Five tips to stay motivated during vet school

Vet school can be one of the most stressful and also amazing times in your life. There are challenges and victories scattered along the way. Here are a few tips I use to stay motivated through each semester.

You are studying to save lives

This didn’t hit me until I felt my first wave of exam fatigue during midterms of first year. You get so caught up in the whirlwind that is veterinary school and it can be easy sometimes to forget why you’ve taken this road when you’re three exams deep and have four more left all in the span of eight days.

Always remember this - you study now, to save lives later. Quite literally you may be the one person standing between life and death for your patients. Study smart and study well for your benefit and for the future benefit of all the animals that will be lucky enough to have you on their side when they are not well.

Making mistakes are okay

School is the time to mess up! It is okay and it is expected of you to not know everything right away, so ask questions! You can learn a lot from a failure, and your faculty and colleagues are always there to help you. Be easy on yourself, perfection is not reality, and don’t be afraid of mistakes, everybody makes them!

Obtain a growth mindset

Too often I hear colleagues, and even catch myself, saying ‘oh I’m not good at that’. Since you are what you repeatedly do, use that to boost your capabilities by saying ‘I’m not good at that - yet’. This allows you to acknowledge an area where you may lack confidence, but can also showcase that you are aware of it and working to improve your skills.

Give yourself breaks

You will work so hard to become the best doctor you can be, but nothing happens overnight. It is easy to over work yourself and become fatigued. Remember that medicine is a skill that must be learned and repeated many times to become proficient. It is okay, and necessary to take breaks in your studies. Taking small breaks will leave you feeling a renewed and ready to take on more information than if there are no breaks.

You are a human first

Don’t forget that you are a human being with feelings, needs and interests outside of veterinary school! Try to do one thing everyday that brings you happiness with no connection to school. It could be working out, a Duolingo language session, Face Timing family, or walking your dog. Whatever it is, enjoy the opportunity to be happy, and go slay your dream career.