The Missing Letter

The 2012 first semester officially starts today. I was very excited this morning despite the exhaustion that I had as a result of yesterday's organizing, packing and moving.  (Special thanks to all my friends who helped me load, transport and unload my stuff yesterday.) 

I have three courses this semester: Veterinary Pathology which is a combination of General and Systems Pathology, DVM Professional Skills (Animal Handling which involves animal restraint and clinical examination), and Veterinary Practice Fundamentals (A)- which is a perfect cocktail of Diagnostic Imaging, Anaesthesiology and Surgery.

The first lecture was Pathology.  The lecturer, an experienced American pathologist, started talking about the introductory part of the course to nearly 60 students in Eastick Theatre- 20% of them were international students.  The professor had a strong accent and his talk went well until he started presenting the various reactions and microscopic changes that occur in the cells and tissues after an injury.

The Pathology professor defined and differentiated the terms hypoplasia and hypeRplasia, then he gave classical examples on which organ and when can each of these changes happen in an individual animal. Then one of the domestic students raised her hand to clarify because the two words were becoming phonetically confusing.  That's the trouble when an English speaker indeliberately omits the sound of letter 'R' in words.  Hypothermia could sound similar with hypeRthermia, same with hypoplasia and hypeRplasia, etc..  Our teacher's solution?  Gesture.  He said that he'll raise his thumb up when it's 'hyper' which simply means 'increasing', and will drop his thumb down when he's talking about 'hypo'.  We agreed, and it's very effective!

It's quite interesting for me that my classmate and our professor, who were both native English speakers, could face challenges in communication, too!  But this is not my point.

Fourteen years ago, when I took my General Pathology subject at the College of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Southern Mindanao in the Philippines, we didn't have that problem.  Filipinos can pronounce letter 'R' very well. 


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Crossroads

This is it, the green light is on!

I, finally, got the offer from the South Australian Tertiary Admissions Centre (SATAC) to pursue the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program at the School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences of the University of Adelaide (UoA)-Roseworthy Campus. 

Getting the offer wasn't easy.  I initially went to the UoA for preliminary assessment of my Philippine qualifications last July 2011; submitted my SATAC application in August 2011 and completed the supplementary information needed for admission into the DVM program last November 2011.

Unfortunately last December 2011, the university sent me an email explaining that my DVM application was sitting on a bad place; there were more than 30 people applied for the 3 places available for uptake, all the applicants were ranked and I was NOT in the top three. In short, I was on the waitlist (just like a reserved housemates of Pinoy Big Brother) and I only have two chances: if any of the 50+ students who has just finished their BSc Pre-Veterinary would decide not to continue with the DVM program, and if any of the guys in the top 3 would decide not to accept the offer.  I only had a very slim chance of getting an offer, and for me it was a disaster!  I felt I was securely fastened by a ball and chain.

Dealing with the condition of temporary disppointment was difficult, I suffered from a very unhealthy mental state that, in some ways, had jeopardized my job.  I am very grateful that my employer, the people in my workplace and the Filipino community in Port Wakefield and Balaklava were very supportive that the next few days had surprisingly gone well.  I am glad that a packet of anti-depressant pills prescribed by my GP had found its way into the bin, otherwise I could have been suffering from its adverse effects by now.

You might wonder why I was so frustrated of not getting the SATAC offer right away.  Well, it's simple.  It'd be easier if I admit that I am too ambitious that I just simply dream to get the veterinary registration in Australia.  I have been Down Under for more than half a decade now, working hands on with the production side of hogs and poultry, intensely missing the routines and challenges of the veterinary profession.  So after becoming an Australian citizen last year, I started praying hard and seriously never ceased in finding the best ways to get recognized as a vet down here.  There's an option of taking the qualifying examinations for Au$10,000 (both the theoretical and practical) but I have preferred and decided to leave my current job, go back to the uni (university) and study full-time for three years.     

There are millions of jobs across Australia that could easily secure my and my family's financial needs... or I can enrol in a shorter program to get a new skill (maybe culinary, photography or TV and movie production) or just stay in my current job and continue enjoying its perks but my heart's yelling and yearning for another thing- to continue the path of veterinary career that I have started in the Philippines.

I wanted to follow my heart because for me this is the best way to fulfillment and joy.  I have come to a point where I believe that being a veterinarian is my Personal Legend- my destiny.  And I'm so glad that the universe have started conspiring; and I have also been keeping my fingers tightly crossed that my 'stars' will gradually align and will favour me until the end amidst all the challenges that will surely come across my way as a veterinary medical student.            

For those who are curious, I don't have the money to pursue this dream.  The DVM program in Australia is luckily one of the Commonwealth-supported places which simply means that I will try to avail the subsidized education plus the government's HECS-HELP or the loan program.  And because I will be leaving my job a day before the start of the classes (27 February 2012), I will try to ask for assistance from AuStudy- an Australian government's financial help to Australians aged 25 years or more and studying full-time.  Plus I will look for a part-time job during Saturdays, Sundays and a few hours during weekdays so I could financially meet my personal needs and wants. 

I know that what's ahead is not easy... but there's no U-turn slot available, I'm on a crossroad where turning right or left is not allowed.  Now that I am facing the green light, the only way is going straight forward.  So help me God. 

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