EPDC Study Package Scholarship Winner

Bridgette Peal - OSU 

This is advice from an exhausted (finals are next week), anxious (clinics

start soon), successful (I think so) third year student to any first year who, no

doubt, thinks they know everything about becoming a successful

veterinarian (I thought the same), on what “professional development”

means to me.

Get to know your classmates; they are your future colleagues. Everyone has

a niche and one day you may need their expertise. Build those relationships

now.

Ask for help when you need it, and ask for feedback. Recognizing and

working on your weaknesses will not go unnoticed.

Study a little every day. To be a professional, you have to be knowledgeable,

and it is important to learn the material, not just memorize it for an exam.

Grades are not everything. Do not let your desire for a 4.0 keep you from

club activities or research. These are great networking opportunities and

ways to expand your knowledge base.

Get in the clinic. You will be able to practice thinking like a doctor and

correlate what you learned in class with real patients. Some days I felt like I

learned more in an afternoon in the clinic than in a week of lectures.

Improve your communication skills. Everyone can work on them, and it may

save you from a lawsuit one day.

Last, take time for yourself. No one can be on all the time. Sometimes you

need to watch bad reality television all afternoon. Professional development

is personal development after all.