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Vet school hurts. A lot. And 4th year is no exception. Check out 5 tips for navigating clinical year of vet school from current 4th year vet student Jess Edmeier. (P.S. - She also may have created a free 4th Year Clinical Survival Guide download too!)
Vet school causes all sorts of emotions. And for 4th year vet students, it's no different. There's a bit of freedom from being outside of the classroom but the emotional roller coaster is still there due to excitement for being close to the end goal but also some anxiety and pressure from clinics, upcoming NAVLE and an uncertain future.
We talked to current 4th year student from Western University, Jess Edmeier who had a lot to share with fellow 4th years and upcoming students. If you want to hear our discussion on what it's like, check out our IGTV live here.
Jess also compiled an amazing Clinical Survival Guide for 4th Year Vet Students. We're sharing 5 of her pointers from that pdf below but you can have the full pdf guide emailed to you by clicking here!
In the meantime, check out our 5 tips for navigating your clinical years in veterinary school.
Tip 1: WHAT TO BRING
Laptop, phone, chargers for everything, stethoscope, watch, pocket notebook, PLENTY of pens, name tag, white coat, pocket sized reference books (I like New Vet Jumpstart Guide and MiniVet Guide), lunch, pocket snacks, and an extra pair of scrubs in your car!
Tip 2: ESTABLISH ROTATION GOALS
Come in with goals for each rotation and discuss them with your preceptor. This shouldn't be a long list! It is better to master 5 of the most common cases they see so you have the opportunity to work them up on your own.
Tip 3: NETWORK!
Being on rotation can sometimes just be one big interview if it's a place you want to work one day or intern or even do a residency. For these reasons, it would be great to grab some contact information and stay in touch with them if possible. Even if it is a field you are not interested in, veterinary medicine is so small and they can probably connect you with someone who can help you.
Tip 4: HELP WITH CHARTING
If your preceptor hasn’t given you any responsibility in writing in the medical records, ask if you can try! Maybe starting with a prioritized problem list or writing discharge instructions - this will let you practice a skill that you will need DAILY when you're on your own.
Tip 5: PHONES
Try not to use for personal use (obviously). But if you need to use it on the clinic floor for school then let your preceptor know! For example, I need to log every case I see and using the app is a quick and handy way. Other useful apps while rotating are Merck and Plumbs!
We hope you loved those tips. If you would like the full clinical survival guide PDF sign up here to have it emailed to you! Good luck vet students!
Special thanks to our Vets on the Rise Ambassador Jessica Kay Edmeier.
Follow her adventures in vet med and life @vetmedjess!
Photo by @eduardoarias_photo