Sunday, August 31, 2003
My Academic goals for the weekend:
Histology: know all the microscope parts and different stains and their uses (review from Microbiology)
Anatomy: Evans/Miller to page 52, class notes to page 21. This includes all the bones, extrinsic muscles (connecting limb to the body), intrinsic muscles (found only on the limb proper) and joints of the thoracic limb. Also know the major arteries and maybe some nerves of the forelimb. Recognize these structures on radiographs posted on the class website. Also understand difference between radiograph, MRi and CAt scan and when to use which.
Physiology: Basics of water balance--look at old notes form undergrad Human Physiology that pertain to the kidney and osmolarity (osmolarity=concentrations of molucules in solutions, i.e. concentration of sodium molecules in blood plasma. Osmolarity is a central concept when dealing with dehydration, kidney function and disorder)
Nuerobiology: Read class notes Appendix A, which lists all the brain structures we need to know for the first exam. Also read Evans/Miller chapter on brain anatomy. Know the cranial nerves (nerves that originate from the brain, not spine) and their functions. Know brain divisions and subdivisions and arteries. Know the major sulci (grooves on the brain surface). Look up neuro section of old notes for undergrad Human Physiology to refresh memory.
Looking at this list, I guess I better get back to work, especially if I want to go the Hanover Park Fest this afternoon for an Elephant Ear with beer.
High School All Over Again
So, as you may imagine, with only 100 or so people in a class, and everyone having the same classes, professors, schedules and lunch breaks, people tend to gravitate into cliques and/or get tired of each other real quickly. And with all the stress of memorizing a million things a day, sophomoric antics surface amongst the populace of otherwise mild-mannered nerds. I walked into the cafeteria Friday and saw little clusters of people at the long tables, some alienating themselves to gossip, others sitting together but not talking, and individuals looking lost as to who to socialize with, and others studying their notes intently while nibbling at their lunch.
First years are often called freshman, and are treated by second years with an "oh you poor thing you have no idea what lies ahead" and "here, let me show you the way" attitude by the second years (recall that they are the ones who organized the orientation and act as our "big siblings") and indifference by the third years, who are too busy to notice. First and second years still have the same classes together, while third years are taking more electives and see less of each other. Fourth years either work in the clinic on campus or are at other schools, clinics, zoos, or governmental agencies doing clinical externships.
Anyhow, As I was waking through the cafeteria, I noticed we even have our own lunch lady--that brings me all the way back to junior high (and so did the look and smell of the food). When business got slow, she wrote on the cafeteria chalk board (which has the menu written on it):
"SILVERWARE IS
NOT FREE WITHOUT PURCHASE. IT IS 5 CENT PER PIECE."
A few minutes later a couple second year students noticed this and while the lunch lady wasn't looking, erased the "5" and replaced it with a "1" so that silverware now cost 1 cent. Not two minutes later did another pair of sophomores see this and change the "1 cent" to "1 dollar." One dollar for a plastic spoon, I thought. I actually laughed.
Is there an Cow Pie Examiners Club?
Just like high school and undergrad college, a plethora of clubs and organizations lure you to their meetings with offerings of free pizza and pop (I have drunk more soda pop in this past week than I have most of my life). Only these clubs are a little more specific, and way more nerdy. So, here's a listing of most of the clubs:
American Animal Hospital Association
American Association of Equine (horse) Practitioners
American Association of Feline Practitioners
American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association
American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior
Christian Veterinary Mission Fellowship
International Association of Aquatic (and marine) Animal Medicine
Illinois Student Chapter of the American Veterinary Medicine Association
Illinois Student Chapter of the Association of Avian (Bird) Veterinarians
Illinois Student Chapter of the Veterinary Cancer Society
Illinois Veterinary Herpetological (Reptiles and Amphibians) Society
International Veterinary Student Association
Omega Tau Sigma Fraternity
Production (Meat, eggs, dairy, etc.) Medicine Club
Society for Animal and Veterinary Ethics
Student Chapter of American Society of Laboratory Animal Practitioners
Student Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society
Wildlife Medical Clinic
Zoo, Exotic, and Wildlife Medicine
. . .and brand new this year: Pathology Club
So, 20 clubs (not including softball and drinking leagues), plus symposia, workshops and conferences--and only 400 students in the whole school. Actually, 300--the fourth year students are off doing externships (similar to medical school internships). I think most students belong to about six clubs. I already joined the Wildlife Clinic and have my first shift of pager duty Monday night to Tuesday morning. I'll also join the Pathology Club, the Aquatic vet club, Herpetological club, and Zoo, Exotic and Wildlife Club.
Saturday, August 30, 2003
Dem Bones Dem Bones
I took my box of dog skeleton (in pieces) home Wednesday to study all the bones of the thoracic limb (forelimb). We had to know all the little bumps (a.k.a. tubers, tubercles, tuberosities, ridges, and processes) and grooves (a.k.a. cavities, fossae, foramen) on each bone. This isn't so hard once you learn the muscles, since most of these bumps and grooves are names for the muscles that come into contact with them. Then again, most muscles are named for the bone parts that they contact. . . so. . .umm. . .Maybe it's not that simple after all. . . .
Well, I feel a bit funny riding my bike down the street with this box of bones tied to my fender rattling every time I go ever a bump. I know that most people who see me probably assume there are just art supplies in the box, but I actually feel bad for the bones that were, at one time long ago, someone's beloved pet. So to preserve whatever dignity that may remain in said bones, I created a little shock absorber for the box, out of an old piece of mattress foam.
I was thinking of naming my new bony buddy something like "Mr. Bone-Jangles" or "Skinny". Sometimes I just lay the bones out and yell at them, "Eat Something! ! !"
UIUC Vet Med, Class of 2007 Demographics
The first year class consists of about 105 students (usually I think its 100 per class, but some folks are repeating their first year): about 82 women and 23 men (those lucky dogs!) representing 14 states and over 50 schools. Unfortunately, we are pretty racially homogenous: about ninety percent caucasian (though within this group there are some students form Europe and South Africa), with roughly three or four Asian students, and four or fivve Hispanic students. I haven't noticed any African- or Indian-American students in our class, but keep in mind these are my own estimates. I may have forgotten someone, but over the course of the past week I have met or seen virtually all of my classmates.
Depite our lack of ethnic diversity, we range in age from 21 to 46, many are married, some have children. One student graduated from the Naval Academy, a handful hold Master's degrees in anything from biochemistry to feminist literaturem, and one student holds a PhD in plant systematics (specialty: toxic plants).
Classes and Book List
Click here for the
complete DVM curriculum.
Gross Anatomy is exactly what it sounds like. Gross and anatomy. Basically, it's about knowing every structure in the body and corresponding Latin names and functions: bones and thier parts, joints, muscles, arteries and veins, nerves, glands, and organs. And probably more studd I'm leaving out now because I don't know about them yet. The only difference between this class and medical school version of this class is that while "people medicine" students have a year to learn the whole human body, while we get one semester to learn the cat and dog, and another semester to learn the cow, horse, ox and probably sheep and pig. Fun fun.
The books for this class:
*
Guide to the Dissection of the Dog, 5th Ed. by Evans and Miller. This is the book we are using this semester for the dog and cat--now nite that anatomically, "the cat is
not a small dog," so we have the option to purchase a separate cat anatomy book, or use class notes that point out the differences between the two species.
*
Textbook of Veterinary Anatomy, 3rd ed. by Dyce: This book covers several species, large and small, but we will use this book moslty second semester when we look at larger animals.
*
Pasquini ("pass-kwee-nee"--I love saying this name!): I don't know the title of this book because I don't have it with me right now, but since all the students and professors call the books by the author's name, I know Pasquini wrote and illustrated this book. It's an excellent book, with drawings laid out comparitively; the dog forelimb, horse forelimb, sheep forelimb and cow forelimb are all illustraed so you can see them next to each other and compare their structures. The pictures are also good for coloring. Pasquini also sneaks in some cartoons that are pretty relevant to the chapters: in the "reproductive" chapter, along with some cartoon of animals in compromising positions, there is a cartoon of a very sad bull with underdeveloped testis. . .
Veterinary Histology (with a little Embryology later in the semester) is a class they might as well call "Microscope." All we do is look at things through a microscope. Histology focuses on normal body tissues and cells, so we will learn to recognize things like liver cells and brain tissue and such from microscope slides, then later, when we take Bacteriology and Pahtobiology, we will look at what happens when these tissues become infected or abnornmal.
The books for this course:
*
Veterinary Histology by Dellmann: no picture in this book, just text about tissues, stains and lab techniques. A good reference.
*
Some Book Not Available Yet in the Bookstore by the instructor, Eurell: lots of pitures with text describin each image, and accompanying CD-rom with more images of cells and tissues. We can access it on the web until the books are distributedd--seemslike a great book so far. And it's nice to have the books author teaching the class.
Physiology: This class is basically all about how the body works. Anatomy teaches you all the parts of the body, and Physiology picks up and tell you how all those parts work together. There is more abstract information in this course about biochenistry and fnctions on a cellular/molecular level-- things that cannot bee seen on a cadaver or through a microscope. I love this class because I love functions and processes. This semester we focus on the renal system (kidneys and water balance), the endcocrine physiology (hormones hormones hormones), and something els--I forget but I'll check my syllabus.
Books:
*
Physiology by Costanzo
*
Endocrine Physiology by Porterfield
*and various web resources
Nuerobiology: The brain an spinal cord are the stars of this show, but nerves innervate (add that to your vocab list!) every little corner of the body and controls virtually all body funtctions, so this class applies anatomy and physiology.
Books:
For now, just class notes put together by the professor, which include a color atlas of the sheep brain. She said there are no good textbooks out there (yet) for
veterinary nuerology.
Clinical Orientation: Once a week, we spend time in the on-campus veterinary clinic to get aquainted with the hands-on, prractical side of vet med. This is when we get to touch and poke
live animals.
TIP FOR FUTURE VETERINARY STUDENTS: Take as many upper-lever biology courses related to medicine as possible! Taking Microbiology, Developmental Biology (formerly known as Embryology), Human Physiology, Biochemistry, Genetics, and Zoology has already helped me. Physiology in vetschool runs full speed ahead, so having a survey course has given me a good general background. If this was my first time around in Physiology, I think I'd feel a bit overwhelmed. I know many of my classmates are already feeling this way, especially if they've had little more than organic chemistry and general biology.
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Wednesday, August 27, 2003
Well, I made it through orientation and the first day of classes, and already should not being posting right now because I have a box of dog bones and lots of reading waiting for me. . .I'll be brief.
At a little ceremony Sunday, they gave us blue lab coats. It was very nice of them--apparently this is only the 2nd year they've done this. Then we all ate cookies and drank lemonade. Then they took us into a large room and our accompanying family and loved ones into a different room. 2nd year students met with us and told us that we have to get used to not being top of our class anymore and to expect to get "C's." Meanwhile, other 2nd years told our families to prepare to be ignored. Later that night many of the students met at a sports complex/bar. There, I met my "big sibling"--the second year students arranged for us to have a big sib if we want, a second year student to help us through our first year. Mine is very nice--she left me a apackage today in my school mailbox with school supplies and old exams.
Monday, more talking with 2nd year students (they organized and facilitated the bulk of the orientation). Then they separated us into groups of about 10, and they put all us 29 and olders into one group. Some are married, sone have kids. Our class is mostly caucasian, but I guess diversity takes on many guises. Then each smaller group ate pizza with a faculty member. Then we got our books and class notes--and by the way, riding my bike with 60 pounds of books in the rear basket makes for a very interesting challenge. Monday night there was a big barn party at the veterinary fraternity house out in the sticks, and I tried my best to mingle, but I ended up at home by 10:30.
Tuesday, more orientation and talking. They let us go at noon. I read, ran errands, then my friend Megan, who's going back to vet school at Ross U. next week, came to visit and we ate cheap, tasty Japanese and Korean food for dinner. The man behind the counter said we couldn't order soup because "you order too much food." Contrary to his prediction, I was still hungry after I inhaled my Bee-Bim-Bop, but we went to a "chocolate cafe" afterward. Unbelievable. Such places shouldn't exist. . .well, yes they should.
Then today classes began. Megan accompanied me in the morning and we compared notes. Literally. I stopped at home after lunch and found that a package was waiting for me at the local florist. It was a beautiful arrangement of a dozen red roses, ferns and some purple little flowers that look like lilac. The card simply said "You made it halfway through your first week. So, stop reading this and get back to work."
"You made it halfway through your first week. So, stop reading this and get back to work."
Classes are over for the day. I have a box of dog bones sitting next to me, waiting for my attention. Later tonight I'm going to a cookout the faculty is having for new students. I'll try to mingle. Right now I'm going to have a snack, then follow the flowers' advice and get back to work.
Friday, August 22, 2003
One thing I need to think about is balancing school and all other aspects of life. I have a friend (who shall remain anonymous) who did well his first semester, and decided he needed to lessen the stress load second semester and took on yoga classes, dating, two pets, and other new hobbies. Well, surprise suprise: he didn't do so well academically second semester. I understand why he did what he did, and it seems that the students and faculty here emphasize extracurricular actvities, socializing and such, but I'd really like to make it to the top (ten?) of my class for future professional purposes. I don't know how realistic a goal this is, but I know that some exceptional people are both well-rounded
and at the top of their class. Being older may be an advantage; I'm pretty tired of heavy partying, I've had time to try different hobbies, and I'm not interested in dating (the guys here are too young for me and one "gentleman friend" is already more than I can handle).
However, as I was riding around campus today I realized that there are many things a large campus like this has to offer, and I want to take advantage of these things while I'm here. I have a feeling three years here will pass me by pretty fast.
There's plenty of places I could spend money, but I'm not talking about those--all the ethnic restaurants, outdoor and thrift stores, ice cream shops and bars--what I'm talking about are things like the Independent Media Group that runs a radio station and newspaper (and maybe a film studio?) all the art groups and bars with open mic nights, local bands, free shows at the art movie theatre and all the other things I don't know about yet. Not to mention all the veterinary school stuff--softball leagues (though I've always shied away from any sport involving a ball), clubs, professional organizations. Should I be in all of them? some of them? Should I try them all out first? Will I need them to "get my foot in the door?" Should I make a huge effort to socialize with my collegues and professors? Or will that come naturally? Should I get to know my neighbors next door? Where should I work part-time? Should I join a food cooperative? All these questions, and all I really want to focus on is being good at becoming a veterinarian.
Orientation starts Sunday and continues through Tuesday. Classes start Wednesday. I guess all of these questions may be answered soon enough.
I can't wait to read all this in five years and laugh at myself for being so nuerotic.
Alright. . here we go. I'm almost done unpacking my stuff here in scenic Urbana, Illinois and this is my first day out on the campus.
I've decided that I like my crappy little studio apartment. Even though the doorways are narrow and paint and moulding are peeling from the walls, all I hear at night are bugs buzzing and chirping, and I can barely hear the guy above me walking around. It's nice and quiet. There are plenty of trees with frisky squirrels to muffle out street noise, and I'm half a block away from the pretty side of campus. And I have my own porch and swing!
I'm going to be a contender for top ten geekiest on campus with the new newspaper basket I installed on the rear of my bike. The basket has two parts that hang down either side of my rear tire; it's huge and clunky, so now I can finally say I have a really big rear. Riding around today I was a bit paranoid that the basket is so wide that I'd bump people with it as I passed them--but I'm getting used to it. It defeinitely serves its pupose--I can fit a big backpack in each side, or books, or groceries, or whatever.
The Geek Cycle
I'm in the vet school library right now and I'm about to pick up my books and then
ride over to the health center for a rabies titer. (I sure don't feel rabid.) I'm so excited--I had my rabies vaccination series last month so now I can play with little brown bats all I want! (just kidding--but they are cute, aren't they?)
This one is smiling!
Okay, I know that
anthropomorphizing animals is unbecoming a professional, but though I am an animal lover, I'm not a bleeding-heart animal lover. I think hunting is good, I know that suffering is a natural part of life, blah blah and blah. . . .but isn't this little furry guy just SO cute?
