Do or do not. There is no 'try'! (Scroll down for source).

Today we talk about the importance of collaboration between professionals.  I did something yesterday that mildly surprised me. I introduced myself as a Conservaton Biologist soon to qualify as a Veterinarian.  And won an audience with the zoovet at Cuiabá zoo. Today I am due to revisit the animal facility of the Brazilian Environmental Police.  You can do these things when you are a veterinary student. I couldn't say whether being foreign confers any advantage, but self-belief makes all the difference. 

I have been giving some thought as to whether or not to use physical or chemical restraint on a jaguar cub that I will examine for the second time today.  All indicators are that physical restraint is the only option.  Because this visit has generated considerable interest - among my professor and peers.  The professors want me to take two residents with me in order to take a bood sample.  Residents are qualified veterianrians, and when I rang Jaddy yesterday - a young woman I studied with for five years and who now works in the Small Animal Clinic at the Veterinary Hospital in Cuiabá, she said that we would have to use physical restraint since chemical would envolve obtaining authorisation from the professor - most of whom are travelling or unavailable.

I then went and introduced myself to the zoovet at the federal university here in Cuiabá. If for no other reason than to hopefully get some hints from her about how she would go about examing a jaguar cub.  She didn't tell me anything that I didn't already know, but it was nice at least to be able to out a name to a face.  I got another contact, I got a web site from her and now know where I can get specialist equipment from in-country for restraining wild animal patients.  Some might say "Why are you revealing your plans to others"?

Well, I am by nature an open and honest person and I enjoy meeting fellow colleagues and making new contacts.  Life is all about being sociable and anyway, I consider it an exciting privilegie to be entering the veterinary profession.

Today's motivational quote is from a hilarious source: Yoda! "Do or do not.  There is no 'try'".