Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger

After surviving my 2nd semester at RUSVM, I now believe that after all is said and done with my time on St. Kitts and my 7 semesters at RUSVM, I will be able to survive just about anything!  There really is something to say about the experiences you have while attending RUSVM.

Just some personal experiences and feelings since I've been attending RUSVM.

• It is definitely hard being away from my family, pets, and friends.  You do however form a "Ross family" that provides you with friendship and support the whole way through (this has been my experience).  
• I have also had my fair share of corrupt mechanics since I've been on St. Kitts (not fun to deal with while you are trying to stay focused on your studies).  The cars here are always going to have things to fix during your time owning one...however, spending a little extra money and from the right person/dealer, you may save yourself from some of the hassles.  I can't recommend any one autoshop or mechanic, just be careful who you trust.
• I have fortunately not been a victim of theft (although I do have classmates that have been).  In regards to robberies, I truly feel as though living on the island is like living in a big city (something that I have done most my life, so some important common sense rules to live by in such an environment have already been well instilled in me).  
• I did adopt an adult cat (estimated to be about 2.5 years old), Ember, who was a former "Marriott cat" (lived around the Marriott hotel and was well fed by the tourists).  Had her for about 6 months at my apartment before one early morning she must have been playing in the windowsill and pushed out the screen (found out later that the screen was missing a metal piece that kept it in place, so it was more easily pushed out without this piece).  I spent about a four weeks searching for her (setting traps everyday around my apartment and spreading canned cat food around them and inside of them, hanging up laminated and color flyers around the neighborhood, constantly flooding Facebook with her picture and information, as well as a newsletter announcement that reached the entire student body).  Broke my heart.
• A lot of times when you need to get things done (ie. go to the bank, go to the cable company, etc.) you may not be able to because of your class schedule and their hours of operation.  Can be frustrating.
• Service at many restaurants is slow...you just learn to accept it and as Dr. Reich would say "Live wit it".  However, I have never had slow service at one of my all time favorite places to eat (Bombay Blues).  Truly amazing owners.  I don't even have to say my take-out order anymore :)
• Police check points.  Randomly the police set up a check point to check for driver's licenses, insurance, and wheel tax.  Can be at the most inconvenient times (ie. the morning of a final).
• Bugs.  They are just a part of life on the island and always manage to find their way into your apartments/homes no matter what.  Fortunately I have only had one centipede run in...they are really creepy and don't die upon a first squish attempt.
• Dealing with unprofessionals in a professional school...Just remember to rise above those that choose to act in an immature manner. 

So as the title of this entry says...harder, better, faster, stronger...these are the results of the experiences you have on St. Kitts and at RUSVM

Fully accredited = Fully equipped

Just in time for my arrival to RUSVM, the school was upgraded from partial accreditation to full accreditation.  Perfect timing!  As my time at RUSVM goes by I have become more aware of the stigma and uneducated misconceptions about RUSVM.  It is not worth even mentioning these misconceptions because they are quickly dissipating as more and more RUSVM graduates enter the profession and others take the initiative to educate themselves about RUSVM.

What I do want to take the time mentioning is that although my journey at RUSVM has just begun, I am thoroughly impressed with the educational experience I've had thus far at RUSVM.  I am part of one of the largest admitted classes at RUSVM (September 2011).  There is a lot of controversy surrounding this topic (increased class sizes).  I believe that as RUSVM grows in popularity, the increase in class size is inevitable.  As far as I know the school is putting some changes/adaptions into action in order to accommodate this.  We have also acquired a new dean, Dr. Elaine Watson.  Although change is sometimes unnerving, I am completely confident in those that are playing their part in these changes.  RUSVM will continue to be an amazing veterinary school and will continue producing amazing veterinarians.

Anyways...back to the misconceptions about RUSVM.  A fellow colleague shared a Reader's Digest Article titled 50 Things Your Vet Won't Tell You and both of us were pretty appalled by #20 on this list.  Luckily, I contacted the AVMA and shared the article and asked that they stand up for those of us that are attending their fully accredited caribbean schools and clear up any misunderstandings that may have been further fueled by such a ridiculous statement published by RD.  I'm so thankful that I am the proactive person that I am and that I have always had the courage to speak up and spark awareness.  The AVMA did respond to RD's article (the response to reader's digest) and many became aware of the statement and showed their support and disbelief that such a statement would be published by posting comments on the Reader's Digest article page.

My belief about RUSVM graduates that continue to thrive in and nourish the world of veterinary medicine is that

"The world is changed by examples, not opinions"

So that is what I look forward to...finishing my educational journey with RUSVM and leading by example.  Showing the world what RUSVM is all about by making my mark in veterinary medicine will be another amazing chapter in my journey to my career.

"Behind every success is effort.  Behind every effort is passion.  Behind every passion is someone with the courage to try" 

Bullies and Being True To Yourself

If there's one thing that I can't stand, it's bullies.

I have spent a good amount of this semester being distracted (but not deterred) by certain individuals that seem to almost go out of their way to try to make others as miserable as they themselves may be.  The good news is that I have an amazing family back home that continues to support me and provide me with advice as I engage in new and difficult interactions with said individuals.

"Don't let them get to you. People have to always stir up drama if their life is boring."

Parents (the auntie and uncle) always know exactly what to say to put a situation into perspective.  I'm 25 years old and welcome every bit of advice that they give me.  Anyways....back to the bullies.  I know that they were put in my path for a reason...for a lesson.  As much as I hated the situations and issues that these individuals caused with me, I truly appreciate the lessons that they taught me this semester.  I know that these are definitely lessons that I needed to learn now so that I will be more prepared and better off when I enter into my profession.  Thank goodness for learning these now and fine tuning my skills in handling them!

As much as I hate to accept that I'm in professional school and I'm still encountering such individuals as those that I've encountered this semester, I am adjusting to my rude awakening and accepting these individuals and the lessons that they bring with them.  I hope that they take lessons away from their experiences with me as well.  I hope nothing but happiness for them and growth in all areas of their life followed up with success.  Why do I wish so much good on people that have been so hard on me??  Because I truly believe that you get what you put into this world...so if I just keep being myself...if I just keep being true to who I am...then everything will be great.

As my boyfriend loves to say...."I ams what I ams"

I've adopted this mantra for several reasons.  I know deep down what an amazing individual I am and have become through all the personal challenges and adversity that I was faced with throughout my life.  I know that I have a very bright future and am fully embracing the greatness that comes with it.  I definitely am not here to prove myself to anyone.  I'm most definitely here to work harder than I've ever worked to pursue and earn my DVM so that one day I can practice medicine and give exceptional care to someone else's companion/family member and make my mark on the world of veterinary medicine.


"The true leader serves.  Serves people.  Serves their best interests, and in doing so will not always be popular, may not always impress.  But because true leaders are motivated by loving concern than a desire for personal glory, they are willing to pay the price."— Eugene B. Habecker in The Other Side of Leadership

I can definitely relate to this quote.  I have a leadership role within my class and sometimes this position has definitely led to a lack in popularity amongst my future colleagues.  However, I am not interested in being the most popular classmate.  I am more interested in serving those around me with this role.  Truly I am.  In the midst of serving others, I think I forgot to serve myself on several occasions this semester.

But instead of looking in the past and wishing something was handled or done differently, I'm moving forward as always.  Always looking to what's ahead and how to better prepare myself for the future.

I think the biggest lesson this semester has taught me is to just be true to myself and all that I am.  If you continue to be good to everyone around you, there isn't much room for them to really hate you, and if that is the path they choose, then let them be and one day they will learn the lessons that they need to learn and get past that type of decision.

"Dont ever mistake my silence for ignorance, my calmness for acceptance, and my kindness for weakness."

It's Been Too Long

It has been way too long since I have written a post on here.  So much has happened.  For starters...I actually am now currently in my 2nd semester of school here at RUSVM.  My 1st semester was very successful and this semester is coming to an end in just a couple of weeks.  I have my last week of classes next week and then the week after that is finals week.


So what have I been up to??  I was class rep as well as a continued member of RUSVM's Josh Project during my first semester.  That all went really well and it was an overall fun and successful semester.


Outside of all of that and the workload of veterinary school, I was caught off guard by a very amazing guy.  Completely swept me off my feet and he continues to make me feel amazing.  I definitely wasn't expecting to have such an amazing guy enter my life....wouldn't have it any other way :)


I was able to meet his family over our December break.  They are amazing folks and I can definitely understand how he turned out to be who he is today.  He was able to take a road trip with me all the way from Pennsylvania and meet my family in Cincinnati, OH.  Everyone gave him the stamp of approval...lol.  Long story short...this was a great break and so many amazing memories were made from this short get away from "the rock".


As far as 2nd semester...This semester had its bumps, but I'm doing just fine.  I am not one to post about the petty drama, but it was definitely present at the beginning of the semester.  Luckily, I have an amazing boyfriend and family and friends that were there for advice and support.  Didn't let others impede my journey and reason for being here.


Now onto the important stuff :)


I was asked at the beginning of this semester to step up as chairperson of Josh Project and I gladly accepted.  I have successfully hosted both the fundraisers that Josh Project holds each semester (Coin Fundraiser and the Professor/Staff Cook Off).  I have also done my part in getting the organizations name and the amazing community service that it provides more publicly known.  Here is the article that the school wrote about Josh Project and my role.  Our coin fundraiser received a lot of publicity amongst the RUSVM community.  Red Semester (my semester) won the coin fundraiser and supporting and aiding us in this achievement was Dr. Allen Reich who has been with the school for 20+ years.  He willingly dressed as Ace Ventura for an entire day in honor of my semester's win.  Here is the photo of his outfit versus Ace Ventura...I think we did a good job!  The Professor/Staff Cook Off was soooooo much fun!  We had such an amazing turnout and I had so much fun with the help of my co-chair, Avery, making the cook books that compiled all the participant's recipes.  Can't wait for next semester's!

I have a lot of really awesome ideas for Josh Project.  The organization was founded about 2-3 years ago here at RUSVM and it has really developed some strong roots.  My personal goal for Josh Project is to see it expand (ie. more community awareness and involvement) as well as work with the St. Kitts government to enable easier ways of bringing Josh Kits to the pediatric ward of the Joseph N. France General Hospital.  I am completely confident that under my care, Josh Project will accomplish these goals especially with the help of certain amazing individuals in the RUSVM community that are working with me to see everything through.

I was class representative this semester and even attempted to take my role in our SCAVMA to the next level.  I had many amazing friends cheering me on from the sidelines and pushing me to pursue a larger role so I decided to run for President.  Unfortunately I was not elected to this position; however, I am not one to get hung up on such things and I am very quick to move on when something doesn't work out and find another avenue or opportunity (definitely pride myself on my resilience in such situations).  I most definitely was proud of myself and the work that I put into chasing after this personal goal.  I went after this opportunity and gave it my all.  I have really enjoyed my role in SCAVMA and saw this election as an opportunity to do more in our student government.  Even though my attempt was unsuccessful, I saw this defeat as a blessing in disguise.  I know my classmates appreciate the work that I put in each semester to keep everyone on track and the liaison work that I do between administration/professors and my class.  So in the words of Napoleon Hill:  "Your big opportunity may be right where you are now."  I enjoy being my class' representative and am definitely looking forward to serving them for another semester (was reelected as one of our two 3rd semester class representatives for next semester).

So that is this semester in a nut shell!!  I really have been busting my butt to stay afloat and my efforts are paying off!  Every day I think about my animal science advisor during my undergraduate years at Ohio State (Ana Hill...she was such an amazing advisor!) and how she mentioned every once in a while that they easy part of veterinary school is getting in...at the time, I scuffed at this idea because I was working so relentlessly to get into OSU's Veterinary School...but now it all makes sense!  Hahaha!  Luckily I am as stubborn as they come (thanks to some good ol' family genes...love my Lowers genes) and I refuse to let any course stand between myself and this career.

So here we are at the end of another semester...where you give it one last push.  You increase your intake of caffeine, live off unhealthy snacks (skittles, etc.), sit your butt in a chair for days upon days, and pound all the important material of the semester back inside your skull for one last hoorah.  I feel like it is fitting for the following quote:  "And may the odds be ever in your favor..."

Just some pictures that represent the fun that I had over the time that's past since my last post...

 Jarrod and I at his old hockey practice rink.

 Romantic walk down the beach together...definitely enjoy these moments when I'm able to have them.

 Jarrod and Tobey.

 Valentine's Day dinner...he surprised me with an amazing and gorgeous necklace.

 Class fundraiser (The Last Cup Tournament) with Sandra and Tia.

 Our amazing chefs for the Josh Project Professor/Staff Cook Off.

 Dr. Reich posing for our class in his Ace Ventura outfit.

 Kalahari and I at the cook off.

 Sandra and I in our St. Patty's Day apparel at The Last Cup Tournamenet.

 Our "Josh" giving away free kisses to the cook off attendees :)

 Avery and I

The winners of the Professor/Staff Cook Off!

First Week of Vet Prep

The schedule for the vet prep program is slightly relaxed in that you do end up having more time than any of the actual semesters in veterinary school.  But seems to be proving to be a great opportunity for me to fine tune my study skills now that my full-time job is truly to be JUST a student!  I'm so grateful that I don't have to juggle a full-time job and full-time course load ever again.  I finally get to focus completely on school.  My job IS to study and be a successful student in veterinary school.

The courses that I have this semester are the following:
Applications
Medical Math
Microbiology
Prep. Physiology
Study Skills
Veterinary Terminology
Evidence Based Medicine

So far I'm really enjoying all of the courses and the fact that they are getting my brain juices flowing once again.

I feel pretty awesome right now in the sense that I think I have a great balance as well as the sense to buckle down and focus when there is work to be done.

Last week I was elected as the Vet Prep Class Representative for the Ross University School of Veterinary Medicines SCAVMA board.  I'm extremely thrilled about this opportunity!  I love being able to finally put my leadership skills to the test as well as continuing my education on how to manage and listen to groups, etc.  The first meeting for SCAVMA was today and I was officially sworn onto the board.  I hope to be the best voice for my fellow classmates/colleagues as well as keep them well informed about the current issues/opportunities that are happening within the university.

I have also joined the Josh & Friends committee at Ross University.  The committee raised enough funds the other semester to buy 12 kits (see the website for details) for the pediatric ward at the local hospital in St. Kitt's.  Those are going to be distributed to the children this Thursday for the first time ever!  The really cool part of this impressive achievement is that when the committee chair was talking about this event, you could really see her eyes light up with so much excitement to have accomplished such a feat.  My hopes in joining the Josh & Friends Committee is to give back to the community around the university.  I really wanted to provide some form of community service that didn't necessarily involve contact or working with animals but rather the locals here on St. Kitts.  Community service has really always been a very large passion of mine.  I've always felt that we are better off serving others that are in some form or another less fortunate than ourselves...there's always some kind of need in the community that you live in.  You don't necessarily have to focus on changing the world as a whole, but definitely try to change the community around you in any way you can.  There are resources/organizations out there to help you achieve this goal.

Aside from SCAVMA and the Josh & Friends committee, I really don't plan to stretch myself much further.  Maybe next semester (my 1st semester of veterinary school), I will look into clubs that are offered at Ross, but for right now these two commitments are perfect.

More to come as the weeks roll on by :)

Getting to Know RUSVM and St. Kitt's

I arrived on St. Kitt's on Thursday, April 28th 2011 around 2pm.  As soon as I stepped off the plane I was greeted with the warm island climate and constant breeze.  Made my way through immigration and customs...really was not as difficult as I had expected!  Got all my luggage that I checked at the airport in Columbus, OH!  Thank goodness!  After I grabbed my luggage, the school had a wonderful group of helpers to put our bags on dollies and roll it all outside to meet our orientation leader (OL) and group.  After everyone in my orientation group gathered from the airport, they transported us to campus where we unloaded our luggage and got slightly situated.  From there it was off to dinner.

I have spent the orientation period with an amazing group of 1st semester students and an OL who is moving into his 5th semester at RUSVM.  Most of the days until Monday (the first day of our scheduled orientation) have been filled with fun ways to get to know our surroundings (ie the island, the culture, the school, the food, etc.).  It's been an amazing experience and I'm extremely thankful for everything that has been offered to me.  The island is very rich with history and culture.  I'm extremely excited to continue to explore it and discover all the amazing local specialties.

One of the most interesting discoveries was our island tour and being told by our bus driver the extensive history of the island (i.e. settlement, sugar cane industry and all the plantations around the island, etc.) and getting to see where specific events occurred (ie. Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park).

Reality really started to sink in on Monday when the entire bunch (1st semester and VP semester students) was sitting in one of the huge classrooms and Keith Kramer (assistant dean for student life) spoke to us and really instilled a feeling of greatness in me for my presence at such a special and really blossoming university.

I think I've mentioned this to a few people, but I'm going to say it again...I truly believe that this is where I was meant to end up.  I know I had horse blinders on the last couple of years and was too focused on getting into OSU's program to pay attention to other opportunities that were out there.  But luckily the door and opportunity to attend OSU closed...so it led me to RUSVM.  I wouldn't have it any other way. Just as much potential as RUSVM has to blossom into an even more successful university, I know I have a huge amount of potential where I am to blossom into a wonderful veterinarian and colleague.  I truly feel like this is my opportunity to grow in ways that I might not have if I had ended up at OSU.

There's a ton of things planned for the rest of the week!  Can't wait to let everyone know how it all goes!

                                                       view while standing in front of my dorm

One of the beaches we drove past where the Atlantic and Caribbean Oceans meet 

Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park

Pretty scenery :)

What brought me to Ross University's School of Veterinary Medicine...

How my story starts seems to be the typical start for most veterinarians that I have come across in my life.  At the young, impressionable, and naive age of 6 years old, I began telling others that I wanted to become a veterinarian.  At the age of 11, I started finding ways to really develop a feel for and gain insight into the field of veterinary medicine.  I shadowed small animal, equine, and large animal veterinarians as well as interned at a small animal emergency veterinary clinic.  I gained the most experience as a veterinary assistant at a small animal clinic by taking on client education projects (i.e. pet obesity and senior wellness) and following the lead of their successful veterinary technicians in any work related duties (i.e. placing IV catheters, intubating cats/dogs, proper sterilization/packaging of surgical tools, etc.).

I earned my B.S. in Agriculture from The Ohio State University by majoring in Animal Sciences and minoring in Life Sciences.  My major was chosen because of the immense hands on interactions you gained with large animals as well as the statistical popularity it had with accepted students into OSU's veterinary program.  My minor was chosen based on its ability to fulfill most, if not all, course requirements by OSU and several other college/university veterinary programs.  I loved my major and the professors in the Animal Science department at OSU.  Although I am happy with my performance in undergrad, my GPA and GRE ended up not being the most competitive scores I truly needed to be welcomed into OSU's veterinary school.

After 2 years of being unsuccessful with applying to OSU, I began looking into the other options I had.  I sat down with the dean of OSU's veterinary school mid January of 2010 to discuss why I wasn't admitted to the program, what I could do to become a more competitive candidate, and what her thoughts on Ross University students were that had entered OSU for their clinical year.  The breakdown she gave me was as follows:

•   Statistically I wasn't competitive.  She told me that the veterinary school had supportive data that statistically proved a correlation between lower science GPAs and higher incidences of a student dropping out of the program.

•   In order to be more competitive, Dean Sanders suggested that I enter the Masters in Public Health program and have a focus on Veterinary Medicine.

•   Dean Sanders said hands down she loves the students that come from Ross University.  She said that Rossies are extremely more outgoing than her OSU students which she thought could be a result of the students having to adapt to the island life, live far from family and friends, as well as take on the difficult curriculum of veterinary school.  She said that Ross students were just as successful as her OSU students if not more successful.

I decided against the option to earn my masters based on the timeline that was presented to me for the program in order to become more competitive (basically I had to acquire a research job and be a part of the research team's publications and presentations).  It was all these "what ifs" and a waiting game to become a veterinarian through Ohio States's College of Veterinary Medicine.

So I then turned my attention towards Ross University's School of Veterinary Medicine.  I sat in on a  Ross University seminar that came through Columbus, Ohio when the OVMA convention was in town and was able to really get acquainted with the school, what it has to offer future veterinarians, as well as the experiences that several speakers have had or are currently having at the university and on the island.

Hands down...I was impressed.  So I began my application process and received an invitation to be interviewed!  The interview went extremely well and throughout the whole application/interview process all my questions and concerns were thoroughly answered.

Right around my birthday in September 2010 I got accepted...best birthday present ever!  I was accepted for the May 2011 Vet Prep Program.

Ross University did something for me that OSU couldn't...they gave me an opportunity.  They looked at me as more than just a bunch of numbers...they saw an excellent future veterinarian.  The Vet Prep program consists of a handful of classes (i.e. microbiology, physiology, study skills, veterinary terminology, etc.) taken throughout the week that provide a basic foundation for your following semester at Ross University (this will be the first semester of veterinary school).  Why does this opportunity continue to be so awesome??  I get to be eased into the numerous adaptions and adjustments that I will be making with such a big move.  Instead of jumping right into vet school, I have a little bit of time to prep for the curriculum and adapt to my surroundings.  What sucked about this semester program?  It is not funded by government loans unlike the entirety of your veterinary school career.  You must find a private lender...and by private lender I mean you have 2 choices since most banks don't provide loans for international schools such as Ross.  So I have a loan through Sallie Mae that I wasn't approved for without a co-signer.  The other downfall of Sallie Mae and this type of loan, there is no deferment while you attend Ross.

So with all that said, I'm down to the last week before the big move...I've got all my travel vaccines, I've got my passport, I'm almost packed up.  I'm bursting with a ton of different emotions...excitement, nervousness, anxiousness to get there, etc.  But I'm ready for this adventure and this new chapter in my life.  It may not have been the prettiest path to get where I’ve wanted to be my whole life, but what matters is that I did it. I went against all odds. I fought through all the hardships and adversity that I was faced with and came out the other end pretty well off.  So very thankful and appreciative of the lessons that I have been lucky enough to learn so far in life and the experiences that I have encountered.  And I know that I am surrounded by so many positive influences and special people that never stopped believing in my potential. I can honestly say that I wouldn’t change a thing about my path. And a huge thank you goes out for all those that have been a positive influence. And another thank you to everyone that has continued to be there as I grow and thrive in life.

...I think this was a good starting place for my blog...feel free to ask any questions that you may have about Ross University as you go along on this journey with me : -)

                                      My future home