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(with bonus pictures)
The reward for hard work is more hard work. The College of
Veterinary Medicine honored 22 K-State freshman students
this month for acceptance in the Early Admissions Scholars
program. The first hurdle is now behind these students,
although there is still plenty of hard work ahead.
Since it was established in 1999, the Early Admission
Scholars program has recruited the best and brightest
undergraduate students who want to study veterinary
medicine. After acceptance into the program and completion
of 64 hours of preprofessional requirements, the scholars
are guaranteed admission into the College of Veterinary
Medicine.
“This is the top 5 percent of K-State students according
to their college acceptance test scores,” said Dr. Ronnie
Elmore, associate dean for admissions and diversity
programs. “Qualifying for this program is a big deal because
there are hundreds of applicants for only a limited number
of positions. The program helps these students bypass the
regular admissions process, which is already highly
competitive”
The College of Veterinary Medicine assigns each scholar a
faculty mentor and student mentor to stimulate career and
academic development and to provide orientation and access
to college activities. The preveterinary students attend
regular meetings during the academic year to develop a sense
of community and share their progress.
Dave Adams waits as the proud
parents take their own photos.
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Rebecca Miller (center) poses with her faculty mentor,
Dr. Nagaraja, and student mentor, Heather Burckhardt
from the class of 2010.
Dr. Ronnie Elmore addresses the
group of Early Admit Scholars and their parents.
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Dr. James Carpenter, professor of
zoological medicine, was elected to serve as the new
president of the American College of Zoological Medicine (ACZM).
Dr. Carpenter hopes to improve the
ACZM’s role in education and to increase the awareness and
value of ACZM board certification within the veterinary
profession. His goals also include developing strategies to
increase membership, re-evaluating standards for
postdoctoral training and certification, and increasing the
international role of the ACZM.
Dr. Carpenter has been interested in
captive and wild animals ever since he was young. He earned
a bachelor’s degree in wildlife conservation at Cornell
University and a master’s degree and DVM at Oklahoma State
University.
“To become a Diplomate of the ACZM has
been one of the greatest achievements of my career,” Dr.
Carpenter said. “It would be an understatement to say how
honored and proud I am to have been elected by my peers to
serve as the next ACZM President!”
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Dr. Carpenter |
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The CVM and the College of Business
Administration held the Veterinary Career Opportunities
Workshop Nov. 2-3. The workshop featured Drs. Brad White and
Bob Larson from the CVM and Drs. David Andrus, Kevin Gwinner
and Bruce Prince from the College of Business. Topics
included skills related to improving the business, designing
good job descriptions, understanding student expectations,
and finding and hiring new associates. The conference was
attended by 15 practitioners who visited with CVM students
and graduates interested in associate positions and
externships at their practices. Thirty-five students
participated in the speed interviews to explore the types of
positions the practitioners were looking to fill. The
workshop was supported, in part, by contributions from
Schering-Plough Animal Health, Bayer Animal Health and
Intervet. For more information on upcoming K-State
Veterinary Medical Continuing Education conferences go to:
http://www.vet.k-state.edu/CE/index.htm.
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A student participates in one of
the speed interviews. |
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(with bonus pictures)
The CVM sponsored a birthing center at
the American Royal in Kansas City, Oct. 17-27. The center
featured a sow, piglets, baby chicks, radiographs and
anatomical displays.
The purpose of the annual birthing
center is to educate the public about veterinary medicine:
what we do, what the opportunities are, and how veterinary
medicine impacts both public and livestock health. Faculty
and residents in agricultural practices and equine medicine
took senior veterinary students each day to be present in
our display and visit with the public.
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(extended story)
 After five months teaching veterinary
medicine in Afghanistan, Dr. David Hodgson received an
enthusiastic and emotional welcome back party on Nov. 19 in
the College of Veterinary Medicine. He returned home a few
days earlier, having utilized a grant through the United
States Agency for International Development (USAID) to work
in the veterinary program at Kabul University. During his
time away, he e-mailed weekly updates to the CVM staff and
educated readers about the many challenges he faced.
“My main goal was to try to make a
difference every day,” he said. “I worked diligently to try
and help their veterinary students develop skills to make a
diagnosis rather than treating the first symptom they see
without further consideration.”
Some of the challenges were due to a
shortage of drugs, supplies and equipment. Dr. Hodgson also
overcame cultural differences, language barriers and
potential issues relating to personal safety and security
due to Taliban activity around Kabul. In the veterinary
clinic, Dr. Hodgson assisted in the treatment of feral dogs,
sheep, cattle, horses and cats. To help out, K-State
faculty, staff and donors to the college sent a variety of
items to him in Afghanistan.
“I received a box of various supplies
from K-State today,” he wrote. “It was almost like opening a
Christmas present when I was a child. I am thankful to now
have gauze to tie in an endotracheal tube, caps for the IV
catheters that we have never used and a box of adhesive
tape. These are a major step forward for the KU clinic. I
will now train faculty and students to place an IV catheter
properly. Until this time we have had only one roll of
adhesive tape. The items provided by KSU make a big
difference in our potential activities.”
During the welcome back party, Dr.
Hodgson expressed his gratitude for the supplies, support
and encouragement during his time in Afghanistan and then
presented a slide show to demonstrate the conditions at KU.
Although he is very glad to be home, Dr. Hodgson said he may
consider returning to KU next spring or summer through the
USAID program.
“I tried to lay the foundation for sustained progress and
improvement in the KU clinic and in the Faculty of
Veterinary Science,” Dr. Hodgson said. “I hope I stimulated
a dream for the future that is not going back to the ‘way it
was’ before the wars, but to become something much better.
Sustainability and building capacity are important concepts
that I embrace, but the delivery and long-term realization
of these goals will take continued effort by many people
from outside Afghanistan. Kabul University needs our support
for years to come.”
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(extended letter and bonus picture)
 Hello!
Wow, it seems that this semester has truly flown by as
usual! Who can believe it is already after Thanksgiving? I
hope everyone is hanging in there these next few weeks until
Winter Break.
SCAVMA has had a very productive and
eventful semester so far. In August, Dr. Kevin Dajka of the
AVMA spoke about the AVMA/SAVMA/SCAVMA connections. In
September, Doug Richey spoke about alternative financial
aide sources. In October, Dr. Jim Humphreys gave a great
presentation regarding client communication. On Nov. 15, Dr.
Michael Groves, LSU Dean Emeritus, gave our students the
opportunity to see a Hurricane Katrina slide show, which
left many of us in awe of the devastation of that natural
disaster.
Congrats to your new SAVMA junior
delegate, Garrett Stewart, from the class of 2011! The
election was held at the November all-school meeting with
Dr. Groves. We will have elections for president-elect, vice
president, secretary, treasurer-elect, fundraising
chair-elect, mentoring chair, intramural chair, and faculty
advisor-elect in April of 2 008.
We have lots of upcoming events in the
spring to look forward to as well: On Jan. 28, we will be
hosting our 2nd Annual SCAVMA Talent Show. This
year it will be held in Forum Hall at the Student Union!
This is a great location with about anything you would need
to present talent: a grand piano, back stage, and all of the
equipment that you could possibly imagine (at least to an
extent!). Be thinking about what talent you can show off!
We also have several unique speakers
lined up for the spring, including a veterinarian from Sea
World, a Hollywood veterinarian (Dr. Peddie), and possibly
Dr. Lila Miller (ASPCA).
For the Christmas season, we are
hosting a giving tree,’ benefiting the KSU child development
center. If you would like to participate in this fundraiser,
please pick out an ornament off of the tree in the lobby of
Trotter and purchase the item listed. Bring your unwrapped
gift to the dean’s office (101 Trotter) by the first week of
December, and SCAVMA will hold a wrapping party to get the
gifts ready for the children at the KSU Child Development
Center. This is a great cause for this great season! Hang in
there through finals, and I wish everyone the best of luck!
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Meet Midas Hall, a golden retriever who was hit by a car. His
injuries included belly wounds, a penetrated abdominal
cavity and a sheared off ankle with loss of all supporting
structure.
He also developed pneumonia, infection in his wounds,
urinary tract infection and pancreatitis. Following an
intense team effort involving almost every small animal
faculty member, Midas joins owner Lori Hall and veterinary
students Irene Vanderweff and Sonya Wesselowski pauses for a
picture on his way home.
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The CVM
recently hosted two students from Free University in Berlin
as part of a new exchange program. The program is the
brainchild of Dr. Philine Wangemann in anatomy and
physiology at K-State and Dr. Holger Martens, a physiology
professor at Free University.
“I was invited to give research talk at
Free University in Berlin in January 2007,” Dr. Wangemann
said. “Dr. Martens and I were talking about teaching and
teaching experiences, and then started talking about
opportunities for veterinary students. We both thought it
would be great to have a clinical exchange program between
our schools. Students could be integrated into rotations;
they could watch surgeries or observe treatments and benefit
from a comparison of teaching and clinical practices.”
K-State sent two students to Berlin for
about 10 days in May and June: Naomi Wheeler, class of 2010,
and Anne Brammeier, class of 2009. The two students who
visited from Germany in late October were Christine Müller
and Stefanie Grof, both third-year students in a curriculum
that lasts 5 ½ years.
“We’re impressed with the techniques
here in your college,” Christine said. “Everyone works
together and has a lot of time for discussing problems.”
Stefanie pointed out some things that
surprised her on the visit to Manhattan.
“We expected to see cowboys and a lot
of flags,” Stefanie said. “I was surprised by all the huge
pick-up trucks and the wide streets. Also, there are no
woods in Kansas.”
Naomi and Anne enjoyed their trip to
Berlin.
“Everyone moves very quickly in their
animal clinic,” Naomi said. “Being in a large city, they are
very busy and they don’t use as much support staff. Students
took their own radiographs and owners would help hold their
animals for the doctors.”
“Their veterinary medicine is not that
much different than ours,” Anne said. “They lead animals
into their specially designed lecture halls and it’s very
interactive for the students.”
“Our goal was for these students to get
an impression how veterinary medicine is working in Berlin
and Germany,” Dr. Wangemann said. “It was a cultural
exchange as much as it was an exchange of ideas on how to
run an education system and how to function in international
veterinary medicine. We hope to expand the program next
year.”
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Stefanie Grof takes Anne Brammeier
and Naomi Wheeler on a tour of Berlin using the public
transportation.
Stefanie Grof and Christine Müller
from Free University pose with Dr. Walter Renberg and
alpacas.
Stefanie Grof and Christine Müller
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Join us for a BCI meeting in the
Practice Management Center on Monday, Dec. 10, at 3:00 p.m.
Dr. Roger McHaney will be speaking on how distance
education, the Internet and globalization impact teaching in
Kansas. After the lecture, join us for Call Hall ice cream
with all the fixings.
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When Lisa Duer returned to her office on Friday, Nov. 9th,
after being out for a work-related conference, she opened
the door to a silver surprise — someone had covered all of
the surfaces in her office with foil.
“I was quite surprised
when I returned to see the ‘bling’ in my normally plain
office,” Lisa said. “It took me and a co-worker (who is also
one of my prime suspects) about 10 minutes to unwrap
everything. I believe she was feeling somewhat guilty. I
would not like to divulge their names, though paybacks are
due.”
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 Place of birth: Murray, Ky.
Family Information: One son and one
daughter, both a little crazy!
Pets: A pug, named Pug.
Favorite day of the year: The first
day of fall.
 If you could go back in time and spend a day with anyone, who
would you choose? Abraham Lincoln.
Favorite Joke: Best thing to say if caught sleeping at your
desk: “Ah, the unique and
unpredictable circadian rhythms of the workaholic!”
How would you spend a million dollars in 24 hours?
I’d give it to Frito Lay, as an incentive
to bring back the X-13d Dorito.
Favorite game as a child: Football.
If you could have any superpower, what would you choose?
Time manipulation!
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by Carol
Elmore
 Since the
holidays are near and families get together to visit and
share meals, this is an excellent time to discuss family
medical history. Grandparents can be queried about medical
conditions that they know about in the family history, and
other family members could be encouraged to contribute what
might be known about family health conditions.
The U.S.
Surgeon General thinks that this is so important that a
special Web site has been created called My Family Health
Portrait (www.hhs.gov/familyhistory) that can be used to
generate a family health history report. The director of the
Human Genome Project, Dr. Francis S. Collins, says that
family history can give insight into the glitches and
susceptibilities to common illnesses that a person’s genes
carry. This information can be used to track illnesses that
are passed down from one generation to another and can help
in risk assessment and formulation of personalized
disease-prevention plans.
Many people
have one or more family members who are actively researching
genealogical records to find information about their
family’s ancestry but may not realize that this can help
locate medical history as well. Even if family members are
deceased, death certificates can often be ordered using some
of the genealogical information that their family
genealogist has uncovered.
Both of my
grandparents on my father’s side died before I was born, but
I ordered copies of their death certificates, which listed
their causes of death. Although this is not always totally
accurate, it can be a start when combined with oral history
in piecing together a family health portrait.
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Dr. Ken Harkin presented talks on leptospirosis
on Oct. 17, 18 and 25 in Bonita Springs and Fort Lauderdale,
Fla., and San Antonio, and he spoke Nov. 7 to area
veterinarians in the West Palm Beach, Fla., area on the
topic of canine leptospirosis.
Drs. Michael Apley and Rhonette Gehring spoke Nov. 8 at
the American Chemical Society’s 42nd Midwest Regional
Meeting in Kansas City.
Dr. Greg Grauer presented at the Milwaukee VMA on Nov. 13
on the use of NSAIDs in dogs with liver and kidney disease.
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 Dr.
Mike Dryden gave a presentation to a capacity crowd at St.
Joseph’s
Hospital in Kansas City on Oct. 25.Dr. Dryden was invited to
speak at the Greater Kansas City Lyme Disease Association’s
monthly meeting by CVM alum, Dr. Jack Dunham (1967).
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 Dr. Roman Ganta was recently elected vice-president of
the American Society for Rickettsiology, where he has been
the secretary/treasurer since 2003. Congratulations! |
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Lisa Pohlman - DM/P
Lin-Hua Wang - A&P
Tiffany Loving - Dean’s Business Office |
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Christa Linsenmeyer -A&P
Stefan Yates - Library
Brae V. Surgeon - DM/P
Lin-Hua Wang - DM/P
Mrinal K. Ghosh - DM/P |
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"Lifelines" is published each month by the
Development and Alumni
Office at the College of Veterinary Medicine
Editors are Joe
Montgomery and Amy Jo Wright, jmontgom@vet.k-state.edu, ajwright@vet.k-state.edu
Lifelines Archives
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Note: Files are in
Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format
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