Anyone commuting?

[kate_g]

I posted this same question in the non-trad forum, so forgive the repeat if you read both, but they seem to be pretty separate populations. Oh, and excuse the post on the "current vet students" forum, but it's your opinions I'm looking for...

Anyone commuting a significant distance (like an hour)? Does your school do the recorded lecture thing, or do you actually attend your 8:00 class?

Anyone with experience at Davis in particular - I got the impression from the curriculum person I talked to that you're pretty much guaranteed to have an 8:00 class every day. Testimony to the contrary would be greatly appreciated.

I could take a train, and theoretically read/study/sleep during the ride. The train ride is the same length as the drive time, but the way the train schedule works out I'd actually have to get up an hour earlier to take the train.

Doable? Totally nutso??

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[Anggel]

I know of one or two students in my class (Purdue Class of 2009) who commute approximately an hour or so to and from their respective homes. From what I hear it's not always pleasant to get up that much earlier in the morning but it is definitely possible. One of my classmates even made it through her first year of vet school with an infant whom she would go and visit during our lunch break.

As a native Californian myself I would actually prefer to take the train if I were you. I would do just about anything to avoid traffic. Hope that helps.

 

[Bill59]

It's probably doable until you get to hospital duty, usually the 4th year. At that point, not having to get there until 8am will seem like a vacation.

 

[chickenboo]

Good point. During 4th year (which at Davis starts about 2-3 days after 3rd year ends) you have to live no more than 15 minutes away from the hospital.

As far as Davis specifically, I don't know anyone personally who makes that long of a commute. There are a fair number of people who commute from local areas like Sacramento/West Sacramento/Woodland/Dixon. I know of a professor (not from the vet school; from main campus) who commutes to and from Berkeley pretty much every day...but I'm sure he has a much more flexible schedule than vet students do.

As far as class times, it really depends on the quarter. First quarter first year, you have class at 8 a.m. pretty much every day. My bf just finished his second year, and he had class at 10 a.m. every day during spring quarter...but starting fall quarter, he'll have class at 8 a.m. every day again. So it just depends on the quarter, and it also depends on which track you're doing. He's small animal, but I think the large animal people had to be there at 8 or 9 a.m. I think on surgery days during 3rd year you might also have to be there really early (before 8 a.m.) so you can do bloodwork and whatnot for your dog. Plus there are things like review sessions that are held in the evenings, so bottom line--I think it would be really difficult. Also (and this is a personal thing) I've ridden on that train a lot too, visiting my sister in SF, and it is not always quiet enough (for me) to sleep or study. So if you haven't already, you might want to try riding it a few times to see if it's a feasible option for you.

Just a few random thoughts...hope it helps!

 

[Boxsterluv]

I think a commute like that is doable, however, it seems like vet school is going to be so crazy that we will appreciate every second of sleep we can get... I don't know about you, but I don't think I would be able to sleep or study on the train, I get distracted too easily... either way, good luck!

 

[kate_g]

Good point. During 4th year (which at Davis starts about 2-3 days after 3rd year ends) you have to live no more than 15 minutes away from the hospital.

Wow, do you really mean "have to" in the sense that this is a rule and they'll kick you out if you live further away than that? That seems... overly harsh. Is it because you've got some kind of call schedule to assist with emergencies? Or do you just mean "have to" in the "it would really suck if you don't" sense (which I totally understand)?

I have some friends in Winters (15 miles away) who would let me stay on nights before exams and stuff, but I wouldn't want to ask them to basically let me live with them all of 4th year.

 

[Bill59]

Wow, do you really mean "have to" in the sense that this is a rule and they'll kick you out if you live further away than that? That seems... overly harsh. Is it because you've got some kind of call schedule to assist with emergencies? Or do you just mean "have to" in the "it would really suck if you don't" sense (which I totally understand)?

I have some friends in Winters (15 miles away) who would let me stay on nights before exams and stuff, but I wouldn't want to ask them to basically let me live with them all of 4th year.

I don't know about Davis in particular, but at some schools you are on call during certain rotations. If you get called in, you are expected to be there within a reasonable amount of time -- and 1 hour is usually not reasonable.

If not, at best you might face the scorn of your classmates who have to work extra to make up for the weight you aren't pulling. At worst, you fail the rotation if the clinician feels that's a vital part of the learning experience of the rotation.

 

[chickenboo]

I don't know about Davis in particular, but at some schools you are on call during certain rotations. If you get called in, you are expected to be there within a reasonable amount of time -- and 1 hour is usually not reasonable.

This is how it is at Davis. They do spell out that you are expected to be at the VMTH within 15 minutes of being paged. I'm not sure how harsh they are about enforcing it, though...I don't have access to the curriculum handbook at the moment, since I'm at work. I'll check when I get home to see if there's anything specific about the policy.

To be honest, I don't think the policy is harsh at all...you need to be available when you're needed, period. You're supposed to be living & breathing vet med during your fourth year anyway. And like Bill59 said, even if they won't actually fail you it will reflect very, very poorly on you...and I'm sure it's something that would come up in letters of recommendation, if you need them.

 

[kate_g]

To be honest, I don't think the policy is harsh at all...

OK, if it's a defined call schedule, I agree. I suppose I had been figuring clinical rotations would be largely as they're described for MD/DO students - watch, do paperwork, don't touch anything. Sounds more like the MD/DO internship, and hell, interns just sleep at the hospital on call nights. I can do that. Frankly I'm really glad to hear that clinicals are more hands-on and entail more responsibility than I had imagined.

Anyway, staying with friends or renting the occasional hotel room when necessary is doable, and way cheaper and less emotionally draining than splitting our household in two. (My SO works in Redwood City, an hour *south* of Berkeley. So living in Berkeley while I'm in grad shcool is already a huge compromise on his part, and we're *not* moving closer to Davis if I end up there, at least not together...)

 

[Bill59]

I suppose I had been figuring clinical rotations would be largely as they're described for MD/DO students - watch, do paperwork, don't touch anything.

Well there's plenty of paperwork and other scut, but you also will have a lot of hands-on responsibility. Realize med students still have internship/residency. Most veterinarians don't do formal post-graduate training, so your clinical year(s) in vet school is it ... before you are unleashed on the world.

 

[chickenboo]

Hey kate_g, just wanted to let you know--there is someone who is making the crazy commute to & from the bay area...I just found out that a guy in my SO's class commutes to & from Oakland. My SO doesn't know him very well, so I can't give you a whole lot of details...just wanted to let you know someone else is doing it! Also, I looked for the info. about 4th year but couldn't find it, sorry.

 

[kate_g]

Hey kate_g, just wanted to let you know--there is someone who is making the crazy commute to & from the bay area...I just found out that a guy in my SO's class commutes to & from Oakland.

Hey, maybe I could find this guy and carpool. Wonder what he's planning on doing 4th year?