Y3S1 Week 2: Club Fair, Cadaver Castration, and Neurology

Week 2 is now in the books, and we have moved from musculoskeletal to clinical neurology!

Monday started with a quick 4 miler with Churro, followed by some time on the field with his buddies. We then had our last two musculoskeletal lectures on elbow conditions and rehabilitation, followed by a team-based learning activity.

This week’s comparative team-based activity was centered around antimicrobial stewardship. This was a great topic to touch on since it is extremely relevant in all aspects of veterinary medicine and can directly impact human health. As a consumer, it may seem obvious that we do not want to be pumping our lovely livestock animals with antibiotics; it is also important to consider the implications of frivolous antibiotic use in small animal medicine. Multi-drug-resistant bacteria can spread due to the excessive utilization of high-power antibiotics, which is why it is important to understand how to appropriately test for the pathogenic bacteria and learn how to best target the infection. The goal of judicious antimicrobial use is something that not only involves the veterinary side, but also the owners and farmers, since they are the frontline administrators of these drugs. If everyone is on board and understands the importance surrounding antimicrobial use, we can help slow the progression of drug resistance and keep all parties healthier.

The rest of the afternoon included a nice two-hour orthopedic discussion to help round out the past week of lectures and prepare for the upcoming exam! Churro and I then had some quality frisbee time on the field, followed by some lecture review.

Churro!

Tuesday started off with a quick whirl around the park with Churro, followed by a hot yoga session and a swim. We were given the day off from classes so that we could study for the upcoming musculoskeletal exam, so I was able to get in a nice workout in the morning before buckling in for a day of review. Between lecture review, Churro and I spent some quality time outside playing frisbee and doing some training. The day concluded with some final radiology review followed by an early bedtime.

Wednesday morning started off with a nice run with Churro, followed by our first exam of the year. This exam focused on the musculoskeletal system and was a fun way to assess what we had learned over the past week. We then had a little break before diving into our neurology block, which started with a little pre-block assessment. We then had a few lectures on neuroanatomy localization, cerebral disease, and cranial nerves V and VII. The last time we had studied neurology was during the second semester of our first year, so it was nice to dust off some of that knowledge and start connecting it to more clinical concepts. The rest of Wednesday afternoon included some quality time with Churro and some studying.

Thursday started off with a nice run, followed by some lectures on vestibular disease, the cerebellum/tremors, and acute brain injury, followed by a lecture on neoplasia. We then had a quick break, followed by another castration lab. The prior week, we had practiced our neuter skills on a model, and this time we were given cadavers to have a better idea of what it would feel like to perform the surgery on a live animal. This was a great way to work as a team and practice the surgical techniques that we will be using for our first live-animal surgeries! It is exciting to think that in a few weeks, we will be doing the real thing. The rest of the afternoon included some brief outside time with Churro where we sat in the shade due to the crazy heat followed by some lecture review.

Friday started off with yet another run with Churro, followed by another lecture on brain disease, followed by a lecture on seizures. We then had a two-hour discussion/activity session on antimicrobial resistance, which was a nice way to tie together information from Monday’s session. That afternoon, we had another lecture on seizures and treatment, followed by an encephalopathies discussion. This discussion was a nice way to bring together the lecture material and practice some cases.

That evening, we had our annual club fair. The club fair is always a fun time to show off the student-run clubs and grasp the interest of all of the incoming students. I am currently president of the Integrative Vet Med Club and Christian Fellowship Club, and it was awesome to see the interest from the new class. The rest of the evening included some snuggle time with Churro.

Club Fair!

Saturday started off with a nice 5 miler with Churro followed by a hot yoga session and a quick trip to the Farmer’s Market. The rest of the day included some studying, a VMCAS application review session, and some quality time with Churro. Sunday started off with a nice 8 miler with Churro followed by church and a mentorship meeting with a first-year vet student. It is a privilege to be a resource for those going through the big transition into veterinary school and I love sharing my personal experience with the goal of helping others. The rest of the afternoon included some studying, meal prepping, and playtime with Churro on the field.

Quote of the week: “This dog was named Hope. By the way, never do that, don’t name your dog "Hope," “Healthy,” “Long-Life,” “I Run Fast,” or “I can Jump High” because you know what will happen... Name your dog “Disaster” or “Amputation” I think that is good.” -Dr. Marcellin-Little

Morning Run Views!