Introduction
I interned at the Countryside Animal Clinic with Kurt Krusen DVM. He runs a small clinic out of an office that is connected to his house on 137 S Lewisberry road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055. The learning objectives I initially developed changed a little bit as I grew to understand the work I was doing. However, my two main learning goals did stay the same. First, I wanted to use this time to compare veterinary medicine with human medicine, since I have a strong interest in pursuing both. I did this by observing interactions between the patient and doctor and analyzing how they would be different in human medicine. I recorded my thoughts on this in my working portfolio. Secondly, I desired to better understand the components of veterinary medicine. I achieved this mostly through observation but also by studying common diseases, symptoms, and treatments. I took pictures of some of the procedures and planned to create a list of skills and techniques that I would acquire through this job. However, I found that I didn’t gain as much skill knowledge as I did general knowledge about practicing medicine.
Work
The actual work I could do at my internship was limited since much of the work requires extensive knowledge. Initially I spent most of my time observing Dr. Krusen during the appointments with clients. As a learned the routine of a check up and the location of necessary items I was able to be more of an assistant. By the end I was able to fill prescription, restrain the animals, do some of the minor paper work, answer the phone, schedule appointments, and retrieve anything he may need for an appointment, such as vaccinations.
Learning
This experience taught me about many of the common diseases and treatments that are seen in vet medicine. Many of the dogs that come in have dental issues. These are often related to breed but are common across the board in older dogs. Just recently a vaccine for a common dental disease was made and Dr. Krusen has found that it works well. This vaccine along with many others is a great form of preventive medicine and can be a huge money saver for clients as well. While interning new aspects of medicine were revealed to me. In medicine it is important to be aware of financial limitations a client may have. Also, teaching is a major part of medicine. Especially in vet medicine, it is important that the owner has a basic understanding of the care and management of different diseases to help keep the animal healthy. I also got to see the difference between a large and a small practice. I had the opportunity to visit another practice, Willow Mill. This practice was much larger than Dr. Krusen’s, and was run much differently. The doctor kept busy with appointments and would do surgeries, but the technicians did most of the other work on the animals. The environment was much more formal and fast pace. Also, through this experience I learned that the type of procedures are often determined by the availability of equipment and ease of access. At the large practice the doctor took many more x-rays because they had a digital machine that made it quick and easy. Overall, working as an intern has given me a good feel for small animal medicine and medicine in general.
Future Plans
One of my learning objective was to compare vet medicine with human medicine. I have always wanted to be a vet but also have a very strong interest in human medicine. This internship has provided me with an understanding of vet medicine that I did not have before. I was hoping that I would have decided between the two by this point, but throughout my experience I have discussed the differences and have found appealing aspects in both types of medicine. At this point I could see myself enjoying both jobs. To help me finalize my decision, I plan to get more human medical experience this summer through volunteering at a hospital and attending a medical missions trip to Nicaragua.
Preparation/Recommendations
I felt well prepared for this experience. Medicinal botany and physiology really helped in my understanding of the different diseases that I learned about during the internship. Many of the different diseases and tests for those diseases I had already learned about in other classes. This was exciting because I could finally see all of my studying being put into practice. Overall, I felt well prepared and think the biology department does a good job of preparing the students.
