A Lesson Learned too late

By: Alicia Agnew

Class of 2013, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine

Summer is supposed to be a time to relax, go to the beach, hang out with friends.  Unfortunately, I have an inability to balance my life which I need to work on before getting out into the “real world”.  Summer had several objectives for me: 1) earn enough money for school, 2) get more clinical experience, and 3) get my goats under control, a yearly struggle.

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It's a Baby!

By: Lana Chumney

Class of 2011, Texas A&M University

I was so excited to start my fourth year in the clinics on the large animal emergency rotation.  As it turned out, they should have named those two weeks “the petting zoo rotation” due to the wide variety of animals that we saw.  These included a miniature donkey colt, a miniature horse, a pony, a mule, another donkey, a baby camel, a kid goat, a Dexter bull and a few horses.  About the middle of my week on nights, just when the lack of sleep was catching up to me, a miniature horse came in with a newborn 25 pound foal that was premature and having trouble breathing.  As it was my case, I spent a good deal of time questioning the owners on its history.  “We’ve only had the mare for three months.  We had no idea that she was pregnant.  When I got home I thought, ‘Why did the kids leave a stuffed animal out there with Rosey?  But when I got closer, I saw that it was a baby!”  Now you may be thinking, how does someone have a horse that is 11 months pregnant and not know that it is pregnant?  I continued to ponder this question as I continued with clinical rotations for the next month.  At this point, my mare had been at my parents’ house in a stall for a year with no stud horses on the place.  I had seen her a couple of months earlier and remarked on how fat she had gotten on the free choice coastal she was eating combined with her lack of exercise.  About that time I got a call from my mom: “Your horse just had a baby!”  As it turns out, the farrier had turned an uncastrated colt out with her for an hour 11 months earlier and the rest is history.  And that was the end of my pondering.

Heart Made Whole

By: Carissa Hersum

Class of 2012, University of Minnesota

7 lessons of life (and veterinary medicine) learned in the milk parlor

By: Claire McPhee

Class of 2012, North Carolina State University

Many people had experience with cattle prior to veterinary school. I was not one of those people. And yet, when I approach a cow, I feel a little flutter in my heart. Among other things, this flutter has led me to a decision to focus my career around these wonderful creatures. Since my fellow food animal veterinary students have largely spent their lives around livestock, it turns out that I have a little bit of catching up to do.

2010 became “the summer of all things bovine.” In addition to working with two different dairy practices, I decided to spend some time on the farm. My destination was a mid-size Jersey dairy in New England. Jersey cows, I discovered, like to split their time between being incredibly friendly and trying to kill you. Most of the latter happens in the parlor, where they seem to forget their curious and gentle nature in favor of figuring out how to make life difficult for the milkers.

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Economic Issues Essay Contest

Here's yet another shot at some free money! 

Economics are a part of our daily lives, involving everything from taking out loans to deciding whether we want to buy a $2 soda or a $3 piece of pizza.  Economics will also play a part in our professional lives when determining treatment plans, business plans, and more! 

Your friendly SAVMA Economics and Professional Development Committee wants to hear from you!

What:  An essay, 1000 words or less, describing an economic issue affecting veterinary students and/or the veterinary profession as a whole.  Be sure to include at least one idea regarding how the issue may be confronted. 

For:  A chance to win one of the $250 prizes!!  The top two essays will receive $250.  While writing your essay, you can also think of the many economic opportunities you could apply that to!

Who to send to: SAVMA Economics and Personal Development Committee savma.epdc@gmail.com

Deadline:  December 1^st, 2010