June 19, 2024

#124: So You Want To Sit The Membership Exams? Your Questions About ANZCVS Memberships Answered.

#124: So You Want To Sit The Membership Exams? Your Questions About ANZCVS Memberships Answered.

This episode dives deep into the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists (ANZCVS) membership exams, offering a comprehensive guide for veterinary professionals considering or preparing for the process. The conversation, which is made up from interviews with experienced specialists, recent candidates, and mentors, outlines the structure, purpose, and preparation strategies for these exams, particularly in the field of surgery. Topics include the registration process, study schedules, common challenges, and the value of mentorship and study groups. The guests also discuss the broader benefits of pursuing memberships, such as enhanced clinical knowledge, confidence, and professional recognition, as well as practical insights like balancing study with work and personal life. Designed to demystify the journey, this episode is a valuable resource for anyone aspiring to elevate their veterinary expertise through memberships.

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Season 1

If you clicked on this episode, then I’m guessing that you already know WHAT the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists membership exams are. Maybe you’re considering sitting them, or perhaps you’ve already put your hand up for 2025, but you still have so many questions. Like, how much time would I need to commit, how much study is required each week, HOW hard is it actually, WHAT do I need to study, and how do I set myself up for success? Should I do a course, how do I utilise me mentors, or my study group, and perhaps the most important question… WHY would I even put myself through it?!

This episode is made up of multiple conversations about surgery membership, and it will answer all of those questions and more. We talk to specialist surgeons Dr Chris Tan and Dr Mark Newman, as well as membership candidate (at the time of recording) Dr Stephen Mansour and recent successful membership candidate Dr Justin Ward. While the conversation focuses on surgery memberships, most of the information will be applicable to any of the specialties. 

If you need an on-the-go study aid for your surgery membership prep, or if you just want to take your surgery theoretical knowledge to the next level, check out our advanced surgery podcast at cutabove.supercast.com

Oh, and if you were just curious about what membership exams are: the ANZCS (Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists) membership exams are rigorous assessments designed to evaluate the clinical knowledge and expertise of veterinarians who want to level up in their field of interest. Anyone with a degree that is eligible for registration in Australia or New Zealand and with more than 3.5 years in practice can register to sit memberships. The exams serve as a benchmark for professional excellence, enabling successful candidates to attain membership in the College, thereby recognising their advanced competency in a specific area of veterinary science. 

Still interested? Then keep listening!

Topics and time stamps

04:29 Exam Structure and Requirements

08:28 The Importance of Pathophysiology

12:52 Personal Experiences and Motivations

16:54 Balancing Study and Life

17:36 The Value of Membership Certification

26:59 Marketability and Practical Skills

29:36 Preparing for Membership Exams

31:21 Time Management and Study Schedules

35:56 Mentorship and Study Groups

48:17 Essential Study Resources

55:44 Balancing Study and Personal Life

 

"Understanding ANZCVS Memberships: What You Need to Know"

The Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists (ANZCVS) offers membership exams for veterinarians who want to enhance their surgical knowledge and skills. These exams are a stepping stone towards becoming a registered specialist (Fellowship) and demonstrate a higher level of understanding in a specific veterinary field.
What are the ANZCVS Membership Exams?
  • The ANZCVS offers membership exams across various chapters, with each chapter setting its own exams.
  • The membership exam is a mid-tier level qualification and doesn't involve any practical component or logbook assessment.
  • It's primarily designed for vets in practice and serves as a means to improve surgical understanding and build a network of like-minded professionals.
Who is eligible to sit for the ANZCVS Membership Exams?
  • To be eligible, you need to be a qualified veterinarian for a minimum of three and a half years.
  • The application process involves submitting an intention to sit form and paying a fee, typically around $1,000-$2,000.
Exam Format:
  • The membership examination comprises two parts: a written exam and an oral exam.
  • The written exam consists of two papers, each lasting approximately two hours, covering pathophysiology and clinical case scenarios.
  • The oral exam involves answering clinical case scenarios in front of examiners.
Passing Requirements:
  • To pass, candidates need to achieve an overall average of 70%, with a minimum of 55% in each component (written and oral).
Why Pursue ANZCVS Memberships?
  • Enhanced Surgical Understanding: Studying for the exams significantly improves surgical knowledge and decision-making.
  • Professional Development: It demonstrates a commitment to professional growth and can enhance career opportunities.
  • Personal Satisfaction and Recognition: Achieving membership provides a sense of accomplishment and recognition within the veterinary community.
Preparing for the Exams:
  • Dedicated Study Time: Candidates should allocate approximately 6-8 hours per week for study, with increased intensity (around 20 hours) in the final six months.
  • Structured Study Plan and Timetable: Creating a detailed study schedule and sticking to it is crucial for success.
  • Mentorship: Seek guidance from a mentor who has previously sat for the exams.
  • Study Groups: Joining a study group provides support, motivation, and opportunities for knowledge sharing.
  • Resources and Materials: The primary resource is Tobias and Johnson's Veterinary Surgery Small Animal. Additional resources include anatomy textbooks, distance education courses, and online platforms like VIN.
  • Past Exam Papers: Familiarizing yourself with past papers helps to understand the exam format and depth of knowledge required.
Challenges and Support:
  • Pathophysiology: Many candidates find the pathophysiology component particularly challenging.
  • Maintaining Balance: Balancing study with work, family, and personal life is essential.
  • Support Network: A strong support network, including a mentor, study group, and understanding family and colleagues, plays a vital role in navigating the challenges.
Success Rates and Recognition:
  • Pass rates are estimated to be around 70-80%.
  • While the ANZCVS Membership doesn't guarantee a pay raise, it may improve marketability, attract potential employers, and enhance credibility as a surgical mentor.

 

"The Benefits of ANZCVS Memberships Beyond the Exam"

Pursuing ANZCVS memberships offers numerous benefits that extend far beyond simply passing the exam. These benefits can have a positive impact on a veterinarian's career, personal satisfaction, and overall approach to surgery.
Enhanced Understanding and Confidence: The rigorous study required for the membership exams significantly enhances a veterinarian's understanding of surgical principles, pathophysiology, and clinical decision-making. This deeper knowledge translates into increased confidence in surgical abilities and a more comprehensive approach to patient care. As Dr. Justin Ward explains, "This really just took my knowledge to the next level and has really just augmented my approach".
Improved Surgical Skills and Outcomes: While the membership exam doesn't assess practical skills directly, the enhanced theoretical understanding gained through studying forms a solid foundation for developing and refining surgical techniques. This can lead to improved surgical outcomes and better patient care. Dr. Stephen Manso highlights the importance of understanding the "why" behind surgical choices, stating that it leads to more satisfying work because "when the case goes well, you're like, I know why it went well. It wasn't just luck".
Career Advancement and Recognition: Though not a guarantee, ANZCVS membership can enhance career opportunities and marketability. It demonstrates a commitment to professional development and a higher level of surgical knowledge, making individuals more attractive to potential employers. Dr. Ward notes that practices with multiple membership holders may find it easier to attract staff as it suggests a culture of learning and a higher standard of care. Additionally, membership can open doors to teaching, consulting, or other specialised roles within the veterinary field.
Networking and Community Building: The process of preparing for and sitting the exams provides opportunities to connect with like-minded veterinarians who share a passion for surgery. Study groups, mentorship programs, and interactions with examiners and specialists foster a sense of community and provide valuable support networks. This can be particularly beneficial for those working in more isolated practices.
Personal Satisfaction and Motivation: Achieving ANZCVS membership provides a sense of personal accomplishment and professional recognition within the veterinary community. It represents a significant achievement that validates years of hard work and dedication. This boost in confidence and self-esteem can reinvigorate a veterinarian's passion for surgery and motivate them to continuously seek further knowledge and improvement. As Dr. Mark Newman observes, "It's a great feeling, a great achievement. When you get a certificate that says, you know, you have put in the hard yards and you've been recognized that you have a special interest in this topic and you know your stuff".

 

Here in Australia and New Zealand, if you want to officially level up your red game, you'll put yourself through the process of sitting for the Australia and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists membership exams.Actually, it's for anyone in the world who has a qualification that's eligible for registration in Australia and New Zealand, and successful completion of the exam will make you an official member of the specific chapter that you're interested in.
So surgery or medicine or behaviour or whatever it takes your fancy.It's kind of like a gang for smart people and nerds.I'm just jealous because I don't have my memberships.It's like a step between your victory and being a specialist Jedi Knight, not Jedi Master, but it's a step offer taken as a means in itself rather than a means to becoming a specialist.
But if you've clicked on this episode to listen, then you probably already know that.And you probably considering doing your memberships, or you've already committed to sitting next year.And you are exactly who this episode is for.If you have just clicked because you're curious or bored, by all means, keep listening to learn more about what it's all about.
But be warned that we get into a lot of detail, which is exactly what you want if you are trying to gather information on the membership adventure.I've made this episode by Frankensteining together 2 separate conversations about memberships from our Advanced surgery podcast, A Cut Above.
One conversation is with two specialist surgeons and previous membership examiners, Doctor Chris Tan and Doctor Mark Newman, and a current at the time of recording membership candidate Doctor Steven Mansell.And the second conversation is with GP, vet and practice owner and also recent successful membership candidate Doctor Justin Ward.
And I've sliced and spliced together the best bits to make an episode that will give you most, if not all of the information you need to know to get your head right for taking on memberships.Note that these chats are specifically about surgery memberships, but I would think that most of the information would be applicable to any of the chapters.
We start with what memberships actually is, what it's for, and why.Why would you willingly submit yourself to more study and more exams?Our guests cover all the common FAQs, from how to register, what to study, how much to study, how long to give yourself, how many hours per week, study and preparation tips, resources, advice about mentors and study groups.
Basically, it's the conversation you'd want to have with somebody who's already walked this path, to help you decide whether to do it and to set you off in the right direction if you are early in the process already.What we don't cover is the actual study content.But don't worry, we've got you covered there too.
Doctor Mark, Chris and Justin are three of my four Co hosts on the Cut Above podcast.Together with specialist and master teacher Doctor Bronwyn Fullinger.They discuss, analyze, explain, recap, review and clarify a lot of the actual content of what you'll be learning for membership exams or any other advanced surgery program.
We get really deep and really nerdy.We're talking Path of Fizz and Theory and all the stuff that's in the textbooks that you need as a foundation to make you a better surgeon.We're making this podcast for surgical residents, interns, and of course membership candidates, But any surgeon really who is serious about elevating their craft through a deeper level of knowledge of surgical theory and understanding of why we do what we do with our surgical cases.
It is still a work in progress.So unfortunately it won't help you if you have your oral exam in a few weeks time.Good luck.You've got this, just not without help.Sorry.But if you are in for 2025 then you can join our Year One cohort at a substantially discounted Work in Progress Special pricing at cutabove.supercast.com or by clicking the link in the show description.
In the meantime, here is everything you need to know about the ANZCVS memberships.Here you bring joy to my heart.Mark Newman and I have constantly marvelled over the beauty of pathophysiology.And we feel like we're sort of those two boring guys in the corner that no one wants to talk to.
But it is so true that when you are in practice under the pump, you're not quite sure why you had to choose that fluid solution over another one.You just, someone tells you that's what we do for this.But to actually understand why you're making that choice, this makes your job so much more satisfying because when the case goes well, you're like, I know why it went well.
It wasn't just luck.So we're doing this episode on the, the membership exams, but for anybody who's not in the process already, and I'm just enthusiastic about surgery, what, what is the membership exam actually like?
What, what does it give you?Who can do it?What does it look like?And then as a part of that, I don't know if you guys know or not.Is there an equivalent because that's the Australia, New Zealand College of Ed Surgeons membership.Is there something like that in the in the US or the UK or can they all do the same exam?
How does it work?It's a examination run by the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists.And this college has a number of chapters.And so each chapter will set their exams and there are two level of exams.So the first level is for membership and for that you only have to have been qualified for a number of years.
So 3 1/2 years is the minimum number of years that you have to be qualified.And then you put an application to sit and you can you can sit that exam.I presume a lot of people who are listening to this have probably already signed up and have made that decision to sit memberships.
But if we start at the beginning, you need to actually go to the Australian New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists are ANZCV s.org dot AU website.You have to submit what's called an intention to sit form.
So you have to actually apply and say, hey, I want to write these exams.And there's a whole bunch of questions you've got to answer.And there's a couple of criteria.I think the main one being you need to have been qualified as a vet for at least 3 1/2 years.There's a couple other things that they want to check and once they've checked that and given you the the go ahead, you need to actually enroll and pay your fee to sit the exams.
And that needs to be done I think at the moment by about the 30th of November the year before.So that can catch people out.And so you need to plan ahead.You've got to get your application in the year before and there's a bit of a process.So exams being middle of the year July normally right?
Correct.Yeah, sort of June, July, I think written in June and the the oral in July.OK.So if I wanted to sit in so too late for 2024, if I wanted to sit in 2025, I have to pay my fees by November of 24 of this year, right?
Yes, and just check because those dates may change.But essentially you need to think ahead.But I suppose my question is, let's say somebody says I think I want to do memberships, let me enroll in a program and start studying, but I'm not going to off up the money just yet because I'm not 100%.
I'll see how I go.So if you go by November and go for, I've not done any work.Don't pay your money.Wait for the next year.How much is the fee?Just sit.Oh gosh, that's.Fine.Like is it?Is it substantial?I think it's I think it was between about one and 2000 dollars.
OK, so it's not like a like 100 bucks or something.It's no, you don't want to waste it and it's it's enough money that you.It's yes, correct do.You want to pass.It's exactly, yes, it's not something that you would just, you know, it's just a couple of $50.00.So just have a crack and no, no, nothing like that.
Second level is fellowship level and it's important to recognize the difference there because the fellowship level, if you pass that exam then you are entitled to become a registered specialist.And so the membership is a mid tier level.And probably the closest equivalent would be the certificate in small animal surgery that is run in the UK, but that is probably a slightly more extensive process to go through.
So the membership exam involves no practical component.There is no log book that needs to be kept.It's purely an examination process and Mark has been involved with the examining process.So maybe if I let Mark just talk about the actual exam itself.
Sure.So as you mentioned Chris, the membership doesn't involve any log books or case requirements or anything like that.So it's purely a an exam that you study towards and then sit and there's a couple of parts to the exam that are run at separate times.So the first part is the written exam.
So the written exam is 2 written papers of, I think about two hours duration each.These days we will be asked a series of questions regarding firstly pathophysiology in paper one and then clinical case scenarios in paper two.
And these will be essay or paragraph style questions that you'll have to answer over about two hours.And then a few weeks later, we'll be sitting the oral exam.And that's a slightly more intimidating process where rather than writing down in a paper book, you're sitting at a desk facing some live examiners and you'll be LED through a series of, of clinical case scenarios that you'll have to, to answer and kind of a progressive disclosure format.
You need to achieve an an overall average of 70% to pass the exam and you can't get less than 55% in either one of the components.So you need to have a really solid pass mark to get through.So this isn't a a case like university where CS get degrees, it's a case where they do set the pass mark fairly high.
So we need to be getting our study level up to a really high level to make sure we can hit that 70%.And I think the the key features that it's not just about doing what you do on a day-to-day level.The part where I think a lot of people become unstuck is in the pathophysiology.
So this is the background information that guides us as to why we do what we do.And that's the unfortunately the hard to get through because it's the heavy boring bits in the textbook.And you know, part of the driver behind this podcast series is how we can take all that information, particularly the boring and bland pathophysiology, and actually bring it to life and make it understandable and relevant to what you do in general practice.
I'm fighting again with relearning some of the pathophys through these podcasts.It's not so boring the second time around.It was terribly boring at uni because it was context less.It's just this bit of knowledge that you had to get through but it didn't make any sense.And I find that after working for a bit and seeing cases and treating certain things and you understand like you have an idea of the treatment protocols or what you do and then revisiting lots of those ideas you did back at in your pre grad days.
Maybe I'm just a total nerd, but it's actually quite exciting.So you go, oh, gotcha.Now I now I remember that thing and it actually make it's the putting it together is like a puzzle piece, that last bit of puzzle piece that lights up and then you go, oh, get it.OK now.Now I get it.
It's all about that link I think.You bring joy to my heart.Mark Newman and I have constantly marvelled over the beauty of pathophysiology, and we feel like we're sort of those two boring guys in the corner that no one wants to talk to.But it is so true that to me, when you are in practice under the pump, you're not quite sure why you had to choose that fluid solution over another one.
You just, someone tells you that's what we do for this.But to actually understand why you are making that choice, as you alluded to earlier, this, this makes your job so much more satisfying because when the case goes well, you're like, I know why it went well.It wasn't just luck.You know, I know that that was the best dressing to put on that wound.
And that's why it looks better now rather than last time.Or if a fracture is to fail, at least you can say, well, look, I think I understand why that failed.So next time we can do it in a different way.So I hope, you know, during this podcast series, we can spread that word of pathophysiological love and, you know, get people to recognize that it isn't actually as boring as you May 1st think it is.
When you've had good clinical experience, then it all of a sudden becomes a whole lot more exciting.So couldn't agree more.Absolutely, Just wait until you discover Embryology.Now you're pushing it I.Can I can picture our first merch here guys?
We're something about it.The Cut Above podcast.Santhaf has rules or something like that.Available at every good merchandise outlet, Yeah.Stephen, you are a membership candidate at the moment, so this is for you.
So you better make sure it's good for everybody else listening.And part of the goal of this podcast is to help people prepare for for membership exams.So should we talk about preparing for membership exams tips and tools?Mark, did your journey include membership exams first?
Yes.So I enrolled in my membership exams before I got my residency, and I actually ended up getting at my residency just before I set the membership exams.So that kind of all happened about the same time.But yeah, memberships was always the goal.Pretty much as soon as I finished that school, it was the thing I was working towards.
So yeah, I set my exams in 2011 and luckily enough I managed to pass on the first try.Chris, when did you set your exams relative to specializing and getting your residency?Don't make me give a year, Stephen, because it'll give away my age.
But I set my exams, my membership exams from general practice.And I think the majority of people who sit there, membership exams are in general practice.So I think the first thing to note is that this is not an exam that's set for people destined for that residency pathway.
The membership exams really designed for vets in practice primarily and for many specialists, they use it as a stepping stone.But ultimately it's a process whereby you can improve your understanding of what you you do as a surgeon, but also build a network of like minded veterinarians who have an interest in small animal surgery.
So I think another benefit there and why people may well choose to sit their membership exam.Annoyingly, there's the the 3 1/2 year rule, which I I think is it's reasonable, but I think it's also quite interesting because in that time you're thinking about what you would like to, what your interests are.
And I guess I wonder from each of you, how long does it take to prepare for an exam?I think the good thing about that 3 1/2 year minimum requirement before seeing the membership exams is that it doesn't just mean that you know that you're interested in surgery, but it means that you're likely to have a lot of practical experience in surgery.
So the memberships bias design can't assess the practical component of surgery.So that time span is really there to make sure that if you're out in practice, you're doing surgery.Because to be honest, I think there's a lot of students who will come out fresh out of Ed school.If they're really, really keen on surgery, they could study enough straight out of Ed school to pass in them should exams as well because it's a theoretical exam.
But that time span just makes sure that people sitting at do have a lot of a practical base that they can build on of, of actually seeing the surgery, doing the surgery themselves.It doesn't mean you need 3 1/2 years to prepare for it.I mean, you can mentally prepare for it for 3 1/2 years if you like.
But I think realistically, most people will take around a year to 18 months.I think it's really important to to have that amount of time.I think if you try to condense down your study into a shorter amount of time, it's going to be really, really difficult.Pushing two years or more, I think perhaps is going to be a little bit long because a lot of this information you just kind of really need to live and breathe it and there's a lot of stuff you just have to commit to memory.
So I think if you're pushing more than two years, it's going to be tricky.You really just need 12 to 18 months.I would suggest 18 months.And the last six months are kind of the real push.So you got a year to sort of get through all the stuff and then six months to really push leading up to that exam.
And I think the key is to is to create a study schedule that you're gonna stick to.And you have to just dedicate a certain amount of time each week and stick to it.So it's not something that you can say, well, I'm gonna go camping this weekend, It's all good.
I'll catch up.And then the next weekend, say I'm gonna go to the beach, I'll catch up.It really you start falling behind pretty quickly and there's a lot of stuff.So even if you can't commit heaps of time, as long as it's regular and you and you're sticking to it and you can adjust your plan, you know, according to that.
Have you seen that?Have you come across a A blog post called Wait, but why?He talks about procrastination.Explain the concept that current you is not you a month from now, you're two different people, but current you can really screw over February Justin can really screw over March Justin.
So when you the way you talk about that, Oh, I'm going to keep camping.Basically what you're saying is future Justin, this is your problem.You should deal with it, and I'm not going to deal with it today.Don't do that.That's true for future justice.That's a cool way of looking at it, isn't it?It's like present Justin's going to have a good time and future Dust can deal with the fallout.
So yeah, I think that's the key.Can I take a step back quickly for somebody who's listening to this going?Yeah, I think I want to do memberships, but I'm not sure.And you touched on it, Chris, but the why?Why do you do it?Because you don't come out of it with a specialist degree.
You don't necessarily get a pay raise.You know, you're not doing it for the money.Is it just a confidence thing because you can't test your skills?You're not going to be examined on your actual surgical skills?Or is it just having a better understanding of why you do the stuff you do?Yeah.Why?Why?
Maybe each of you, the two of you, and then yourself.Steven, why did you decide to do memberships?Yeah.I mean, maybe if I start as to, you know, one of the reasons why I took the exam a long time ago, I guess I rolled because I was using it as a stepping stone for perhaps doing more surgery.
But what I realized was that just in the process of sitting this exam, I think I became a much better surgeon because so much of what you do when you get out is that you do as you're told to some degree, or you mirror your boss and you do as they've done.
And so a lot of the times you're doing procedures because that's the way you were taught how to do it.With that, perhaps the true appreciation of, of what's the pathophysiology, you know, what's the mechanisms of disease behind our decision making.And so for me now, if I look back at why someone would sit their membership exams, I think it does make you a a much better practitioner.
It's the process of systematically going through body systems and function and the exam process where it has a weighting on pathophysiology, I think really helps you understand exactly as you said to you, why you do what you do and what the reasons behind these choices.
But then there are many, many added benefits.And you know, one of those is about building community and being able to, I think, feel recognized for all the extra work you've done, which is a nice part to it as well.Stressful at the time, but you know, it's nice to get that official recognition.
I think there's also a bit of an ego component to it.And I don't say that in a bad way.I mean, I think as you said Hugh, we don't obviously generally get paid more for sitting our membership exams.It's not a a formal qualification.It takes a lot of work and a lot of time and often some heartache and some sacrifice to do it.
But I guess as vets, most of us are very high achieving individuals in the 1st place.Then just to get into vet school and get through those gruelling years and come out the other side.Often what happens is we do that and then we get down to general practice and there's.There's certainly things challenging us again, but not to the same degree as that really intense study.
And it's the same reason as people climb mountains and do stupid things like that is that we do it because we want that personal satisfaction of being able to say, I climbed the mountain.So I think that has to play a role.And there's certainly nothing wrong with that.It's a great feeling, a great achievement when you get a certificate that says, you know, you have put in the hard yards and you've been recognized that that you have a special interest in this topic and you know your stuff.
Steven what?What drove you to do it, man?I think if you asked me just graduated from university, I probably couldn't have told you that I'd try and sit for surgery memberships.My interest was in exotics, and I think through that three years of clinical experience, I've realized that I don't particularly enjoy only consulting and that I do enjoy fixing a a problem and doing things practical.
And I think throughout my surgical internship, it became enjoyable treating animals and see them improve.And so I think I realized I needed to study more to do that better.It's a bit of a motivator.
I'm hoping there's an ego boost at the end.Yeah, that was the goal.Yeah, it, it, it definitely.I have not done memberships of any sort for many reasons, but just with doing the clinical podcast, I'm obviously learning kind of by accident and I'm surprised at how much nicer work is.
Just know it's, it's fun to know you should, it's fun to fun to feel smart.It's fun when people ask you your opinion because they know that you know, this sort of stuff.Work becomes more fun when you're better at it.It's as simple as that for me.For sure, and I think it's important to have all of those reasons and, and goals in mind when you're doing your study because there'll come a point, you know, eight months into your study when you think to yourself, why the hell am I doing this?
You know what, what is the reason that I'm sacrificing this beautiful sunny day to sit inside, inside at my desk and and wade through a textbook?And you know, you've got to just look at what are those intrinsic and extrinsic motivators that drove you to do it in the first place.So that brings up a big question for me, the why of passing the memberships because I try to, I, where I work, everybody's always doing emergency critical care membership.
And then there's the lead up to the exams and they're all pale and blue rings under their eyes and stressy.And, and I tried that approach.I said, listen, why don't you just see it as the exam is the cherry on top.By the time you get a month out from exams, you've already achieved your goal.
It is to learn more stuff about your chosen field.That's nice to get the stamp of approval to say yes, well, that, but I mean, you've already got and I'm not saying you shouldn't care about passing, but does that take the pressure off or is it actually really important to go through the journey to get the get the tick?
Yep, I think when you've gone through such a journey, you really want, you want the reward.But it's a, it's a really good question.And I've, I've had people ask me, I was at a surgery course this last weekend and the person that I was buddied up with in the, in the sort of practical sessions, we were sort of chatting and I said I'd done my membership.
And they literally said to me, but what does that really mean?I mean, it's just kind of halfway to specialists.So what's the point?And I was kind of taken aback.I was like, thanks, it's a big deal to me, but it's a good question.
So I think my take on it is, I don't know if this is correct, but it's really part of the pathway to to fellowship, to becoming a specialist.It's kind of that, that first step to become a member of the college and then you go into your fellowship, but it's sort of now become an end goal, you know, as opposed to just the first step for a lot of us.
And I think it is important, it was important for me to actually get that, that validation that, that I actually the knowledge was actually up to the standard that would be considered enough for membership.So it's one thing to say, oh, I'll put in all the legwork.But if you, if you were just taking it pretty easy, like have you, have you actually got that knowledge?
How much have you got?We don't know because you didn't go to a university and study the, you know, sit down at lectures and listen to the college telling you, you had to go out on your own.So you really need that examination process to figure out whether what you've done is actually to standard.And I guess for me, I think it was awesome because I have been doing a lot of surgery as AGP surgeon, a lot of advanced surgeries, a lot of orthopedic surgery.
So I kind of knew how to do the surgery and I knew a fair bit about it.But this really just took my knowledge to the next level.And it's really just augmented my approach.And I think it just, it means that if you are mentoring someone else or teaching someone else, you can say, hey, I'm not just some cowboy surgeon.
I actually know some stuff.And he has a piece of paper to prove that.But I have found it has changed my approach and my enthusiasm immensely and my understanding, even though I've been doing so many of these surgeries for so long, sometimes we just do stuff because that's what you do.But when you suddenly start thinking about it in a new life and actually understand the depth of knowledge that you that you gained from this, I've found it really valuable.
But I think it is a good question.I think everybody who embarks on this does need to say why am I doing this?You know, why am I actually doing this?You know, do you want to become a specialist?Cool, OK, you have to, you know, am I an intern?I want to become a resident, etcetera.You have to or am IA surgeon like myself who just wants that extra knowledge.
For me.It also, I'm hoping that it may open some doors later in my career in terms of education or teaching or offering potentially consulting services as a surgeon.So I can say again, Yep, I'm not just some dude that does some surgery.I actually, I have studied this and I take it seriously.
So, so I think it is, is worth it.And certainly if you, if you put in the level of dedication that you need to pass the exam, you do really want that piece of paper.I, I do feel sorry for people who have really done their best and don't pass because of nerves and exam technique because I think that is a big factor.
And there's a lot of people I think who probably do have the knowledge to get through, but the whole examination process is quite stressful.I do feel for those people absolutely.And whether you want that piece of paper then or not is up to you.But I'm a piece of paper person, so I would have I would have done it again.
So here's the other question.So let's say I am one of your employees, Justin and I embark on memberships and I pass.Do I get a pay raise?Yeah, that's a great question.And as an employee, you know, that's something that we that comes up quite a lot.So I think there's a couple of things.
It needs to be something that's marketable.So you need to, if you've passed a membership, you need to be living and practicing at that level 2 rather than just be an academic.But in practice you're not actually really doing any of that stuff.Yeah, if you've got a surgical membership, but you, but you can't do anything beyond basic desexing and lumpectomies, that's maybe not that marketable in a sense.
You, you need to be be at least working on doing more advanced surgeries and, and, and using that knowledge in a way that's commercially viable.But certainly in our practice, the way we give pay rises and the things we value is not just how much money does a bit generate, it's how loyal they are, what CPD they've done, you know, and membership would be one of the biggest ones you can do, level of responsibility, their skills, etcetera.
So, so yes, I think we probably would pay someone more for head of membership.And it does these days help attract staff as well.You know, if your practice has one 2-3 people with memberships, you're probably going to find more vets or would be keen to work there because they know that they're working with with vets to have a certain level of knowledge that hopefully they can learn from as well.
And one thing that I think's important is that you will not come out of a membership exam and be able to do more surgery.There's a lot of practical course and just having a surgical memberships does not necessarily mean that you can fix a fractured femur.You should know the principles.
You should be able to evaluate a radiograph and you know, stabilize a patient and understand what needs to be done.But you may not be able to do that yourself.So it's certainly great if you are developing those practical skills in some other way to have this knowledge behind you.
And it's a great start because it teaches you how to, you know, decision make properly, but it doesn't necessarily teach you or doesn't teach you how to actually do the surgery per SE.So that's where again, perhaps something like a distance aid course would actually help because most of those do involve a practical component.
There's normally a practical workshop.So you'll get some tips on actually doing the surgery, but it's not going to you're not going to get your membership exam and the next day, if you've never done one before, go and do a total hip replacement.That's not going to happen.So.Yeah, but I feel like when you do learn those practical skills, you're learning them built on top of a much more sound foundation.
Much more sound foundation.This is I can do the technical stuff, but when something goes wrong or I don't understand something, the whole tower falls over because I don't have that background knowledge.Exactly.Exactly.So guys, when we start talking about prepping for membership, so you said we need a a year to a year and a half to prepare for the exams.
What does it look like on average for the average person on a weekly time commitment?How much time am I sacrificing?How many of those lovely sunny days am I going to sacrifice in the year and a half leading up to to my surgery membership exams?Well, I think that will vary and I'm probably speaking a little bit for some of the people in our current group that's meeting together, but everyone's situation's a bit different.
Some people are working full time, some people link longer hours and after hours, and some people are, you know, environment with lots of surgical support and some people with less.So how Long's a piece of string?As far as how early you would start, for me personally, it was tricky to study theoretical concepts concurrently with my surgery internship.
We work hard.I personally got a lot of practical knowledge by being scrubbed into theatre, planning for surgeries or asking questions.Why did you do this this particular way and managing some of my own cases.But I think pathophysiology is probably my shortcoming, which I need to invest more time into studying.
So looking back, I would have liked to study, start studying earlier, but it was also quite hard to separate good quality time for that.Right now I have a timetable and I'm working one to two days a week.
And so my capacity for that's a lot more.Yeah, For me, I think if if you're preparing for the membership exams, irrespective of whether you've given yourself 18 months leading two years or one year leading to the exam, I think you need to have a timetable so that you can cover the required material because there's a lot to get through.
And This is why we'd normally say 18 months is probably where you want to aim for.But you need to have a study timetable so that you can stay on track.I would say I'd be interested in what you think, Mark, but you know, at least one day a week equivalent would probably be a good volume to study.
So that might be six hours, for instance, 6 to 8 hours a week.But I would try and dedicate at least, you know, one day for that study.Now, for many people there, they may be doing courses that are already fulfilling that need.But I think if you are on your own, then probably a day a week is a good amount and a manageable amount.
Or it could be two or three evenings a week if you're working long hours.I'll use the same amount of time, you know, 6 to 8 hours probably a week.And if you have the luxury of having four day or or less working week, then you can just cram that all into one day.And then you kind of use that 6 to 8 hours a week to figure out how long your study period needs to be.
Because if you're someone that can get through a lot of content in a short amount of time and retain that information, then you can probably have a kind of 12 to 18 month lead into the exams.Or as if you're someone who really needs to read things over and over again and takes their time with study, then you may want to have a longer lead into the exam of two years or so.
Because you might get to the stage where you're feeling like you need to devote 12 hours a week or more to the exams.And that may not be sustainable over a long period of time.I mean, that's a that's a long marathon of of sacrificing spare time.I would say as a rough guideline based on what I did the first year, maybe 5 to 10 hours a week and for those last six months sort of pushing 20 hours a week if you can, I would also.
That really that much 20 hours a week?Yep.I would also suggest taking some time off.You know, we, most of the people in my study group took about one to two weeks off prior to the written exam and about a week off prior to the oral exam as well.They're, they're a month apart.So having that, that time at the end I think is a, is a good idea.
It's a fair bit of work to get through.So I, I know people who study more than that.Some people got away with less.I think the key is just literally, you must have a schedule, you must plan it all out.You've got to be regular and you've got to stick to it.That's really the the key.Because it's so fast, What you're saying is that you're not just going to listen to this podcast at Fast?
Damn it, this this post code's going to be that good that maybe, you know, we have to sell it for more than that's what it does.That's more time than I thought and in terms of the exam success rate than Justin does that give you, if you study that much and you're not an idiot, pretty sure and you're going to pass it.
If you get that, put those sort of hours in like did you pass with flying colours?Do you know how well you pass or is it just yes, you passed?It's just, yes, you passed.I think if you, if you fail one or two sections, there's a option to rewrite that or you may only have to do that section and and then they may give you a breakdown.
But no, you have to get a 70% pass across the board and no lower than I think 50% in, in any one of the of the of the formats.The pass rate varies and it's often just all rumors.I'm not sure anything gets published, but it's sort of 70 to 80% of candidates are, are passing.
I believe in our years it was sort of 60 to 70%.But that's that is absolute hearsay murmurs.There's nothing actually ever quoted or released.So, but the point is not everyone classes and I think coming back to original question, I look we all got have a veterinary science degree.
So I'd imagine we're all smart enough.So really it is just the time.It is the time and the support and some of the other things I'm going to talk about.You got to set yourself up for success to get through these exam.Chris, you mentioned pathophys is where people come unstuck commonly.
Are there other things, whether it's specific groups of knowledge or in terms of preparation, structuring or anything like that, that commonly trips people up?That's Mark or or Chris, in your experience in mentoring candidates through the process?Yeah.
Other problems that people have are not understanding the depth of understanding that is required in certain areas.And so for this, the College recommends you get a mentor.And I would echo those sentiments and say that understanding the depth of knowledge in each area is a vital part of your preparation for memberships.
And a mentor is someone who has set the membership exams before.And you can choose your own mentor or the college can provide you a list of people who have put their name hands up to help.And so everyone can get a mentor.Strongly, strongly recommend that.
And I think it's always good to have someone in your local area because I think having someone accessible and local is a big advantage.I think the other reason people come unstuck is because they don't get time to cover all the information.So they start on page one of a 500 page book and they get to page 255 by the time the exam rolls around.
And they literally have no chance of passing that exam unless they're they're highly talented or, or lucky.Because the membership exam will test you in a wide range of different topics.And so if you only get halfway through the material, then it does make it really challenging.
And so again, having that study timetable, I think is, is really important.And that what we will advise our candidates in many cases is you know, that's your time you've got.So you have one month to learn the liver, for instance.Then even if you have unanswered questions at the end of that month, you really need to move on to the next topic.
And don't linger on one topic for too long, because again, you can go down a rabbit hole and and not emerge for a long period of time.And again then you you present to the exam underprepared, so timetabling mentorship are key parts to preparation.
In addition to the having a mentor, one thing that you can do in the early stages of your study that can really help is just go on the website for the college and you can download all the past exam papers, the past written exam papers.I think they've got the last 20 years or so on there.
So if you just get the last 10 years, just to get an idea of what questions have been asked in the last few years and that'll give you an idea of the depth of knowledge that's required.So you can then structure your study around that.Knowing that you're not going to be asked really in depth questions about how to ligate a patent ductus arteriosus, but you might be asked more questions about the anatomy of the heart, etcetera.
So getting an idea of what the questions look like can really help frame your study in the early days.The website's great and the college are great.That website also has a wealth of knowledge for each chapter.Obviously, we're talking surgery now, but they've got contacts, they've got suggested reading material, etcetera.
They've got how to plan for a study schedule.There's quite a lot of resources on that site and up until recently also copies of past papers which are very, very useful to download.Now I have heard that potentially they may stop that because it's quite hard to keep recycling questions.
So don't quote me on that either.But as we go to AIR you can access past papers which are very valuable resource.No, no answers.Any other questions?So you've, you've mentioned that you need to be quite confident and to do quite well in the exam to, to pass and there's a large breadth of content that you would need to cover and know.
So I, I suppose how have you balanced that and how have you at the end of your study process, what have you done to feel that you're, you're confident on a certain topic or what's going to be in the exam?I would go back to again reading those past exam papers and doing the past exams under exam conditions.
Obviously you don't have an answer key, so you don't know what you're writing down is correct.But you can usually get a good idea if you if you have a look at the past exams, you have a go at the questions and then you go back and look at your questions relating to, you know, what would be a potential textbook answer straight out of reference text.
So I think you can do that kind of all at the end as a last minute study prep for the actual exam, or you can do it as you go.So for example, once you finish the section on the liver, you can try answering any past questions that might relate to that subject.
So I think it's really important to just try and.Keep your study on track by making sure you're retaining that knowledge by going back and trying to answer those past exams.The other thing that can help is to join a study group.And if you're part of a group of candidates all sitting in that same exam process, then you can get you can benchmark yourself against other candidates to make sure that you feel your knowledge is up to speed.
Because if you're sitting it on your own, it can be, you know, quite a lonely sort of situation and you don't know if do I know way more than everyone else or am I way underprepared?And the study group can be a nice way of one making making it fun, but to benchmark yourself and and that can help build your confidence too.
I do have to say that's been a helpful process.I'm often won't know the the answer to something, but someone else will or will have a good way of remembering it or putting it.So that's have found that very helpful.So what does your study group look like, Steven?
Is it an online, do you catch up Zoom meetings?Is it are there physical proximity?How?How do you run them?It was originally organized by by Chris and James Crowley, who has been helping with a couple of other surgeons.
And we do a weekly meeting.We've prepared a kind of agenda across these weeks where we'll be meeting and for content we'd like to cover and quiz each other on.We've been meeting on Zoom and that's because we have people from all across Australia and New Zealand and wide spectrum of experience.
We have practice owners that people interested in orthopaedics, soft tissue and and all the way down to your younger years and levels experience like myself.So yeah, lots of experience to draw from and different ways of doing things.
You really need support and I think this is really key and, and this can be hard, but you need a mentor.You really do need a mentor.And if you are isolated and and don't know anyone, you know, approach the college because they, it's part once you're a member, there's, there's certain obligations that you have to upkeep, there's certain things you have to do.
And one of those is be willing to be a mentor.So if you can't find a mentor, get on to the college and they'll, they'll, they'll find someone for you.But having a mentor, so ideally as a specialist surgeon, so a fellow of the college or someone like myself who's done memberships, particularly if you can find someone who's gone through it fairly recently, it's great to have as a mentor.
And basically you just want someone to touch base with in terms of answering some of the more complicated concepts that you're not grasping or to let you know, OK, well, this is quite a complicated topic.Like how much information, how far do I go?
And I guess that's the hope of this podcast is that we've got those specialists and hopefully my role is to is to kind of guide us in terms of, OK, this is this is what we need to know for these exams.So I think this podcast will help a lot in that regard.But getting yourself a mentor, approach your local specialist or if you don't know anyone, get on to the college and they can put you in touch with someone.
Get in touch with us and or us between Justin and then we'll find somebody.For you, we'll find someone.How did you use your mentor or mentors?Like did you schedule weekly or monthly catch UPS to discuss things or was it a sort of an ad Lib?I've got a problem.
Here's an e-mail.What can I call you about?I don't understand this.So I was really lucky.So I had a got a few mentors.So my main mentor was Doctor James King, who's been on on your vet balls.Awesome, awesome surgeon and A and a very, very decent human being.
The poor guy, we, we met with him probably about once a month and bothered him probably four times a day with questions on a WhatsApp group.There were, there were two of us on, on the Gold Coast sitting membership.So he agreed to help us both.But yes, we did schedule regular get togethers.
And then we just had a, an ad hoc kind of, you know, put something on the WhatsApp group.And then I was lucky enough to be part of a really nice WhatsApp group based study group with a lot of the vets that I met through the CVE surgical course that I did.And on that, we also had a couple of specialists such as Doctor Chris Tan, we roped in some of his colleagues and then a number of residents who were obviously working their way towards fellowship and they were awesome in just helping us and the study group, which is my next point.
So get yourself a mentor, get yourself a study group.The study group, we would meet about once a week in those last six months and we would pick a topic and we'd go through it and we'd often have a resident or one of the specialist actually just sitting in the background and just chirping in when they needed to to, to set us straight.
So getting onto a study group basically online and finding a mentor and those two things can kind of overlap to a degree is super important.It just really helps.And I think it also helps to actually not just study things, but actually have to like communicate them to other people, particularly when you start getting towards oral examination.
So it's one thing trying to say it over in your head, but actually having to say it out loud and, and be able to crystallize your thoughts is, was super, you know, super useful.I would almost say critical, certainly to my success.I, I succeeded because I had great mentors and great and great study group.
I'm sure some people can do it alone, but certainly is a a big help and a lot of motivation.That's the cool thing.You know, it's just a lot of motivation and and sort of social, which is awesome.What we could try is on the group that will set up for this podcast as well is create a space if people wanted to.
There aren't any stray sheep out there to join a group like that and have the the cut above membership study group that we can and we can even like the the platform does have the capability to run live sessions and things as well.So.No, that would be awesome.And the last part of that kind of what I would call support category is, is your kind of work life, you know, you, you depending on where you're at.
I'm lucky I own my own business and I was able to basically create my own boundaries.But you do need to set boundaries with work.And you probably, you know, if you, if you've got a family, you might need to have a chat to your partner and say, hey, listen, I want to do this.You might need to, might need to.Let's say you definitely need.That's the first thing you do.
It is a big, a big dedication of time.It is a big deal.This it's not just a walk in the park.So you are going, it is going to affect your life and your time and what you can do.And you need to, between work and family, set up those boundaries so everyone's there to support you and understands when you say, no, I I can't do that.
I have to study.I actually enjoyed it in the end so much, particularly once I had passed that I said to my wife, that was great.I might, I might do another one.Yeah, I might do an imaging one.And she gave me that look, that was just, here's the line.And he just stepped over it.She said, she even said to me, I said, well, I was so stressed after the exams because they are really hard.
I said, I reckon I failed, I'm going to have to go again.And she said, no, you're not going again.You don't need a piece of paper.You've got the knowledge.We'll just tell everyone you passed us like, no, no, I'm doing it again.She's like, I don't think I can go through that again.I'm aware I looked at a stage and I forget which membership, but they have the red book, which is like, here's the list of stuff you need to know about.
But beyond that, the the college doesn't actually give you a, a point by point.Go and study this, here's your book, study this and you're going to pass.So how?How do you know what and how much you need to study so that you can work out your study plan?That's the key.
So that's the next step I'll sort of go going to go on to.So it's a good segue, but essentially there's no, there's no curriculum.They don't tell you what to study.They don't provide you with notes.It's not a it's not a course that the the college is putting on for you.You literally just have to go out there and find your own way.
And that's why it's so important to to actually have support so that the resources, the material you need.The, the classic one is Tobias and Johnson veterinary surgery, small animal volume one and two.And obviously you have met Tobias yourself.
So you know, great lady.To be honest, that's probably sufficient.Like that is kind of the Bible.That's what most of these things are based on.It's got the depth of, of, of detail and knowledge that you need.There are a couple other surgery books as well, like Boston, which are great, but a lot of them focus on the actual practical surgery itself.
So they're really much nicer to have in next to you in theatre than Tobias because there's a nice step by step practical approach.But to get the actual depth, Tobias and Johnson really is the is the go to and it's almost enough I found on on its own.
So that would definitely be the gold standard.Adding to that, a couple of the other surgical ones just to get a different perspective on some of the things.A good anatomy textbooks like a Miller's is, is really, really useful as well.And the other thing that I found fantastic and I, I don't know most people know about this, but if you got a VIN membership, they've got a 3D anatomy tool in there, which is absolutely awesome, particularly for musculoskeletal things.
So you can actually bring up the pelvic limb with all the bones and you can strip all the muscles off and look at every bone, every little landmark on those bones or the names.You can then start adding muscles one at a time.You can look at the insertions, you can see where they travel.
There's, you know, vasculature, there's nerves.It's a fantastic and you can you can move it around in 3D.So you can actually use your mouse or your pad and actually spin things around upside down.And I found that just awesome.I'll even use it now in planning certain surgeries because you can literally look at things in 3D things like, you know, if you're doing trying to access the hip, for instance, you can, you can overlay the muscles and see the layers you've got to go through etcetera.
So, so if you go to VIN membership, just put in the search there 3D anatomy and you'll get this little tool that comes up and it's it's awesome.So that was really useful.So, so anatomy can help.The other thing a lot of people do is a formal distance education course.So there's a few, you know, CVE office one, I think improve international offer one that can be one year or two year.
I don't think that's necessary, but it's really useful for a number of reasons.One, it's going to follow a similar sort of approach and a similar sort of schedule and it kind of forces you to study these things.So it really gets you going and forces you to actually follow the stuff.
And if you're really conscientious while you're doing a certain section, you know, you can be reading your Tobias or just just going that extra, that extra depth.They're also conscious that a lot of people doing these courses will study membership.The other great things are you've got access now to all these specialist tutors.So you can pick their brains, awesome questions and they can, they can guide you.
You'll also find that a lot of the other candidates are potentially sitting memberships as well.So it was certainly where I met a lot of the vets that ended up in a, in a study group together, which is, which is really important.So, so those are not essential, but can really, really help if you've got the time and money to to do a sort of formal distance education surgery course that can, that can be super, super useful.
Explain that this, you said that there are these specialist tutors available.Is that when you sign up for some of those courses?Yes.So the most most distant headquarters courses are are run by tutors and most of them are are specialists.And funnily enough, the tutors I did the CVE course and the tutors on that were our very own Chris Tan, Mark Newman and Bronan Foley.
So there you go.Yes.So they they oversee any assignments that you put in.And there's generally like a monthly sort of meeting that one of them will host discussing that subject.That that's yeah, you find that in most of these courses where they surgery or not.
But the cool thing is if you're conscious that you're studying membership and you're trying to read something at the time, you've got access to these guys because you're on a paid course so you don't feel guilty bothering them and asking questions.So that is a that is a really nice way to get started, I guess.And I did that the the year before and then obviously had the six months on my own leading up to the exams.
In terms of somebody trying to decide do I pay for the course or not, on a scale of one to 10 of how useful, how big a part that played in you successfully doing memberships, where would you rate trying to be, you know, not trying to pick on a course, but just having a course available to you?
Yeah, it's a great question.As I said before, I don't think it's necessary, but I think it contributed immensely to my own success just because it sort of forces you.You know, sometimes when you when you sit down and look at this mountain of stuff on your own that you got to dedicate your life to for the next 18 months, it could be pretty daunting.
Whereas you start a course and someone's already planned stuff out for you and sort of gets you started.So I found it invaluable or really, you know, it was a great experience and you are learning that the depth of knowledge and detail is generally not enough for membership.
So you definitely it's not sufficient to just do a course.They're focusing on trying to make you a better surgeon in practice.So there's, there's a lot of theory, but it's not to the level of passing membership exams.So it's definitely not enough to just do that.
OK, but I found it awesome.So if you, if you can, if you have the money or you can convince your boss to spend that money on you because they're not cheap, it's I would say it's well worth it.So if you can do it, I would say do it definitely.And so then a few other things.I, you know, sometimes it's amazing what you can find on YouTube if you just try, you know, just try to understand the concept.
There's good little papers that people share, you know, especially if you do something like a VIN search and there's a couple of the textbooks you could look at.I know some of the, the guys I studied with went into some of the ECC textbooks for things like shock, some of the oncology textbooks, surgical approaches, you know, Pierre Martes, atlases and stuff are really useful.
I didn't really go into that too much, but yeah, there's all sorts of things that you can't add to it.But the structure of Tobias and Johnson is really where I would start.And if there's things in there that you kind of need to flesh out, then look at other things.The the other question that I had was what about articles and journals and stuff like that?
Because Tobias is also not hard off the press anymore.Are there things that you need to fill it out with?What's new?To a degree, but the concept behind the membership exams is that they're really going to try and not ask anything that's sort of controversial or unclear.
And you certainly don't have to be able to quote papers.I think once you get to a fellowship level, then you really need to be onto that kind of stuff.But they're going to steer away from things that have changed drastically or we haven't quite figured out or controversial.They really want to stick to the the foundational stuff.
So when I say papers and articles, that's more, you know, certain articles that may help you understand a certain concept.I don't think there's an expectation there that you need to be at the cutting edge of what's going on.You just need to be able to justify your answer, I guess.
And if you're super smart, you could always say, you know, according to this paper.But that level is not, is not expected at a membership level.Some days you you will not meet target in your study plan.Some days you'll have very poor answers to to exam questions that you're you're trying to answer.
And life will still happen.You'll still I guess, require rest or have other interests.How did you guys deal with failure throughout your study process and did your life stop?Did you still do things you love?
Your your Rottnet swims and your hikes?I think it's so important that that you continue to do things outside of study.I think that's that's imperative.You will go on an emotional roller coaster as you study for membership exams from these massive highs where the light bulb comes on and oh I understand everything, to the desperate despair of I now know nothing because you know, I'm so confused.
And that's really normal to go through that.I think what's important is not to get bogged down.So just stick to your timetable.If you have questions, jot them down to ask at a later date to perhaps your mentor and move on.Because again, that inefficiency when you're pondering over something, which is probably in reality the minutiae during that study day, it seems like the most important thing in the world that you know, the number of hemoglobin module that it will attach on, you know, in the whole scheme of things, Often what seems so important isn't and you've just got to keep moving, but but jot it down so you don't forget it because it could be something really important.
But bring that to your study group, Bring that to your mentor, but don't get bogged down and keep doing scheduling time to do all the things that you like doing.You can't just sit at your desk and be at your best.Got to get outside, get some exercise, eat well and and see your friends.
And you know, it is at the end of the day just an exam.You know, it's a hoop that that you jump through.It's not the be all and end all, although it feels like that at the time.Before you disappear, I wanted to tell you about our weekly newsletter.
I speak to so many interesting people and learn so many new things while making the podcast so I thought I'd create a little summary each week of the stuff that stood out for me.We call it the Red Vault 321 and it consists of firstly 3 clinical pearls.These are three things that I've taken away from the clinical podcast episodes.
My light bulb moments, the penny dropping any new facts and the stuff that we need to know to make all the other pieces fit.Then two other things, these could be quotes, links, movies, books, a podcast, highlight anything that I've come across outside of clinical vetting that I think you might find interesting.
And then one thing to think about, I'll share something that I'm pondering, usually based on something that I've read or heard, but sometimes it'll be just my own musings or ants.The goal of this format is that you can spend just two to three minutes on the clinical stuff and move right along if that's all that you're after.But if you're looking for content that is more nourishing than cat videos or doom scrolling, then our two other things should send you in the right direction.
And then something extra for when you feel like a slightly longer read.If you'd like to get these in your inbox each week, then subscribe by following the newsletter link in the show description wherever you're listening to this.It's free, I think it's useful, it's fun, and it's easy to unsubscribe if it's not for you.
OK, we'll see you next time.