Page 51 - Eclipse - Autumn 2021

CLASSNOTES

Through the eyes of a 2021 graduate

Adam Cox (2021)

ndeniably, my last 16 months at in education, 56 weeks of unpaid
vet school was not what I was placements. Time to celebrate!
expecting when I originally
Ureceived my offer in 2016. It True to myself, instead of taking the next
has been a tough year and a half for the few months off, I ended up working at
graduating cohort of 2021, but as our two RVC summer schools, as well as
time at the RVC has come to a close, I dog sitting and working a few student
challenge you to find a better prepared ambassador events.
bunch of fresh-faced veterinary surgeons. Finally, it was time to start my first job
as a veterinary surgeon. I was fortunate
Casting my mind back to 19th March 2020,
I was one month into rotations, just about enough to secure a job in a large 24-
finding my feet when suddenly everything hour hospital, a dream for someone as
changed. Rotations were cancelled until Soon enough we were entering 2021 interested as me in internal medicine.
September, and with it brought uncertainty and had all begun furiously writing The practice is part of CVS and this
of what life would be like, would we have to CVs and applying for jobs. Fitting year, to provide extra support for the new
delay our graduation? Zoom interviews around rotations was graduates, they put on a three-week
summer camp. This involved one week
Anxious for the next email update from an exciting yet stressful time, which of online training, one week at Surrey
RVC staff, we buried ourselves into our I’m glad is now over! Securing my Vet School and a further one week in
research projects as if to cling onto some dream job saw the end of job-hunting, a training practice. It was a fantastic
form of normality. RVC staff gave up their coinciding with rotations coming to an opportunity, which eased me into the
free time to run virtual rotations in the end, leaving one thing on my mind. world of working as a vet, whilst providing
summer of 2020 to try and make up for Unlike most of my year group who amazing networking, both with new
the time on clinics we were missing. In were worrying about exams, I was busy graduates and more experienced vets.
August, I was fortunate to secure two stressing about Final Year Revue (FYR).
weeks of EMS with the neurology service Having been fortunate enough to be I am writing this after my first week in
in the QMHA; the perfect leg up before selected to host the show, much to practice and my first observation is that
restarting rotations (and a great way to the delight of ‘second year Adam’, with no matter how easy vets make it look on
procrastinate from RP2). all the other excitements of final year EMS, 15 minutes to take a history, perform
a physical exam and come up with a plan
With rotations restarting again it was during a pandemic, I had neglected my is a skill in itself. I found myself grinning to
time to stop binge watching Netflix and role. Fortunately, I had a fantastic team myself as I signed my first vaccination card;
to do what I went to the RVC to do in behind me and after a mad two weeks I’m finally a vet, I’ve made it.
the first place. Although we did miss out of running around the hospital like a
on clinic time, I genuinely believe that I headless chicken, writing jokes, selling This week was mostly spent running
am better prepared to be a vet than if my soul to the devil to get clinicians to around trying to work out where drugs
rotations had been completely normal. star in skits and writing songs - we finally live and how to work the computer,
Due to the decreased clinic time, I had a show. The first online FYR was a aside from cuddling all the cute puppies
made sure to make the most of the success, but I would say that wouldn’t and kittens (it’s a hard life). It has been
opportunities available to me and threw I? Only one more step between me an immensely stressful week, but I came
myself head first into the mix. achieving my dreams… Dreaded finals. away from it happy in the knowledge
that I had put literal blood and tears into
This year, instead of having an Due to the pandemic, exams were online getting to where I am today, and I don’t
abundance of clinicians to question, I this year. However, unlike last year, we regret a second of it.
found myself reading research papers didn’t have 24 hours to complete them - It has been a pleasure to take a trip back
aplenty, something that I am keen to we had one and half hours per question. down memory lane to write this article and
continue in practice. One of the key Potentially sitting the last exams of my life it has reminded me of all the fun times I
skills I picked up from this was learning was a strange experience; there I was in have had in these recent dark times.
to find the answers myself and not my uni accommodation, praying the WIFI
relying on asking someone all the time, wouldn’t cut out. Four questions, two Although I am having a great time in my
which I know will be a valuable skill in cats, a cow and a horse and that was it. new job, I am sad that my time at the
my veterinary career. Having six months Nothing more could be done, now to wait. RVC is over and all the faces I may not
off from rotations provided me with the Fortunately, I began work the very next get the chance to see again. So, to all
energy to only take one week off for day for the RVC Alumni Relations team of the Class of 2021, I wish you all the
Christmas, from restarting my rotations to keep me busy and forget all about best in wherever your lives take you and
to the end of them. This allowed me to it. 10 days passed at the slowest rate hopefully our paths will cross again one
amass a total of twenty-seven weeks ever. Then 18th July arrived; a 6am day. To all the staff (both clinical and
of EMS (one week more than the usual stressed wake up and four hours later... behind the scenes) in all aspects of the
requirement pre COVID-19). Dr Adam James Mason Cox BVetMed RVC – thank you, you make the RVC
MRCVS. Four part time jobs, 19 years the special place that it is.

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