting a new set list together for our 40min slot at the Soiree in November. New songs so far include Ash Shining Light and Blur Country House. Hopefully with all the practices we’ve got booked over the next few weeks we’ll be fine.
This week has been very hectic. Monday was all day Langford with a Welfare debate on cattle lameness. Tuesday was Mat’s 22nd birthday, he got the exciting present of a dressing gown off us so he doesn’t feel left out, as all the rest of us own one. We went out to a new microbrewry bar for drinks in the evening; they make all their own crazy beers, including a mango one, which is pretty sickly.
Yesterday we had two CNS pharmacology lectures and then lost football 2-1 against the roo-bar. I played all game up-front, bit of a mad decision by captain Ian as I’ve never played upfront.
Last night it was Hugo’s birthday meal at a Chinese restaurant in the centre. Hugo got ratted and everyone sang karaoke, though only Hugo sang a solo (I’m too sexy for my shirt!).
Over the next few days there’s quite a lot on as it’s my 21st birthday on Sunday. We’re having a house party Friday night to celebrate my birthday plus Hugo’s and Mat’s then I’m going home Saturday with Hayley to see the family.
Hopefully I’ll have the net put in soon and will be able to do some shorter more regular blogs.
I suppose the best way to do this is to talk about my summer and then give the run down on the activities over the past couple of weeks.
Well summer is pretty difficult to describe in one word, though everyone expects you to achieve this. Basically I managed to fit in my pig and cattle EMS plus a bit of travelling.
The summer started very well with a few days in Barcelona with Hayley. We managed to get return flights for only £40 and so is was quite a budget trip. We spent our time viewing Gaudi Architecture, looking round art galleries, going on a boat trip, visiting an aquarium and walking the ramblas. Would definitely recommend Barcelona.
After I had a wonderful time in Spain pig EMS was a bit of a downer. Early starts and poor working conditions weren’t ideal, though the people were pretty cool/amusing and I spent most of my time tailing and injecting newly born piglets. They also let me name a boar on the farm, so there’s now a Bevis the pig on Foston Pig farm.
Between the end of pig EMS and travelling I spent my time finishing my pig report (a 4000 word report on the pig farm, you have to five of these in total before the 3rd year, one for sheep, pigs, cattle, horses and a small animal practice). I also spent quite a bit of time with Hayley, she came down to Derby for a few days and I went up to Yorkshire. For some reason we did loads of walking, in a week we went to three different national parks (exciting stuff to read about I’m sure?!).
Well that brings me onto travelling. I spent six weeks out of the UK, though 10 days of this was on a cattle farm in NSW Australia getting my cattle EMS done. Definitely the best way to get the EMS sorted, especially when I compare it to my other option of working on a little dairy farm in my village. The farm was amazing! The area was surrounded with Australian bush and the wildlife was incredible, there were parrots flying around the farm and the surrounding land was swarming with kangaroos, I even saw an emu when the local vet took me for a drive round the area.
After ten days on the farm my mate John (in my year) came down from Sydney to meet me and then we set of travelling from the farm. Before we bussed to Melbourne we spent a day skiing in the snowy mountains (first time we’d both been skiing though we picked it up pretty quick. However John had one little accident on a j-bar lift when he fell asleep on the way up and veered off. To be fair he was well jet-lagged and the night before I’d forgotten to pick him up from the bus station in the middle of the night, so he was left for an hour in a tiny Australian town. Don’t think he was best impressed with me?!). From Melbourne we flew up to Cairns to learn to dive on the great barrier reef. Probably the best thing all holiday, as we saw sharks, turtles, clown fish and thousands of amazingly coloured tropical fish, it was like swimming in the worlds largest aquarium.
After Cairns we made our way down the East Coast back to Sydney, stopping off at the usual tourist sites i.e. Airlie Beach and the Whitsunday Islands, Hervey Bay and Frasier Island, Brisbane and Byron Bay. Also on the way back home we did a four night stop in Tokyo. Best thing we did there was visit the tuna fish auctions, where 90% of Tokyo’s fish comes through each day. There was the most incredible amount of huge frozen tuna and the auctioneers were very amusing. John got a lot of attention in Tokyo being almost 7” tall, I think he got a bit fed up of being asked whether he was a basketball player or not though.
Despite the fact that I had an awesome time travelling it was nice to land back in the UK and get back to normality (though now I’m wishing it was vice-versa).
I had two days at home before me and my dad drove down to Bristol. I could have left it a little bit later to come back but I quite fancied seeing Hayley and making freshers week. Fresher’s week was pretty cool this year, it wasn’t ideal being jet lagged and waking up at 7:00am each day, though I had some great nights. The best night was probably the vet freshers party in Walkabout, so many people!!
My house this year is very cool. There’s six of us, all vets, and the house is massive. Each room has double beds and the living room is a good size. We’ve sorted out a nice entertainment system for the lounge so work this year could be minimal. The only down side to the house is that’s it’s a twenty minute walk to vet school, though as we’re at Langford 2days a week this year that doesn’t matter too much.
The first week back was pretty weird. Its taken me a while to settle in after getting used to the laid back travelling way of life. The subjects we study this year are Pharmacology (started last year), Pathology, Microbiology, Farm Animal Science and Basic Clinical Science. Pharmacology (drugs and how they work) would be pretty dull if it wasn’t for the cool Scottish lecturer we have at the mo. Pathology looks like it going to be the bane of my life this year, with tests every week that count to the end of year mark and a lecturer that just recites the hand-out. Microbiology has been the most fun so far, the practical in Langford last week was pretty cool and the lecture was interesting. In Farm animal science we’ve spent the lectures so far learning about housing, yesterday I learnt how to make concrete and I now know the adv and disadv to the various types of livestock flooring… fascinating hey!? Basic Clinical Science has been incredible dull so far though the week after next I get to learn about suturing so that should be good!
During the first week my little brother Rich (age 18) came down for a few days and joined us on the freshers pub crawl and one of our house meals. The pub crawl was cartoon themed so we went as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Our costumes were immense! Hayley found a bright yellow skirt and black wig so nailed the Snow White part and us dwarfs were awesome, we had hand made beards and hats and top quality dwarf clothing from the charity shops. Best efforts have to go to John and I for John’s Dopey dress and my night time bear sleepy pyjamas.
The first house meal of the term was a success at Claire’s, though we were all hung over from the pub crawl the night before. Claire cooked an excellent Spag Bog.
Last weekend I did very little. After a wicked Wedge on Friday night Saturday was very unproductive. Mat showed up some time in the afternoon, after deciding he wasn’t drinking Friday night he’d ended up in Wedge with us then finished the night off killing a bottle of Jack Daniels at the vet girls house…crazy fool!
On Sunday Levator Ani had their first jam of the term which was promising. We should have no problem getting a new set list together for our 40min slot at the Soiree in November. New songs so far include Ash Shining Light and Blur Country House. Hopefully with all the practices we’ve got booked over the next few weeks we’ll be fine.
This week has been very hectic. Monday was all day Langford with a Welfare debate on cattle lameness. Tuesday was Mat’s 22nd birthday, he got the exciting present of a dressing gown off us so he doesn’t feel left out, as all the rest of us own one. We went out to a new microbrewry bar for drinks in the evening; they make all their own crazy beers, including a mango one, which is pretty sickly.
Yesterday we had two CNS pharmacology lectures and then lost football 2-1 against the roo-bar. I played all game up-front, bit of a mad decision by captain Ian as I’ve never played upfront.
Last night it was Hugo’s birthday meal at a Chinese restaurant in the centre. Hugo got ratted and everyone sang karaoke, though only Hugo sang a solo (I’m too sexy for my shirt!).
Over the next few days there’s quite a lot on as it’s my 21st birthday on Sunday. We’re having a house party Friday night to celebrate my birthday plus Hugo’s and Mat’s then I’m going home Saturday with Hayley to see the family.
Hopefully I’ll have the net put in soon and will be able to do some shorter more regular blogs.
Saturday, June 19, 2004
Sorry about the delay in getting this blog out, to be honest I've been a bit preoccupied over the past week with vivas or celebrations to write one. Also I haven’t had any internet access since Hayley's house got disconnected, I'm going to go round Ian's in a bit to post this and get my drums that are stored there.
The last exams which I haven’t wrote about were the anatomy vivas on Monday and Tuesday. I had live anatomy and head and neck for a quarter of an hour each on Monday, and then Locomotor followed by neuro-anatomy and exotics together as a further two quarter of an hour vivas on Tuesday.
Monday’s vivas went ok; Live was fairly easy but was also pretty basic stuff so I doubt I could have achieved a good mark. I got quizzed on a dog radiograph and then a cow skeleton, so not a great amount of live animals in my live animal viva. I think I impressed a little with knowing all the intercostal spaces to listen to heart valves in the cow.
Head and neck on Tuesday wasn't anything like as easy, I was assessed by Glenn Wakley who's lectured us for the last two years, and I didn't really want to let myself down in front of him. The first half of the viva went really well as I knew the answers he wanted for the questions on the larynx and radiographs. However, he then decided to move onto some slightly more difficult stuff on cranial nerves. I know the theory fine, but I find it quite hard to relate the cranial nerve stuff onto actual specimens.
Tuesday’s vivas were far better and I was really pleased with my locomotor viva. Professor Domingo Tortonessee took the viva and I was quite surprised when his first question was "You are the drummer?” Apparently he'd managed to get hold of the tape of the vet pantomime and watched Levator play in the interval. It was pretty cool to be told by him that I was his idol; I think Domingo fancies himself as a bit of a drummer. The rest of the viva questions were a bit more taxing, but I knew most of the answers, and think I impressed a bit with my knowledge of the muscles of the fore-arm of the dog.
Neuro-anatomy was most definitely my best viva, the only question I wasn't sure of was "What is the function of the lingula part of the cerebellum in the dog?" so that was cool, and exotics after was ok. I got asked questions on avian reproduction which I know a token amount about.
Well with all the exams over on Tuesday it was off into Broadmead for some essential retail therapy. £110 later I'd got shorts, t-shirts, a shirt and a cd. All critical for Barcelona and Australia (though maybe not the cd, but I haven’t got any of white stripes albums and it was in the sale). In the evening a very large bunch of second years ascended upon Andy Fullerton's house for a bbq and many drinks.
I don't know whether it was because I haven't drank for ages or that I drank too much (probably a bit of both), but the consequences where that I didn't surface till 3:00 on Wednesday. I then spent the rest of the day very hung over playing on computer games until it was time to join the alphabet pub crawl. This had been going on all day and is an event for the whole school where you make a 26 bar pub-crawl during the whole day. By the time I'd joined it we were well into the alphabet, but never mind. I don't think the alphabet is very rigidly stuck to though, I think Jim the organizer just counted the next bar as ok as long as somewhere in the name contained the next letter. Hence O was the Hog's Head, where my friends and I joined in. Poor Pritchard however didn't join us for a good while after we planned as he went to the wrong Hog's Head on the other side of Bristol (was quite an amusing phone call when he rung me asking where we all got to!).
The pub-crawl ended up in Walkabout (don’t know where x, y and z got to), though I was pretty sober as I was driving next morning so it wasn't the greatest of nights.
On Thursday a group of us decided to go to the beach, not really the best idea as it was the one overcast day we'd had for weeks, though it turned out a great day. We took two cars full of vets to Weston-Super-Mare / Weston-Super-Shite, and spent the day playing on 2p machines, going on bumper cars, eating fish and chips, digging big holes in the muddy beach and watching Pitchfork chase his windwafter football all over the very windy beach. Though the place and the whether weren't ideal we all had a wicked day out, topped off by the great Roosult in the evening.
Friday was the dreaded day of results. We met up in the King’s Arms before hand then headed off together (strength in numbers) to the vet school. To be honest my results were a bit of an anti-climax as I already knew I'd passed three out the four subjects before hand. However I managed to get a merit in Anatomy which is a pretty awesome achievement so that was excellent. So results stand at...
Animal Health and Husbandry... merit
Anatomy... merit
Physiology... pass
Parasitology... pass
Most of my friends did really well. Mat got himself a distinction and two merits, Hayley got two merit, Pitchfork got a merit, Hugo passed all his, Tamsin got 2 distinctions and 2passes!! Paul passed all his and Ian got the same results as Pitchfork. The biggest achiever of all however was by far John, he managed to pass everything even though he sat his written exams with glandular fever, what a star! He was advised by the dean just to wait and do them in September, but he wanted to go to Australia and so somehow managed to struggle through!!
The only two in my group of friends that didn't pass everything were Steve and Claire. Steve failed just Animal Health (though he did well in the others) and Claire failed two by 1% each, so she has been allowed to just resit these two. Although having to resit is obviously a nightmare for her it could have been a lot worse, as if you fail more than one the policy is that you have to resit all four in September. In case you're wondering what happens if you fail your resits you're either thrown out or aloud to resit the year depending on circumstances.
After getting the results yesterday Hayley and I hosted a bbq at her house for over 20 of us. This went on from 3:00 till 10:30 when we all went off to reflex for an 80's night (no Wedge for once!!).
Today is organization and cleaning day (no cleaning done yet though). I've been down into town this morning to get some essential things for our holiday on Monday and after writing this I need to go round to Ian's to post it and then get the drums of him so that I can take them home over the summer to make my parents very popular with the neighbors?!
I think cleaning will have to wait until this evening, I just hope my flat mates have made a start (as I haven’t lived there hardly for two terms they must be joking if they think I'm going to scrub down the house for them when I get back from Barcelona).
Tomorrow is Barcelona organizing day and then I think an early night is essential, as we're driving to Gatwick very early on Monday morning.
Once Hayley and I get back from Barcelona we're either going to hang around in Bristol until the 1st or go to my parent’s house in Derby and then come back so we can move our stuff into the new house. Then it's back to Derbyshire for the summer!! Though I start pig EMS on the 5th of July. However after that the summer looks absolutely amazing!! I'm probably off to the Isle of White for Cows week in the beginning of August and then coming back to head off to Australia for cattle EMS and traveling with John, should be a great experience and will no doubt contrast greatly with the India trip last summer.
I haven’t a clue if this will be continued next year, if it is I will no doubt be able to make much more entries as I've been informed that the 3rd year is far slacker than this year, which has no doubt been the hardest year I have ever worked in education. However I do feel that I've achieved a lot, what with good results, getting a band formed and completing a half marathon it's been a pretty successful year.
The last exams which I haven’t wrote about were the anatomy vivas on Monday and Tuesday. I had live anatomy and head and neck for a quarter of an hour each on Monday, and then Locomotor followed by neuro-anatomy and exotics together as a further two quarter of an hour vivas on Tuesday.
Monday’s vivas went ok; Live was fairly easy but was also pretty basic stuff so I doubt I could have achieved a good mark. I got quizzed on a dog radiograph and then a cow skeleton, so not a great amount of live animals in my live animal viva. I think I impressed a little with knowing all the intercostal spaces to listen to heart valves in the cow.
Head and neck on Tuesday wasn't anything like as easy, I was assessed by Glenn Wakley who's lectured us for the last two years, and I didn't really want to let myself down in front of him. The first half of the viva went really well as I knew the answers he wanted for the questions on the larynx and radiographs. However, he then decided to move onto some slightly more difficult stuff on cranial nerves. I know the theory fine, but I find it quite hard to relate the cranial nerve stuff onto actual specimens.
Tuesday’s vivas were far better and I was really pleased with my locomotor viva. Professor Domingo Tortonessee took the viva and I was quite surprised when his first question was "You are the drummer?” Apparently he'd managed to get hold of the tape of the vet pantomime and watched Levator play in the interval. It was pretty cool to be told by him that I was his idol; I think Domingo fancies himself as a bit of a drummer. The rest of the viva questions were a bit more taxing, but I knew most of the answers, and think I impressed a bit with my knowledge of the muscles of the fore-arm of the dog.
Neuro-anatomy was most definitely my best viva, the only question I wasn't sure of was "What is the function of the lingula part of the cerebellum in the dog?" so that was cool, and exotics after was ok. I got asked questions on avian reproduction which I know a token amount about.
Well with all the exams over on Tuesday it was off into Broadmead for some essential retail therapy. £110 later I'd got shorts, t-shirts, a shirt and a cd. All critical for Barcelona and Australia (though maybe not the cd, but I haven’t got any of white stripes albums and it was in the sale). In the evening a very large bunch of second years ascended upon Andy Fullerton's house for a bbq and many drinks.
I don't know whether it was because I haven't drank for ages or that I drank too much (probably a bit of both), but the consequences where that I didn't surface till 3:00 on Wednesday. I then spent the rest of the day very hung over playing on computer games until it was time to join the alphabet pub crawl. This had been going on all day and is an event for the whole school where you make a 26 bar pub-crawl during the whole day. By the time I'd joined it we were well into the alphabet, but never mind. I don't think the alphabet is very rigidly stuck to though, I think Jim the organizer just counted the next bar as ok as long as somewhere in the name contained the next letter. Hence O was the Hog's Head, where my friends and I joined in. Poor Pritchard however didn't join us for a good while after we planned as he went to the wrong Hog's Head on the other side of Bristol (was quite an amusing phone call when he rung me asking where we all got to!).
The pub-crawl ended up in Walkabout (don’t know where x, y and z got to), though I was pretty sober as I was driving next morning so it wasn't the greatest of nights.
On Thursday a group of us decided to go to the beach, not really the best idea as it was the one overcast day we'd had for weeks, though it turned out a great day. We took two cars full of vets to Weston-Super-Mare / Weston-Super-Shite, and spent the day playing on 2p machines, going on bumper cars, eating fish and chips, digging big holes in the muddy beach and watching Pitchfork chase his windwafter football all over the very windy beach. Though the place and the whether weren't ideal we all had a wicked day out, topped off by the great Roosult in the evening.
Friday was the dreaded day of results. We met up in the King’s Arms before hand then headed off together (strength in numbers) to the vet school. To be honest my results were a bit of an anti-climax as I already knew I'd passed three out the four subjects before hand. However I managed to get a merit in Anatomy which is a pretty awesome achievement so that was excellent. So results stand at...
Animal Health and Husbandry... merit
Anatomy... merit
Physiology... pass
Parasitology... pass
Most of my friends did really well. Mat got himself a distinction and two merits, Hayley got two merit, Pitchfork got a merit, Hugo passed all his, Tamsin got 2 distinctions and 2passes!! Paul passed all his and Ian got the same results as Pitchfork. The biggest achiever of all however was by far John, he managed to pass everything even though he sat his written exams with glandular fever, what a star! He was advised by the dean just to wait and do them in September, but he wanted to go to Australia and so somehow managed to struggle through!!
The only two in my group of friends that didn't pass everything were Steve and Claire. Steve failed just Animal Health (though he did well in the others) and Claire failed two by 1% each, so she has been allowed to just resit these two. Although having to resit is obviously a nightmare for her it could have been a lot worse, as if you fail more than one the policy is that you have to resit all four in September. In case you're wondering what happens if you fail your resits you're either thrown out or aloud to resit the year depending on circumstances.
After getting the results yesterday Hayley and I hosted a bbq at her house for over 20 of us. This went on from 3:00 till 10:30 when we all went off to reflex for an 80's night (no Wedge for once!!).
Today is organization and cleaning day (no cleaning done yet though). I've been down into town this morning to get some essential things for our holiday on Monday and after writing this I need to go round to Ian's to post it and then get the drums of him so that I can take them home over the summer to make my parents very popular with the neighbors?!
I think cleaning will have to wait until this evening, I just hope my flat mates have made a start (as I haven’t lived there hardly for two terms they must be joking if they think I'm going to scrub down the house for them when I get back from Barcelona).
Tomorrow is Barcelona organizing day and then I think an early night is essential, as we're driving to Gatwick very early on Monday morning.
Once Hayley and I get back from Barcelona we're either going to hang around in Bristol until the 1st or go to my parent’s house in Derby and then come back so we can move our stuff into the new house. Then it's back to Derbyshire for the summer!! Though I start pig EMS on the 5th of July. However after that the summer looks absolutely amazing!! I'm probably off to the Isle of White for Cows week in the beginning of August and then coming back to head off to Australia for cattle EMS and traveling with John, should be a great experience and will no doubt contrast greatly with the India trip last summer.
I haven’t a clue if this will be continued next year, if it is I will no doubt be able to make much more entries as I've been informed that the 3rd year is far slacker than this year, which has no doubt been the hardest year I have ever worked in education. However I do feel that I've achieved a lot, what with good results, getting a band formed and completing a half marathon it's been a pretty successful year.
Tuesday, June 08, 2004
Exams are almost over! Just four anatomy vivas to go next Monday and Tuesday and then it’s all over (for anyone who doesn’t know what a viva is, it’s just a couple of lecturers/professors asking you questions on the subject with no other student present). However before anatomy I may have a pass/fail or merit viva in one of the other three subjects (you can also get distinction vivas, but that’s pretty unlikely for me). These vivas are just to see if a person deserves an extra 3% to give them enough marks for a pass, merit or distinction. The list went up yesterday for animal health and husbandry. 3 people got pass/fail vivas and 3 others got requested attendance vivas, I wasn’t on either list so hopefully that means I’ve nailed animal health (unless I flunked majorly).
The big worry today is the parasitology viva list that goes up at 11:00, if I’ve failed anything this will be it! So fingers crossed.
The last exam I did (the only one I think I havn’t mentioned) was histology last Friday. A one-hour exam using microscopes to draw layers of tissues, slide sketches, quess the identification game and then write concise notes on a topic out of 4 choices. I think it went ok (compared to last year it went amazing, when I wasn’t able to identify any of the tissue types and put heart for a leg cross-section, I don’t see how I managed that now, but then Steve put ear for the pancreas so that’s a similar sort of error, I reckon Professor Woolly dreads marking histology papers, after a years worth of learning and most of us still don’t know our arss from our elbow).
After the exam on Friday it was out to celebrate, we all pilled into the local Weatherspoons (or Waterstones as I called it after a couple of pints). As I hadn’t drank for what seems like an eternity, even the first pint went to my head, so well, 8pints later Wedge just wasn’t on the cards… only bed.
Saturday I did sweet FA and then Hayley and I hosted a bbq in the evening, everyone was pretty chatted and hungover but it was still a good night. I did all the cooking and managed pretty well considering I’m usually dreadful at cooking, though to be fair all men are culinary geniuses when it comes to the bbq.
On Sunday I again lounged around all day in the sun playing computer games and was generally a bone-idle git. Then in the evening Tamsin, Hayley, Paul and I went off to Cribbs to see Harry Potter 3 (absolutely awesome, so much better than the last two, I don’t reckon however that it’s safe for most children, though the book can be read to children without scaring them, there isn’t no way a child is coming away from that film without nightmares for a year, I should know I’ve still got the nail marks in my arm where Hayley got scared during the film).
Yesterday I went over to the dissection room to go through some head and neck anatomy stuff for the vivas. Didn’t really get anything done at all. It was so hot in the DR I just couldn’t be bothered. In the evening I got a train back home, which coincidently is where I am now, hoping that I might be able to get some anatomy revision done. However if I’ve got a viva then I’m screwed as I haven’t got any of my notes (except for anatomy) with me, so I’ll have to pelt it back to Bristol.
The main reason I’ve come back is to get the car, as I’m going to need it to drive Hayley and I to Gatwick on the 21st for our trip to Barcelona.
Last night I lounged around with my parents and looked at their holiday photos from New York, where they went for their silver wedding anniversary. Mum says it was fantastic and apparently a must see, though perhaps not this year, I doubt the budget will stretch past Barcelona, Australia and Tokyo (big news on this trip is that I might not be accompanied by John, as he managed to contract himself glandular fever during the written exams, he still sat them, but whether he now passes or not is very dodgy).
Today I’ve got shed loads of jobs to do and things to sort out, and then I suppose I’d better get on with some anatomy revision. Think I’ll start off with a bit of Neuroanatomy, a dodle compared to the amount needed to be learnt for locomotor anatomy.
The big worry today is the parasitology viva list that goes up at 11:00, if I’ve failed anything this will be it! So fingers crossed.
The last exam I did (the only one I think I havn’t mentioned) was histology last Friday. A one-hour exam using microscopes to draw layers of tissues, slide sketches, quess the identification game and then write concise notes on a topic out of 4 choices. I think it went ok (compared to last year it went amazing, when I wasn’t able to identify any of the tissue types and put heart for a leg cross-section, I don’t see how I managed that now, but then Steve put ear for the pancreas so that’s a similar sort of error, I reckon Professor Woolly dreads marking histology papers, after a years worth of learning and most of us still don’t know our arss from our elbow).
After the exam on Friday it was out to celebrate, we all pilled into the local Weatherspoons (or Waterstones as I called it after a couple of pints). As I hadn’t drank for what seems like an eternity, even the first pint went to my head, so well, 8pints later Wedge just wasn’t on the cards… only bed.
Saturday I did sweet FA and then Hayley and I hosted a bbq in the evening, everyone was pretty chatted and hungover but it was still a good night. I did all the cooking and managed pretty well considering I’m usually dreadful at cooking, though to be fair all men are culinary geniuses when it comes to the bbq.
On Sunday I again lounged around all day in the sun playing computer games and was generally a bone-idle git. Then in the evening Tamsin, Hayley, Paul and I went off to Cribbs to see Harry Potter 3 (absolutely awesome, so much better than the last two, I don’t reckon however that it’s safe for most children, though the book can be read to children without scaring them, there isn’t no way a child is coming away from that film without nightmares for a year, I should know I’ve still got the nail marks in my arm where Hayley got scared during the film).
Yesterday I went over to the dissection room to go through some head and neck anatomy stuff for the vivas. Didn’t really get anything done at all. It was so hot in the DR I just couldn’t be bothered. In the evening I got a train back home, which coincidently is where I am now, hoping that I might be able to get some anatomy revision done. However if I’ve got a viva then I’m screwed as I haven’t got any of my notes (except for anatomy) with me, so I’ll have to pelt it back to Bristol.
The main reason I’ve come back is to get the car, as I’m going to need it to drive Hayley and I to Gatwick on the 21st for our trip to Barcelona.
Last night I lounged around with my parents and looked at their holiday photos from New York, where they went for their silver wedding anniversary. Mum says it was fantastic and apparently a must see, though perhaps not this year, I doubt the budget will stretch past Barcelona, Australia and Tokyo (big news on this trip is that I might not be accompanied by John, as he managed to contract himself glandular fever during the written exams, he still sat them, but whether he now passes or not is very dodgy).
Today I’ve got shed loads of jobs to do and things to sort out, and then I suppose I’d better get on with some anatomy revision. Think I’ll start off with a bit of Neuroanatomy, a dodle compared to the amount needed to be learnt for locomotor anatomy.
Thursday, June 03, 2004
Almost finished!! Just histology tomorrow and then anatomy vivas ten days after that. I've just walked out of an anatomy spot which went ok. 40 two part questions where we walk around in silence moving from one question to the next when a buzzer sounds. We were tested on locomotor and exotic anatomy (rabbits, birds, rodents, snakes and tortoises).
As you can imagine the only thing I've done over the past week is revise and sit examines. Since I last wrote I've done Physiology, Anatomy, Parasitology and Animal Health and Husbandry written examines, plus the anatomy spot just done and an animal health computer examine yesterday. In the remote chance that anyone may want to read how my examines went I’ll list them:
Physiology
Went pretty good except for the data interpretation question on modifying male sex hormones in a ram. I think I completely flunked that part. Though the essay on thermoregulation went well and the short answer questions were pretty good. I got in an ace diagram of the vascular changes that occur in the neonate at parturition.
However I may have guessed a bit too much on the multiple choice questions. They’re true or false questions, which are cool if you know the answer for sure, but if you get it wrong they’re negatively marked, so there’s always an element of risk in guessing.
Anatomy
The best exam yet. Really went well! I was fairly sure about the answers for a lot of the multiple choice questions and there were four short answer questions I could do. These were bird flight adaptations, the skeleton of the tortoise, the anatomical structure in the antebrachial region of the dog (fore-arm) and the stay-apparatus of the horse (muscles and stuff that it uses to bare weight with no effort).
Parasitology
I havn’t a clue how this exam went to be honest. I thought I aced the Christmas one and got an E, so even though I think it went ok I obviously can’t judge parastiology at all. I got tested on itching ectoparasites in cats, protozoa in pigs and sheep worms. There was also a mini-essay on tick adaptations.
Animal Health and Husbandry
The exam was an utter beast, six 20minute questions to answer on micro-nutrient deficiency symptoms, ruminant carbohydrate digestion, blood types, disease eradication programmes for elbow dysplacia and PKD (polycystic kidney disease in cats), epidemiology and imprinting behaviour. I managed to write quite a bit for it (always makes you think positive even if you write utter nonsence), though epidemiology wasn’t ideal as I got confused between an analytical and a descriptive study… drat.
Never mind though the computer exam yesterday was a doddle… 78%, so no worries. I’ve calculated that I only need 35 % in the written exam to pass Animal Health due to the great success in the computer exam.
Well if anyone’s still reading (probably only my family…so hello Mum and Nanna) tomorrow night is going to have to be a big night out, there’s a lot of useless rubbish floating around in my head desperate to be unlearnt again, so it’s off the weatherspoons after histology and on to the Wedge.
As you can imagine the only thing I've done over the past week is revise and sit examines. Since I last wrote I've done Physiology, Anatomy, Parasitology and Animal Health and Husbandry written examines, plus the anatomy spot just done and an animal health computer examine yesterday. In the remote chance that anyone may want to read how my examines went I’ll list them:
Physiology
Went pretty good except for the data interpretation question on modifying male sex hormones in a ram. I think I completely flunked that part. Though the essay on thermoregulation went well and the short answer questions were pretty good. I got in an ace diagram of the vascular changes that occur in the neonate at parturition.
However I may have guessed a bit too much on the multiple choice questions. They’re true or false questions, which are cool if you know the answer for sure, but if you get it wrong they’re negatively marked, so there’s always an element of risk in guessing.
Anatomy
The best exam yet. Really went well! I was fairly sure about the answers for a lot of the multiple choice questions and there were four short answer questions I could do. These were bird flight adaptations, the skeleton of the tortoise, the anatomical structure in the antebrachial region of the dog (fore-arm) and the stay-apparatus of the horse (muscles and stuff that it uses to bare weight with no effort).
Parasitology
I havn’t a clue how this exam went to be honest. I thought I aced the Christmas one and got an E, so even though I think it went ok I obviously can’t judge parastiology at all. I got tested on itching ectoparasites in cats, protozoa in pigs and sheep worms. There was also a mini-essay on tick adaptations.
Animal Health and Husbandry
The exam was an utter beast, six 20minute questions to answer on micro-nutrient deficiency symptoms, ruminant carbohydrate digestion, blood types, disease eradication programmes for elbow dysplacia and PKD (polycystic kidney disease in cats), epidemiology and imprinting behaviour. I managed to write quite a bit for it (always makes you think positive even if you write utter nonsence), though epidemiology wasn’t ideal as I got confused between an analytical and a descriptive study… drat.
Never mind though the computer exam yesterday was a doddle… 78%, so no worries. I’ve calculated that I only need 35 % in the written exam to pass Animal Health due to the great success in the computer exam.
Well if anyone’s still reading (probably only my family…so hello Mum and Nanna) tomorrow night is going to have to be a big night out, there’s a lot of useless rubbish floating around in my head desperate to be unlearnt again, so it’s off the weatherspoons after histology and on to the Wedge.
Tuesday, May 25, 2004
I've just finished an enthralling three-hour forelimb anatomy stint and I’m feeling fairly positive about the exams. After revision this morning I’ve finally finished going through everything once (quite a close call though as exams start the day after tomorrow).
Reproductive physiology took me about 15hours over the past couple of days, but least it’s done, and will mean that it won’t need to give it much attention tomorrow or Thursday morning before the exam.
The rest of today I’m going to try and read through hind-limb anatomy and then all of exotic anatomy (fish, birds, rodents, reptiles) so I’ll have gone through everything again for Friday’s Anatomy exam.
Then next Tuesday it’s Animal Health and Husbandry computer based and written exams. This involves genetics, nutrition, behaviour, epidemiology and statistics, so quite a beast! Then the day after is parasitology, followed by anatomy on Thursday and Histology on Friday.
Next Friday night is going to require a well deserved break and very drunk state to unlearn all the stupidly long parasite names that will hopefully be floating around in my head.
It’s not all doom and gloom though; I went home Friday night so I could join my parents celebrating their silver wedding anniversary. It was great to be home for a night and see all the family including my grandparents. This was the first time I’ve been home all term.
Right back to, just another two and half hours to go of Anatomy and then dinner.
Probably won’t speak again till after the exams, as I’m fairly sure I’ll be constantly revising over the next week…
Wish me luck!!
Reproductive physiology took me about 15hours over the past couple of days, but least it’s done, and will mean that it won’t need to give it much attention tomorrow or Thursday morning before the exam.
The rest of today I’m going to try and read through hind-limb anatomy and then all of exotic anatomy (fish, birds, rodents, reptiles) so I’ll have gone through everything again for Friday’s Anatomy exam.
Then next Tuesday it’s Animal Health and Husbandry computer based and written exams. This involves genetics, nutrition, behaviour, epidemiology and statistics, so quite a beast! Then the day after is parasitology, followed by anatomy on Thursday and Histology on Friday.
Next Friday night is going to require a well deserved break and very drunk state to unlearn all the stupidly long parasite names that will hopefully be floating around in my head.
It’s not all doom and gloom though; I went home Friday night so I could join my parents celebrating their silver wedding anniversary. It was great to be home for a night and see all the family including my grandparents. This was the first time I’ve been home all term.
Right back to, just another two and half hours to go of Anatomy and then dinner.
Probably won’t speak again till after the exams, as I’m fairly sure I’ll be constantly revising over the next week…
Wish me luck!!
Wednesday, May 19, 2004
Firstly I’d like to apologise for the complete lack of blogs over the past week, I just haven’t had a chance as revision is taking up nearly all of my time. I can’t remember having to work as hard as this last year, but then I don’t think I left it so late last year. First year nerves and worries got me motivated slightly earlier I think. Also, I blame it on IDSE, if it wasn’t for that being three weeks long I’d have started a bit earlier. It was only 2 weeks for the now 3rd years, which I doubt in any way reflected on the work they produced. To be fair I reckon they could give us a week and we’d still come up with the same stuff.
Well, anyway, revision isn’t going too bad, I had a manic day yesterday of Histology (sort of like anatomy at a cellular level). I managed to get through the entire 2nd Yr Histology course in a day, which was quite an achievement, and now means that I’m back on course with my revision timetable.
Every year I write myself out a timetable, everyone has there own revision method and mine is writing down everything in the timetable and religiously sticking to it. However for the last week I’ve been about half a day behind everyday till yesterday, so the exam stress has slacked a little now.
I’ve spent all my time over revision at either Hayley’s house or in the medical library, I was able to use one of Hayley’s friend’s rooms for about a week as she went home to revise, like a lot of people do. Though now she’s back and I’m stuck revising in the medical library, which is good as far as revision quantity is concerned but not as far as temperature. Its like a bloody green house, and a lot of students tend to get a bit slack as far as personal hygiene is concerned during revision i.e. The medical school smells of sweaty feet (unless it’s me and the smell just follows?!)
Today I’ve revised special sensors physiology and then written notes on bird and fish physiology, which leaves me forelimb muscles, blood vessels and innervation to do tonight, if I’m to stick to the timetable.
Well if any one is still reading after that revision rant there has been some fun stuff over the past couple of weeks.
The vet barn dance was a great night as it was last year. I reckon it’s because everyone is working that people just go on a mission to get themselves absolutely smashed! Tamsin got sent home in a taxi early, Mat couldn’t remember the 3women he pulled, John got tonsillitis, Hayley had a water fight a then almost got into a fight and my vet dad Gabe (3rd Yr) woke up with a bust lip, concussion and a cut arm. Thankfully my brother and his mates Tom, Ally and Stu managed to escape unharmed from the night, and even managed to acquire a watering can and a new potted plant for my house…how very generous?!…(In-case Rich reads this, I’ve got some very funny photos of all of us playing “touch the other side of the deer pen” game)
Couple of nights ago (can’t give any dates as I don’t know what day it is today) Hayley and I went out for a very socialable meal and drink. Hayley’s choice, so we went to Beijing Bistro. Very tasty and reasonably prices (sounds like an advert), definitely will have to go again sometime, the crispy seaweed starter was great. Also, I learnt how to use chopsticks, so I’m not going to look like a complete uncultured westerner in Tokyo in September.
On Friday I’m off home for a day. It’s my parent’s silver wedding anniversary so the whole family is going out for lunch on the Saturday, then I’m coming back to Bristol in the evening.
That’s about all I can think of for now (unless I write some more work-orientated stuff, but they’ll be plenty of that after each exam… The first one of which is next Thursday (Physiology) then Anatomy on the Friday after).
Tonight I’m off to Sainsburys to get supplies.
Well, anyway, revision isn’t going too bad, I had a manic day yesterday of Histology (sort of like anatomy at a cellular level). I managed to get through the entire 2nd Yr Histology course in a day, which was quite an achievement, and now means that I’m back on course with my revision timetable.
Every year I write myself out a timetable, everyone has there own revision method and mine is writing down everything in the timetable and religiously sticking to it. However for the last week I’ve been about half a day behind everyday till yesterday, so the exam stress has slacked a little now.
I’ve spent all my time over revision at either Hayley’s house or in the medical library, I was able to use one of Hayley’s friend’s rooms for about a week as she went home to revise, like a lot of people do. Though now she’s back and I’m stuck revising in the medical library, which is good as far as revision quantity is concerned but not as far as temperature. Its like a bloody green house, and a lot of students tend to get a bit slack as far as personal hygiene is concerned during revision i.e. The medical school smells of sweaty feet (unless it’s me and the smell just follows?!)
Today I’ve revised special sensors physiology and then written notes on bird and fish physiology, which leaves me forelimb muscles, blood vessels and innervation to do tonight, if I’m to stick to the timetable.
Well if any one is still reading after that revision rant there has been some fun stuff over the past couple of weeks.
The vet barn dance was a great night as it was last year. I reckon it’s because everyone is working that people just go on a mission to get themselves absolutely smashed! Tamsin got sent home in a taxi early, Mat couldn’t remember the 3women he pulled, John got tonsillitis, Hayley had a water fight a then almost got into a fight and my vet dad Gabe (3rd Yr) woke up with a bust lip, concussion and a cut arm. Thankfully my brother and his mates Tom, Ally and Stu managed to escape unharmed from the night, and even managed to acquire a watering can and a new potted plant for my house…how very generous?!…(In-case Rich reads this, I’ve got some very funny photos of all of us playing “touch the other side of the deer pen” game)
Couple of nights ago (can’t give any dates as I don’t know what day it is today) Hayley and I went out for a very socialable meal and drink. Hayley’s choice, so we went to Beijing Bistro. Very tasty and reasonably prices (sounds like an advert), definitely will have to go again sometime, the crispy seaweed starter was great. Also, I learnt how to use chopsticks, so I’m not going to look like a complete uncultured westerner in Tokyo in September.
On Friday I’m off home for a day. It’s my parent’s silver wedding anniversary so the whole family is going out for lunch on the Saturday, then I’m coming back to Bristol in the evening.
That’s about all I can think of for now (unless I write some more work-orientated stuff, but they’ll be plenty of that after each exam… The first one of which is next Thursday (Physiology) then Anatomy on the Friday after).
Tonight I’m off to Sainsburys to get supplies.
Sunday, May 02, 2004
It came as quite a surprise to me when I found an e-mail from Kieran asking me to carry on my blog for the last term. To be honest this term is the worst time of the year every year and apart from exams there isn’t really much going on, but I’ll let people know exactly what great/interesting/mind numbing subjects I’ve been revising any how.
The term started out great with a pharmacology exam. The best part of this exam is that the result does not contribute to this year, so if the mark is bad it’s only the pharmacology course next year that will suffer.
The exam went ok I think, I only answered 2/3 of the multiple choice questions as they were negatively marked and guessing can be lethal. The short answer question was alright to.
Over the last couple of weeks of this term timetable has just been IDSE (intergraded directed self education). This involves our DSE groups getting a topic and having to produce essays and talks on it. Mat, Hayley, Claire, Ian, Hugo and I have got “The Bovine Udder” as our large topic, and then each of us has got a separate sub-topic to write a 3000 word essay on. The whole point is that between the essays we’ll cover all of pharmacology, anatomy, physiology, parastiology and animal health and husbandry in respect to the bovine mammary gland. My little topic is Bovine Somatotropin, a hormone that can be injected to massively increase milk production, which I found quite interesting. My essay is finished but I’ve still got to sort out a five minute talk on the topic, which I’ll do later today.
It hasn’t however been all work so far this term; I’ve been able to afford a couple of evenings of merriment. We had a big group kill bill volume one DVD watching session the other night and then I went off to see volume two with Hayley. An absolutely awesome film, must see!
Couple of nights ago 8 of us went round for a meal at Hugo’s house, it was meant to be just a quite one, but even so John still got sent to get more wine and left his car at hugo’s. I never understand why any of my friends drive to any gatherings we have, as it doesn’t save them any time. Yes they arrive with minimal effort, but then have to walk home after drinking and walk back the next day to retrieve the car, why not just walk in the first place.
I suppose you’re wondering what is so bad about this term… Bloody exams. Every year since GCSE this time of year gets harder and harder with the ever increasing work load. I’m starting revision tomorrow and it ain’t gonna be pretty. Four weeks till the first exam and massive amounts to learn, so don’t expect any interesting blogs off me!
The exams I’ve got are physiology, anatomy, parasitology and animal health and husbandry written, then a histology practical, an anatomy viva or two and an anatomy spot test.
However there are things to look forward to and the big picture is always essential to remember at this time of year. There’s the barn dance next week, which my brother and three of his mates are coming down from Derby to go to, and then there’s the summer and my multitude of holidays!! As long as all goes well with exams I’m going to go to Australia and Tokyo with John and I’ve also got a three night break to Barcelona booked with Hayley. This was a mega bargin, as we managed to get return flights, parking in Gatwick and 3 nights hostel accommodation for £110!!
Well think that’s enough for now, will let you know next week how amazingly well the revision better be going.
The term started out great with a pharmacology exam. The best part of this exam is that the result does not contribute to this year, so if the mark is bad it’s only the pharmacology course next year that will suffer.
The exam went ok I think, I only answered 2/3 of the multiple choice questions as they were negatively marked and guessing can be lethal. The short answer question was alright to.
Over the last couple of weeks of this term timetable has just been IDSE (intergraded directed self education). This involves our DSE groups getting a topic and having to produce essays and talks on it. Mat, Hayley, Claire, Ian, Hugo and I have got “The Bovine Udder” as our large topic, and then each of us has got a separate sub-topic to write a 3000 word essay on. The whole point is that between the essays we’ll cover all of pharmacology, anatomy, physiology, parastiology and animal health and husbandry in respect to the bovine mammary gland. My little topic is Bovine Somatotropin, a hormone that can be injected to massively increase milk production, which I found quite interesting. My essay is finished but I’ve still got to sort out a five minute talk on the topic, which I’ll do later today.
It hasn’t however been all work so far this term; I’ve been able to afford a couple of evenings of merriment. We had a big group kill bill volume one DVD watching session the other night and then I went off to see volume two with Hayley. An absolutely awesome film, must see!
Couple of nights ago 8 of us went round for a meal at Hugo’s house, it was meant to be just a quite one, but even so John still got sent to get more wine and left his car at hugo’s. I never understand why any of my friends drive to any gatherings we have, as it doesn’t save them any time. Yes they arrive with minimal effort, but then have to walk home after drinking and walk back the next day to retrieve the car, why not just walk in the first place.
I suppose you’re wondering what is so bad about this term… Bloody exams. Every year since GCSE this time of year gets harder and harder with the ever increasing work load. I’m starting revision tomorrow and it ain’t gonna be pretty. Four weeks till the first exam and massive amounts to learn, so don’t expect any interesting blogs off me!
The exams I’ve got are physiology, anatomy, parasitology and animal health and husbandry written, then a histology practical, an anatomy viva or two and an anatomy spot test.
However there are things to look forward to and the big picture is always essential to remember at this time of year. There’s the barn dance next week, which my brother and three of his mates are coming down from Derby to go to, and then there’s the summer and my multitude of holidays!! As long as all goes well with exams I’m going to go to Australia and Tokyo with John and I’ve also got a three night break to Barcelona booked with Hayley. This was a mega bargin, as we managed to get return flights, parking in Gatwick and 3 nights hostel accommodation for £110!!
Well think that’s enough for now, will let you know next week how amazingly well the revision better be going.
Sunday, March 21, 2004
Right well term’s finally over and I’m back home. This last week has been chaotic, but at least it ended well with a mega wedge blow-out, so all is good.
Yesterday Dad came over at 10:30 so he could come to the union and listen to the last Levator Ani jam of the term. Unfortunately we played the worst we’ve ever done, even worse than before Xmas when we got together! I blame it on Long Island Ice Tea John bought me. Where as I think Ian and his mate blame it on the three bottles of wine they started the night with at Claire’s 21st birthday dinner. However after 2 hours of going through new stuff we did our half hour set list ok and Ian’s mate Dazza recorded us for our web site www.levatorani.co.uk. He’s setting this up for us over Easter. It’s looking amazing and should be awesome when complete!
Over the last week unfortunately I’ve done pretty much nothing else but work. I’ve known about the Anatomy DSE/exam scheduled for the last date of term for ages but have not really had a chance to get any work done for it, so I had a lot to catch up on. Thankfully I didn’t have much on last weekend except hockey and so was able to knuckle down for it a bit then. The task is to learn soft tissue, bony structures, vasculature and innervation by a multitude of species (some of them a bit pointless I thought, but you never know when I’ll have to do hindlimb surgery on a llama?!).
Hockey on Sunday was eventful. We’ve entered two centaur teams into the intramural championship (as we have so many players). One of the teams had already made it through to the final, but we still had to get through the semis to achieve a centaur vs centaur final, how cool would that be!! (no sarcasm intended). We were playing “Chaos” (the physics squad) and though we put up a great effort though we lost 2-1. Being so close we thought our A-team, made up of mostly uni players including a couple of 1st and 2nd team veterans, would be able to slaughter them. However 2 goals down after twelve minutes showed things weren’t going too great, then a 1st year performed a crunching challenge on a computer scientist (why the hell she was playing for the physics I don’t know) and broke her ankle in three places (the game was very heated). By the time the ambulance came it was almost dark and so the match was abandoned. A re-match is scheduled next term.
For the majority of last week I’ve been revising with Hayley. It didn’t take long to learn the hindlimb for the horse and dog. Therefore cat, ruminant and pig followed relatively easily. However bloody crow, llama and rat were far from ideal. Plus we didn’t get asked a single question on them. Why set us to learn these dam animals and not ask a single thing on them…Where’s the frickin logic in that?!
I did however have a nice break from revision on Tuesday with a well needed trip to Langford. It was canine behaviour all day and though I didn’t go expecting much it was actually an interesting day. Lectures in the morning, followed by a practical where we got to see real life animals and real life owners(not so exciting). Our case was with an Irish Wolfhound and its nervousness and aggressive problems. Not really ideal with a dog that size.
Well that brings me up to the exam on Friday. It was 2.5hrs long and really only needed to be 1.5hrs, but I stayed for most of it anyway. I always feel that I should never leave an exam early, it’s always worth checking it through as many times as possible.
I think it went ok. By that I mean I think I should have passed. I don’t really set my sites high when it comes to Anatomy (or any other subject come to thing of it, as long as I pass I’m not going to complain).
I suppose you’re all eager to know what Joe Blog vet does over the Easter break, well it’s dam exciting…wait for it…3.5wks of night lambing. Every night starting tomorrow I’m off to Townend farm (20mins away) to sit by myself (that’s if you don’t include sheep as company) and watch for lambs popping out of ewes. I’m actually quite looking forward to going back. I need the money so John and I can fund our trip to down under during the end of summer.
The Easter break isn’t all about sheep though. I’m taking one evening off to go to Hugo’s (IIyr) house party. It’s a joint 21st party with one of his friends, should be a massive occasion. Me, John and Mat have got our costumes sorted, it’s characters from Shrek as the dress code, so we’re all going as merry men. John’s Mum is being great and making us all our costumes, including green tights apparently, we could get some funny looks if we stop of at any service stations on the way!!
Also Hayley is hopefully going to come down to visit me and spend a couple of evenings lambing with me. Being an adept lamber hopefully I’ll just be able to leave her to it, but I doubt I’ll get away with that. Presently she’s in Dublin (one of her flat mate’s 21st birthday).
Well that’s it for now then folks, if I don’t get the privilege of writing for you again then I hope my blogs have given an in-depth insight into the chaotic, hardworking, tiring but awesome fun time that I have on my course and at uni.
Thanks, Pete.
Yesterday Dad came over at 10:30 so he could come to the union and listen to the last Levator Ani jam of the term. Unfortunately we played the worst we’ve ever done, even worse than before Xmas when we got together! I blame it on Long Island Ice Tea John bought me. Where as I think Ian and his mate blame it on the three bottles of wine they started the night with at Claire’s 21st birthday dinner. However after 2 hours of going through new stuff we did our half hour set list ok and Ian’s mate Dazza recorded us for our web site www.levatorani.co.uk. He’s setting this up for us over Easter. It’s looking amazing and should be awesome when complete!
Over the last week unfortunately I’ve done pretty much nothing else but work. I’ve known about the Anatomy DSE/exam scheduled for the last date of term for ages but have not really had a chance to get any work done for it, so I had a lot to catch up on. Thankfully I didn’t have much on last weekend except hockey and so was able to knuckle down for it a bit then. The task is to learn soft tissue, bony structures, vasculature and innervation by a multitude of species (some of them a bit pointless I thought, but you never know when I’ll have to do hindlimb surgery on a llama?!).
Hockey on Sunday was eventful. We’ve entered two centaur teams into the intramural championship (as we have so many players). One of the teams had already made it through to the final, but we still had to get through the semis to achieve a centaur vs centaur final, how cool would that be!! (no sarcasm intended). We were playing “Chaos” (the physics squad) and though we put up a great effort though we lost 2-1. Being so close we thought our A-team, made up of mostly uni players including a couple of 1st and 2nd team veterans, would be able to slaughter them. However 2 goals down after twelve minutes showed things weren’t going too great, then a 1st year performed a crunching challenge on a computer scientist (why the hell she was playing for the physics I don’t know) and broke her ankle in three places (the game was very heated). By the time the ambulance came it was almost dark and so the match was abandoned. A re-match is scheduled next term.
For the majority of last week I’ve been revising with Hayley. It didn’t take long to learn the hindlimb for the horse and dog. Therefore cat, ruminant and pig followed relatively easily. However bloody crow, llama and rat were far from ideal. Plus we didn’t get asked a single question on them. Why set us to learn these dam animals and not ask a single thing on them…Where’s the frickin logic in that?!
I did however have a nice break from revision on Tuesday with a well needed trip to Langford. It was canine behaviour all day and though I didn’t go expecting much it was actually an interesting day. Lectures in the morning, followed by a practical where we got to see real life animals and real life owners(not so exciting). Our case was with an Irish Wolfhound and its nervousness and aggressive problems. Not really ideal with a dog that size.
Well that brings me up to the exam on Friday. It was 2.5hrs long and really only needed to be 1.5hrs, but I stayed for most of it anyway. I always feel that I should never leave an exam early, it’s always worth checking it through as many times as possible.
I think it went ok. By that I mean I think I should have passed. I don’t really set my sites high when it comes to Anatomy (or any other subject come to thing of it, as long as I pass I’m not going to complain).
I suppose you’re all eager to know what Joe Blog vet does over the Easter break, well it’s dam exciting…wait for it…3.5wks of night lambing. Every night starting tomorrow I’m off to Townend farm (20mins away) to sit by myself (that’s if you don’t include sheep as company) and watch for lambs popping out of ewes. I’m actually quite looking forward to going back. I need the money so John and I can fund our trip to down under during the end of summer.
The Easter break isn’t all about sheep though. I’m taking one evening off to go to Hugo’s (IIyr) house party. It’s a joint 21st party with one of his friends, should be a massive occasion. Me, John and Mat have got our costumes sorted, it’s characters from Shrek as the dress code, so we’re all going as merry men. John’s Mum is being great and making us all our costumes, including green tights apparently, we could get some funny looks if we stop of at any service stations on the way!!
Also Hayley is hopefully going to come down to visit me and spend a couple of evenings lambing with me. Being an adept lamber hopefully I’ll just be able to leave her to it, but I doubt I’ll get away with that. Presently she’s in Dublin (one of her flat mate’s 21st birthday).
Well that’s it for now then folks, if I don’t get the privilege of writing for you again then I hope my blogs have given an in-depth insight into the chaotic, hardworking, tiring but awesome fun time that I have on my course and at uni.
Thanks, Pete.
Friday, March 12, 2004
Sorry for the long break in entries, have been very busy over the past week and half with band practice and work. However now it’s all over and it’s just a case of anatomy revision for the exam next Friday (last day of term).
Biggest news over the past week is Levator Ani’s great success at the vet panto. Obviously all our practice effort paid off, as the crowd loved us. Pritchard even got a thong and bra thrown at him (the muppets sent out an e-mail to try and recover the owner).
The panto was also a great success, a very funny script written by Honor and Hugo (2nd Yrs) and some great acting from members from all three pre-clinical years. The story this year was sort of a twisted mess up of aladin+lord of the rings “Aladin and the magic lamp of firedoor”.
Right well what have I been up to since I last wrote: Last weekend the vets made it the through to the final for the inter-mural hockey cup!! This weekend it’s to be settled. We’re up against a team called chaos, though I’m not sure which department they are.
Apart from exotic anatomy work there hasn’t been a great deal of work in vet school. We’ve finished lectures on avian physiology and only have a revision histology session left next week.
I think most of my time has been spent trying to organise Levator’s interval panto slot. We don’t own any drums or PA equipment and so have had to find/hire the lot. Thankfully majid in our year leant us part of a drum kit, so that considerably reduced the hire cost.
Today I’ve only had two lectures, however before hand I had my physiology DSE talk, which counts for 5%, so quite a big deal (enough so I couldn’t go out drinking after the panto last night dam it). It went pretty well I think, we get the results some time next term, but I know I passed the essay which counts for 10% so all is good.
Tonight I’m off to the vet hockey social! Always a great laugh and guaranteed mass drunkenness!! It’s a 7:00 start in the union in hockey shirts for lads and shirts and skirts for girls. Then off to the Indian Ocean curry house, and possibly on to the Wedge.
Biggest news over the past week is Levator Ani’s great success at the vet panto. Obviously all our practice effort paid off, as the crowd loved us. Pritchard even got a thong and bra thrown at him (the muppets sent out an e-mail to try and recover the owner).
The panto was also a great success, a very funny script written by Honor and Hugo (2nd Yrs) and some great acting from members from all three pre-clinical years. The story this year was sort of a twisted mess up of aladin+lord of the rings “Aladin and the magic lamp of firedoor”.
Right well what have I been up to since I last wrote: Last weekend the vets made it the through to the final for the inter-mural hockey cup!! This weekend it’s to be settled. We’re up against a team called chaos, though I’m not sure which department they are.
Apart from exotic anatomy work there hasn’t been a great deal of work in vet school. We’ve finished lectures on avian physiology and only have a revision histology session left next week.
I think most of my time has been spent trying to organise Levator’s interval panto slot. We don’t own any drums or PA equipment and so have had to find/hire the lot. Thankfully majid in our year leant us part of a drum kit, so that considerably reduced the hire cost.
Today I’ve only had two lectures, however before hand I had my physiology DSE talk, which counts for 5%, so quite a big deal (enough so I couldn’t go out drinking after the panto last night dam it). It went pretty well I think, we get the results some time next term, but I know I passed the essay which counts for 10% so all is good.
Tonight I’m off to the vet hockey social! Always a great laugh and guaranteed mass drunkenness!! It’s a 7:00 start in the union in hockey shirts for lads and shirts and skirts for girls. Then off to the Indian Ocean curry house, and possibly on to the Wedge.
Wednesday, March 03, 2004
The half marathon is finally over! I made it round on Sunday in 1:35:01 which I am very happy with (I was aiming for under 2hours). Obviously all the training paid off!
Mat is now talking about going for the London next year. I suppose it’s something to aim for.
Saturday night was the vet ball. This year it was in a couple of good size Marquees on the other side of Clifton. The evening was very glam, everyone puts on their best ball gowns and djs then proceeds to set about ruining them by consuming as much alcohol as possible. Though I’m surprised it was achieved so well this year as the bar prices were ridiculous. Not that it mattered to me though as I wasn’t drinking (running the day after). I just enjoyed the very tasty meal and even did a little dancing towards the end, crazy I know! During the evening I had a little chat with Kieran. Interesting to hear what the poor forth years are getting up to, stuck all the way out in very lively Langford.
Monday I had only one lecture, which I had to let be as Levator needed some quality practice time. Don’t worry though Mum, it got copied up in the afternoon before we finally finished off Parasitology DSE!!
Levator practice is going well, and I thing we’re going to be ready to play next week at the panto. We sorted out hire of a PA system and now just need to get some drums together for Wednesday.
Yesterday was a full day of glorious work. I attended some very exciting lectures on nutrition in Langford and in return got presented with some more DSE. This now means that I have to spend almost an hour watching a horse called Patsy eat, whilst tallying up how many times she chews, spits and pulls hay. Don’t worry it is a video so I can watch it in the comfort of my own home with a couple of brew-skies.
In the evening I finished physiology DSE.
Today I’ve had some histology on fish and birds and I’ve just spent a couple of hours doing nutrition DSE on the tinternet. I now feel much uplifted as I’ve finally removed the heavy burden that is DSE.
Tonight I’m off to the Nice Fridge football social at a comedy club for much celebrating!
Mat is now talking about going for the London next year. I suppose it’s something to aim for.
Saturday night was the vet ball. This year it was in a couple of good size Marquees on the other side of Clifton. The evening was very glam, everyone puts on their best ball gowns and djs then proceeds to set about ruining them by consuming as much alcohol as possible. Though I’m surprised it was achieved so well this year as the bar prices were ridiculous. Not that it mattered to me though as I wasn’t drinking (running the day after). I just enjoyed the very tasty meal and even did a little dancing towards the end, crazy I know! During the evening I had a little chat with Kieran. Interesting to hear what the poor forth years are getting up to, stuck all the way out in very lively Langford.
Monday I had only one lecture, which I had to let be as Levator needed some quality practice time. Don’t worry though Mum, it got copied up in the afternoon before we finally finished off Parasitology DSE!!
Levator practice is going well, and I thing we’re going to be ready to play next week at the panto. We sorted out hire of a PA system and now just need to get some drums together for Wednesday.
Yesterday was a full day of glorious work. I attended some very exciting lectures on nutrition in Langford and in return got presented with some more DSE. This now means that I have to spend almost an hour watching a horse called Patsy eat, whilst tallying up how many times she chews, spits and pulls hay. Don’t worry it is a video so I can watch it in the comfort of my own home with a couple of brew-skies.
In the evening I finished physiology DSE.
Today I’ve had some histology on fish and birds and I’ve just spent a couple of hours doing nutrition DSE on the tinternet. I now feel much uplifted as I’ve finally removed the heavy burden that is DSE.
Tonight I’m off to the Nice Fridge football social at a comedy club for much celebrating!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
