Y3S2 Week 10: Oncology CBLs, Student Debt, and SLO!

We are officially done with the first 10 weeks of the semester and have one more block before our clinic orientation course! This week began with a nice run with Churro followed by a lecture on skin tumors. We then had a discussion on heart failure across species led by Dr. Ames. We covered a case on cattle, horses, and dogs which was a nice way to cement cardiology concepts previously taught this semester. Dr. Ames always does a fabulous job of breaking down challenging topics and highlighting the clinically relevant aspects.

Sunrise Run!

That afternoon we had two exams for our surgery course. One exam focused on anesthesia, and the other on surgery. These exams were given with the goal of assessing our knowledge acquired in the surgery labs over the past 9 months and was the official finale for the course. After those exams I had the chance to get in a nice swim at the rec center and do some grocery shopping before heading home for the afternoon. The rest of the day included some time on the field with Churro followed by some meal prepping.

Tuesday morning began with a quick whirl around the park with Churro followed by a hot yoga session. We then had our first of three case-based discussion sessions. As a team of about 7, were given four different cases. Each class session we were randomly assigned one of the four cases and performed a client simulation where we presented our findings and worked through the communication aspect of the case. Each afternoon, more information on the cases were released which included diagnostic test results and interpretations, and the process was repeated each day of the week until the final wrap-up case on Friday.

After a nice spin session during lunch, Tuesday continued with a fun journal club session on osteosarcoma and the addition of a drug called Toceranib had on the disease-free interval and overall survival time. These sessions are always a helpful way to develop critical thinking skills and the ability to understand scientific writing. The rest of the afternoon included some fun time on the field with Churro.

Wednesday morning began with a quick run with Churro followed by a spicy interval session. Intervals are always a challenging way to start the day, but the post-interval feeling is always worth it. We then had our second case-based discussion session which mimicked the previous day’s format.

During lunch I had a chance to get in a nice 5k swim before heading back to school for a lecture on palliative care for cancer patients. The rest of the afternoon included a chiropractor appointment followed by some time on the field with Churro.

Thursday morning began with a quick whirl around the park with Churro followed by a great hot yoga session. We then had our third case-based discussion session following the format from the prior days. At this point in the cases, we were finally starting to receive the diagnostic test results that led us to a diagnosis and were working through the treatment plan.

After a quick spin session during lunch, I headed back to campus for a radiology discussion. This discussion included six cases and was a great way to practice applying our interpretation skills and relate them to the diseases we have been learning about during our oncology block. The rest of the afternoon included some time on the field with Churro followed by a board meeting for the Sacramento Veterinary Valley Vet. Med Association. These meetings are always a wonderful time to connect with local practitioners and learn from their experience along with understand what is happening in the world of veterinary medicine on a legislative scale.

Friday morning began with a nice run with Churro before the wrap-up session for our week of case-based learning. This session included a quick, ungraded quiz to assess our knowledge of different topics from the past week. We then had a group discussion about a few remaining questions pertaining to the cases followed by another quiz with the same questions as before, but we were able to work as a team to answer the questions together. The final part of the session included a class discussion, and we also learned about each patient’s outcome. This week of case-based learning sessions were some of the most well-run sessions I have ever participated in. The leaders were incredibly enthusiastic and encouraging during each of the activities and I felt as though I was able to truly learn about each of these cases and their associated diseases. 

The rest of the day included a discussion on ECG abnormalities across species including, ruminants, horses, dogs, and cats. This was a great way to highlight the differences between species and brainstorm treatment options for these abnormalities. It was also a nice complementary session to our discussion on heart disease on Monday.  After a quick spin session during lunch, we had a discussion on student debt. I am extremely grateful that UC Davis includes these topics in our curriculum because it allows us to enter the workforce educated on our options, allowing us to manage student debt and make smart financial decisions. We walked through a case study and explored the loan repayment options that are currently available to students. Veterinary school, along with most other professional degrees, are accompanied by a significant amount of financial strain. Understanding how to navigate this financial burden after graduation is crucial and will give us an advantage as we head out into the “real world." After our discussion on student debt, I packed up the car and Churro, and I made our way down to San Luis Obispo.

Saturday morning began with a nice 6-miler with Churro followed by some time catching up with Jenn. It is always a gift to be able to spend the night at her place and see her and the kiddos as I make my way home to San Diego. I was also able to get in a nice 50-mile bike ride before leaving town. On my way home I stopped in Santa Barbara to see my sister, and we went for a nice swim in the ocean. It is always a blast to spend time with her and the swim was a bonus. The rest of Saturday involved driving down to San Diego.

Ocean swim with Nora!

Sunday morning began with a quick 3 miler with my dad and Churro followed by church. The rest of the day included a trip to the beach and some quality family time.

Quote of the week: "Always make sure to also do your own interpretation because you never know, your histopathologist might be on crack" -Dr. Lejeune

*The notes page has now been updated through VET433C!

Someone's Happy to be Home!