Reading this thread only serves to remind me how much I hated vet school. Every time I walk through the hospital now and see the students I just think....thank god that isn't me.
I almost dropped out my third year due to burnout/near mental breakdown. And, just as they say, it takes you 2-3x as long to recover from something like that as you spend going though it. Almost 6 years post-graduation I'm still dealing with repercussions of the stress and my poor coping mechanisms. It doesn't really matter which year is the hardest.....you need to find healthy outlets and work/life balance as early as you can. And I'm not just saying that to sound wise or pompous, I'm serious.
I just want to second WTF's wise words. A seasoned veteran. When you arrive in vet school (and as you're progressing through it), you'll find out that each of your classmates has different hang-ups. For some folks, that will be anatomy. For other folks, it will be physio. Second year at NCSU is the combo of sys path and clin path, which is hard for everyone- no matter what you're strengths are. There is just so much information that it is literally impossible to recall all of it for exams. The more I progress I vet school, the more I'm convinced that no relationship exists between a student's grades and the quality of practitioner that individual will become. The level of detail expected in vet school courses is not real life. In real life (regardless of your job role), you'll be seeing repeat cases of similar disease presentations. You'll become more and more comfortable with the clinical signs and clin path data as a result of real world experience- not brute force memorization of patterns (some of of which make no sense at all, because even the clinical pathologists have no idea why calcium goes down in that case, or phosphorus goes up in another- that's just the way it is; not all of clin path can be derived physiologically, which is maddeningly frustrating). In the real world, you look stuff up if you don't remember it- that's ok- it's expected. NO ONE can remember it all for every species. On the whole, I enjoy the learning in vet school and especially the application of concepts. I hate the tests, and am of the mind that the expectations for recall are ridiculous. Burnout is a real thing, especially with the 'threat' of internships, residencies, and job applications looming. Don't forget that when you're not in school, your busting your butt arranging practical experience during your breaks and summers- applications, interviews, essays. You get continual rejection here as well. Vet school will certainly toughen your skin, but at a price. Some of that first year shine wears off, and you're left with the reality that vet med is a JOB. It's not sunshine, and rainbows, and happiness every day for the remainder of your existence. They call jobs (whatever the role) 'work' for a reason. Sitting in class for 9 hours a day, then heading home to put in another five...every weekday for months on end wears you down, no matter how much you love the work. I was just speaking with my Mother the other day and recounted the extent that vet school tests your will and devotion. How much do you really want to do this? How bad do you want it? What are you willing to sacrifice, and for how long? I am very fortunate to have a vivid idea in my mind of where I see myself as a veterinarian. I have a very clear goal, in sharp relief, and I specifically went to vet school to fulfill it and get myself there. I know exactly what it takes. Without that vision, I'd be experiencing an even greater struggle. Before you apply and commit to vet school, be sure that you understand what the training is like (although you'll never truly know what it's like until you get here), the sacrifices you'll be required to make to get to where you want to be, and where school really fits into the picture of your eventual career. You want to alleviate the pressure as much as possible so you have sufficient energy to pursue the goal over the long haul- not just that exam in anatomy, clin path, or swine medicine next week. I'm so grateful for our SDN veterans who post on this board (WTF, DVMD, and others). You guys keep in real, and don't sugar coat it. That's my style as well, although I'm nowhere near the stage that y'all are. Thanks for your collective wisdom, and for giving students permission to say out loud- 'vet school can really suck.' Some folks don't seem to want to admit that, for fear of sounding uncommitted. That's just bull. Some of the most committed students in my class hate school at times- or all the time. It's ok to say it out loud.
) I get my faculty job next year I'm gonna have to severely curtail my indecency here.
