nobody will ever understand?

[oregonhopeful]

During orientation they said something that stuck in my head. They said that nobody outside of the vet school would understand what you were going through, so don't get too worried about it.
I was fine with that idea until christmas break. The other day I was talking to a non vet school friend the other day about the stress I was in this term and she said "Oh you're scaring me." She's signed up for a couple community college classes next term. I remember community college and thinking it was hard, so I wasn't about to belittle that, but in an attempt to make her feel better I tried to say something about how vet school was a different kind of hard. Needless to say, she found this offensive and I spent a few minutes backtracking. And now, I shouldn't care at all, but this term was really really hard, so it weirds me out when people act like I'm exaggerating. For the first time in my life, I'm bothered by people asking me if it's a two year program, or telling me that their daughter will be a vet when she finishes an online class. I think it hasn't bothered me until now because up until break I haven't seen any non vet school people. (My family is great and understanding, so I shouldn't be complaining)

Anyway, I'm whining, but what I really thought I'd ask was how did the class of 2013 find their first semester? Mine was a hard adjustment made worse because unlike some of my classmates, I'd never had any of these classes before, so I spent a lot of time scrambling to figure out how to study for them. (Plus a bad start on the first set of midterms left me with a lot of ground to make up) I'm really glad to be done but I'm also really looking forward to next term. I feel like I've figured things out, so it should be a lot better. It was weird to get used to not being the overachiever in the class. The first weekend was a shock when I came in to study and half the class was already there studying.

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[Shanomong]

.

 

[thnythe]

I agree, it was a huge adjustment! I find none of the material is conceptually difficult, but just the amount of information there is compared to the amount of time... when I try to explain it to non-vet friends, I just leave it at "It's double the amount of material than undergrad with half the time to learn it all".

It does bother me a little bit that people think it's such a cake-walk. I've talked to the med students at my university and they have HALF the amount of class time we do. Some of my friends in the med school are now in CUBA while I'm slaving away for my last exam (well... I guess obviously not too hard since I'm writing this, haha). Yet vet students rarely achieve the same level of awe as med students...

It was also difficult to transition to a class of overachievers. Coming from a relatively small undergrad class where I was always in the top 5 students, it's hard to adjust to not being "the best". But I'm coming to terms with it, and to a certain extent it's kind of nice not to have to worry about acing every test.

So I feel your pain! Take the holidays to relax and rejuvenate!

 

[Caninerepro]

I am really jealous -- I am not done with finals until the 23rd! At least classes don't start up again until the 11th.

I will have to echo the sentiments of the other posters, and repeat a similar lesson we were taught early on in this our first semester. They pointed out that the room was now filled with people who had always been the top 5% in every class they were in (not so sure about this in my case, but I have suspected all along that I am a poser and there was a big mistake made when they let me come play). Anyhow, from here on out when in a room filled with 5%'ers we were not going to be able to stay in the top like we were used to, and had to be back then just to get accepted. Now we had already proven everything we needed to prove: to ourselves and to the veterinary community. From here on out all we had to worry about was maintaining a 2.0, nobody was ever going to ask us what our GPA was in vet school, and that was going to be more than enough work for us from here on out. How right they were! Wow!

So yeah, the sheer amount of classes and work has been a real eye opener. None of the classes on their own are really THAT bad, but so many of them all at once has been an adjustment. Question is, have any of us ever really ENJOYED working so hard before? I know I haven't and for all the trials and tribulations I am having the time of my life. Of course, with so much work to do, I really don't have too much of a life, but I'm not whining for sure. I am just so happy to be here, doing what I love to do for the first time in my life.

 

[EqSci]

I have my last final in about 5 hours, so I'm almost done!

I found that I'm extremely sensitive to that now as well. My family is great... everyone else, not so much. My biggest irritating moments this year have been from my graduate student roommate. He thought that vet school was a 2 year program when I first moved in, so I can't really hold it against him because he just has no clue. But a couple times throughout the semester when I would mention being busy, such as "I can't help you with this house chore this weekend because I have 2 exams next week" his only response was ever "Oh I know, I have such-and-such due next week too". Or he mentioned that I looked really stressed the one day and I told him I had an exam, and he said "I know, I've been there!" It made me want to push him or something. I just kept my mouth shut and walked away.... and found a new place to live next semester! (for other reasons as well)

The best part is, as many people that don't understand what you're going through, you will always have 100 people (or however many are in your class) that know exactly what you're going through. I can't tell you how many times I signed onto facebook this semester, completely frustrated with something about school, and the exact thing that I was thinking was a classmate's facebook status. It's so great to know you are never alone. "Communal suffering" was how our one professor put it... I'd say that's right on the money! lol!

I've never been very stressed about grades or an over-achiever, never really cared what I ranked or anything, so that part hasn't been hard for me at all. This was a rough semester for me in my personal life though, so I too am looking forward to next semester. Should be much better! Of course, right now next semester does not exist and there is only sleep and beer for the next 3 weeks.

 

[EqSci]

I am not done with finals until the 23rd

You have finals the day before Christmas eve???? That would make me so angry! So many people have to travel to get home for Christmas.

 

[Klhughes]

As someone who is in their 3rd year and has gone through a lot of what you guys are talking about I can tell you in some ways it does get easier.
You learn to deal with the people around you that don't realize what you are going through with school. Sometimes you have to remember that they don't know what you are going through but you also often don't know what they are going through. Some people just have harder times with certain areas so you can't be too harsh on someone. Although I will admit I yelled at an episode of Golden Girls the other morning when one of them said that vets aren't real doctors and don't know what they are talking about. You'd be surprised by what some "real" doctors actually think of vet students. I was at the oral surgeon recently and he was well aware of how hard it is to get into vet school and how intelligent you have to be to get in. For families that don't get it... they soon will. Mine has been pretty good for the most part since I no longer get a hard time about getting a C in vet school classes.
I had pretty terrible study habits before vet school because I never really needed to study during undergrad. You will learn your best ways and they will likely change. I've gone through periods where I write out hundreds of notecards to now just typing notes and making them look like a pack of highlighters threw up on the paper by the time I'm done. Classes won't get easier but they get more enjoyable. I don't know about curriculum at all the other schools but UT has basics first year and you get to a lot more clinical stuff in 2nd and 3rd year which becomes harder but more interesting because you can start to apply it a little more to outside experiences.

 

[chris03333]

Hell I would say that I didn't understand before I actually started vet school...

 

[Caninerepro]

Hell I would say that I didn't understand before I actually started vet school...

I don't think too many of us really did until we got here. I also have a long way to go, and even more realizations to be smacked in the forehead with to come!

Yes, I have a final the 18th (LA Neonatology), 21st (anatomy) and one on the 23rd (Physiological Chemistry). Then I am done!

Here at MN: 1st year well systems, 2nd year broken systems, 3rd year how to fix broken systems. But, I did have my arm up a cows butt by week 2!

 

[Pandacinny]

Mine was a hard adjustment made worse because unlike some of my classmates, I'd never had any of these classes before, so I spent a lot of time scrambling to figure out how to study for them.

Me too! I'm just starting winter break. I've never been a straight A student, but I'm not super thrilled with the C+ I'm getting in one of my classes. I mean, not the end of the world, either, but still. I'm definitely looking forward to next semester because I feel like I'm starting to get a much better handle on setting study times and figuring out what to study. Also, I'm becoming more and more okay with C's as I talk to classmates who're doing about the same.

I'm looking forward to next semester because I had some trouble adjusting. Moving so far from my family was a little hard on me plus some other personal things going on. I'm also pretty shy and have a lot of trouble making friends with people when I first meet them, so now that I've made some friends and I'm not being flooded with new people, I think I'll be a lot less stressed next semester.

 

[Shanomong]

[

 

[Caninerepro]

Agreed. I worked with my future gross anatomy professor before school started. Back when I was trying to get in (and REALLY wanted him to like me and put in a good word for me), he was telling me about anatomy and how hard it is. My response was "oh, don't worry, i'm a good student!" He looked at me like I had 3 heads and pointed out that all of the students are good students . I totally didn't get what it was like before it actually started!

Agreed. Hell, last year while a grad student I helped TA a vet level anatomy class, so I thought this year would be a breeze! Wrong, and I as well am going to end up with a B in the class I felt going in I was ready to teach. Lesson, and a bit of humility, learned.

 

[david594]

Anyway, I'm whining, but what I really thought I'd ask was how did the class of 2013 find their first semester?

I'll throw the different opinion out there, but I really didn't think it was that bad.
Going into school everyone had told me it was going to be hard, so I was fairly ready for that. But on the other hand, I felt it was a whole lot more fun that I expected(because no one ever told me it would be fun). Show up every day, sit in a room full of people I enjoy being around, and every once and a while I would have one of those "ooooooh! so that explains why X would happen with Y condition I saw frequently at work but never understood!" during class. It made me feel good getting out of bed every morning and going to class. Even better the days it was interesting enough to keep me awake during class.

Coming in I hadn't taken any of the classes before short of some unrelated material in biochem/cell bio. And come the first round of exams the Dean's talk on how "Dont freak out! the bell curve will have shifted compared to undergrad" hit home a little bit more than I expected. At that point I made some changes in study habits(particularly for anatomy) and I did a fair bit better for all the later exams. I'd also agree that it is largely a case of their being a lot of material as opposed to incredibly hard material.

Overall though I really don't think it was as bad as I expected coming in. Wasn't a breeze by any means, but school/studying wasn't making me loose sleep on a regular basis.

 

[JosephKnechtDVM]

Oregonhopeful and other students,

Check and see if your library has a copy of Future Directions for Veterinary Medicine from the Pew National Veterinary Education Program in 1989. It was edited by William Pritchard, Former Dean at UC Davis. Chapters 5,6,7 are mostly on educational reforms. Read it and then see if your dean and administration can tell you why those recommendations made in 1989 have'nt been implemented. Would be great if you guys could report back. As an early 1990s Georgia grad, I remember so many of my complaints about the education mirrored that report. But twenty years later it seems very little changes except more crammin' it in to pass the course tests and later the NAVLE.

Joe

 

[twelvetigers]

Hey, you found your way here from Dolittler, didn't you? *eyebrow*

 

[JosephKnechtDVM]

Being a good clinician means researching claims to see if they are valid and relevant and weighing empirical evidence versus theory. Consider it educational if you will.

Find and read the Pew Report if you want to or not, it is your life and future career. Additional education articles can be found in the Journal of Veterinary Medical Association with years from 2000 to present being available online for reasonable fee for 2 weeks access and are downloadable. Veterinary schools might have free access in the library.

In an era of big institutions hiding things from the public, I am simply offering some "transparency" , look if you wish and arrive at your own conclusions.

Joe

 

[sumstorm]

how did the class of 2013 find their first semester? Mine was a hard adjustment made worse because unlike some of my classmates, I'd never had any of these classes before, so I spent a lot of time scrambling to figure out how to study for them.

Hard, but in a different way. Actually, the first 2/3 was brain smashingly difficult, then the last 1/3 was a comfortable routine.

For me, there were a lot of adjustments. I was use to being an overachiever among overachievers (due to my odd high school and undergrad education), so that part didn't bother me. What I didn't realize was how much I had changed my learning patterns for 'real world' where I don't need to know every random detail, but rather how to deal with people, work with concepts, and know how to do the background material after I looked it up (apply the concept to the application.)

It has been a decade since I took any relevant course to what I am dealing with now. (Un?)fortunatly, I look younger than I am, so people tend to assume I am only a year or two out, so they expect me to know stuff that was just being discovered when I was in school (sNRPs, etc.) I was accustomed to working a long day (12 hours or more) but I was not use to sitting in a lecture hall, or dealing with 80 other people in a lab, or even just retaining information anymore. Also, the way our semester started really set me up poorly (white coat ceremony after classes started with first exam 2 weeks in) and my previous educational experience didn't teach me to study from previous students guides/exams/etc. In fact, I am not even accustomed to having access to previous exams, and here that is kind of the difference in a letter grade in many classes.

So, the biggest struggle for me has been dealing with the lack of day-to-day life experience some students have, the lack of a respect for family life that some staff/instructors have (occasional, not always), and the remembering how to learn in this fashion (for a test/grade rather than relevance to what I do.) I hit stride at 2/3 through, but that was a bit late for great grades this semester. Also, I found it frustrating to have other students say 'oh, grades are all about how hard you work...we all have the same backgrounds, so my A just means I worked harder than most of the class' and knowing that isn't true.....that there are a lot of other factors that go into those A's. Not saying those students didn't have to work hard.....just that the same amount of work won't get every student to the same place just due to things like previous exposure, experience, recency, familiarity, etc.

 

[Enomis]

I can totally relate to this thread.. my mom didn't even know vet school was 4 years until this summer. But like previous members said, it's like only other people that's going through it can relate to how much work you really have to put in. My friends used to joke whenever they called and be surprised that I'm still at school and its 10 pm.. well these nerves aren't going to be learned and found themselves..

Another thing I can't stand is people find out I'm in vet school and then proceed to ask "So.. what's your major?"

As far as my first semester goes, it pretty much was a reality check from undergrad. The cramming last minute, enjoying weekends, the curving.. all of that went out the window. Like others, I didn't figure out what works til towards the end, but I passed and made it and will be happy to try my methods out come next semester. I was not the over achiever in undergrad, so not being in the top 5 doesn't faze me at all.. because at the end of the day, we're all getting the same DVM.

 

[Pandacinny]

In fact, I am not even accustomed to having access to previous exams, and here that is kind of the difference in a letter grade in many classes.

Does everyone else have access to exams from past years? We're specifically not allowed to use them, though a couple of professors will give you past exams to look at and many give some sort of review questions.

 

[sumstorm]

Does everyone else have access to exams from past years? We're specifically not allowed to use them, though a couple of professors will give you past exams to look at and many give some sort of review questions.

That is kind of a thorny topic at times. So we all have 'big sibs' but the level of sib participation is very different...so some students received a ton of support, advice, etc from their big sibs, and others haven't even met or communicated with their big sib. But, we all get a study CD during the first week of class. This has some exams and some study guides. It does a pretty decent job for some classes and not so great for others. So in that instance, we do all have access, but I have some friends that have far more exams and such, and I have seen some advantage to that (and I borrow their old exams.) It isn't against the rules, and the ones on the CD are approved. Some exams aren't returned anymore, but were in the past. So, the short answer is 'sort of.' I went to an undergrad where professors didn't use the same exams anyways, and sharing exams was cheating, so fraternities and clubs didn't accumulate exams, so I didn't catch on until after the first round of exams that I should look at those, it wasn't even part of my mindset. Some people knew to because of previous experience and due to big sibs/friends in other classes.

 

[Pandacinny]

At my undergrad, we didn't have access to old exams unless a professor left them in the library for us. Almost all of them reserved a few there, though, because the exception to the "No old exams" rule was a group of kids with a prestigious scholarship given out by the school. They all come in for a special orientation together and had a special test bank. Very annoying.

At VMRCVM, using old exams is considered cheating, too, only the majority of professors don't have a bank of exams on reserve in the library so far!

 

[oh my god]

"Nobody will understand" an Mexican immigrant working 3 jobs to feed her four children. "Nobody will understand" a student with major learning disabilities who managed to get into medical school. "Nobody will understand" the father who manages to work full time on the side while obtaining his degree. Stop your whining and get cracking on the books

Was that inspirational or what? Damn I'm good.

 

[turnandburn]

"Nobody will understand" an Mexican immigrant working 3 jobs to feed her four children. "Nobody will understand" a student with major learning disabilities who managed to get into medical school. "Nobody will understand" the father who manages to work full time on the side while obtaining his degree. Stop your whining and get cracking on the books

Was that inspirational or what? Damn I'm good.

 

[bunnity]

I was going to say that a little more nicely.

I do think there is a tendency among vet (and med) students to feel like they are going through the hardest thing the world has to offer. But as long as everyone keeps things in perspective I see nothing wrong with commiseration!

 

[david594]

Yeah. We have it pretty good since all we have to worry about is our own education. Not stuck teaching whiny undergrads. No worries about long research projects not working or being delayed, or our inability to get our research published.

I definitely have PhD friends I don't envy in the least.

 

[wildfocus]

and i can share that it only gets harder... however, it is important to put everything into perspective. this is only a couple years of our lives (or 7 as the case may be for me), but some of those around us aren't so lucky. their struggles will continue long after we are graduated.

btw - congrats for finishing your first semester. enjoy your well-deserved break!

 

[sumstorm]

I was going to say that a little more nicely.

I do think there is a tendency among vet (and med) students to feel like they are going through the hardest thing the world has to offer. But as long as everyone keeps things in perspective I see nothing wrong with commiseration!

Hmmm...not necessarily harder, but different, and certainly not the hardest thing I have ever done. To be honest, the 'hardest' thing for me ever was working on a factory line, because I can't stand the (in my case) mindless work...followed by endless pipetting in a repro research lab. Also, one thing I remember routinely is that, as my previously-military husband says 'we're still breathing and no one is shooting at us' qualifies as a good day. And any situation where I can say 'I'm done' and walk away without having to cross a freezing ocean is a good place to be.

I think part of it is that a lot of people perceive it to be easy; hard to hear someone who never graduated high school criticize being exhausted after a solid 8am-6pm school day followed by 4 hours of studying. And for me, part of it is that family often doesn't realize that it doesn't really matter if my world melts down; I still have that anatomy practical in three days, and unless they are dead/dieing or I am dead/dieing, I must be there. As a relative recently said 'you pay for it, can't you decide when to go?' Ummm...yeah....it works like that. Or, my favorite, are the people who haven't finished anything, or held a steady job, who think they could do it so much better/easier/faster. There are a lot of jobs I wouldn't take, even for a fortune, over vet school, but that doesn't mean the demands aren't extreme and beyond the experiences of a lot of people, or that vet school isn't difficult....I am not going to vet school because I want to be a great vet student, but because I want to be a great vet...and the requirements to be great aren't necessarily the same for those different plans.

But, like you said, there are a lot worse things to be faced with, just different sacrifices/decisions.

 

[Caninerepro]

Hmmm...not necessarily harder, but different, and certainly not the hardest thing I have ever done. To be honest, the 'hardest' thing for me ever was working on a factory line, because I can't stand the (in my case) mindless work...followed by endless pipetting in a repro research lab. Also, one thing I remember routinely is that, as my previously-military husband says 'we're still breathing and no one is shooting at us' qualifies as a good day. And any situation where I can say 'I'm done' and walk away without having to cross a freezing ocean is a good place to be.

I think part of it is that a lot of people perceive it to be easy; hard to hear someone who never graduated high school criticize being exhausted after a solid 8am-6pm school day followed by 4 hours of studying. And for me, part of it is that family often doesn't realize that it doesn't really matter if my world melts down; I still have that anatomy practical in three days, and unless they are dead/dieing or I am dead/dieing, I must be there. As a relative recently said 'you pay for it, can't you decide when to go?' Ummm...yeah....it works like that. Or, my favorite, are the people who haven't finished anything, or held a steady job, who think they could do it so much better/easier/faster. There are a lot of jobs I wouldn't take, even for a fortune, over vet school, but that doesn't mean the demands aren't extreme and beyond the experiences of a lot of people, or that vet school isn't difficult....I am not going to vet school because I want to be a great vet student, but because I want to be a great vet...and the requirements to be great aren't necessarily the same for those different plans.

But, like you said, there are a lot worse things to be faced with, just different sacrifices/decisions.

Hey now, working in a repro lab is just about the coolest job ever, if you have the brains and natural gifts to make it in the best job ever. For the rest of you losers; well there is natural selection and the rest of you will make fine pet vets and behaviorists I am sure! Was that enough smiles for you? I am now ducking for cover, but I simply could not let the therio comments go as I am sure they were directed toward me. And for you SS, as I know you are slow to recognize my jokes, I am playing here! Have a great night peoples.

 

[sumstorm]

Hey now, working in a repro lab is just about the coolest job ever, if you have the brains and natural gifts to make it in the best job ever. For the rest of you losers; well there is natural selection and the rest of you will make fine pet vets and behaviorists I am sure! Was that enough smiles for you? I am now ducking for cover, but I simply could not let the therio comments go as I am sure they were directed toward me. And for you SS, as I know you are slow to recognize my jokes, I am playing here! Have a great night peoples.

Actually, you are wrong, it wasn't directed toward you at all. Really, the entire galaxy doesn't revolve around you, not even the planet or my posts.

The repro comment was because I spent a selectives week in a repro lab 3 weeks ago. As I noted, it wasn't for me. We were working on a topic that I don't care about, doing work I don't like, in an environment I hate (4 walls, no windows, no people, no animals.) We were/they are trying to find a way to synchronize pig ovulation to increase efficiency of the food production methods in the pork industry. Based on my current views of the pork industry and industrial farming, my background in organic farming, and my views on life, I am sure you can comprehend why the topic wasn't absolutly fascinating for me. To complicate that, the experience was, essentially, going to the slaughter house and obtaining ovaries, 'dating' the cycle of the ovary, scraping out/collecting CL material, then isolating luteal cells repeatedly via extractions that all involved lots and lots of pipetting, then culturing those cells (lots and lots and lots of pipetting) then treating those cultured cells (lots.....of pipetting), then isolating the proteins (pipetting) then running gels. Oh, did I mention the pipetting?

I knew I hated this stuff (bench lab work) BEFORE this experience, I took the selective because it was suppose to be a sampling of all the research across campus, not being stuck in a particular type of lab 12+ hours a day. I am deeply grateful there are people who love this kind of research. I don't even have any idea whatsoever whether you are involved in research or application or during what point of what process, so this had nothing to do with you, it had to do with sharing a recent experience which also had nothing to do with you.

Get over yourself, if I wanted to take a dig at you, I would make it a lot more explicit.

 

[Caninerepro]

Ha ha ha, I know my love. And I knew the comments were not directed at me. But, ovulation synchronization, what is there not to love in that? I myself have some issues supporting factory farming of swine -- I try to avoid buying pork for that among other reasons related to my feelings for little piggies.

I too do not care for 4 blank walls and fluorescent lighting. That is why I left research at my earliest opportunity and also why school in MN, with classes starting before sunrise and ending after sunset at the moment is kind of getting to me. I had to buy those "daylight replacer" light fixtures, and BTW it may be psychosomatic, but for me I think they might be helping, along with massive doses of D3.

Back to our regularly schedules discussion. I am sitting here reading my Physiology textbook for next semester being bored to tears over break. I wish it would just be over and classes would start up again! Is this so wrong? Don't answer that, I already suspect the answer.

 

[turnandburn]

Back to our regularly schedules discussion. I am sitting here reading my Physiology textbook for next semester being bored to tears over break. I wish it would just be over and classes would start up again! Is this so wrong? Don't answer that, I already suspect the answer.

You are studying??? Over break??? Are you f-ing KIDDING me???

 

[turnandburn]

Yes this semester was quite intense. I know many people in my class (including myself) who had complete and total meltdowns at least one time during the semester, complete with tears and everything. And it's not like we are all not used to intense coursework. But vet school is above and beyond anything most of us have ever experienced. It truly has to be experienced to understand it.

But, we all got through it. Somehow

 

[Caninerepro]

You are studying??? Over break??? Are you f-ing KIDDING me???

Consider the source. This is me after all. I am not normal and you know that after having to deal with me on a daily basis. See you on the 11th.

 

[twelvetigers]

Turnandburn, do us all a favor and poke him in the eyeballs next time you see him.

 

[Shanomong]

.

 

[missDVM2B]

I am halfway through what in the US would be 2nd year, which is actuall 3rd year in Italy... we have verbal examinations mostly, extremely subjective grades (good day/bad day for the profs) in which 50% of your grade is how you present the material and have the luck/bad luck of having to take exams for first semester in january and february... so, no breaks for us.. ever!

So... forgetting my want for a residency pushing my already neurotic prefectionist self towards high grades, I basically am studying and will be studying right up until classes satart again in march... And I have to work part time besides... SO! Yes, I totally snapped over xmas when I left my brother-in-laws's in-laws' dinner (you got it right.. 2nd degree inlaws for crying out loud) to go back home to study microbio (I am a little behind on exams.. also another luck/bad luck) and was told.. even Christmas? Oh surely you can take today off.. and yesterday, and tomorrow, and this material will just percolate into my brain at night via osmosis, right?

 

[Ben and Me]

Does everyone else have access to exams from past years? We're specifically not allowed to use them, though a couple of professors will give you past exams to look at and many give some sort of review questions.

VMRCVM didn't used to be like that! I spent some quality time with a VMRCVM grad who complained that he hadn't known about the past exams and really struggled with the first series of exams, while everyone else in his class just clicked thru memorized answers. I'd imagine experiences like that were the reason VM moved away from having old tests available.

Penn is starting to move away from them as well. More and more classes are refusing to give back more than just answer sheets, if that. The school has also tried to equalize the availability of old tests though - some are posted on the student website, and everyone gets a "test box," either from their "big sibling" or through an extra bank that the school has...so it sounds like it is less of an issue here than other places, since everyone has equal access.

 

[Caninerepro]

turnandburn, do us all a favor and poke him in the eyeballs next time you see him.

 

[HarryTheVet]

As someone has already pointed out that, for the most part, conceptually it's pretty easy (my first degree was in chemistry, and my PhD was in pharmacy, doing drug discovery, which was infinitely more conceptually difficult). The difficulty is the sheer volume and the incredible tedium of most of what we have to learn:
Parasitology is possibly the dullest subject ever devised, and possibly only devised to torture vet students.
Agronomy (ie grass and mud) is parasitology's younger, more inbred, more useless brother
Genetics is their nerdy cousin.
Biometrics. But why?
Anything with ruminants is soul-destroying. If I wanted to be a farmer, I'd have done AgSci!!

In all of the above subjects, I got a C or C+. In the question, "1. Farmlet calculations: On our agronomy farmlets sheep were rotationally grazed from early May to early August with differing rotation lengths on different farmlets. For farmlets A, B, and F set out the rotation length, grazing intensity, approximate pre- and post-grazing herbage mass, and animal intakes that applied in the second half of July." , my answer was, "1. No. " Have that, grass-muncher!