Day 1 and White Coat Ceremony

Should I be reading and preparing for class tomorrow? Yes. Have I chosen to update this blog instead? Yes. Wise choice? If it keeps me sane during my first week, Yes.

Today was a whirlwind, but I think it has been good overall.

This morning at 8am I had Gross Anatomy lab. There are 144 students in my class, 28 cadavers, and 2 hours five days a week in Anatomy lab. The math isn't looking so good. Our instructor divided us up into groups of six, and then into groups of three within the 6 member group. Then she devised this crazy schedule where we rotate through dissection, large animal (live) palpation, small animal (live) palpation, clinical skills (suturing, etc), and lecture. I'm not even sure how it works, but somehow, they have assured us, it does. That being said, I am quite excited for the class. This will be the first semester that comparative anatomy is taught, instead of the alternative... not sure what it would be called, maybe linear? Anyway, we'll be learning everything on the dog first, then immediately after (as in the next day) learning those same structures on large animals. This is supposed to help us retain an overall understanding of the structures we'll need to know for the rest of our lives, or something like that. The other reason why I am excited about this course is because I get to handle live animals from week one! This week I'll start dissecting my groups cadaver dog, then go and find the same structures on a live dog, live horse, and live cow. Cool, no? I'm excited.

The next class I had today was microanatomy and embryology. It is a two hour lecture in a really long skinny lecture hall, with dim lights, and a cool, but super dull instructor. I am ashamed to say, but I actually fell asleep for a couple of minutes during the two hour lecture about stains and microscopes and nuclei and acidophiles and basophiles. It is information that I really need to master though, since so many of my future courses will require a strong foundation I should be forming in this course. High doses of caffeine for Laura anyone?? Any other ideas from the masses??

Then lunch break, then nutrition class. This is going to be a crazy roller coaster of a class, I can tell already. The instructor started the lecture by making a bunch of funny noises then kicking his foot against the wall. He then explained that this was the noise of a dog being hit by a car, then being drug under the car for a short distance. There was laughter from some, horror on the faces of others. He used this scenario to explain how everything we were learning this semester connects together to map out the processes occurring in this dogs body as it is hit by the car, and as it attempts to recover afterward. Believe it or not, what I learn in nutrition will help me understand what treatments would be beneficial to this dog. Pretty cool, right? The instructor also kept pushing a chair off of a table, and then himself onto the floor from time to time in order to demonstrate his point. He is unique, and it will be hard to fall asleep in his course, no doubt about that.

Normally I would have physiology after Nutrition, but we were excused due to the white coat ceremony which would start in a couple of hours.

For those who are not familiar with the white coat ceremony, it is where a white lab coat is presented to the students as a symbol for the role they are about to take in the veterinary world. We were asked to honor our profession and upkeep the morals and values our predecessors had set for us. We also took a student version of the oath vets take at graduation. The university felt that this was a necessity if students are to be caring for patients, lab animals, etc during their studies. A very distinguished graduate of Ross came to talk to us today before the ceremony. He is a vet in New York and has about a zillion awards, honors, etc. He graduated in 1987, his class size was 13, and Ross only had 4 buildings. In fact, when he started at Ross, it was located at the med school on Dominica, and not until his 2nd or 3rd year did Ross have their own campus on St. Kitts. It was great to get a little perspective on the school here and to appreciate the facilities available to us now.

Well.. that was not short like I had hoped it would be. Enjoy the pictures! More to come of the white coat ceremony just as soon as I can steal some from friends. My camera is quite unreliable these days, only about half the pictures I take even come out looking like normal pictures. Sigh.. I'll be home in a few months to replace it though.

Pictures!

After the ceremony, in the courtyard where we can eat lunch. Notice the ocean view?? Yeah, that's right. :)

Self explanatory, I hope.

The M.C. for the night, he is French Canadian, so it was fun to listen to him.

(From left to right) Allison, Molly, Jess, Me, and Jaya

My little ant infested room...

At least it is air conditioned!

Schnazzy, don't you think?

Thanks for reading everyone! It has been very comforting to hear everyone is enjoying my story thus far.