Yes, I've actually made it to the halfway point. Only 6 days and 5 exams stand between me and my last ever summer vacation. Which is a slightly depressing thought, but is followed quickly by the realization that there is just one more year of lectures and one year of clinical rotation and I am DONE.
I am really looking forward to getting to the rotations. Every time I have to take one of my lizards I am inwardly jealous of the fact that these students are already in the final stages of school. And this might sound weird, but I like to pretend I know nothing about veterinary medicine when I go in just so I can get a feel for how they handle normal clients. I like to know what to expect and to be prepared. And not to make any current fourth years on rotation nervous, but I like to observe how they handle things and then decide how I would want to do things, whether similar or different.
While I am excited and proud of myself for coming this far, there is a bit of nerves starting to sit in. I feel like I have been concentrating for so long on just going to vet school and becoming a vet that I don't really know what to do with myself once I'm actually a vet. Is that strange? I mean, I had the dream of owning my own equine practice, and getting certified in acupuncture and chiropractic work, but I've had so many other opportunities through school that I guess I'm not entirely sure what I want to do anymore. I would still be happy and grateful to be able to run my own equine clinic, but I also feel like I want to do more in terms of exotics and zoo species too. And hopefully after my experience in South Africa working in Kruger National Park, I'll have a better idea of what line of medicine I want to go into. But the more I read, the more I am interested in trying to go into more of a conservationist line of work. Something like the Green Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Hospital, or working with the PAWS elephant sanctuary. Something where I feel like I could help animals that are usually ignored.
But I still have a lot of time to figure all that out. It's just that as another year comes to a close and I'm one step closer to being thrown out into "the real world", I can't help but wonder where I'll end up. But I think I'm just going to let life happen as it will. Once I'm back in school I'll have too many exams to worry about things like that anyway.
On top of studying for finals, I am also putting the finishing touches on my plans for Africa. I just started taking the oral typhoid vaccine, which is a live vaccine, so I'm really hoping my immune system and stress level can handle that right now and I won't get sick. I also had to get the vaccine for Hepatitis A, and I start taking anti-malaria pills in about 2 weeks. Going to Africa definitely requires a lot more than just the standard Motrin I normally pack. But it's all going to be worth it, because I definitely don't want to come down with malaria. And I know that if anyone would, it would be me. I also plan on taking about 3 bottles of bug spray with me just to be on the safe side.
I can't believe that in one month I'll be boarding my flight for Johannesburg. I can't wait to get my hands dirty and start learning all about wildlife medicine. At this point, the only slight reservation I have is that I won't want to leave Africa. And I am determined to see elephants, and preferably to work on one and help one. That would pretty much make my life. There is always so much that I want to do to help them in this poaching plight, but it always feels like there is so little I can actually do. Now is my chance to really dive in and make a difference, and I can't wait.
I plan on updating this blog as frequently as I can while I'm in South Africa, so keep your eyes open for some hopefully interesting updates on what I'll be doing! I plan on taking as many pictures as I can as well, or as many as I can while trying to work on an animal at the same time. If all else fails, I'll recruit my husband to take pictures while I work.
Now that I've procrastinated long enough writing this, I guess it's time to get back to studying for my radiology final on Monday. Wish me luck!
