As I sit in the surgeon’s office, the door opens and a young guy enters. From my first look, I knew he wasn’t the surgeon, but instead probably an intern or medical student. He starts asking me the typical questions that you always get asked at the doctor’s office. Before long I mention that I am a veterinary student, and the conversation switches to the differences and similarities between medical and veterinary school.
After gathering the information, the student leaves and returns with the surgeon. As the two of them talk, I realize that something amazing is happening. I could actually understand most of what they were saying. Medical terms that I would have never understood before veterinary school, that would have went right over my head, were now second nature to me. The same thing happened at another doctor’s appointment I had. What I thought would have been a quick 30-minute affair ended up taking an hour and a half. However, the reason wasn’t because of any health issues. Instead, I talked with the resident and doctor about school and my different veterinary experiences.
These recent experiences highlight a current emphasis in the health care community. Medicinal science, whether it be on humans or animals, by physician or veterinarian, is universal. Even though there may be small differences here and there, animals are very similar to humans and therefore knowledge of one can be applied to the other. Even though it doesn’t feel like I have done all that much in school so far, at the very least it is reassuring to know that I have learned something useful.
