Experiences: Moose Research Center

Honorable Mention, Experiences Category
Jenna Winer, UC Davis

No running water. Limited electricity. Miserable mosquito bites. Trading in the bustle of city life for the rustle of wind in the silvery aspen leaves. Swapping palm trees for spruce, the comforts of home for the challenges of the wild, and human relatives for moose family members. During the summer of 2008, I was hired by the Alaska Department of Fish & Game to bottle-raise calves at the Moose Research Center. I knew the work would be demanding and push me beyond my comfort zone, yet I could have never anticipated that this summer job would evolve into a life-altering and passion-confirming adventure. I not only survived but thrived in harsh field conditions, working twelve hours a day building fences, radio-tracking adult moose using telemetry, and tending to the needs of my calves.

 My three-month job was physically challenging as well as mentally and emotionally demanding. As a tragic bear attack left four of my calves dead, and an unforeseen copper deficiency killed six of the seven remaining mooselings, I realized my responsibilities would extend well beyond adorable animal husbandry. Despite my sorrow, I focused on the invaluable lessons the job offered. Unanticipated illness and death afforded me the opportunity to gain hands-on veterinary experience: administering copper deficiency treatments, drawing blood from the cephalic vein and analyzing hematology, and assisting with necropsies provided priceless lessons on the demands of the veterinary profession. Both the loss of calves and the complete recovery of “Minnie,” our sole survivor, yielded scientific knowledge that the Moose Research Center will expand upon through future studies.
    This experience was truly transformative. Directly contributing to the betterment of a species inspired me and strengthened my commitment to veterinary medicine more than I had previously thought possible. Not only did I gain a clearer vision of my vocational goals, but I also developed the discipline and maturity to help these goals materialize.  Since completing my first two years of veterinary school at UC Davis, I am committed to a future career in zoological medicine now more than ever.  I frequently think back to my Alaskan adventure, drawing on this experience for inspiration and motivation – not to mention fodder for some pretty awesome stories to swap with my fellow veterinary students!

App Review: Equine Techniques

Equine Techniques
Creator: Veterinary Advances, Ltd.

This app was created by Veterinary Advances, Ltd., a group directed by two equine veterinarians and based in Ireland. It has 53 techniques commonly performed in the horse, and each procedure has an 'Equipment' section listing the materials you need, a 'Notes' section with a written description of the procedure, and then a 'Photos' and 'Video' section (although not every procedure has a video associated with it). 

Sample image of the app's directory of techniques

You can check out a youtube video demonstrating the app here.
The creators of this app note that an advantage to this over a traditional textbook is that they will be adding updates with more information and more procedures in their app updates. They have already updated the app a few times since its creation.
Right now Equine Techniques is available on the iPad and the iPhone for purchase and costs $24.99

Full screen videos for some procedures
As a fourth year veterinary student on clinical rotations, I've found this app handy for my time spent with large animals. The app gives a basic overview of procedures like jugular catheterization, intubation, biopsies of various locations, and many other common diagnostic and sampling techniques. It wont have the in depth background of the anatomy and physiology for the procedure you are trying to do, but if you are looking for a quick reference to refresh your memory as a student on clinics or a beginning equine veterinarian, this app may be useful for you!

YOU should become a LOBBYIST!

Honorable Mention, Experiences category
Samantha McDonnel, UC Davis

Okay I’m going to keep this brief because I know you veterinary students have an attention span of about 0.034 seconds.  Ughh, I probably already lost some of you…  And that’s only if you glanced down at this title for long enough after tabbing over to Facebook from your pathology notes during one of your professor’s digressions, and decided to keep reading.

For those select few who are still with me… you’re probably thinking that you don’t want to be a lobbyist (ew); you want to be a veterinarian, and actually, you know, do some benefit for society and make your mom proud (things lobbyists clearly never accomplish).  But if you reach the end of this article, I hope you take away one thing: ANYONE can be a (part-time) lobbyist!  

I, Samantha McDonnel, current DVM/PhD student, was a lobbyist in February in Washington DC, petitioning our congresspeople (yes, that is the term, get used to it) to vote certain ways on certain issues.  Hanie Elfenbein (another UCD DVM/PhD student) and I attended the AVMA legislative fly-in and went to the offices of California Sen. Barbara Boxer, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, and Rep. Mike Thompson (District 1) to lobby on two pieces of legislation of great importance to our profession: the ‘Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act’ and the ‘Fairness to Pet Owners Act.’  What’s that you say?  You’ve never heard of these things??  Of course not.  You’re a student, and you probably don’t even know much about national current events.  But there might come a point (soon) when you have heard of such bills, and when it really matters to you whether or not they pass.

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Internship, anyone?

Internships: are you planning on pursuing one or have you already been accepted?  Internships have been viewed as a way to gain more clinical experience as well as hone in on a specialty area.  But with the low salary figures and rising student debt, is it worth it? It might be the only path for those wishing to become board certified, but what about those who aren’t? Some say students may pursue an internship because they are still exploring career options, while others state that some grads lack the confidence to jump directly into practicing high quality medicine without the guidance of an internship program.  Are we getting all of the knowledge we need in veterinary school to dive in after graduation? Weigh in on the pros and cons of the internship experience and tell us how you decided whether or not to participate in one.

Winner, Life as a Vet Student category
Oneal Peters, Colorado State University

Mid-way through my second year of vet school, I began to ponder the internship dilemma. Perhaps it is not a dilemma to those of us who are absolutely set on a certain path after graduation, but for me, I am not one hundred percent sure what I want to be when I grow up, other than a general practice veterinarian with an equine focus.  For me, and many others I suspect, there are an astonishing variety of opinions about internships, and you feel as if you are talking to Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde when you hear the myriad of contrasting thoughts on the matter. To further complicate the matter, small animal practices seem fine with hiring new grads, and internship tends to be reserved mainly for those wanting to specialize. On the opposite end of the scale, equine veterinarians generally prefer to hire veterinarians that have completed at least one year of an internship. All this information was like a school of indecisive fish swimming through my head. After a while, I became so confused that my own opinion and life plan changed week by week. Week one: Internship for sure. Week two: why shouldn’t I just go get a job? Week three: Maybe I won’t be ready? Back to internship. And it went on and on, but after a while I stopped fretting and listening to all the buzzing around me. Instead, I closely evaluated my goals and began to reflect back on advice I received before the internship question became so confusing.

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The Water

Winner, Creative Corner
Tia Chambers, Ross University

ShipwreckBeach, St. Kitts, West Indies

The water...

… is quiet, serene, and crystal blue. The waves playfully slap the board as it glides through them…some even splash up and onto my toes. Wispy clouds swirl around in the sky like cotton candy and brown pelicans soar overhead searching for their evening meal. I use my body like a sail and the wind is my energy, filling me up…pushing me closer to the horizon. I taste the salt on my lips and feel it sticking to my skin as I slice through the sea with my oar. On the shoreline, caramel and black volcanic sands mix and swirl together in the surf. Tiny hermit crabs scramble away from the water onto a few black rocks, peeking out from the sandy bank. Further inland, the tropical green, leafy vegetation thickens. Palms sway and play in the clean air, while some distance away a cactus stands at attention. The mongoose slithers into the darkness as I glide past his refuge. Time seems to stand still. I anchor my small vessel and stand up tall, reaching for the wispy clouds…breathing in deeply. Then I exhale and swan dive down to touch my toes. I hear the birds chirping their sleepy songs as I stretch…balance…relax into my surroundings. As the sun sinks into the sea, vibrant colors of the heavens begin to appear…a honeysuckle yellow mixes with a flamboyant red…violet, lavender, and magenta kiss the clouds goodnight as the stars start twinkling their tiny beacons onto the water…it is quiet and serene and crystal blue.

…paddle board yoga

experienced by tia…