So I've come to the conclusion some professors just really don't like to teach. They show no real interest in making sure the future generations of veterinarians know exactly what they're doing. They get up in front of the class & just read the information they have noted in a lackluster manner. I mean I know they have other things with the CVM that they do as well as a life outside of work but we are paying big bucks for them to teach us the info we need to become not adequate but rather GOOD veterinarians. When we have questions that need to be answered, the professors should answer them gladly...and also be impressed that we're asking questions to begin with, so that we may actually understand the info & not just memorize it!
On the other hand, there are some excellent professors that will do anything possible to help one understand whatever is troubling them & they do it with a smile! It just doesn't have to be about the class they teach either; it could be as complex as how am I going to make it through vet school. They also stop you in the hallway & see how you're doing or even just smile as you walk by them in the hall instead of "looking beyond you." Some even give enough respect to consider vet students as colleagues. Those are the professors that will make the difference!

So today was basically "all neurology, all the time." A few things happened in today's lectures that, well, got me a tad upset.

• A comment was made in regards to the cost on brain surgery for a cat that went like this: really, that much...for a cat!? I was very upset by this because I've spent~ $4,000 to save my 8 year old DMH orange tabby from the likes of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) with secondary hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver). I also just paid ~$1,200 to correct one of my other cats subluxated jaw (+ a dental prophylaxis). After talking to the person that made the comment it was clarified by the comment maker that the reason the statement was made was because the cat was quite geriatric. This made the response a little more feasible to me. A question: how do we expect to convince owners to fix their pets for exuberant amounts of money if we ourselves wouldn't be willing to do so now for our own pets (with the lack of income we have as vet students)?
• We watched quite a few clinical cases today regarding neuro diseases in cats & dogs. Several of my classmates laughed @ one in which a cat was having a VERY BAD seizure. It was thrashing convulsively on the floor, urinating, & salivating. Yes, you may not be a cat person but what reason would one have to laugh @ such a site...especially a future veterinarian?! You may not be planning on becoming a small animal veterinarian but still, respect for the other species is warranted.

Yay! The Illini Men's basketball team beat Wisconsin up in Wisconsin. This extended the Illini to 20-0 & still #1. Wisconsin had won 38 consecutive home games & were trying for 39, but the Illini stopped that from happening.

So this semester contains an eclectic variety of professors. Companion animal medicine (CAM) is my favorite class so far because it actually makes me feel like what I've learned so far will be useful in working in a clinic. The professor is an optho vet at our school's teaching hospital; he is extremely nice & his notes are thorough, thank goodness because sometimes he talks faster than I can write. Special pathology I think will be a challenge for me for a few reasons: 1) the professor talks way too fast! 2) the professor assumes we can recall everything we've learned the past year & a half, such as the Circle of Willis on the flip of the dime...@ least I remember its a "circle" of arteries on the ventral aspect of the brain :-) 3) we have to do presentations of a case by ourselves in front of our class of 98 & be "grilled" by our professors. I'm also a little concerned with Pharmacology because I have the same professors as last year, one of which has a strong accent & a hard time getting across the concepts so that everyone understands. Clinical pathology has been kinda a bore lately because we've spent a lot of time going over what we learned last semester in Epidemiology. Now this professor is the opposite of Special path's because he goes quite slow. The virology professor seems nice but she doesn't seem very excited to be teaching. How is one to be interested in learning about viruses if the professor lacks excitement/vigor about the subject? I'm hoping Food Safety & Public Help will be informative. There's a new professor teaching the course this year & I'm sure she is better than the prior professor..we haven't had a video yet. The only thing that scares me is the class might turn me into an obsessive, compulsive cleaner. Clinical procedures will complement the CAM class with a hands-on approach & will have several different teachers. I think by far the class I'll enjoy the most is my elective. It is Companion Animal Rehabilitation & I'll be learning about all types of rehab.

So, I've finished my first week and it has not been that bad so far. I'm a little concerned with Special Pathology though; its a lot of info & he just talks to darn fast. Thank goodness for my trusty little digital recorder! I'm getting excited for symposium; it is less than 2 months away! Us Illinoisans will definitely be messin' with Texas!

Also, GO ILLINI! The men's basketball team is still #1, no thanks to a way too close game against Iowa the other day.

So the spring semester started today & I'm already overwhelmed! This morning I got in the shower & the pipe was clogged/frozen so my shower was done with the minimal amount of water. Then on my way to school I got pulled over by campus police because I did not have my '05 license plate sticker on. I had it in the car & when I got pulled over I immediately rolled down the window and stuck it out the window. The cop said he still had to write up a warning. He asked me how long I had the sticker & I said since the month I needed it. I think he was surprised I was never pulled over for it. Obviously the only reason I got pulled over today was because it was the first day of classes on campus so the cops were all out & about. Also because as of the first of the year all the '05 stickers should be turquoise so it was an easy thing to pick up on. So, I ended up being late to class. Then I went out to lunch & on the way back to school an unmarked cop car pulled out behind me & followed me into the school parking lot. As I got out of my car he told me my plates were expired & I told him I know I got pulled over for it this morning.
Classes weren't bad today but Special pathology was 3 hours of lecture today...so much for easing into the semester!