S2 Week 12: Neuroanatomical Localization, Llama Hike, and VROM!
Just like that neurology is officially over and we are transitioning into our behavior sub-block!
Monday began with a final lecture on posture and locomotion which was a super helpful way to tie together everything we had learned over the past 6 weeks. We then transitioned into a case-based session focused on large animal neuroanatomical localization. Basically this means that we were given information about different cases and had to use our newly acquired knowledge to try to pinpoint where the injury was. This session was a fun way to put our learning to the test in a clinical setting and we had the wonderful Dr. Carrie Finno running the show. Dr. Finno is one of our amazing large animal neurologists and during her lecture she added in some interactive poll questions and brought out her auctioneer voice to narrate the results in live time.
During lunch I attended a small animal neuroanatomical localization case session run by Dr. Knipe. Dr. Knipe is also one of our extremely talented small animal neurologists and can present three hours of lecture material in high heels while maintaining perfect posture and hop up and down on one leg. This session was a perfect transition from the large animal case session and helped cement the concepts even more. The afternoon finished up with an anatomy review session and a long walk with Churro.
Monday evening I shadowed the Knight’s Landing One Health Clinic undergraduate class. This is a class that helps teach undergraduates about some basic clinical veterinary skills as well as educates them on the importance of the One Health. One Health is a collaborative, multisectoral, and transdisciplinary approach with the goal of optimal health outcomes recognizing the interconnection between people, animals, plants, and their shared environment (CDC). I will be teaching this class in the fall so between now and then, I get to come watch how things are run and interact with the students. I have always loved teaching and assisted with multiple classes in undergrad so this opportunity was one that I couldn’t pass up!
Tuesday started off with a swim with my former triathlon coach from Cal Poly. He was in town for the first half of the week visiting his daughter so we were able to get a nice training session in! We then had a lab that allowed us to practice doing a neurological examination on a dog. During this lab we had the opportunity to test different reflexes and responses in order to come to the consensus that our patient was neurologically sound. That afternoon we had a session focused on history taking and critical thinking. This session focused on how to get an appropriate history from clients and how to use that information to aid your future steps. One challenging aspect about veterinary medicine is that we are relying on another human to tell us the symptoms of their animal and then it is up to us to gather additional information and put together a plan that will help benefit our patient. This is a barrier that human physicians don’t have to face which is why getting a detailed history on the patient and learning how to ask the right questions is critical.
Wednesday was completely blocked off as a “study day” since the following two days were going to be filled with lab practicals and our neurology final. That afternoon Haley, Morgan, Lindsey and I did a facilities tour to start scoping out potential locations for the 2025 SAVMA Symposium. It was exciting to go to some different locations and picture what our event is going to look like next year!
Thursday started off with a nice run with Churro. The remainder of the morning was spent preparing for our brain anatomy lab practical. This practical had roughly 50 questions set up around the room with different brain images and samples that we had to identify. After that exam was over we had a few hours to prepare for our general anatomy practical. This practical covered the osteology (bones) of the skull (with the million little holes that each have their own name), along with the muscles, blood vessels, and nerves of the head. This exam also was station-based and we got to rotate through multiple sections and identify different anatomical structures. Overall, these practicals were pretty fun ways to see just how much we had learned over the past 6 weeks. Since they were in a station format with a rotation every 60 seconds it kept things interesting and fast-paced! The rest of the night consisted of a walk with Churro and a SVVMA board meeting. I am the 2027 class representative for the Sacramento Valley Vet Medical Association meaning I have the privilege of attending their monthly board meetings and continuing education events. This month’s meeting discussed some of the new veterinary bills under debate including one that will bring high-quality high-volume (HQHV) spay and neuter training to vet schools in California (UC Davis and Western U) and one that discusses the potential for having veterinary technicians perform cat neuters. These meetings are always super informative and a great way to learn about different things going on in the veterinary community on a larger scale!
Friday morning started off with a run with Churro and some final review before our neurology final exam. This exam was heavily focused on the last portion of material (neuropathology and motor systems) but also brought in a cumulative aspect of the last six weeks since it was our “final” exam. After the exam was over I did some cleaning around the house and then caught a hot yoga session followed by a swim to flush everything out. The rest of the afternoon was spent relaxing with Churro.
Saturday morning began with a run with Churro and then I had the absolute privilege of joining some other vet students on a llama hike! This hike is an annual endeavor organized by the Camelid Medicine Club and it was honestly incredible. We had the ability to hike a few miles through a gorgeous private ranch in Sutter Buttes. This space is not typically accessible to the public but is open to UC Davis students annually by invitation. Once the team met up at the start, llamas started emerging out of multiple “llamosines” which were literally regular vans except with llamas inside. Some of these llamas were packing llamas meaning that they were used to carry things during camping trips and this hike was used as a training opportunity. Once we loaded the llamas up with their packs, we were ready to hike! For the next three hours we cruised up and down mountains with our llamas and got to enjoy the beautiful scenery.
The llama I was walking was named “Jay” and he was 10 months old. He was too young to carry packs and had never been off his owner’s property so he was just learning how to behave around other llamas and he did an amazing job! This hike also provided the opportunity to talk with multiple llama owners and hear about their experience with these unique animals. Prior to vet school I had not worked with any camelid species so I am super grateful that UC Davis has provided opportunities like this to expand our knowledge!
The rest of Saturday was spent at the Vet Prom (VROM) with friends. It was awesome to see everyone outside of an academic setting and another perk of having our neurology final on Friday was that this weekend was completely free and did not involve any studying! It was also really cool to just look around and realize that roughly 9 months ago, most of these people were complete strangers and now we are all friends. It's also hard to believe that we are almost done with our first year of vet school!
Sunday started off with yet another run with Churro. We did a nice little 3.1 mile run because it was also the same day as the Carlsbad 5000 which is a 5k race in San Diego that I have been participating in since third grade. Since I was unable to attend this year due to school, I made sure to honor the tradition and do it remotely. My parents and some other family members were still out on the racecourse this morning and did a fantastic job! My grandpa also deserves a special shoutout because he ran the course in under 50 minutes at a whopping 80 years young!
The rest of the day was spent enjoying the weather and study-free weekend with Churro!
Quote of the week: “It sucks when your ankle is swollen but it sucks a whole lot more when your brain is swollen.” -Dr. Kevin Woolard
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