You'll get a handbook, your schedule, a list of supplies that you'll need, and notice of a quiz that'll occur on your first day. Then remember about that quiz and read the handbook over before your start date. There really is a quiz. It really does count toward your grade.
2. Be prepared to work hard!
This program is not easy. I got my Associates in Biology about 15 years before starting the program and this program was 100% more difficult. If you can get your prerequisites done before starting the program, it'll really help. It'll also help if you aren't working or if you can reduce your hours as much as possible. Also, get organized because there are many long-term projects to keep track of on top of upcoming tests, practicals, quizzes etc. A good planner is a good idea, so is a buddy so that you can make sure each other stay up to date on what's coming up. Making study buddies and/or study groups can be a big help too.
3. School supplies:
A. Don't cheap out on your stethoscope, but don't spend a ton of money either.
Sure the drug store sells $10 stethoscope, but you can't hear much through them. To hear respiratory sounds or sounds in a noisy treatment area or barn you'll really want something better. But, that being said, you'll also be lugging that stethoscope through manure covered barns and if you're like me you'll also drop it on the floor several times, so now might not be the time for the top of the line model either. Get something middle of the road. I got an ADC Adscope 6XX series and it worked beautifully.
B. Buy the yellow boots.
Some of my fellow students bought boots that differed from the ones we were shown at orientation and Dr Stein warned that they should get the yellow ones. He'll let you use about anything but porous materials, laces, or lots of buckles are really hard to get clean and you really don't want to bring stuff home from the farm (enough of the stink will soak into your clothes and hair!). But, the yellow boots are really the easiest ones to work with out on the farms, so do yourself a favor and get those.
C. School supplies they don't tell you about.
All of your teachers will give you handouts and most will give you printouts of Powerpoint slides or outlines to take notes on, so a notebook for each class may not be necessary, but a 3-ring binder for each one will be. Dr. Stein will give you a TON of handouts -get a 2" binder for his class. Oh yeah, and Dr Stein's handouts don't really have room for notes, so you may need a notebook or some paper for his class as well.
A voice recorder is a good idea. None of the teachers mind being recorded (you should still ask). You may not find it necessary in all the classes, but I found it helpful in Dr Keller's class because his tests are so in-depth that you can't miss anything and really have to understand everything he says. The recorder is also useful in Dr Stein's class because at times he'll lecture instead of having lab which can mean 4 hour lectures. No one can be 100% attentive for that long.
3x5 cards. You are allowed to write (not type!) notes on one for each Pharmacology test and many of my fellow students used thousands and thousands of them to make flashcards out of as well. The thriftier of us cut them in half which meant they were easier to carry too. I used StudyDroid which is a program for Android phones that allows you to make flashcards on a website, then sync them to your phone where you can practice them whenever you find downtime. It also means a lot less to carry. By the end of each semester one classmate of mine had a whole portable file box full of flashcards that she'd carry around. I was happy to not have to do that.
If you want to view my flashcards you can search for "muddyboots" on the StudyDroid website you'll find my flashcards! You can copy them to your Android device or review them online if you don't have an Android phone. I'll warn you, though, I didn't enter all my notes into those cards. Anything I already knew I skipped, so don't use it as your only source of studying!
D. School supplies you shouldn't stress about.
My first day I had my car full of my overalls, boots, scrubs, everything. Don't do that. You need to wear your scrubs and your nametag for Small Animal and Radiology lab. The overalls and boots are needed only for Large Animal labs. The stethoscope, thermometer, bandage scissors, etc should find a permanent home in your bag -you'll be expected to have them at all times. I never used the scrub jacket my first semester, but it can be nice for the times when short sleeve scrubs are too cold or when you're working with a really dirty animal and you want to keep your scrubs clean.
4. The low-down on Dr. Keller.Sure the drug store sells $10 stethoscope, but you can't hear much through them. To hear respiratory sounds or sounds in a noisy treatment area or barn you'll really want something better. But, that being said, you'll also be lugging that stethoscope through manure covered barns and if you're like me you'll also drop it on the floor several times, so now might not be the time for the top of the line model either. Get something middle of the road. I got an ADC Adscope 6XX series and it worked beautifully.
B. Buy the yellow boots.
Some of my fellow students bought boots that differed from the ones we were shown at orientation and Dr Stein warned that they should get the yellow ones. He'll let you use about anything but porous materials, laces, or lots of buckles are really hard to get clean and you really don't want to bring stuff home from the farm (enough of the stink will soak into your clothes and hair!). But, the yellow boots are really the easiest ones to work with out on the farms, so do yourself a favor and get those.
C. School supplies they don't tell you about.
All of your teachers will give you handouts and most will give you printouts of Powerpoint slides or outlines to take notes on, so a notebook for each class may not be necessary, but a 3-ring binder for each one will be. Dr. Stein will give you a TON of handouts -get a 2" binder for his class. Oh yeah, and Dr Stein's handouts don't really have room for notes, so you may need a notebook or some paper for his class as well.
A voice recorder is a good idea. None of the teachers mind being recorded (you should still ask). You may not find it necessary in all the classes, but I found it helpful in Dr Keller's class because his tests are so in-depth that you can't miss anything and really have to understand everything he says. The recorder is also useful in Dr Stein's class because at times he'll lecture instead of having lab which can mean 4 hour lectures. No one can be 100% attentive for that long.
3x5 cards. You are allowed to write (not type!) notes on one for each Pharmacology test and many of my fellow students used thousands and thousands of them to make flashcards out of as well. The thriftier of us cut them in half which meant they were easier to carry too. I used StudyDroid which is a program for Android phones that allows you to make flashcards on a website, then sync them to your phone where you can practice them whenever you find downtime. It also means a lot less to carry. By the end of each semester one classmate of mine had a whole portable file box full of flashcards that she'd carry around. I was happy to not have to do that.
If you want to view my flashcards you can search for "muddyboots" on the StudyDroid website you'll find my flashcards! You can copy them to your Android device or review them online if you don't have an Android phone. I'll warn you, though, I didn't enter all my notes into those cards. Anything I already knew I skipped, so don't use it as your only source of studying!
D. School supplies you shouldn't stress about.
My first day I had my car full of my overalls, boots, scrubs, everything. Don't do that. You need to wear your scrubs and your nametag for Small Animal and Radiology lab. The overalls and boots are needed only for Large Animal labs. The stethoscope, thermometer, bandage scissors, etc should find a permanent home in your bag -you'll be expected to have them at all times. I never used the scrub jacket my first semester, but it can be nice for the times when short sleeve scrubs are too cold or when you're working with a really dirty animal and you want to keep your scrubs clean.
A lot of people will tell you all kinds of things about Dr. Keller. Some of it is true. His tests are insanely hard. He rubs people the wrong way at times. He generally won't give you a break for late assignments or missed points. But, as long as his office door is open he's very willing to go over something from class or answer your questions. If you aren't understanding something don't hesitate to ask him. He's very approachable and helpful if you just ask.
What to expect on your first test? First, take your time and READ the questions. Read them three times before you answer. Underline the word "not" whenever you see it. Read every word on the true/false questions. If you miss a word while reading, chances are you'll miss points as a result. Be VERY CAREFUL! He can be very tricky with his questions, so this will save you more points than any other tip I can give you. Other stuff? Know your vocabulary, know the terms just as he tells you or just as the reading states. He sometimes won't accept dictionary answers. Also don't add any extra information that's not specifically asked for on the test, it's just an opportunity to lose points.
Understand that an A in your previous classes probably equals a C in Dr Keller's class. You should learn to be happy with a C, very happy with a B, and know that A's are pretty rare.
5. The facility managers.
These are the people you'll ask when you need to know where something is, how to do something to your animal, how to write in the medical record, whenever you encounter anything weird or have any problems during kennels, and they'll oversee the IM injections that you'll do as well. They are awesome. They'll drop whatever they are doing to help you and they'll never make you feel stupid for whatever questions you ask. Just please remember to treat them well in return!
6. Want to get a head start?
Before I started the program I ordered a bunch of random Vet Tech textbooks and tried to read as much as I could to get a head start. None of what I randomly read helped me at all. Then I got my book list and I started reading those. The stuff I chose to read didn't help either. Here's the stuff that's really useful to study if you want to get a head start for your 1st semester Freshmen year:
For Small Animal class:7. Bring a garbage bag to off-site Large Animal labs!For Large Animal class:
- The path of blood flow through the heart.
- How heartworm is contracted and prevented. ELISA/occult vs microfilaria tets.
- The basics about all the diseases that routine vaccines are intended to prevent.
- Memorize the 10 body systems: Respiratory, Ears, Lymph nodes, Urogenital, Nervous, Gastrointestinal, Musculoskeletal, Integument, Cardiovascular, Eyes
- Know what tests these abbreviations are for: CP (conscious proprioception), PLR (pupillary light response), CRT (capillary refill time), MM (mucous membranes), STT (Schirmer tear test), FDT (fluorescein dye test) , DTM (Dermatophyte Test Medium).
- Learn how to solve insulin problems like this one: If Fluffy is on 4U of U-100 insulin, but you ran out of U-100 syringes. How many U of insulin would you need to draw up for Fluffy if all you had were U-40 syringes? (Be able to solve the reverse problem as well where an animal is on U-40 insulin and needs to draw it up in a U-100 syringe.)
For Radiology class:
- Know your conversions. How many cc's in a teaspoon? How many cups in a gallon? How many ounces in a liter? He'll test you on this through many of your quizzes and all of the exams and into your Clinical Pathology class your second semester. It'll help in first semester Pharmacology as well.
- The parts of the rumen.
- Memorize the normal values for temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate and gestation time for: sheep, goats, beef cattle, dairy cows, horses, and pigs.
- Know the genus and species names plus the terminology for an intact vs castrated male, immature vs mature female, a baby, and what they are called as a group for: ovine, caprine, bovine, swine, and equine.
- The bones and joints of the horse's leg. (femur, humerus, radius, ulna, tibia, patella, sesamoids, metacarpals/metatarsals (#'s II, III, and IV), phalanges (proximal, middle, distal), pasterns (short, long), coffin bone, navicular bone, etc). Note that horses have lost many bones if you compare their legs to dogs/cats or humans. They actually stand on one finger (the middle finger)!
- You can try to get a really basic overview of hormones of reproduction (follicles, graffian follicle, estrogen, FSH, progesterone, and how they all work during estrus and pregnancy as well as the equivalent in males -making sperm and the course they travel). How sperm are supported and directed within the uterus.
Pharmacology:
- All the bones in the human/animal skeleton (but not the individual skull bones, carpals/tarsals, metacarpals/metatarsals, or phalanges).
- Directional terms (dorsal, ventral, cranial lateral, medial, palmar, plantar, proximal, distal). Make sure to study them as they apply to animals and not humans!
Kennels:
- Abbreviations like SID (once a day), BID (twice a day), TID (three times a day), q4h (every 4 hours), eod (every other day), prn (as needed), OD (right eye), OS (left eye), OU (both eyes), AD (right ear), AS (left ear), AU (both ears), IM (intramuscular), IP (intraperitoneal), IO (intraosseus), PO (by mouth).
- Practice writing really small for the 3x5 notecard you're allowed to use on the tests. ;-)
- Study up on basic math. If a 25lb dog is supposed to get 5ml per pound of drugX, how much would he get? (25x5=125ml) If drugX comes in a concentration of 5mg/ml and a 10lb cat is supposed to get 2mg per pound, how many ml's should it get? 10lbx2=20mg 20mg/5mg per ml = 4ml. You'll be doing this a LOT!
- Kennels is your easiest class by far. There's no reason to try to prepare for this class. If you show up for kennel duty you'll be most of the way to passing this class.
Keeping your boots and overalls in a garbage bag after labs where you go out to the farms will dramatically improve the smell on the way home in the van AND the smell of your car on your way home as well. Spread the word to the rest of your lab group!
For the pig labs, just know that while I'm sure the garbage bag helps, you and your car will reek for a couple days after your lab. It just clings to your hair and skin.
8. Your classmates.
Your first week or two may be awkward, but try to get over it as soon as possible. You'll be with these same 30 or so people for the next two years and believe it or not, by the end of the semester you'll end up being really close friends with them. They'll help you with your injections, help you study, and cheer you on when you're doing your first rectal exam on a dairy cow.
9. Be prepared to gain weight!
First there's the stress and lack of time, but then there's also candy bowls in many of your classes and Dr Stein's wife's amazing homemade breads, spreads, and other goodies.
10. Have more questions?
Email me or Facebook me. I'd be happy to answer your questions and/or give you advice. My address is: erica at muddyboots.org -if you want to add me as a friend on Facebook, just mention the JJC Vet Tech program so I know who you are.
I'll be a Sophomore as of Fall 2011, so if you'll be a Freshmen starting that semester, contact me! I'll be up for study sessions as my time allows. Helping you will allow me to keep the info I learned in my first semester fresh for my Boards, so don't feel bad about asking!
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