Clinics

By: Dawn M. Fiedorczyk

Class of 2010, University of Pennsylvania

After sitting in classes for two and a half years entering clinics is a terrifying, yet exhilarating new experience.  All of the information that you studied and tried to store away in your brain now needs to be available, but not to regurgitate on a test paper but to use to save a life.  Nothing can quite prepare you for your first days in the hospital.  The new faces, protocols and requirements; it can all be very overwhelming.  However, as I get ready to graduate, I promise that it is conceivable. 

Just when you think you can’t possible take on another case, you can’t seem to muster the strength to do one more blood pressure on a feisty cat, give one more tube of banamine to a horse, restrain one more unruly parrot, talk to another overly concerned client for an hour after your day has ended, take one more order from a difficult resident or get any less sleep than you have over the past couple of days; clinics draw to an end and you wonder where time has gone. 

It is soon time to enter the “real world” and apply for internships or look for a job.  Before you know it you won’t have someone constantly looking over you or double checking all your drug doses, not because there’s no one there to, but because you’ve become a veterinarian.  You no longer remain in vet school survival mode; your long road has come to an end.

The following are some things that I’d like to share from my experience.  They are things that I’ve learned from others, things that I taught myself and things that I told myself just to get through.  Sleep when you can because you can’t be sure when you’ll get the chance to next.  Pack snacks because sometimes all you get the chance to do is nibble here or there and passing out during a long colic surgery and empty stomach headaches make the day miserable.  Smile, even when you’re crying inside.  Smile at others, because sometimes that’s all they need to lift their spirits.  Help each other, because someone will be there for you when you need it, even if it's someone you’ve never talked to before.  Get to the hospital early to care for your patients, because someone is always going to need their catheter replaced, an early morning butt bath or extra time grazing.  Carry lots of pens, something to write on, bandage scissor, hemostats and a pen light.  Always try to stay one step ahead of your clinician: having bandage material before they ask for it makes them realize you care.  Call your owners more than once, it will make their day and reassure them that their animal is getting good quality care.  Review your appointments before hand if you can, it’s the details in the history that can sometimes make the difference on how you and your clinician will care for a client.  Take some time for your self to relax and regroup when you get the chance.  Let your loved ones know how much you love them and remind them that you’ll be graduating before you know it. 

These are a few things that helped me through.  But most of all, remember to have fun, always have your camera at the ready and remember the moments that helped you to fulfill your dreams.