The Future

Alicia Agnew
Virgina-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, '13

As third years, we are encouraged to practice writing out SOAPs for all case discussions.  I think that I can take it a step further and apply the SOAP principle to all my life problems, including that of what the h--- am I supposed to do after graduating?  Hopefully, a logical, medically oriented SOAP can solve the problem.

S: Subjective

Patient reports stress and nightmares in her sixth semester of vet school.  Most nightmares involve missing an exam or showing up unprepared at surgery where she then gets yelled at. Patient has received her block schedule for fourth year and is happy to have a perfect schedule, exactly what she hoped for.  She was recently married, and so now has limits to where she can find a job after school, and plans to move to Florida after graduating to join her husband where he is starting a job this summer.  This has increased her job finding stress as she will be far from family, and has to move a herd of twenty goats to Florida as well.

O: Objective:

Age: 23
T: temperament: very nice, but prefers not to be in large groups of people (antisocial)
P: Persistence:  excellent.  Supported by third year standing in veterinary school.
R:Risk-taking: patient is sporadic.  Tends to take very few risks, with sporadic outbursts of stupidity.  
Health status: good
Marital status: married for 6 months

A: Assessment:

Mid Vet School Life Crisis- a common finding in third year veterinary students who are not yet sure where they will find a job.  Many are additionally stressed due to not even knowing where and what they will be doing on their external rotations during fourth year.

P: Plan

1)    Don’t panic
2)    Research veterinary practices in Panama City, Florida
3)    Try to schedule externships in practices that are considering hiring
4)    Attend business meetings to learn how to negotiate contracts
5)    If this is not working, open up my own GOATmobile practice.
6)    If all fails, and no jobs are available and no one wants to hire a goat vet- start raising kids (both the human and the goat kind)

Virginia Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine