You’ve made it to veterinary school – congratulations! You’re probably feeling mixed emotions, to say the least: proud, anxious, excited, terrified. Luckily, veterinary students around the country (and the world) are incredibly supportive and are always willing to lend a helping hand. For those of you who may be wondering what are some recommendations and must-haves for your first year in veterinary school, here is a list of my recommendations of supplies, gear, and gadgets to have as you enter the wildest four years of your life.
- LAPTOP AND/OR TABLET. Arguably the most used tool in your arsenal, it is very important you have some sort of computer to use in veterinary school. Of course, a personal computer, be it a laptop or tablet, is ideal, but if you do not have your own, your school almost certainly has computers for students to use. Check with your school about whether or not they provide computers for you, as many schools are now doing this. Not only are computers used for note taking, accessing lectures, they are also used for taking exams. The vast majority of your study materials will be online. Be sure your device is reliable. The last thing you want is your computer crashing the night before an exam and you lose all your notes. Yes – this has happened more times than you think.
- HEADPHONES. You spend a lot of time in the library. It gets pretty quiet without some music.
- DISSECTION KIT. Check with your school, but you’ll most likely need to have your own dissection kit for first-year anatomy.
- WATER BOTTLE. Are you even in vet school if you don’t have a Yeti, Hydroflask, or Swell?
- SCRUBS. You may not be required to have scrubs until your second or third year in vet school, but you’ll definitely need them at some point. Before buying several pairs, check with your school about if students are required to wear a certain color.
- LUNCHBOX. Laugh now but try to bring your lunch to school as much as you can. This is a great way to save money, and you’ll want to save every cent you can.
- CLOUD STORAGE. It’s likely your school will provide a certain amount of free online cloud storage, but if not, it’s a great idea to have a place in the cloud to store your notes and important documents. Why? Because when your computer runs out of battery and you need quick access to your notes, or you forget your computer at home, you’ll want to be able to access your documents from any computer. It also serves as a backup so when your computer crashes, your files are safe on the world wide interweb.
- AVMA PLIT LIABILITY INSURANCE. Did you know AVMA PLIT provides complementary liability insurance for all active SAVMA (Student American Veterinary Medical Association) members? While you are covered by your school’s liability insurance when you’re on campus, that policy does not protect you while on externships or doing work off-campus. It’s a no-brainer. Sign up at www.avmaplit.com/unleashed.
What did I miss? Comment below!
