Vet Students: Untucked!
Roving reporting Aiden Wilson goes undercover amongst Vet students to find out what the actual heck they do.
Vet students. The ever-elusive creatures that roam the Palmerston North.
Some say they live only on caffeine and their own tears. Some say that they never sleep, instead choosing to hibernate like bears over study break, storing all their energy so they can study 24/7.
Between us, I think people are telling porkies about the Vet students. BUT I NEEDED TO FIND OUT FOR MYSELF! Reaching out to my anonymous source, who risked their life to get me this information, I found out the answers to questions you all didn’t realise you had…
Due to the highly sensitive nature of this interview, our secret source will go by an alias, and totally not their real name.
Elsa is a fourth year Vet student studying on the Palmy campus. Thanks to my incredible journalistic skills (asking nicely) I was able to obtain the hot goss about her area of study.
So, Elsa, you've been a vet student for quite some time now. What would you say the most difficult aspect of studying vet is?
The grind never stops! Even if you need a break, lectures and labs don’t stop for you, and taking much time off means that you are going to be much busier later down the track. It can be really challenging to stay on top of everything!
What attracted you to study Vet?
I grew up on a small farm and knew I wanted to be a Vet since I was little (very cliche, I know), and as I grew up my interests continued to align with this career path. I really enjoyed science and high school and wanted a challenging and hands on tertiary education which all led me to try out for Vet!
What would you say a typical "day in the life of being a vet student" looks like?
Every day has a lot of variation, but usually you have a couple of hours of lectures and a practical aspect, for example going to LATU (Masseys large animal teaching unit) to work on farm animal skills. In between our face-to-face teaching, you can find most vet students studying in the library consuming unhealthy amounts of caffeine and complaining about Integrative Case Studies or 120-page CAMPST lectures.
If you had to name ONE key thing you adore about your study, what would it be?
Everything I learn is relevant. I love Vet because it is such a practical course. All my lectures, labs and practical’s are teaching me skills I’ll be using every day when I am a qualified Vet! It keeps everything exciting and is a great motivator!
In your opinion, sparing the most gruesome details, what would be the worst animal to transform into?
Horses because they are fundamentally flawed creatures (fight me, horse girls)
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In private I learnt how fundamentally flawed horses are. It’s kinda scary…
There’s a reason why Vet is considered one of the hardest degrees, and unsurprisingly that reason is because it’s one of the hardest degrees. But there’s a reason for that, that reason being these students will be the ones looking after our pets, livestock, beloved companions, and furry friends. Students like Elsa, who have such a passion for the subject and love for animal kind are the reason our cats and dogs will get the loving treatment they need when they’re not feeling the best.
So, Vet students, keep doin what you’re doin.
We see how hard you’re working, and while it might not feel worth it now remember how worth it it’ll feel when you’re saving the life of a family’s furry little guy.
And think about the future fat stacks of cash. That part is a neat bonus too, I guess.