To be honest, I didn’t truly have a plan for this summer. During the winter and spring terms I made some plans. I applied for a research fellowship, expecting not to get it and made back up plans which included:
- An externship at the San Francisco SPCA
- Summer clinics in Neurology, Dermatology, and Oncology at the UC Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (VMTH)
- A vacation to Yosemite National Park
That’s what I actually scheduled. However, plans change; I received a Students Training in Advanced Research (STAR) Fellowship and was forced to amend my plans for the summer to include 12 weeks of research. So here’s what I ended up doing:
- STAR Fellowship doing research on differences in behavioral expression in cats housed in two types of cages in an animal shelter.
- 2-week externship at the San Francisco SPCA working in their veterinary hospital (open to the public) as well as their animal shelter.
- House sit for family in San Francisco.
- Vacation to Southern California to visit friends and my former co-workers at the Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA.
- National Veterinary Scholars Symposium – Presented my STAR research at this national conference in Athens, Georgia
- Visit family in San Francisco.
- Family visited me in Davis.
- Celebrated my birthday with friends and family.
- Developed a kidney infection on my birthday.
- Received 3rd Class Medical Certificate – my health and vision are adequate for me to fly planes without any restrictions!
- Flying Lessons – I’m learning how to fly a Cessna 152 through the local airport (why I needed the 3rd Class Medical Certificate)
- Learned how to ride motorcycles through an MSF Training Course
- Got my M1 license
- Met up with my newly engaged friends who were vacationing in San Francisco.
- Improved my climbing from V1s at the beginning of summer to V3’s mid-summer! Watch me climb!
- Made tons of new [non-vet school] friends
- Swam and helped a friend learn to swim
- Volunteered at the Mercer Spay and Neuter Clinic for the Homeless
- Backpacking trip in the Sierras
- Helped friends move into their new homes.
- Grew lots of veggies and herbs (habanero, serrano, jalepeno, and green bell peppers, tomatoes of all varieties and herbs galore!)
- Started bouldering outdoors — even did a few high-ball bouldering problems (climbing over 7 meters in height without ropes!)
- Served as a Student Mentor for the Class of 2014’s Vet School Orientation / Retreat
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