First off, let's not beat around the bush. The biggest news is that I found out about a month ago (is that all it's been?!) that I received a transfer position that opened up at the Oregon State University College of Veterinary Medicine in Corvallis, Oregon. I had applied last July when mum got sick, with very little hope that I'd ever hear anything (transfer positions are RARE in veterinary programs!). After a year and a half at Murdoch University in Australia, I had more or less settled in with the help of my incredible friends and support system in Perth. Still, there have been family issues at home that made it very hard for me to be so far away, and this past year especially had been a real challenge.
Fast forward to last month. I was invited to apply for an open transfer position, and after sending in all of the pertinent information and then waiting with bated breath, I got it! I couldn't believe it, it just seemed so surreal. The idea of making another big move to another vet school (in another country!) no less was daunting, but there was really no other choice in my mind. To me, the universe was telling me that I had the opportunity to be closer to my family again, and I took it. What followed has been a frantic month of preparations for the move, with me returning as planned to Perth after my three weeks of "winter" break in Vancouver. I spent about two and a half weeks in Perth cleaning the house, packing, organizing flights, and saying very difficult goodbyes to my close friends in Australia.
I arrived back in Vancouver first, followed by Chester on his own (complete with a lot of anxious hand-wringing by Iain and I). Iain arrives in early September, at which point we'll head down to Oregon to find a place to live, come back to BC for some camping and goodbyes, then pack our things and actually make the move to Oregon. School starts in late September, but I have a graduate student orientation the week before, and a veterinary student orientation the following day. That will be good- I should have at least a week down there to settle in, relax a bit, buy my books, and start to find my way around Corvallis. It shouldn't be hard- by all accounts, it's a quaint little university town of 50,000 or so. I will be starting 2nd year again at OSU, even though I was half way through 2nd year already at Murdoch. Still, because OSU is a 4 year program and Murdoch is 5 years, I will actually graduate half a year earlier at Oregon State. That will be nice!
My schedule for this coming semester is pretty intense, but looks awesome! I'm taking Parasitology, Pharmacology, Pathology, Virology, Mycology, and Bacteriology. In a nutshell, most of the "ologies". I've also got some amazing plans ahead for my summer breaks, which now mesh much better with some of the opportunities for vet students here in North America that I have been eager to pursue. Speaking of amazing opportunities, I just returned from a 4-day trip to the community of Ahousaht, on Flores Island in Clayoquot Sound. I went with the Canadian Animal Assistance Team, and it was my 7th project with this most favorite charity of mine! We had the most amazing team- two vets, along with 4 technologists, and a bevy of assistants. Every single member of the team was hard-working, dedicated, passionate, and tireless, which was fortunate as we ended up working very, very long days. I got to bed after midnight each night that we worked.
We arrived on Flores Island on Thursday afternoon, after a long day of packing, picking up our supplies, and travel. The west coast of Vancouver Island boasts some of the most stunning landscape one will ever see, and for me, it was the first time I'd been in a couple of years. Driving through the Pacific Rim National Park, I could feel that familiar release of stress and tension that signifies my return to nature at its wildest. I love the town of Tofino, but didn't see a lot of it- we headed straight for the docks and unloaded our pick up truck filled with medical supplies, dog and cat crates, and personal gear. After the boat ride, we unloaded at the rickety dock in Ahousaht and got settled in our living quarters. After, we unpacked our supplies and set up in the community hall where the clinic was to take place. We were joined on our walk through the village by countless community dogs, many of which were females visibly in heat, and their (many, many) suitors. Not for long, if we had any say in the matter!
To make a long story short, our team managed to spay and neuter more than 70 dogs and cats in the community. In addition, we vaccinated, provided parasite control, treated lacerations and abscesses, and cleaned up some rotten mouths. On a personal note, I got heaps of opportunities to practice IV catheter placement, intubation, line blocks, and anesthesia monitoring. I still find monitoring mature or pediatric spays quite stressful, but it takes a lot of practice! With injectable anesthetic protocols, it's not simply a case of standing there with your fancy iso machine and adjusting the dials as needed. As one of the vets put it, it's an art and a science- you have to rely on your eyes, your ears, and your stethoscope. I was so grateful for the help and patience of our incredible vets and techs who were always willing and eager to share their vast knowledge and experience with this newbie vet student. :)
I felt proud of some moments on this trip. They included correctly identifying a dog whose bradycardia (even prior to her premedication) made her unsuitable for surgery under our conditions, as confirmed by one of the vets. I intubated all sizes of animals from large dogs to kittens, and felt like my line blocks were well-placed (as evidenced by not needing to top up my patients' anesthetic during crucial moments). This year in school, I will be taking surgery, anesthesia, and medicine. I feel like when I do, things will start to fall in place even more! I have so much gratitude for CAAT and my experiences with them for allowing me to develop and hone my passions for field medicine, public health, and working with people and animals in underserved communities. We felt very welcomed by the community of Ahousaht. Lovely people and lovely animals!
I'd better wrap it up here. Thank you for joining me on my new adventures in my vet med education- I'll can't promise I'll try to be better about blogging, but I'll try to try! Also, in an effort to make this *not* the most boring blog that ever was, I will even make some sort of effort to post pictures. You're welcome! ;-)
