Alison. 22. RVC 3rd Year, ex G+T.

Sorry I've been neglecting my blog again. It's easy to forget when you're so busy learning.

This term has been full of ups and downs again, as ever. But I've enjoyed my last term of formal veterinary teaching I guess but I absolutely hated exams. So stressful and at times I thought I was losing it - the point where I started dreaming about ethics lectures I knew I needed a break.

Exams were over a prolonged period which made it worse I think. We had four exams in total. Before exams started we had a practice osce which consisted of 26 stations of 5 minutes where we had a task to do at each one. It varied from suturing to lab skills to communication skills. It took about 4 hours to do... Very tiring but it's purpose was to get us used to the format before finals in 2014. We don't find out our feedback until January which will be interesting as some stations were ropey for me.

First exam we had a pre-release of information for a question from the professional studies strand and thankfully for me we got ethics. It was discussing the ethics of corporate practice in relation to the Panorama programme from 2010 on the veterinary industry. I enjoyed this as I love a bit of controversy. It's nice to have an active debate I think. Then we had three unseen questions - one data and two clinical problem solving.
Data was on pig rearing which I sort of was grasping at straws for most of it. Clinical problems was a cat that was screaming hyperthyroidism but with other confusing clinical signs and a horse with forelimb lameness.
After this exam finished we were released further information on the two clinical problem solving questions - we got a blood test and a video of a lameness trot up which was of pretty poor quality.
We then spent the weekend researching this information (and generally over thinking it!) and sat a further exam on the Monday on these questions. In which we all released we were over thinking things - we were convinced there was hindlimb lameness as well as forelimb lameness but in the exam they only wanted us to grade it! Oops!
We then had a week off to revise for the dreaded mcq/emq combination (similar to third year but on the same day this year) as usual they can go either way really!

I felt they went awfully, as usual.
So after they were done I did my best speed packing and drove to my Grandma's to spend the night there before doing the long drive back up north. I also stopped off to see my sister in Sheffield on the way which was surprisingly pleasant.

I was so glad to be home and had two days of relaxing where I got my hair cut finally (gone back to shoulder length) and went Christmas shopping.

By Friday morning I was a nervous wreck for results at 3pm. I swear I nearly fainted as at 3pm I could not get on results, the intranet kept crashing and everyone else was on Facebook updating their statuses with results. Most tense 9 minutes of my life! Anyway thankfully I passed, so I can assume I got lucky again lol. Or I actually know something underneath my thick skull. I don't know my breakdown yet that will be released next week but all I know is its between 50-65%. Which to some may seem a rubbish mark but 50% is hard in vet school and I'm happy with a pass!

So now I'm at home relaxing and getting festive. For the first time in 6 years I'm not working (sadly due to the demise of Comet over recent weeks) so I'm having a good rest and getting ready for rotations.

This time last year I remember thinking it was ages away but it's gone so quick. If rotations go so quick I'll be a vet in no time. Scary.

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