Years of school
Months of working in clinics
Weeks of hands-on labs
Hours of classroom instruction
And nothing really could properly prepare me for my fourth year of vet school. Entirely clinical, this year will see me through 53 weeks (ah, the wonders of administration) of rotations–typically two weeks a piece–ranging from veterinary radiology to large animal emergency and criticalcare. I’ll be doing my core rotations at my university, and the remainder are external elective rotations I’ve set up at the National Zoo, Chicago’s Lincoln Park Zoo and the San Diego Wild Animal Park. One rotation takes me down to Tambopata, Peru, where I’ll be assisting in a macaw research project, and somehow, amidst all this, I’ll learn enough to pass the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination and become an actual veterinarian.
The prospect is mildly terrifying, but as we’ve been told by one of the most amazing vets I’ve ever met, “being a veterinarian is a lot about controlling your terror,” and I plan on doing just that as I wind my way through this maze of clinics, clinicians and clients, practicing the practice that will become my profession.
In this blog, I would like to share what I’m up to, including many achievements and many more frustrations that accompany life in the world of veterinary education. I’ll have pictures when appropriate and funny stories when at all possible, and it is my sincere hope that this blog will bring others as much enjoyment to read it as it brings me to write it.
So before we finish this, a final disclaimer–
It is not my design to be purposefully vague about the institution I attend or my personal life, but I feel with the world the way it is–hiring and firing and the like–it’s best to not be so specific, especially with an email (subject: Violation of Ethical Standards) ike the following being held over our school’s students, faculty and staff by our Dean:
This is an important reminder about the impropriety of exposing college related/medical/patient material on the internet or other media resources. It is imperative to exercise good professional judgement when making a decision to post a college-related photograph on the internet/other media, including Facebook and MySpace and other personal exposure tracks. Such additions can constitute violation of professional veterinary medical ethics.
Two specific types of circumstances are especially disconcerting.
1. It is unethical to publish any information that could be used to identify a clinical case that has been a patient in the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. This is especially true of photographs wherein the patient or owner can be identified. Patient information, including photographs, is never appropriate to make public without the specific written authorization from the owner; and students do not have the authority to seek such permission.
2. Remember that you also must use exceptional professionaljudgement before sharing any photographs from college-related activities that would/might be considered graphic by the generalpublic. Surgical incisions, animals under anesthesia, diagnostic procedures et al are necessary, everyday occurrences for our profession. However, these very same scenes may be offensive and/or easily taken out of context by the public; such medicalscenes and activities can be very disturbing to others. And they reflect negatively on this college and university, irrespective of how innocuous or trivial they may seem to college members.
You must think carefully about potential consequences before posting any photographs involving clinical or research material. A good rule to follow is….if there is any question at all, do not do it! You carry an essential expectation of professional and ethical conduct.
Yikes, I know. We’ll try to keep the violations to a minimum here 
So here’s my adventure into fourth year and the realm of blogging!
