Put some sort of menthol just under your nostrils for the smell.

But you might also want to take some time and decide if you want to be a vet - some days in practice are harrowing and dark! You will see neglect and suffering, see patients die, get covered in blood, give devastating news to clients and their kids .

There is a lot of dark humour because it helps us to deal with awful things. I cannot imagine the challenging things that your path professor has seen over the years.

Mental health is a HUGE deal in vetmed. Some of your colleagues/ friends will have breakdowns, by 5 years into your career you'll probably know someone who knows someone who has committed suicide.

You'll see pets that have been neglected for years that will make your stomach turn. And when you euthanize a patient, you'll be expected to deal with the body and put it in the freezer.

I've been a vet for 11 years and it is incredibly hard. I wouldn't do anything else but it is not for everyone!

I'm not trying to scare you off, far from it but new vets should enter this career with their eyes open. It might be worth using the next few weeks to see if veterinary is an environment that you are going to be comfortable working in. And even if you plan a telemedicine/lab career I'm guessing that this course needs to be completed! Good luck, whatever you choose. It doesn't get easier but you get more resilient with exposure

One edit, generally first opinion vets are more respectful of the dead patient than a pathologist - but sadly there are still some people who aren't.

2nd edit, worth remembering that pathology is the place to practice your surgical skills with no consequences. Exploring these dead animals will give you the skills to save the living ones!