The Veterinary Medicine class at Washington Middle School had its culminating clinical rotation for the quarter on Friday, Sept. 28.
Students experienced a chicken, a kitten, two dogs, and a baby goat. They had to take charge of clinical rotations using both the soft skills (good client interaction, quick-thinking, and clinical science skills of a vet) and combining critical thinking with science and math.
The class also just received donations from Mercy and from parent/nurse Anna Landon. As a result, students were able to use stethoscopes to examine the animals for the first time.
“I was impressed with the kids' ability to take charge on the clinicals,” said instructor Stefanie Virgen. “Up until now, they've required a lot of leading, prompting, and questioning from me. They've gained confidence in their abilities.”
By the end of the class, the students examining the kitten found that it kept falling asleep in their arms, exhausted from all of the excitement.
“One thing that amazed all of us was that we had learned about the heartbeats of each animal,” Virgen said. “But nothing prepared us for how insanely fast a bird's heart beats. That was a moment the kids won't forget. Every kid that measured the chicken's heart broke out into a huge smile with wide eyes and exclaimed, ‘Wow!’ Even I was surprised.”
Pictures from the culminating clinical rotation are below.
Donations from Mercy and Anna Landon
