Visit to my second home...

I spent my day in the company of some amazing animals...

Baby Patagonian Cavies! It's ridiculous how cute they are.

We're BFFs.

This is the most awesome bunny I have ever met!!!!! I am going to adopt her. (Not kidding. Seriously. I'm not.)

Baby lemur! The momma loved the mango I brought for her.

My camel friend using my head to rest his gigantic neck. At least he wasn't trying to eat me.

I was also going to post a video of the camel racing my friend and I (he likes to chase people), but it isn't working right now so I'll try again later. It's kind of a jumpy video, but you can see his lips flopping like crazy, and it cracks me up.

Sometimes life gets hectic...

I've been slacking a bit. I'm blaming midterms. They are evil, stressful, little things.

So I've got a lot to catch up on. I'll start with my zoo experiences...

Elephants. They're pretty cool, so I was excited to get to hang out with them a little bit. I was amazed by how well-trained they are! The zookeepers would just say, "(Name of elephant), lay down." And the elephant would do it. I know a lot of people are pretty against the whole idea of having elephants in captivity (and rightfully so in a lot of cases), but from what I saw, these elephants were treated with nothing but love and respect. You could tell how much the zookeepers genuinely cared about them, and it was incredible how strong their relationships with them were.

Anyway, we drove down to the cow barn (they also have a bull barn), and it was so weird! I felt like I was in a jail for giants! There were stalls set up inside of the barn that were basically made out of huge jail bars, but they were spaced out enough that humans could easily slip in between them. It made me feel incredibly small.

The elephant we went to see was having some kind of skin issue. She was developing hot spots on her hips, and she was super itchy, so we did a skin scrape. The vet gave her some local anesthetic, and we even used a bit of ice to numb the area, but she was still being a huge baby about it. You would think that with such thick skin, a little skin scrape wouldn't be very bothersome... I've seen chihuahuas take scrapes with more dignity.

This is not my picture, but it shows how thick an elephant's skin is, and I thought it was cool. So enjoy.

The next week, we had to go back to check her for lice (we were pretty sure it was just an allergy issue, but the vet wanted to rule it out). All the vet did was roll scotch tape around her hands, and she patted the elephant down with it, and the tape was sent off to a dermatologist. It was super simple and kinda weird.

Fun fact: A dose of Children's Benadryl for an elephant is over 1,000 mL (depending on the elephant's weight), which is roughly 11 bottles (unless you can get bigger bottles, I suppose). Our elephant friend had to have that twice a day for five days. I can't even imagine what the people at Walmart thought when the keepers went to buy them out of Benadryl...

I also got to take a bunch of x-rays of a hippo skull so the vet could figure out what settings she needed to use to take x-rays of the living hippo's jaw. So that was a fun experiment.

And of course, I spent plenty of time with birds of prey.

I helped force feed a Barred Owl (aka Hoot Owl).

He was pretty grumpy, and he kept crunching the mouse's skull when we were trying to slip it in his beak.

Then I helped dispose of a dead hawk of some sort (I'm pretty sure it was a Red-tailed). It was kinda sad.

I also helped stuff a bunch of frozen bald eagles into boxes to ship to the government (who supposedly disperses them to Native American tribes, so the feathers can be used for cultural things... pretty interesting).

Then I met a Screech Owl, and oh my god, was she cute (she lives at the zoo and is used as an education animal). We had to pluck a bunch of her feathers because she kept breaking them, which was causing feather follicle cysts to form (they are like ingrown hairs for us.. and I had to help pop them.. it was disgusting).

They are so tiny! I want one! (Not my picture either.. my fingers were covered in blood and cyst pus, so I couldn't get a picture of the one I spent time with.)

That's pretty much all of the interesting zoo stuff. Now to the sadness.....

Otto didn't pass his therapy dog evaluation. Honestly, I'm kinda bummed, but I don't feel too bad because A) it was kinda unfair and B) I might be moving soon, and I wouldn't be able to continue taking him on therapy visits anyway.

The reason it was unfair: we had a workshop last month, which was to basically familiarize us with the skills he needed to have to pass his evaluation (so there would be no surprises during the eval). Otto was awesome at it. The only thing we needed to work on was calming him down so he didn't pull on the leash so much (but he was just excited to meet all the new people). So we worked on that, and he improved (still wasn't super great at it, but better).

Well, we had a different evaluator this time (who didn't really seem like a very nice person.. I honestly thought that even before I found out she was our evaluator). Otto went through the tests like a pro. He was seriously awesome, and I was really proud of him. Then we got to the part where there was a group of people sitting in chairs. At the workshop last month, we were told that we just needed to walk our dog around to each person to greet them, which Otto did just fine. But this time, the evaluator told me I had to put Otto in each person's lap. He stayed for a second, then jumped down. Because he didn't say in their laps, she failed us. For that one tiny thing that we didn't even know we had to do (otherwise, I would have worked with him on it, and he would have been fine). I tried to explain that/rationalize with her (because I had put a lot of time into this thing), but she just said (in a really snippy/mean way), "Well, they should have had me evaluate you the first time."

She even went on to say, "It's such a shame. We need more small dogs." So I'm kinda done with that group. There were some really nice people in it.. so I guess it's a shame that one lady can ruin what could have been a great experience.

Their loss. This little guy could have made a lot of people happy.

Okay, I'll stop complaining now. More sadness:

Shaymi, my beautiful hedgehog, somehow managed to get a string wrapped around her foot so tight that it became embedded into her skin. It was so swollen that I couldn't cut the string off without cutting her, so I had to rush her to the emergency vet at 1 am (I always check on her before I go to bed, so I didn't discover it until then). I was so worried they would have to amputate her foot, but luckily, the blood flow was restored, and aside from some wounds and little swelling, she is doing fine. I've been soaking her foot in epsom salt two to three times a day and treating the wounds with antibiotic ointment, and it's looking so much better. The vet was really, really nice, too, and she only charged us for the medication she prescribed (maybe she took pity on my obvious poor, college studentness).

So it's been a pretty eventful couple of weeks. I'm so glad to be on spring break.

Kitchen Floor Discoveries.

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The Interview.

Well. I survived. My mother said I was basically one giant hive when I walked out of the interview room, but at least I was still breathing/awake/not vomiting everywhere. I'm pretty sure I worried a hole into my stomach lining, though, because I still feel queasy whenever I think about the interview/vet school.

Overall, I didn't do very well. I stumbled through questions I had practiced over and over again, and I'm still kicking myself for it. That said, it could have been much, much worse.

For those of you that will be going through this on your own someday, I am going to describe everything (that I remember... I'm pretty sure I blocked some of it out) so maybe you won't be quite as terrified as I was (so yeah... prepare for a wall of text).

When I got there, I waited in the office with the students that were interviewing before me (I got there pretty early). It was somewhat helpful to talk to them and share your "well, I heard that they ask this..." stories, but it also psychs you out a little. You have to watch them get increasingly nervous as their interview time draws near. Then you have to watch them come out, nearly in tears, doubting everything they did/said. Or there are ones that are super confident and well-spoken, and you'll think, "I have to follow that?!?" It just makes it all the more nerve-racking.

Finally, when my time came, the committee's assistant came to get me (she was also a vet, and she asked questions, but didn't get a say in the scoring). We shook hands, introduced ourselves, and she led me to the interview room. I was introduced to each committee member (there were 3; all of which were male vets). Then I took a seat and the interogation began.

Side note: The seat I was given was a freaking swiveling computer chair of all things! Why on earth would you think it's a good idea to put an incredibly nervous person in a spinning chair for an interview?!?! I know I caught myself swiveling back and forth out of nervousness at least once, but I'm sure I did it more than that. It probably made me look insane. I don't even want to think about how many points that cost me...

Basically, each committee member asked a set of questions (one question right after the other, which helped a bit with the swiveling/eye contact because you didn't have to constantly refocus your attention). The first guy seemed kinda bored/uninterested/awkward (but I can't really blame him.. I'm sure he'd had enough anxiety-ridden students to listen to for the day). The next guy was more enthusiastic and engaging, and the third seemed like he was the most interested in what I was saying. They were all really nice, though, and I never really felt like they were trying to back me into a corner or anything.

So here's a list of the questions I was asked with brief descriptions of what I said, followed by what I should have said.

I see that you’ve been involved with a couple animal welfare groups, and you’ve taken a few animal ethics classes. Tell us about that.

What I said: "I took those classes as a part of an animal related minor because I thought that they would really help to broaded my views/knowledge about issues regarding animals becuase those issues are very important for me to be aware of as a vet."

What I should have said: I think my answer was okay for the most part (even if it did come out in one long, rambley sentence), but I totally forgot to explain anything about the animal welfare groups I was a part of. I should have added something like, "Through the welfare groups I've been involved with, I have fostered dogs/cats, helped/planned fundraisers for local animal shelters/rescue groups, and spread awareness about issues of animal overpopulation."

What are your views regarding animal rights?

What I said: I don't remember exactly. I just remember that is was poorly worded and rambley. I probably blocked it out for a reason. I think I might have rambled about people involved with animal rights, which didn't really answer the question. I ended it with something like, "Although I understand and sympathesize with some of their viewpoints, I tend to lean more towards animal welfarism. Animal rights views are sometimes a little to extreme for me." Ugh.

What I should have said (and I might have said snippets of this, but probably sounded like an idiot): "Animal rights is a movement to end all human exploitation of animals. This includes using animals as food, clothing, research, and entertainment, but there are varying levels of extremism associated with the people involved in animal rights. Although I sympathesize with and understand many of the reasons behind animal rights, and I do support some of the movement's goals, overall I tend to lean more towards animal welfarism, which is more about preventing the mistreatment and suffering of animals." I feel like an answer like this would show them that you know what you are talking about, but that your own personal views are not that extreme (because they if they think you are too extreme, they think it will interfere with you becoming a vet.. for example, you are going to have to do some form of animal research in vet school, and being completely opposed to it means you aren't going to finish school).

What are the ethics regarding python ownership?

What I said: "Well, I have a pet python.. a ball python. I think that as long as snakes are given the proper enclosures, diet, and care, having one as a pet isn't really any different than having another type of pet."

What I should have said (because I completely screwed that one up): I totally did not realize what they wanted from me with this question, and therefore, I gave a completely worthless answer. I think what they were looking for was something along the lines of, "Python ownership, if carried out correctly, does not have to be an issue. Unfortunately, many people do not provide the appropriate care for such large animals, which can be veiwed as very cruel, and some even release these exotic species into environments in which they do not belong, causing huge problems in already established ecosytems, not to mention, the potential death of the snake. There is also the issue of diet for pythons. Feeding live animals to them, for example, can be seen as cruel, as the prey suffers more and injuries to the snake can occur; however, in the wild, the same thing happens, just out of human view. Another issue is the breeding of animals specifically for the purpose of feeding snakes, which can be seen as cruel, but humans do that as well (factory farming, for example)."

You own a snake? How big is it?

What I said: "Yes! He really likes to wrap around people's necks. He's only around 2 years old right now, so he's not quite 2 feet long yet." This was just in response to my butchered answer about the python ethics. They seemed to think it was kinda strange that I liked snakes so much. I don't really think I could have answer it any differently.

You mentioned a lynx declaw in your application. Why was it declawed? How do you view declawing?

What I said: "Yes, the lynx was an animal at the camp I worked at, and because he was going to be around children, his owners thought it would be best to declaw him when he was a kitten to prevent him from seriously injuring anyone. He will never be released into the wild or anything." The next part I really messed up on.. the freaking ethics questions were the ones I practiced most, yet I still stumbled on them... "I think if a cat is declawed when it is young and if the declaw is done properly, there isn't really a huge issue, and I understand why some people would want to do that. But I'm not sure if I would be willing to declaw an older cat."

What I should have said: I think the first part of the response was okay, but the second part... I was being honest, but I should have provided more explanation. For example, "If a cat is declawed properly when they are young and heal faster, I don't think it is a huge issue (assuming that the cat will be kept inside for the rest of its life). Although it is not a medically necessary procedure, I understand why many people wish to have it done to their cats, but unless very good reasons were given, I'm not sure that I would feel comfortable declawing an older cat, as many more complications and issues could arise." I mean, that's probably not the greatest answer either, but it's better than what I said.

What is the California blackworm?

What I said: (This question was based on a research project I did.) "I'm sure I learned more about it when I researched the species, but all I really remember is that it is known for and used for it's regenerative properties." And then I tried to remember more, but failed and looked stupid.

What I should have said: What I said minus the wasting time by trying to pull things I didn't remember out of thin air.

How did you feel about your comparative anatomy class?

What I said: "It was one of my favorite classes. It was definitely challenging, but I learned so much, and I completely loved it."

What I should have said: Basically what I said. I probably could have sucked up more.. especially since one of the interviewers was the anatomy professor at the school, but I didn't want to push it. Especially since I was having issues with wording things correctly..

You grew up on a farm? What kind of farm? What did you help with on the farm?

What I said: "Yes, it is a cattle farm, but we raise other types of animals as well. I have helped with the cattle ever since I was little. My job used to be just opening gates and collecting testicles when we worked cows, but as I've gotten older, I've helped with giving vaccinations, castrations, dehorning, and whatever else needs to be done. We normally don't have a vet come out to help unless we have a specific issue that needs to be dealth with."

What I should have said: I think my answer was okay, but maybe I shouldn't have mentioned the testicles thing...

What are some vaccinations that you give cattle?

What I said: "Um... I don't really know."

What I should have said: The freaking answer: blackleg, respiratory, tetanus, etc. I don't know why I said I didn't know. I do know what vaccinations we give cattle. I guess I was afraid I would say something wrong? I don't know. I'm really angry with myself about this one. Luckily the guy was cool about it. He was like, "So you kinda just give them whatever you're given to give them?" It made me feel a little less ashamed of my pretend ignorance.

You mentioned trichomoniasis on your application. What is that?

What I said: "I had no idea for quite a while, but I asked one of the vets I was working with, and she basically told me that it is a bovine STD."

What I should have said: What I said, but I should have added something about how it causes infertility and miscarriages. 

So you've had a lot of experience with horses?

What I said: "Not exactly. I have a horse, but apart from everyday care and routine health things, I haven't worked with them all that much. We don't use our horses for roping/ranching or anything."

What I should have said: The truth, which was my answer. I didn't want to pretend I knew things that I didn't (which may have prompted further questions on the matter).

What is a Coggins test?

What I said: "It's a blood test done on horses. I know that they have to have it before they travel anywhere (especially out of state or to places where other horses will be), but I'm not exactly sure what it is for. I think it is to test for some type of anemia."

What I should have said: I think my answer was okay for this one. I told him what I knew, and therefore, did not embarrass myself or look like an idiot. I knew I was right about the anemia, but that's all I knew, so I didn't want it to seem like I was super confident about the topic, which might have prompted more questions about it.

What is the most important trait that you think you possess that will help you succeed in vet school?

What I said: "Probably my determination. I know that's a pretty cliche answer, but determination and drive are what you have to have to succeed, especially in such a demanding field. As long as I have this determination, I can continue to work through whatever challenges come my way without even thinking about giving up."

What I should have said: I mean, I kinda wish I would have said something more creative, but it wasn't a horrible answer, I guess.

Name four areas in which you can become involved as a vet.

What I said: Oh god. This one was miserable. I had practiced this, but I didn't really expect to be asked about it, so the answers didn't exactly flow out of my mouth (in other words, there was a lot of "umm"ing). "Private practice, working for the USDA, working at a zoo, and working for the military/in public health."

What I should have said: What I said minus the hesitation and unsurity. I probably should have gotten a little more creative, too, but other answers just weren't coming to me. I almost started naming groups of animals vets could work with and specializations, but I'm glad I didn't because I don't think that's what they were looking for.

If you become a vet, what would you like to be doing in ten years?

What I said: "I would really like to be a mixed practice vet working near my hometown, but there are so many things I am interested in that I'm not entirely sure. I love working with all types of animals (exotics, wildlife, reptiles), so I really want to keep my options open."

What I should have said: "I would really like to be a mixed practice vet working near my hometown." I answered the question, and then I kept going, and it was probably super annoying and rambley. I should have just stopped there.

If you don't get into vet school, what are your plans?

What I said: "I will continue to attend college to finish my degree, and then I will reapply next year." Then I was asked, "What if you never get in?" I said, "I will probably try to find a job as a vet tech."

What I should have said: That. I guess I could have expanded a little bit by saying something like, "This is really the only field I think I would be happy in. If it comes down to it, I'll do what I need to do to support myself and my family, but it's going to take a lot for me to give up on my dreams." Maybe not quite so girly sounding, though.

Who is Sonia Sotomayor? Who is (some other dude whose name I don't remember)?

What I said: "I'm sorry, I honestly do not know."

What I should have said: What I said. Because I didn't know who they were. Apparently Sonia is an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, and I'm guessing the other guy was something related to that. Before we went in, we were warned about this (or a current events) question, but the admission's lady told us not to worry because not knowing won't cause them to count off points. I hope she was right. 

What is the camp that you worked at?

What I said: "It's a science camp for kids that has a variety of really cool activities, but it also has a small zoo that is kind of its main focus. They also have a Jr. Vet program, which is what I was most involved with. The classes are mostly taught by pre-vet students, and the kids are taught how to do some things relating to veterinary medicine (things vet techs would usually do). A vet also comes out once a week to perform surgeries, and the kids get to watch."

What I should have said: First of all, I should have worded things a little better. Then I feel like I should have talked more about the things I did when I worked there. Because I got to do a lot. And I wasn't just involved with the Jr. Vet program. I was running it and coordinating everything with the vet. I was also in charge of the entire zoo part of the camp. And I ran the adoption program. On one hand, adding those things doesn't really do anything to answer the question, but on the other hand, it was a great opportunity to talk myself up a little bit (because that's kinda what you should do in an interview) and make them aware of everything I've done. And I completely missed it.

What interesting species did you work with there?

What I said: "Well, there was the lynx. They also had a lot of primates to kind of teach kids that monkeys are not good pets. One of the most difficult ones to work with was the vervet monkey. He has just reached sexual maturity, so he's a little temperamental."

What I should have said: My answer was okay, I guess, but again, I should have expanded (and I probably should have left out the sexual maturity thing, but they seemed to think it was funny... so maybe it was a good thing?). It would have been a great opportunity to talk about Marmie, the paraplegic monkey I cared for. Because that's not something you hear everyday. I think it might have made me stick out a little more.  

What is one major issue effecting vet students today? How will you deal with it?

What I said: "I'm actually a part of a vet forum on the internet, and it seems like one of the main concerns is debt. It adds up to such a huge amount, that a lot of people have a really hard time paying it off. I think it will definitely be a struggle, and I know that a lot of people find it very discouraging, but this is what I want to do with my life, and you only have one life to live.. I want to spend mine doing what I enjoy."

What I should have said: I think my answer was okay. I probably would take out the part about the forum. I'm honestly not sure why I brought it up. I didn't really answer the second part of the question, so I guess I should have said something about searching for other types of financial aide. I also could have said something about how I have accepted that debt will be a part of my life if I pursue this career, but that isn't going to hold me back.

What is the average student loan debt of graduating vet students? How much do vets usually make starting out?

What I said: "I think it's usually between $150,00 and $250,000 of debt, and I think the average yearly income of a vet starting out used to be around $80,000, but now it is lower (around $50,000, I think.. depending on where you live)."

What I should have said: That. Except the $50,000 is actually closer to $60,000. My bad. 

Name a famous Veterinarian. What did he/she do?

What I said: "I am actually reading a book by a veterinarian right now... James Herriot." (This prompted the question, "Oh really? Which one?) "I'm reading the first one he wrote, 'All Creatures Great and Small'."

What I should have said: That. I'm actually a little impressed that I didn't completely forget about it in my nervousness. That would have been a very easy question to blank out on. (By the way, thanks aunt Cathy for letting me borrow those books! You saved me on this one!)

Is the forum you are on the Student Doctor Network? (This was asked because I mentioned being part of a forum in another question, and apparently the committee goes on this one to read what students say about them.)

What I said: "No, it's actually just a small subgroup of a larger site." I said the site's name, and I wish I hadn't. If any of them know what it is, they might judge me (not that it's a bad site.. it's just known for being biased and super liberal... not the vet subgroup... just the other parts of it). 

What I should have said: "No, but I have heard of that one, too." 

Why should you be chosen for acceptance into vet school?

What I said: "This is what I want to do with my life. I have the determination, and I'm ready to devote my life to this career." Except super flustered/rambley sounding (I probably had other stupidly placed words in there somewhere). I thought I was done, and I was seriously about to get up before this question was asked, so it took me by surprise a little.

What I should have said: Something more elegant and profound. I mean, it's an okay answer, I guess, but super cliche, and that would have been my chance to really win them over. Buuuut I blew it.

Do you have anything that needs to be updated on your application?

What I said: "Yes, I've continued to job shadow, and I've gotten an additional...." (I named off my extra hours in each category.) "I've also started an internship at the zoo with the vet there, I was invited to apply to an honor society (they haven't processed applications yet), and I have begun doing pet therapy with my dog, but he's still in training right now."

What I should have said: I guess that, but I probably gave them more information than necessary. I guess it's better to be safe than sorry.

Do you have any questions for us?

What I said: "I don't think so." I said it far too cheerfully because I was ready to get the hell out of there.

What I should have said: I was sooooooo mad at myself for not asking them anything!! And I had thought about how to respond to this question over and over again, and I had what I thought to be a fairly good question to ask them. But I didn't ask it. After all that time I spent rehearsing it over and over again. I guess I was just so ready to leave that it completely slipped my mind. Anyway, I was going to ask, "Regardless of whether or not I get into vet school this year, what are some things I should do to help better prepare myself for vet school and this career (or re-application)?" Because it's kinda suck-upish, but would also be very helpful to know the answer to.

So there it is. The story of the most horrifying day of my life. It might not sound that bad, but trust me, the amount of stuttering, "um"ing, poor word choices/explanations, and dumb mistakes I made are cringe-worthy. 

And now I have a full month (at least) to brood over all of that before I get my letter of acceptance or rejection. It's going to be a long month.