Saturday, March 20, 2010

SA Internal Medicine (or IMED, as I call it)

Let's talk about this.  This rotation is the only 4 week rotation.  This is also traditionally a rotation which is light on the sleeping.  I'm not sure how often we'll be able to have these little chats. 

What we do in internal medicine - we take care of those sick dogs and cats who do not need surgery or have a diagnosed cancer or need care from our intensive care unit.  Everything from testing for diabetes and other endocrine problems and canine influenza (kept in isolation) to giving blood transfusions will be on the table.  This is a big hunk of small animal veterinary medicine.  In smaller practices, neurology is also encompassed in this area of practice, but being VHUP, we have a separate neurology department.  However, the practice is generally pretty broad and also includes scoping (what you human folks would consider a Gasteroenterology department), analysis of radiographs (what the rest of the world calls x-rays), ultrasounds, CT scans, and MRIs under the guidance of our radiologists, and lots and lots of blood and body fluid analysis.

On all rotations I will be responsible for writing up daily SOAPs for my patients.  The SOAP defines the Subjective, Objective, Assessment, and Plan for each patient each day.  These are extensive and define all the differential diagnoses (potential causes of each medical sign) for the patient.  They will change from day to day depending on how the patient is doing.  They're difficult to learn to write and - due to their extensive nature - tend to take a while.  I will have to have the SOAP for my patients done by 7am (and their AM treatments).  Each day I will have medical rounds, in which we discuss relevant medical topics and our patients.  I will also treat patients.  Some days I will be responsible for seeing appointments, and this depends which clinician I am working under.  These appointments often become inpatients who I will treat for the duration of their stay.  We also pick up patients from the Emergency Service each morning, and I may get new patients there as well.   

So that gives you a sense of what I'm doing. 

LlamaLland - The Twirling Dance

Welcome to the VetMouth



May 10, 2010 until May 16, 2011 I will be a 4th Year veterinary student.
It is a treacherous year.
I expect to experience panic, sleep deprivation, the joy of hunches, and massive unpreparedness as I get ready for professional practice.

I hope this blog lets you experience my last of veterinary school with me!


Academic Feats

  • 19 different clinical rotations ranging from "Special Species" to "Large Animal Emergency and Critical Care"
                  4 at New Bolton Center in Kennett Square, PA  (I'll be "living" in Kennett         
                                                                                                        Square for 8 weeks)
                 15 at The Matthew J. Ryan Veterinary Hospital, in West Philadelphia

  • 1 Clinical Externship at large practice in Newark, Delaware (there will be job searching)
  • 1 Trip to Corvallis, Oregon to take a class in Camelid Medicine
  • 1 Trip to Dubois, Idaho to work at the USDA Sheep Station facility

Extracurricular Feats
  • Take the National Veterinary Board in November/December
                  *** hopefully, I'll also pass
  • Welcome my first niece/nephew in late August
                   *** B'sha tova! In a good time!
  • Get my first job as a veterinarian
                   *** hopefully a good job
  • Find a brand new place to live, probably in a new city
                   *** hopefully near the new job
  • And find a dog to come live with me
                   *** intended to live in the new home


See you at graduation - May 16, 2011!