Three years of vet school are no small thing — the material, the cost, the identity you build around it. I attended SGU for three years. In the final year and a half, I developed serious back problems while living in a country where only pain medication was available. Without an elevator, I had to climb four flights of stairs to all of my exams. During my last semester, I faced eight finals. Despite submitting medical documentation, I received two D's and was forced to withdraw, just one week before I was supposed to move on to my clinical year at LSU. I had three externships arranged at SeaWorld, Denver Zoo, and the Audubon Institute in New Orleans. My appeal was denied with the same efficiency they'd shown in taking my tuition. I was devastated and heartbroken.
Pulling myself back up from that experience has been one of the hardest things I've done, especially given the cost and sacrifice I made during those three years. Still, the journey didn't end there.
What you said about tying self-worth to grades hit close to home. That number on a screen can start to feel like the whole story when you're in it. I eventually found my footing again through fisheries science at UF and started AquaJourney partly to share what it looks like to rebuild after a path you loved closes on you. Wishing you well in clinics — the NAVLE is just the next step in a journey that's clearly meant something real to you. You got this! Thank you for sharing your story!
Oh Jen! Thank you for being vulnerable and sharing your story. I'm so glad that you are pressing on, even when life tried to push you down. It's inspiring to see, and I wish you the best on your journey!
Some weeks the gym was happening and the laundry was not. Some weeks I was on top of studying and completely off cooking. I was never on top of everything at once and eventually I stopped expecting to be.
Looking around at classmates doing the sports and the social life and somehow still passing everything, I had no idea how they were managing it. I felt an immense amount of pressure to do more but I physically couldn’t (naps were always a priority for me).
What I can tell you is that clinics hit differently. The demands get louder and the margin gets smaller. Making the goals smaller helped. A one hour gym session became a 20 min coffee walk outside with a friend. Still moving, still outside and being with someone who could relate. Habit stacking helped as well because the idea of adding anything new to the list was exhausting, but tagging something small onto something already happening was manageable.
Keep one thing a week that is yours and is non-negotiable. Vet school will take everything you give it. Be gentle to yourself during this season. You are so close to the end now and have accomplished so much already.
I think this is really insightful - the fact that one cannot be on top of everything at once, and that this may change day-to-day or week-to-week.
For me personally, it meant that I didn't do any vet work once I left the clinic after a long day. If I was already there for 10+ hours, the remaining time I had before bedtime was for me - no reading up on cases, studying, etc. Keeping a high level of fitness and sleeping were priorities. Doing the dishes was not (I bought paper plates).
I went into clinics with the mindset that I refused to significantly compromise my health and well-being. Students talked about how they didn't have a chance to eat all day. That wasn't okay with me. I purchased protein bars and had them readily accessible to me. If I had to run a sample down to the clinical pathology laboratory and return immediately to the hospital, I was able to simultaneously eat one of those protein bars while walking. No living off of corn chips from the vending machine for me.
I think one can still keep a healthy-enough lifestyle during clinics, but it just takes planning and intentionality. The habit stacking you mention is definitely one example of a small thing that can make a big difference.
Thank you for this tip too Dr. James! I’ve been trying to manage things day to day like you said, since being in vet med means things are never the same everyday. But, also like you said, it takes intentionality to keep a healthy lifestyle, and I think this is the key. We can complain about how there’s no time to do everything (which is true), but we also have the power to pick what to prioritize that day or that week.
I am just curious - what kind of messaging did professors and 4th year students provide to you earlier on, regarding work and life balance?
When I went to vet school 20+ years ago, the message was one of "just wait until you get onto clinics." I ran NCAA D1 track in undergrad and kept up my competitive running during vet school. But, so many people told me "Yeah, that'll have to go once your on clinics." It was an attitude that clinics meant the end of one's autonomy and things that mattered to them.
I refused to fall into that mentality, and made a conscious decision to stay in shape, despite the long days. It wasn't easy, but I did it... But that conscious decision to not let it get the best of me is probably one of the reasons I chose not to continue on to a typical veterinary career pathway.
But I fear the bigger thing is that the mindset of "clinics will stop you from being healthy" then carries into the next stage of one's career - especially if it is internship and residency.
Anyway, I'd like to think the culture has changed in the 20+ years since I walked the halls of the small and large animal clinics, but would be curious to hear your and other's experiences as vet students.
Hello, thank you for your detailed and thoughtful response! I think that, at least in school, profs are aware of the rising mental health issues in vet med. Wellbeing education (we call it "Art of Vet Med") is built into all 4 years of vet school in Ontario. Although sometimes we dread the course's activities (because why would a struggling student want to spend 2 hours on a reflection when they could be cramming for the next pharm test?), I think it teaches a helpful habit of stopping the grind to ask what will sustain you in the long run.
Now, I'm less sure what it looks like beyond vet school. I've heard internship means 60-80 hours a week and a rough work-life balance, but I think it's also in our power to choose what to make of it. I have a friend who would happily do five more years of school to become a boarded surgeon. I know an intern who still climbs, runs, and goes to the gym after her 8-9 hour days. Personally I can't imagine myself doing that, but I keep up with other things, like writing, or music (I was in a musical in my first year of vet school), or cooking. I think it takes a strong self-awareness and internal compass to figure out what balance actually looks like for you, and I think you're a great example of that (and my friend Chang, haha).
Yeah, the idea of teaching coursework on life-balance, which then requires assignments that compete with other more intense coursework, is a bit silly. One of my colleagues at a prestigious R1 university (which had very competitive tenure and promotion guidelines) told me that faculty had mandatory work-life balance workshops they had to go to... Many stoppy by the workshop, signed in (so their attendence was recorded), and then quickly left to get back to their laboratory to continue working on what the university actually rewarded them for - high impact research.
It's easy for institutions and programs to talk about the importance of work-life balance, but it's much harder to create a culture which allows people to actually achieve it.
2. One of the vets that I shadowed in undergrad told me that she had plenty of time to stay active in vet school and said "but, I wasn't a good student." I didn't know exactly what she meant - how can one NOT be a good student?
But, like you mention, many of those in vet school were straight-A students in undergrad, and then vet school happens, and A's can become a thing of the past. It's not necessarily grade inflation, it's just a different level.
I got a "C" in my Block 1 anatomy. And then I "got it" what it meant to not be a good student. I was learning stuff and spending an immense amount of time studying, but I was also living life. I ran and socialized and slept sufficiently. And perhaps if I didn't do that, and invested the time studying instead, maybe I would have gotten a B. But, was that worth social isolation, giving up my personal interests, and being less physically and emotionally healthy? Probably not.
We had two siblings in my class who couldn't bear not getting A+'s. And they put an extreme amount of effort in, and my understanding is that they achieved those grades. One dropped out in the second semester, and the other made it to the beginning of second year before dropping out. The stress of keeping those high standards was too much for them to stay in the program.
I managed to get getter grades in future semesters (nailing an "A" in physiology units), but I don't think it was effort / sacrifice dependent, but moreso aptitude for the material, previous background in it, and general interest... But, I just had to accept my own responsibility in the process - I had to learn that it was okay not to get an A.
One of my classmates had a mantra - if he was getting C+ grades, it meant he was spending too much time studying (i.e., he could afford to study less, and get a C). That was too extreme for my philosophy, but it worked for him. And he got his DVM, just like the rest of us. And then a PhD after that. And, he is in practice and getting great reviews from his clients.
And, I think that's the big hurdle that vet students need to get through. There may be some students who can have it all, get A's and also live life to the fullest. For others, it becomes a choice: get A's or live life. If one falls into the latter category, then it does become a choice, and one must figure out the balance and where their line is. And, that balance does have implications if one wants to pursue internships, residencies, etc... and my understanding is that life doesn't become any more balanced during those times - so, choices about work-life balance become bigger than "what am I personally sacrificing to succeed this semester" and more into "what am I personally sacrificing for the next five years, and beyond?"
Three years of vet school are no small thing — the material, the cost, the identity you build around it. I attended SGU for three years. In the final year and a half, I developed serious back problems while living in a country where only pain medication was available. Without an elevator, I had to climb four flights of stairs to all of my exams. During my last semester, I faced eight finals. Despite submitting medical documentation, I received two D's and was forced to withdraw, just one week before I was supposed to move on to my clinical year at LSU. I had three externships arranged at SeaWorld, Denver Zoo, and the Audubon Institute in New Orleans. My appeal was denied with the same efficiency they'd shown in taking my tuition. I was devastated and heartbroken.
Pulling myself back up from that experience has been one of the hardest things I've done, especially given the cost and sacrifice I made during those three years. Still, the journey didn't end there.
What you said about tying self-worth to grades hit close to home. That number on a screen can start to feel like the whole story when you're in it. I eventually found my footing again through fisheries science at UF and started AquaJourney partly to share what it looks like to rebuild after a path you loved closes on you. Wishing you well in clinics — the NAVLE is just the next step in a journey that's clearly meant something real to you. You got this! Thank you for sharing your story!
Oh Jen! Thank you for being vulnerable and sharing your story. I'm so glad that you are pressing on, even when life tried to push you down. It's inspiring to see, and I wish you the best on your journey!
Sue, this brought me straight back to OVC.
Some weeks the gym was happening and the laundry was not. Some weeks I was on top of studying and completely off cooking. I was never on top of everything at once and eventually I stopped expecting to be.
Looking around at classmates doing the sports and the social life and somehow still passing everything, I had no idea how they were managing it. I felt an immense amount of pressure to do more but I physically couldn’t (naps were always a priority for me).
What I can tell you is that clinics hit differently. The demands get louder and the margin gets smaller. Making the goals smaller helped. A one hour gym session became a 20 min coffee walk outside with a friend. Still moving, still outside and being with someone who could relate. Habit stacking helped as well because the idea of adding anything new to the list was exhausting, but tagging something small onto something already happening was manageable.
Keep one thing a week that is yours and is non-negotiable. Vet school will take everything you give it. Be gentle to yourself during this season. You are so close to the end now and have accomplished so much already.
I think this is really insightful - the fact that one cannot be on top of everything at once, and that this may change day-to-day or week-to-week.
For me personally, it meant that I didn't do any vet work once I left the clinic after a long day. If I was already there for 10+ hours, the remaining time I had before bedtime was for me - no reading up on cases, studying, etc. Keeping a high level of fitness and sleeping were priorities. Doing the dishes was not (I bought paper plates).
I went into clinics with the mindset that I refused to significantly compromise my health and well-being. Students talked about how they didn't have a chance to eat all day. That wasn't okay with me. I purchased protein bars and had them readily accessible to me. If I had to run a sample down to the clinical pathology laboratory and return immediately to the hospital, I was able to simultaneously eat one of those protein bars while walking. No living off of corn chips from the vending machine for me.
I think one can still keep a healthy-enough lifestyle during clinics, but it just takes planning and intentionality. The habit stacking you mention is definitely one example of a small thing that can make a big difference.
Thank you for this tip too Dr. James! I’ve been trying to manage things day to day like you said, since being in vet med means things are never the same everyday. But, also like you said, it takes intentionality to keep a healthy lifestyle, and I think this is the key. We can complain about how there’s no time to do everything (which is true), but we also have the power to pick what to prioritize that day or that week.
Thank you for the encouragement and helpful insight Dr. Mel! Making goals smaller and more attainable, that’s a great idea.
Beautiful reflection!
thanks mom 💗
#relatable
#itiswhatitis
#youaremyrockstar
🌝🌝🌝
Great read about life in vet school.
I am just curious - what kind of messaging did professors and 4th year students provide to you earlier on, regarding work and life balance?
When I went to vet school 20+ years ago, the message was one of "just wait until you get onto clinics." I ran NCAA D1 track in undergrad and kept up my competitive running during vet school. But, so many people told me "Yeah, that'll have to go once your on clinics." It was an attitude that clinics meant the end of one's autonomy and things that mattered to them.
I refused to fall into that mentality, and made a conscious decision to stay in shape, despite the long days. It wasn't easy, but I did it... But that conscious decision to not let it get the best of me is probably one of the reasons I chose not to continue on to a typical veterinary career pathway.
But I fear the bigger thing is that the mindset of "clinics will stop you from being healthy" then carries into the next stage of one's career - especially if it is internship and residency.
Anyway, I'd like to think the culture has changed in the 20+ years since I walked the halls of the small and large animal clinics, but would be curious to hear your and other's experiences as vet students.
Hello, thank you for your detailed and thoughtful response! I think that, at least in school, profs are aware of the rising mental health issues in vet med. Wellbeing education (we call it "Art of Vet Med") is built into all 4 years of vet school in Ontario. Although sometimes we dread the course's activities (because why would a struggling student want to spend 2 hours on a reflection when they could be cramming for the next pharm test?), I think it teaches a helpful habit of stopping the grind to ask what will sustain you in the long run.
Now, I'm less sure what it looks like beyond vet school. I've heard internship means 60-80 hours a week and a rough work-life balance, but I think it's also in our power to choose what to make of it. I have a friend who would happily do five more years of school to become a boarded surgeon. I know an intern who still climbs, runs, and goes to the gym after her 8-9 hour days. Personally I can't imagine myself doing that, but I keep up with other things, like writing, or music (I was in a musical in my first year of vet school), or cooking. I think it takes a strong self-awareness and internal compass to figure out what balance actually looks like for you, and I think you're a great example of that (and my friend Chang, haha).
Yeah, the idea of teaching coursework on life-balance, which then requires assignments that compete with other more intense coursework, is a bit silly. One of my colleagues at a prestigious R1 university (which had very competitive tenure and promotion guidelines) told me that faculty had mandatory work-life balance workshops they had to go to... Many stoppy by the workshop, signed in (so their attendence was recorded), and then quickly left to get back to their laboratory to continue working on what the university actually rewarded them for - high impact research.
It's easy for institutions and programs to talk about the importance of work-life balance, but it's much harder to create a culture which allows people to actually achieve it.
Nice post.
A few thoughts:
1. The OTS shirt in the photo leaped out at me :)
2. One of the vets that I shadowed in undergrad told me that she had plenty of time to stay active in vet school and said "but, I wasn't a good student." I didn't know exactly what she meant - how can one NOT be a good student?
But, like you mention, many of those in vet school were straight-A students in undergrad, and then vet school happens, and A's can become a thing of the past. It's not necessarily grade inflation, it's just a different level.
I got a "C" in my Block 1 anatomy. And then I "got it" what it meant to not be a good student. I was learning stuff and spending an immense amount of time studying, but I was also living life. I ran and socialized and slept sufficiently. And perhaps if I didn't do that, and invested the time studying instead, maybe I would have gotten a B. But, was that worth social isolation, giving up my personal interests, and being less physically and emotionally healthy? Probably not.
We had two siblings in my class who couldn't bear not getting A+'s. And they put an extreme amount of effort in, and my understanding is that they achieved those grades. One dropped out in the second semester, and the other made it to the beginning of second year before dropping out. The stress of keeping those high standards was too much for them to stay in the program.
I managed to get getter grades in future semesters (nailing an "A" in physiology units), but I don't think it was effort / sacrifice dependent, but moreso aptitude for the material, previous background in it, and general interest... But, I just had to accept my own responsibility in the process - I had to learn that it was okay not to get an A.
One of my classmates had a mantra - if he was getting C+ grades, it meant he was spending too much time studying (i.e., he could afford to study less, and get a C). That was too extreme for my philosophy, but it worked for him. And he got his DVM, just like the rest of us. And then a PhD after that. And, he is in practice and getting great reviews from his clients.
And, I think that's the big hurdle that vet students need to get through. There may be some students who can have it all, get A's and also live life to the fullest. For others, it becomes a choice: get A's or live life. If one falls into the latter category, then it does become a choice, and one must figure out the balance and where their line is. And, that balance does have implications if one wants to pursue internships, residencies, etc... and my understanding is that life doesn't become any more balanced during those times - so, choices about work-life balance become bigger than "what am I personally sacrificing to succeed this semester" and more into "what am I personally sacrificing for the next five years, and beyond?"