Friday, February 27, 2004
Here is the official update on Pyxis to appear in the
Wildlife Medical Clinic newsletter:
Update on Pyxis the Red-Eared Slider:
As time passed the carapace was slowly healing but as we soon realized it was not healing as fast as we had hoped. On December 5 we decided to perform another surgery and reassess her fracture site. During surgery we found that her coelomic cavity was completely healed but unfortunately a large portion of her shell was lacking blood supply. We decided to remove the dead portion of the shell. However, the removal made Pyxis unreleasable because it left a large area of her tissue exposed that would make her vulnerable to predators. We decide look for a permanent placement at a proper facility that can accommodate her needs. Pyxis left us in the beginning of February and is now living in the Phillips Park Zoo in Aurora, Illinois.
Update
I'm working on two research proposals that are due Monday and maybe a few essays for some scholarship applications that are due Wednesday. All I have left on the research proposals is to revise my purpose statements (aka letters of application), which are kind of personal/professional statements introducing and selling myself and the project. The actual research proposal with hypotheses, methods, budget and such is done, though I have to create an abbreviated version to fit into one of my letters of application. C.V. is done. Letters of Recommendation are on their way.
I'm meeting with colleague and fellow blogger Emily on Sunday to review proposals--she is also submitting proposals and is the one who suggested I apply for the
CZR grant as well as the
Conservation Medicine grant. She's got tons of research and writing experience (relative to her tender age).
This weekend I also plan on catching up on actual studying--I did well on the the Anatomy exam, okay on the Nutrition exam (I
think) and not-so-well on the Immunology exam--but that was my fault; I could have done better had I studied more. So after Monday I can get back in the groove.
I went out with the class last night for the first time since. . .October! There was a graduate school "mixer" at a local bar. I had a blast watching a few of the guys from our class participate in "speed dating"; in the first round they met 12 girls, spending 3 minutes with each girl. Then they secretly indicated the girls they like on a sheet that was later turned in to the mediators. If any of the girls they liked also marked "yes" on their sheets, they will get an e-mail today with their contact info. . .good luck, guys!
The mixer was a collaboration led by our own Kevin Lewis and involved the MBA, Engineering, Law, Med, and Vet Med students. In short, all the nerds. Kara and I met a bunch of Music grad students who felt left out of the loop, so now they're on the list, too.
. . .which brings up the question: why do all the technical-type nerds have to hang out with other such nerds? Why not mingle with the liberal-artsy types? What about the history, anthropology, English, art and theater students? Where were they last night? You know what--it wouldn't make a difference, now that I think about it. All the vet students were in a huddle on one side of the bar, the law students on the other, and the engineers were way off in a corner. MBA students were sparse and stayed confined to a few tables. I guess we need time just to see our own classmates, away from the smell of formaldehyde and horse poop.
Thursday, February 26, 2004
Our class personality
Apparently the Class of 2007 has been dubbed the "Goody-Two-Shoes" class, according to the second and third year students. I don't know who they're basing this judgement on (not me!), but it beats being the "alcoholic" class or the "whiny" class (I guess that title was stolen by the Class of 2006).
This is supposed to be the big time
I'm not used to getting my way, I'm not used to being babied, I'm not used to everyone changing the way they do things for my sake. I never thought that whining could get me anywhere, but apparently the squeaky wheels are the ones who get their way here in big time vet school.
We have a few whiners, granted, there are only a few, but unfortunately these few are very persistent, and they give our class a bad rep. So why do these same 4 or 5 people continue to cause a scene? Because whining works here.
So here are just a few examples of whining and the responses:
There are too many questions on the exam—how can we answer 50 (multiple choice) questions in 60 minutes?!?!Here: we get exams shortened, and even though our professor needed to leave on time for personal reasons, he extended the exam time by 20 minutes AND reduced the exam to only 30 questions.
In undergrad: we were told that exams were testing your ability to demonstrate your knowledge in a certain time frame; if you didn't finish the exam when time was called, that was tough shit for you. You learned to think through things more efficiently and manage your rime better for the next exam.
Can we move the quiz to a later date? We have an anatomy exam that day!Here: We just had a professor move a quiz to a later date
I remember in good old undergrad: we would have three exams and a research paper due all on the same day, from professors who didn;t know each other and didn't budge. If you thought you couldn’t handle it, you found a way to anyway.
You’re sitting in MY seat—what are you trying to do to us?
Here: a few people will actually lose it if someone is in "their" seat. One of these people yelled at me for breaking up her group and sitting in her seat. She continued to whine and glared over at me as I sat in her designated throne. (Unfortunately this whining worked, even with me; I don't go near that seat anymore)
in undergrad: no one would even think to claim a seat in a lecture hall. In third grade, maybe. . .
Why don't we just end this lecture now?Here: we’ve had professors end lecture 30 minutes early because students moan when the professor says, "alright, the next thing we want to talk about is. . ."
In undergrad: no one would DARE moan at a professor
If we're not allowed to face difficulties, if we're not allowed to fall on our faces once in a while, if professors cater to us and let us be rude, if we're not told to "shut your whiny traps and take it--this is the big time, kids," if the four or five squeaky wheels get to call the shots for the entire class, then how is this preparing anyone for the challenging world of 2nd and 3rd years here? (not to mention the world of veterinary medicine. . .)
Where has the democracy gone?
The East Coast voters have determined the outcome of the Democratic primaries. Floridians and Jeb Bush determined the outcome of the 2000 presidential election. How is this representative of what the majority of voters across the country really want? Politicians with big bucks and big connections get advertising air time and media coverage. If voters don't know your name, they won't vote for you--how is a democracy a democracy when only the richest people in the country can have a shot at public office?
When I lived in DeKalb, the city sent every registered voter a small magazine-style pamphlet with objective profiles of all candidates running for offices that November, and their stances on big issues. Not ads, just facts for comparison.
Why can't the feds put a little money into publishing and mailing something like this? Millions of dollars are given (taxpayer dollars, mind you) to the two major parties for campaign funds, yet the feds can't find a way to inform the voters of the basics. Cut the campaign money and allocate it towards objective fact lists: how candidates voted on issues in the past, attendance records, et cetera. Just the simple stuff.
In the US, the two richest political parties dominate presidential elections. We can't even consider voting for third-party candidates without feeling guilty about wasting a vote. Gore could have won in 2000 if it weren't for Nader, likewise Bush could have won four more states had it not been for Buchanon. But many people fail to acknowledge that Nader could have acquired the 5% vote he needed to get federal campaign funds for the Green Party (for 2004) had it not been for the "fear of spoils" that led many of his supporters to vote for their 2nd choice, Gore.
In Australia voters don't have to create a strategy; they can just vote for the person they want as president. They vote for a first choice, second choice and third choice so that if there is a close race, second choice votes can be used to determine the outcome. Let’s say you like, um, Ross Perot, but don't want to vote for him because you don’t want Bush in office. Well, you vote for Perot as your first choice, Kerry as your second (even though you don't like him, either), and maybe write in Paul Tsongas (bless his soul) as your third choice. If Kerry and Bush are close, and Perot is only pulling 15% in the first choice votes, you look at the second choices on the Perot ballots. That's how you can call a close race, that's how you can prevent spoils.
But Congress would never approve such drastic change to the Constitution. They'll make efforts to change the Constitution to prevent same-sex couples from committing to monogamous relationships, but they won't change it to preserve representative democracy.
Friday, February 13, 2004
Why oh why oh why haven't I updated this blog?
Because I have a new hobby: reading and reading and thinking about tadpoles. Yes, tadpoles.
You know how frog populations have been on the decline the past 15 or so years? You know how frogs with extra legs keep popping up all over the place? Well, it looks like the primary cause is a trematode larvae, so I'm going to spend the summer studying larvae and tadpoles, under the mentorship of Dr. Anna Schotthoefer.
But in order to apply for additional funding, I have to have a proposal in by March 1st. And I've never written a research proposal before. So here I go. . .
And oh yes, I have an Anatomy exam in a few hours, so I have to go study for that. No time to blah blah blah about the idiosyncrasies of vet school life.
More later.
Wednesday, February 04, 2004
Pyxis Update
Well, I should have said so earlier, but the legendary Pyxie has healed marvelously. Although she's missing a a substantial portion of shell, her coelomic cavity closed up with a fine, thick layer of skin. She is a very healthy and lively turtle, but in the wild she would be susceptable to predators. After getting a clean bill of health, she was transferred last Tuesday to an educational zoo in Aurora, Illinois where she can have both security and a little space to run free.
Happy days!
What's Up
Well, I think things are falling into place piece by piece. I'm not stressing too much about classes this semester--Anatomy seem much more straightforward the second time around. As much as I liked Dr. Oluoch, and as much as I like "visualizing" stuff, Anatomy was my least favorite subject last semester because I would be in the lab for six hours on a Saturday only to feel at the end of the day like I had learned very little. I seem to learn more in less time now--maybe I've become more efficient, maybe these animals are easier to dissect, or maybe it's just easier when you already understand the basic terminology.
As far as the other classes go, I'm very interested in these topics, so classes are fun.
And I did find a job, about ten hours a week, flexible schedule, and I get to work independently. What is the job, you ask? Well, let's just say I'm a "rodent technician" for the new division of biosecurity here at the veterinary college.
I'm trying to get involved with more extracurriculars, yet not spread myslef too thin. I'm:
- still working the wildlife ward
- a member of the Veterinary Student Outreach Program (VSOP) that educates the public about the wonderful world of veterinary medicine
- giving tours of the school over some lunch hours
- on the ISVMA Employment Committee. It's a new committee dedicating to help students explore career tracks and find jobs. We're going to the Illinois State Veterinary Medical Association (ISVMA) Conference in two weekends to set up interviews with employers and the soon-to-graduate 4th-year students
- a "Spring Banquet chairperson"-- I think it involves posting flyers around the school or something. . .
- attending a holistic treatments seminar this weekend
I'm meeting with a professor on Friday to discuss a summer research opportunity studying nematodes that affect river ecosystems (namely the frogs and birds, I think). A great opportunity to get some field research experience and to see what conservation medicine is really like.
In addition, I'm playing acoustic open mics on occasional Tuesdays at Espresso Royale. It's the only open mic in town that starts before 9 p.m., which is good for an old geezer at heart like me (and the only place that has a blues-singing bunny). Occasional Thursdays will be jam sessions-- a lot of GD, CCR tunes. And my watercolor paintings are going to pay my way to the SCAVMA Syposium trip (to Tennessee) in March. So now I have to work on some more.
E.W. and I have been talking about having an art party or a "stitch and bitch" quilting session before summer, to gather the artsy fartsy vet students together--may coincide with her housewarming party.
I was right--the busier I am, the better I am at keeping my sh** together.
