My Veterinary Journey

 Hi!

So a little about myself before getting into everything...

My name is Elizabeth and I am born and raised in NJ.  I grew up in the state and didn't make it super far for undergrad where I ended up in PA at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia (just down the street from UPenn).  I initially entered undergrad as a Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) major which I find extremely interesting, but I realized my true calling was in fact veterinary medicine.  I ended up switching majors to Biology in my junior year of college.  During breaks, I spent time volunteering and working with animals to gain experience.  I spent some time my junior year working at the Philadelphia Zoo as an intern and then during the Fall of my senior year working part-time at a veterinary clinic outside of the city.  I graduated in Fall 2019 (a semester early!) with a B.S. in Biology.  

From there, I spent the spring semester and summer leading up to veterinary school working in a hospital as a veterinary assistant.  It was such a wonderful and rewarding experience and I would not have given it up for anything.  Now, come Fall 2020 and I have made my way a little further from NJ to West Lafayette, IN's Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine.

So....

I am a first-year veterinary student at Purdue University.  There was so much to learn and I thought why not document my time going forward?  It has been an amazing experience and couldn't keep it all to myself.  

I have just began my second semester and it is better than I could even imagine.  Granted, I am really stressed already having been in class almost a month (goodness!).  We have been lucky enough to be in person in class amidst the global pandemic currently happening.  Myself and my classmates are very grateful for it.  It has definitely been nice and has benefited my education and learning.

This semester I am taking the basics: comparative anatomy, physiology, histology.  But then again, some different classes from last semester including neuroscience, immunology, and nutrition.  Plus, classes that Purdue has us take to better our understanding and prepare us clinically as doctors which include Veterinary Skills and Competencies (VSAC) and Applications & Integrations (A & I) (I'll definitely discuss these more in future posts because they are two of my favorite classes!)

The class load is heavier than last semester and I can already tell this semester will be a lot more difficult.  I love what I am learning though and it seems as if nothing is ever truly a burden. I know the information I am learning now is and will be important for the rest of my time in school as well as my career.

So, I look forward to future posts and more about how I got where I am and my veterinary journey! :)