Three biggest challenges of being a senior vet student

1. Knowing when to say “no” and when to embrace opportunity. There are many activities to get involved in from special interest clubs, officer positions, research, intramural leagues, and it is important to be able to prioritize. At times school can feel like a full time job and it is important to get involved, but say no if an opportunity seems only somewhat interesting. As a senior veterinary student, delegation is extremely important, and you will need to scale back your extracurriculars in order to focus on clinics - not to mention studying for NAVLE. It is still possible to have a life, but it is much easier if you give yourself a break.

2. Adulting: Finding time to take care of all the responsibilities outside of school like getting an oil change or getting a medical check-up. These infrequent, small tasks become much more challenging as a senior veterinary student. My advice on how to manage is to plan ahead for when you have nighttime rotations and schedule all your 9-5 appointments during the afternoon. Unforeseen circumstances will occur, and veterinary students need to feel comfortable asking faculty to leave early or take a lunch.

3. Relationships: Staying in touch with friends and family was always a bit of a challenge, but this is amplified senior year of veterinary school. This is especially difficult if you live thousands of miles from home and people in your life don’t quite understand the rigid, demanding schedule of a senior veterinary student. Be patient, and come up with strategies to manage your relationships whether that is scheduling a phone call or setting expectations that you may not text someone back right away. Make time for those close to you, because it is refreshing to talk about something other than veterinary school.