First Days of Mentorship

I have only been able to go to the Veterinary clinic a couple times since school started. During my time there I was able to talk to the staff about animals that had recently come in and what their conditions were. I observed as they gave a few week old kitten an X-Ray in order to find out what was wrong with his stomach. Luckily, there wasn't any serious problems with the kitten and he was able to go home that day. I was also able to help the staff count out pills and clean surgical instruments. It is great to be in the clinic environment and able observe the different animals that come in. While I haven't done much at my mentorship so far, I plan to go there two to three times a week and gain more knowledge and insight.

Sign at front of clinic

Blog 4: Interview Preparation

1. Who do you plan to interview? Why?

I plan on interviewing my mentor, Dr. Gene Metzger, first. I want to interview him first because I feel that the information he will give me will be a good foundation for the rest of my research. 

2. You have to ask 5 questions.  What additional questions do you plan to ask? 

How long have you been a veterinarian?

What caused you to choose this career path?

Have you always wanted to become a veterinarian? Why? If not, what did you want to be?

I’ve heard this is a competitive field, what types of obstacles did you encounter when studying to become a vet?

Blog 3: Topic Choice and Working EQ

1. Veterinary Medicine

2. What does the job of a veterinarian entail?

Blog 2: Summer Mentorship Component

Literal:

1. Google Doc

2. What is the contact name & number of where you volunteered?
  - Country Animal Clinic (909)-627-3561

3. What questions were raised because of the 10 hours of experience?  List them.
    - How can I incorporate this into an activity for my senior presentation?
    - What can I draw from this experience and present to the class?
    - What are the differences between a veterinarian and a veterinary technician?

Interpretive:

4. What is the most important thing you gained from this experience? Why?

During this experience, I gained respect for what veterinarians and veterinary technicians do for these animals. This is what I gained  the most because I witnessed what they do and the skill and knowledge it takes to perform this job. They are on their feet for eight or more hours a day and constantly on the move. I experienced how tiring and draining, both mentally and physically, this job can be. They not only have to deal with the animals, but also their owners. They all have to work together and communicate well, not only with each other but also with the customers, in order to have a successful business.

Applied:

5. What is your senior project topic going to be?  How did what you did help you choose a topic?  Please explain.

 I am going to stick to veterinary medicine as my senior topic. Mentoring at the veterinary clinic helped me further understand what veterinarians do and what goes on inside the clinic. This experience sparked my interest in veterinary medicine even more and allowed me to come to the realization that I want to pursue this as a career.