Diary of a Dick Vet

It’s Thursday night but in my mind, I’m already in Friday afternoon. With the rather seasonal snow all day and my general exhaustion from studying, I can’t seem to make myself study for that last exam tomorrow morning. Instead, the thought of enjoying a beer and sausage at the German Market tomorrow night is disrupting my focus! Can I board the plane home yet?

We’ve had assessments all week. Monday I had to tie a simple suture, which was nearly impossible due to shaking so much, and on Tuesday I had an easy assessment on instrument recognition, such as needle holders and different types of scissors. I’m so glad I took the time to revise with the example instruments they set out! I liked both of these assessments because they’re obviously testing useful skills: I will need to be able to tie a suture, and recognizing instruments will be useful in surgery and for communicating with others during an operation. I helped a vet dress a wound once during an internship and was very, very frustrated when he kept asking for different bandage supplies and I didn’t know what they were!

Yesterday was a ’spot’ exam, where we had to identify and describe different pathological lesions, which didn’t go too poorly, but today I took a big, scary exam. Something like 43% of the class failed the exam last year (normal fail rates for the first time exam for other classes are more like 5-10%) and judging from some of the questions they asked us this morning, that same figure might apply to this year’s class. We’re not stupid and we’re not lazy. Sometimes an exam is just hard! If I have to come back in August to resit I will appreciate the extra time to study, but obviously it’s nicer to enjoy your summer in full!

So, one more exam and I’m done! Plans include going to Glasgow for some Christmas shopping, reading the Sunday paper in bed (I am might be old before my time), and exchanging gifts with friends. And packing! I hope I have space for gifts for my family….