Rites of passage

On Saturday, I will drive to Vestal, NY which is an hours drive south of Ithaca to take my veterinary board exam. All fourth year veterinary students in the US & Canada sit for this exam, better known as the NAVLE – North American Veterinary Licensing Examination. The test is 360 questions and the time allotted is 6 ½ hours. The test is administered at a Prometric testing center, so the exam is computer based, similar to the GRE (Graduate Records Examination) that I took prior to applying for vet school. I’m overwhelmed by the task that lies ahead, but I am hopeful, that the powers that be at Cornell University have designed a curriculum that will make me prepared for what lies ahead. The test is open for 4-week period and a handful of my closest friends have completed that exam unscathed, so I am hopeful. The exam covers all species – dogs, cats, pigs, sheep, llamas, alpacas, goats, cows, horses, chickens, hamsters, rats, mice, lizards, turtles, snakes, parrots, budgies, apes, etc.. (you get the picture). So, you can only imagine the facts and figures that are floating through my head. I know that I am capable, but I can hardly believe that this day has arrived and I look forward to its passing. Most importantly, I am “confident of this, that he who began a good work in me will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” – Philippians 1:6

I bought all of these review books with good intentions of spending hours reviewing and quizzing myself, I haven't been as diligent as I had projected myself to be. At least, I 'm not at a loss for review materials. My towering pile of reviewed materials, another pile 1/3 this size remains. Can you tell that I'm type that loves to cross things off the "to-do" list? =-)

Thanksgiving dinner #1 @Vanessa's

Thanksgiving with the McArts

Thanksgiving dinner #2 @Jess'

Beef Bootcamp - Okotoks, Alberta, Canada

Off!

I've been very neglectful to my blog and today, I'm jetting off for a week in Okotoks, Alberta, Canada. Marlo, Jess, Alicia, Greg & myself will be completing a week long rotation at a beef feedlot - we're excited to be back together again and to ride the cattlepens on horseback looking for that sick steer. A combination of horseback riding and cows, a little slice of heaven. We're all pretty lacking in our beef knowledge. When it comes to dairy, we're all knowledge, but perhaps after this coming week we will be enlightened to the beef feedlot industry. We hear that it's gonna be freezing, burrr........

This coming week also marks my 27th birthday, I'm looking forward to celebrating with my closest of dairy friends and we've already pack reinforcements for the trip.

Check back for pictures of our adventures!

Photo explanations coming soon, tomorrow I start my ambulatory rotation - back to reality.

Here's Marlo showing off the hotel room (not too shabby) that Purina provided us at the Purina Nutrition Conference in St. Louis, MO. We were treated to a great weekend with amazing food and accomadations.

During my 2-week free block, I visited 2 equine clinics. This is a picture of VT Large Animal Clinic where I externed for 5 days, prior to leaving for the Purina conference. My timing was pretty good, as I reached VT just at the end of the autumn leaf turn.

To answer the long asked question of what it this? It's a granulosal-thecal cell tumor of an ovary that was removed from a horse. I was able to assist in the surgery in which this diseased ovary was removed. The tumor secretes hormones that cause the mare to display masculine behavior, with the ovary removed, this behavior ceases once hormone levels decline.