Wow! It seems like only yesterday I was writing about the end of the Foundations block, and now here I am in the final couple of weeks of Cardiorespiratory! Where on earth has the time gone??

Vet school has well and truly found its rhythm now, and so have I (mostly!). My days are filled with CBL, lectures, dissections and practicals, with the occasional internal crisis over how much there is to learn. I’ve found my groove with getting to school, figuring out the best way to take notes and study (subject to change, obviously), and spending time with my lovely friends, Lilly and Shadi, who have become an integral part of making vet school such an enjoyable experience. Life is good, if a little hectic!

I’ve definitely been taking fewer pictures lately. The days are starting to blend together, and I keep forgetting to capture things because I’m too busy actually living them… but perhaps not the worst problem in the world!

Coughing Calves & Horse Heads

We kicked off Cardiorespiratory with a CBL case called The Coughing Calves, which was such a fun way to start the block. It was particularly satisfying to connect some of my previous clinical experience with calf diseases and morbidity to what we were learning in class. From the stack effect in cattle housing to the rather interesting relationship between viral and bacterial respiratory infections, there was plenty to delve into.

We followed this up in week two with a cattle and equine housing practical, where we explored best practices in animal housing and learned how to assess ventilation, air quality and temperature. Turns out there’s considerably more to keeping a building full of cattle healthy than simply putting a roof over their heads!

Anatomy also made a fairly impressive entrance. After introducing the material through lectures and CBL, we got hands-on with dissections of the horse’s sinuses, larynx and all the associated cartilages. There’s something really satisfying about finally seeing and handling the structures we’ve been learning about in lectures. It makes me appreciate the sheer intricacy of the anatomy that keeps us functioning.

Interestingly, anatomy was something I absolutely hated in undergrad. I struggled to remember the structures, found the content difficult to connect with, and generally wasn’t particularly enamoured with the subject. In fact, it was one of my biggest hesitations about going to vet school. I genuinely worried that I’d struggle, or worse, fail because I couldn’t connect the dots or remember all the critical anatomical names and features.

And yet, here I am! The very subject I was so anxious about is becoming one of the most fascinating parts of the course. The connections that seemed impossible to make are finally clicking into place, and it’s as though an entirely new world has opened up in front of me. I’m genuinely excited about understanding how everything fits together. It’s kind of exhilarating!

The Poorly Performing Horse

This past week, our CBL case was The Poorly Performing Horse, centred around a horse with Dorsal Displacement of the Soft Palate (DDSP). It was so interesting discussing the case, particularly having just dissected the larynx the week before. It’s always rewarding when the anatomy, physiology and clinical signs start connecting rather than existing as completely separate pieces of information floating around in my brain.

We also spent time learning about the nerves and vessels within the thoracic cavity, followed by two dissections exploring the thoracic wall, mediastinum and lungs. These sessions have been brilliant for consolidating the lecture material and making sense of where everything actually lives.

We also tackled cardiac dynamics, which made for a particularly intense week (Wigger’s diagram is still haunting my dreams!).

What’s Next?

Next week brings another CBL case, The Breathless Cavalier, followed by lectures on vascular tone and syncope. We’ll also be getting up close and personal with the heart, great vessels and the vasculature of a neonate during two more dissection sessions.

What I’m most excited about, though, is Thursday’s practical introducing us to intravenous catheter placement and fluid therapy. Getting to practise these clinical skills early in the course is something I really enjoy. It’s a lovely change of pace from the lecture-heavy days and a reminder of the hands-on work we’re all here to learn.

Friday also brings a rather unusual timetable: a whopping five-hour gap between lectures! Naturally, a few friends and I have decided that this presents an excellent opportunity to celebrate completing two official months of vet school by heading to the local pub for lunch. We’ll, of course, be bringing our study materials along to maintain the illusion of productivity.

And what better day to celebrate than Friday the 13th?

Remember, Remember!

Despite the rather busy school schedule, I’ve still managed to squeeze in a few adventures outside the classroom.

On November 5th, I experienced my very first Bonfire Night (also affectionately known as Guy Fawkes Night). For those unfamiliar with the tradition, it commemorates the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605, when Guy Fawkes and his fellow conspirators attempted to blow up the Houses of Parliament. The plot was foiled, and November 5th has since become an annual celebration involving bonfires, fireworks and, somewhat less sympathetically, the burning of an effigy of poor old Guy.

Naturally, no introduction to Bonfire Night would be complete without the obligatory rhyme:

Remember, remember! The fifth of November,
The Gunpowder treason and plot;
I know of no reason
Why the Gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot!

One of the things I’ve enjoyed most about living in the UK is getting to experience all these little traditions firsthand. There are so many things that are completely ordinary to people who grew up here but are entirely new experiences for me. I’m rather enjoying being a tourist as a side job while studying here!

A Little Adventure Beyond Vet School

I’ve also continued exploring the Mendip Hills with Cleo, my trusty little sidekick and enthusiastic hiking companion.

It really is a beautiful part of the country, and I find myself appreciating these walks more and more. Between lectures, CBL preparation, studying and trying to remember approximately 47 million anatomical structures, it’s easy to get caught up in the little bubble that is veterinary school.

Getting out into the countryside reminds me that there’s a whole world beyond the classroom. It’s an opportunity to slow down, breathe some fresh air, enjoy the scenery and reconnect with myself and nature. And, of course, give Cleo the opportunity to investigate every interesting smell, puddle and suspicious rustle in the undergrowth along the way.

I’m learning that one of the most important parts of this adventure is making sure I actually enjoy it while I’m here. There will always be another lecture to review, another set of notes to organise and another exam lurking somewhere in the not-too-distant future. But there are also beautiful places to explore, new friendships to enjoy, traditions to experience and plenty of little adventures waiting to happen.

Two months down, and I’m finding my feet. Here’s to the next block, more adventures, new experiences and hopefully a little less time spent dreaming about Wigger’s diagram!