Reflections

In this course, we’ve effectively covered all forms of communications at some point. The pacing of our assignments gave us time to perfect our writing skills to the best of our abilities. I see myself least prepared to communicate orally in front of the class, but having a mapped out powerpoint and prepared slides has allowed me to feel comfortable with my topic and should be helpful in the finalization process. Additionally, throughout the course, I have worked part-time, as well as throughout all my previous years at ODU, which has helped me hone in on professional demeanor and phrasing, and will hopefully become useful for holding the audience attention during the presentation. The numerous writing assignments we’ve had in this class have helped me to balance tasks thoughtfully throughout the semester between my other classes. This will be useful as I get older and further into my career, as I will likely have to manage a workload schedule along with home life. The repetition of the writing process, has additionally been educational, because I often change my writing style or revise differently each time I write. Lastly, considering the group assignments, I feel as though I have refreshed my academic collaborative skills. I believe that there are a lot of like minded individuals in this course, which made completion of the group assignments smooth and allowed us to share our ideas effectively. This can also be translated into a professional environment, because medical fields tend to work in teams, where communication, mutual respect, and understanding of each other is necessary. 

Overall, within this course, I could have managed my time somewhat differently. I found myself taking on each assignment closer to the due dates instead of getting ahead in the course. I would recommend, to each incoming student, that if they have the time, to review assignments weeks in advance, which was stated towards the start of the semester. This course has allowed me to confirm my passions for my future career. It has helped me to explore a different aspect of veterinary medicine, outside of what roles await me day-to-day in a clinic. There are many options in this course to facilitate career planning, yet I don’t exactly feel like a young professional just yet. That, I believe, will come with more hands-on experience.