Y3S1 Week 14: Pancreatitis, Cal Poly ASCI 101, and SVVMA Dinner Panel!

Just like that another week is in the books and we are inching towards Thanksgiving break!

Monday started off with a quick run around the park with Churro followed by a nice interval session. I was able to increase the speed of some of the intervals and am actually enjoying the speed work! We then had two awesome lectures on pancreatitis and were able to dive into how this condition presents differently in cats and dogs. Pancreatitis is a fairly common occurrence in general practice, so understanding the main clinical signs is crucial in enacting appropriate treatment. That being said, episodes of pancreatitis tend to increase around the holidays when our furry friends get into some of the holiday meals or the leftover trash, so being mindful of food placement and disposal is key to having an uneventful holiday season. We finished up the morning with a two-hour radiology discussion on abdominal imaging. This was a nice way to continue to practice our radiology skills and tie it back to the gastrointestinal conditions we have been learning about in class.

During lunch, I went for a walk at the arboretum before heading back for the second part of our case-based discussion on jaundice. This session allowed us to review our clinical findings from the previous session and then discuss treatment plans and the overall prognosis of our patient. It was a great way to dive into the physiology of the liver and understand how to support patients when things aren’t functioning properly. The last session of the day included a lecture on how an animal with an acute abdomen may present. An acute abdomen refers to sudden, severe abdominal pain that requires immediate emergency attention, and the interventions can be medical or surgical. This session was taught by one of our emergency and critical care veterinarians and was a great foundational lecture since it’s not uncommon to have patients present with an acute abdomen in general practice.

The rest of Monday included some time on the field with Churro, followed by a tutoring session for one of the Cal Poly students currently in the systemic anatomy and physiology course.

Tuesday morning began with a quick run around the block with Churro followed by a hot yoga session. We didn’t have class due to Veteran’s Day so Churro and I spent some additional time on the field playing frisbee while experiencing an awesome sunrise. I then spent most of the morning reviewing lectures and getting caught up on a few things. That afternoon, Churro and I went for a nice walk at the arboretum. The rest of the afternoon involved some meal prepping and a little cleaning around the house followed by some extra lecture review and an early bedtime.

What studying looks like with Churro

Wednesday morning kicked off with a nice 6 miler with Churro. We then had a lecture on feline constipation followed by a lecture on anesthesia and the decisions that need to be considered when working with a patient with liver dysfunction. The morning finished up with a two-hour session on balanced anesthesia which is the concept of integrating different modalities and drugs to decrease the overall use of a single agent. This is aimed at creating a healthier protocol for the patient and decreasing the adverse effects associated with a single anesthetic drug.

That afternoon I had the chance to get in a little strength training at the rec center before heading home to spend some time with Churro. That evening, I had the opportunity to do an interview prep session with a Cal Poly student followed by a review session for the Systemic and Anatomy Physiology course. I absolutely love hosting these review sessions and it is such a privilege to be able to still be involved in that class from a distance. The main topics of the study session included cardiology, vasculature, respiratory, and muscle. I remember being in their shoes a few short years ago and enjoyed having the opportunity to break the material down into digestible parts and help them understand some of the more complex concepts.

Thursday morning started off with a quick whirl around the block followed by a hot yoga session. We then applied our knowledge from the previous day’s lecture and walked through a case with a patient with liver dysfunction. We worked together to formulate an anesthetic plan that would be in the best interest of our patient and discussed the pros and that focused on how to approach surgery for the acute abdomen followed by a lecture on GDV. GDV, or gastric dilation and volvulus is when the stomach rotates upon itself, and this leads to an obstruction in the abdomen that can be fatal if treatment is delayed.

I had the chance to call and catch up with a friend from back home before heading into our afternoon case-based learning session on the acute abdomen. We were presented with the case on Monday and had the chance to discuss it as a class. At the end of the session, we received some additional information on the case and will be diving into the anesthesia and surgical portion the following week. The rest of the afternoon included some nice time with Churro on the field followed by a tutoring session and SVVMA dinner event. This event was formatted as a panel, and students had the opportunity to ask the varied panelists different questions about their paths in veterinary medicine. I think that this is always a helpful session, especially for the third-year students who are getting ready to enter clinics and head into more “real world” veterinary practice.

Cal Poly Zoom ♡

Friday morning began with a quick run around the block followed by a hot yoga session. I then took Churro out to the field to play with some of his friends. That morning, I had the privilege of presenting to over 100 students in the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Intro to Animal Science class. The presentation involves a general overview of my experience at Cal Poly and how it prepared me for vet school along with the things I learned along the way. I then dive into a summary of what vet school has been like and how my time at Cal Poly has impacted my experience. The second part of the talk is an open question and answer session. This is one of my favorite parts of the semester, and it is a privilege to be able to talk to all the students about my path at Cal Poly as well as shine a light on what the road to vet school may look like. I remember exactly what it was like to sit in their seats and wonder about the future. It is a blessing to be able to talk to them and remind them that no everyone’s path is going to look the same and that is absolutely ok and is what makes life so exciting!

After the Cal Poly presentation, I had the opportunity to participate in a block debrief meeting for the VET 433A course. As one of the class presidents I had the opportunity to view student feedback from the course and share my perspective with the block leaders and faculty. Meetings such as these demonstrate the emphasis UC Davis puts on improving the quality of their education, and they truly seem to value feedback from students.

The rest of the afternoon included the start of our nutrition block. We had two lectures; one focusing on supplements/nutraceuticals and the other was on nutritional assessments and life stage nutrition. I absolutely love nutrition and am so excited to dive deeper into that topic over the next week. We ended the afternoon with a two-hour radiology discussion on the acute abdomen which highlighted some key things to look for while assessing radiographs in an emergency setting.

Saturday started off with an 11 miler with Churro and Dr. Olstad. It was fun to get in some distance and run new routes around Davis. I then did a hot yoga session followed by a quick trip to the farmer’s market. The rest of the day involved some studying and getting things done around the house. Churro and I spent some quality time on the field and did a little grocery shopping before calling it a night.

Tired boy

Sunday began with a quick run around the park followed by a hot Pilates class with Raymond. I always enjoy these challenging classes and it’s extra fun when you go with friends. I then went to church and ran some errands before heading home to study. The rest of the afternoon included some nice time with Churro on the field, some lecture review, and meal prepping to get ready for the upcoming week.

Quote of the week: “I don’t make mistakes; I create learning opportunities” – Dr. Steve Epstein