Y3S1 Week 18: Challenging Client Sim, Derm Final and SLO!

This is officially the final week of the semester and it was jam-packed with excitement!

Monday morning started off with a nice 5 mile run with Churro followed by a dermatology midterm. This was a quick exam that covered the first 7 lectures of our dermatology unit. We then had a comparative discussion on dermatophytes, also known as ringworm. This was a nice way to tie together our small animal dermatology lectures with some large animal and exotic animal dermatology. This was our last comparative lecture for the semester, so we had a little time to finalize our portfolios which consist of a “deep dive” on one of the topics we covered over the past 10 weeks. Our group chose to do our project on different behavior modifications across species. If you want to see our final product, you can click here!

After lunch, we had our final client simulation. This client sim was scheduled as the “challenging communication” simulation, and we were all put into different situations meant to test our communication abilities. Paid actors were brought in and were instructed to act in a challenging manner. This may have been portrayed as anger, dismissiveness, grief, or as a “runaway” meaning that they could not stay on the current subject and kept taking control of the conversation. I went first in my group and was met with an angry, runaway client. Things went fairly well, and I was able to learn from this encounter.

One of the most beneficial parts of the communication lab is the ability to watch other classmates in their situations and learn from them. We are placed into groups of 6 and also have a proctor. At the end of each simulation, everyone provides feedback and there is also a recording so that the student can watch themselves after and reflect on what went well and what could be improved in the future. These labs began during our first year of vet school, and it is wild that we are officially done with them!

The rest of Monday evening included some quality time with Churro on the field followed by some studying.

Tuesday morning started off with a quick run with Churro around the park, followed by a hot yoga session. We then had two lectures on otitis, which just means inflammation of the ear. The last lecture of the day was on dermatologic surgery. That afternoon we had our last CVF book study session for the semester. We dove into Chapter 5, which explores the "lean not on your own understanding" portion of Proverbs 3:5-6 and discusses where/who we can lean on in life. 

In this Chapter, Megan reminds the reader that when our time on this earth is over, we will not be dependent on our resume of "good deeds" to gain entry into heaven. All of us have fallen short of the standard of perfection, but by grace through faith, we can approach God's throne with confidence. Isn't that great news?

I know that imagining that time point in life can be a little weird, so if that feels like a stretch, think about it through this analogy... You are taking your final exam this week and need an A+ on the test to pass the class. You don't feel confident with your exam, but your professor decides to hand you the answer key and tells you to turn that in for your exam. You now know that you will get 100% and can confidently walk out of the exam knowing you passed your class. That was an act of grace or unmerited favor. You didn't do anything to earn it; it was a pure gift with no strings attached.

That is what Megan is talking about in this chapter, but on a much larger scale. There is nothing that you can do to earn your way to heaven, but you can still approach that day with confidence, knowing that the price has already been paid on your behalf. How cool is that?!

After the CVF meeting, I had a little break and went for a run around the arboretum. I then met up with a professor to discuss the past course and provide feedback for the future. As mentioned before, it is amazing how much our professors want to improve and support students, and I am incredibly grateful every time I have the opportunity to provide feedback. The rest of the afternoon included some fun time with Churro on the field followed by some studying for the upcoming exam.

Wednesday morning started off with a nice three miler with Churro followed by our final surgery day of the semester. My group mates and I met our sweet surgery patient, Chocolate, and did all her pre-surgical prep. She has some skin issues which came at the perfect timing considering that we are all in the dermatology block. After her morning check was complete, I went for a run at the arboretum before our morning dermatology lectures.

The morning lectures included how to approach non-pruritic (not itchy) dermatology cases, immune-mediated skin diseases, and feline skin diseases. These lectures covered some of the more complex skin issues that can be unique to different breeds and species, while building upon the lectures from the previous week.

Once the morning lectures were over, we transitioned into our surgery rounds and had the chance to review our patients’ blood work. Once rounds were over and we were all given the green light to proceed with surgery, we started prepping our patient. My role during this surgery was assistant, so I had the opportunity to support Ari as she performed the surgery. Everything went smoothly, and our little girl recovered well. Once she was awake enough to walk around, we put her back in her kennel to rest and headed home.

The rest of the evening included some time with Churro, followed by some studying for the upcoming final exam!

Thursday morning started off with a quick run with Churro followed by the morning surgery check. Chocolate was doing well and did not seem to be bothered by her procedure from the previous day. She was examined by the clinician and cleared to go back to the shelter and put up for adoption. I was then able to head to the pool and get in a quick swim before our morning prayer session and lectures. This was the first semester that we had a morning prayer routine, and it was honestly a great addition to the CVF club. I am so grateful for Dr. Bellone’s willingness to initiate this activity, and her presence on campus is such a blessing.

The morning lectures were in the form of a discussion covering multiple cases with diseases discussed in Wednesday’s lectures. This was a wonderful way to cement some of the information and review for the upcoming exam. The rest of the afternoon included a quick chiropractor appointment followed by a lot of studying. In between studying I spent some time with Churro on the field and started packing for winter break.

Friday morning began with a nice 5 miler with Churro followed by the dermatology final. This was a quick exam that covered the 8 most recent lectures and case-based discussions. I think that this block was organized nicely and that the enthusiasm from the instructors made the final push toward winter break enjoyable! After the exam, I headed home to pack and clean up the house before meeting up with a friend for coffee. I then headed home to grab Churro, and we hit the road. We arrived in SLO around 7pm and Churro was stoked to see his friends, Remi and Daisy.

Saturday morning started with an awesome 8 mile run with Jenn and Churro. Jenn and I used to run all the time when I lived next door and so it is always a blast to get to run together and catch up on life. After the run, Churro and I headed to the beach for some breakfast and a little fun in the water. We then met up with Gretchen and Booker at the dog park. It was wonderful to see Gretchen and chat. I had the chance to hear about her summer mission trip and see the beautiful photos. By the time Churro left the dog park, he was beat and ready for a nap.

Post 8 miler!

That afternoon I had the chance to catch up with some other friends. I met Tasha at her son’s baseball game, and we got to chat while watching the game. It was fun to share plans and hear about the new things going on in her life. I then headed up to Los Osos to meet up with Dr. Spray for dinner. We went to a cute pizza shop and spent some quality time together talking about life.

The evening ended with a quick walk through the neighborhood light show with Churro. While we were there we ran into a student that I had done some tutoring and interview prep with. It was wonderful to meet her in person and get to hear how the final exam went!

Light Show!

Sunday morning began with a fun hike/run around the Pismo Preserve, followed by breakfast with Dr. Lyons. It is always a blast catching up and hearing about the new things happening in her life and her recent success with cattle sorting. After breakfast, Churro and I headed up to Montaña De Oro for a little walk and some time on the beach. While we were walking, we ran into Morgan and got to hike together for a bit! We were both spending some time in SLO before heading home for the holidays, so it was a fun coincidence that we were both walking around MDO at the same time. Never wanting to leave the central coast seems like a common theme for Cal Poly graduates.

MDO with Morgan and Churro!

After spending some time at the beach, Churro and I headed back to Jenn’s to finish packing and get ready to head home. After grabbing some snacks for the road, we hopped in the car and made our way down to San Diego. We made it home around 7 and Churro was ecstatic to see my parents.

Spending any amount of time in SLO always fills my heart with so much joy and it was also a wonderful way to kick off break! I love reconnecting with some of the people who have been influential in my journey, and I am so blessed to have them in my life. It is also a little extra special to do this at the end of the semester and reflect on how far along we have gotten. In a four months we will be getting ready for clinics, in a year we will be receiving our NAVLE scores, and in a year and a half we will all be veterinarians! Time is flying by and I can genuinely say that while this road has its twists and turns, it is a privilege to be chasing my dreams.

Quote of the week: “Even though some children can act like little rats, they were likely not the source of this outbreak in the petting zoo.” -Dr. Outerbridge

*Blogs will continue once the spring semester starts up and in the meantime, the notes page of the website will begin to get updated!