Julissa Andazola, a student in Kansas State University's one-year master's degree in biomedical science program.

"Often students are not sure what their future holds," said Dr. Matthew Basel, clinical assistant professor and associate director of the program. "The pre-professional one-year master's program is designed to introduce students to the biomedical field and prepare them for professional school. During the program, students are able to take advanced courses in a wide range of biomedical sciences, including anatomy, physiology, histology and pharmacology."

"This program has been a great way to strengthen my application for dental school," said Julissa Andazola, who is in the program's first class of students. "I have been able to improve my grade point average while working on rigorous coursework."

Andazola has a bachelor's in life sciences from K-State.

"I applied for the one-year master's program to strengthen my application for veterinary school and gain the confidence I needed to successfully enter a professional program," said Elizabeth Grimes, another student in the program. Grimes came to K-State for the program after earning her bachelor's degree at another university.

Hosted in the anatomy and physiology department, the pre-professional one-year master's program in biomedical science is a non-thesis, coursework-based master's degree that can be completed in 12 months. Typically a master's degree program takes about two years to complete. This program starts during the summer session and is completed at the end of the following spring semester. The 2021 program starts June 7. Applications for summer admission are being accepted through Friday, May 21.

Along with Dr. Basel, program coordinators include Drs. Pradeep Malreddy and Cathy K. Sparks, clinical assistant professors who both teach anatomy courses in the veterinary college.

"There are no specific admission requirements for this program, as we would like to serve a wide range of potential students," Dr. Malreddy said. "We do have some suggested guidelines for students that we think will help them be more likely to succeed. We recommend a bachelor's degree in a biomedical science-related field, a minimum 2.5 or higher overall grade point average and at least a 2.8 grade point average in their higher-level science courses or the last 45 hours of bachelor's degree studies."

All students earning a master's degree at Kansas State University must complete a culminating experience that will be determined by the student in concert with his or her graduate committee. Culminating experiences include either an intellectually creative project, a final report or a culminating examination.

"We believe the best place to prepare for professional school is at a professional school where students can interact with professors who understand the program," Dr. Basel said. "Students take courses designed to have the same rigor as any other professional health school and have access to world-class facilities. Classes begin in the summer semester with an intensive introduction to anatomy and physiology, followed by a mix of required and elective courses in the fall and spring."

While the first class nears graduation in May, the program is currently taking applications for the next school year. Classes are scheduled to start in June. Applications are made through the Graduate School at Kansas State University, while the one-year master's program in biomedical science is administered through the College of Veterinary Medicine.

For a full description of the program, the admission requirements and application procedures, go to vet.k-state.edu/education/graduate/one-year-masters/admissions.html.

The American Veterinary Medical Association estimates that more than 17,800 dog bites occur every year in the U.S., with most victims children under the age of 2. April 11-17 is Dog Bite Prevention Week.

The second week in April is National Dog Bite Prevention Week and a good reminder for everyone to practice safety around dogs, says Dr. Susan Nelson, clinical professor with the K-State Pet Health and Nutrition Center.

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, an estimated 77 million dogs live in the U.S. and 38% of U.S. homes have at least one dog.

"The AVMA also estimates that more than 17,800 dog bites occur every year in the United States, with many of the victims children under 2 years of age," Dr. Nelson said. "According to the Insurance Information Institute, dog bites resulted in homeowner insurance payouts of $796.8 million in 2019. This was a 2.9% increase over the previous year. The national average for insurance claims related to a dog bite is $44,760."

Dogs can bite for many reasons, but Dr. Nelson said it is usually because they are reacting to some type of stimulus.

"Dogs will bite if they are scared, startled or feel threatened," Dr. Nelson said. "They will also bite to defend their territory or themselves. Mother dogs will bite to defend their pups if they feel they are threatened, and may dogs will bite to keep others away from food, treats or a prized toy or other object."

Dr. Nelson has tips for both pets and their owners to stay safe and avoid biting experiences.

"If you have a new puppy, it is very important to socialize it properly as well-socialized dogs are less likely to bite due to fear of strange people or being stressed by being in an unfamiliar environment," Dr. Nelson said. "This needs to happen very early during the first few months of life as this is a puppy's critical formative time. Ask your veterinarian for tips and good resources on how to do this."

Dogs also should be kept on a leash when in public so they can be controlled, Dr. Nelson said.

Dr. Nelson recommends using positive reinforcement during training, avoiding rough play between humans and dogs, giving dogs a safe space to enjoy meals where they won't feel threatened by other animals or humans, and giving dogs ample rest time to be away from both humans and other pets.

"To avoid bites, humans are responsible for keeping themselves and their pets safe in difficult situations," Dr. Nelson said. "Assume that all dogs are capable of biting — because they are. Dogs need a safe place where they can go to be alone and not be bothered by people or other pets. This can be in the form of a crate, bed or small room."

Dr. Nelson cautions that children and pets should never be left unattended and children should be taught to never approach an unfamiliar or sick dog, take a treat, toy or food from a dog, or to never hug, kiss or crowd a dog in a manner that could bring the animal stress. She emphasizes the importance of making sure all family members are educated on animal safety. This includes respecting the animal's need for privacy and to not bother it when it is eating or sleeping.

One should always ask an owner if they one can pet their dog, Dr. Nelson said, and respect their wishes if they say no.

"Don’t reach through or over a fence to pet a dog, even if it belongs to your neighbor," Dr. Nelson said. "Don’t play with puppies when their mother is around unless the owner is around to supervise. And don’t try to pet a dog that is growling or barking at you."

Finally, Dr. Nelson said it's important to keep dogs current on rabies vaccines. Encourage your children to always tell an adult if they were bitten and try to remember what the dog looked like.

"Dog bite prevention needs to be practiced year-round by everyone for the safety of people, especially our children, and for the benefit of our dogs," she said.

Electronic programmers in the college just completed a project to develop a searchable database that will allow veterinary clinics to maintain a permanent electronic profile and easily update available externship listings for students interested in building their professional experiences and skillsets prior to graduating with their DVM degrees.

“Students benefit greatly from externship experiences in different markets and specialty areas,” explained Dr. Bonnie Rush, dean of the veterinary college. “These experiences help graduates standout when they are searching for permanent positions upon earning their Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree. We appreciate the commitment and generosity of externship mentors for their contributions to the professional growth of the next generation of the veterinarians.”

A two-week externship provides professional students with an opportunity to work alongside specialists, researchers, or veterinarians working unique areas of veterinary medical practice. Students can engage in as much of a role in daily activities at the facility as the practitioner deems appropriate. Externship experiences may represent reinforcement (duplication) of a core clinical rotation or an area of clinical expertise not available in our training program.

The profile feature on the CVM database allows veterinary clinics to describe and promote their practice-specific services and the types of educational training opportunities that are available. Veterinary students interested in applying for externships are required to obtain approval from the college prior to participating in an externship. More information is posted at the Externship landing page.

Dr. Bill Connelly develops new anesthetic product

Dr. Bill Connelly, DVM 1980, has launched a new product called "Snouts®," which Dr. Connelly claims is designed to be a quick and easy way to hold any anesthesia mask. The product is also intended to be easy to disinfect and store. According to Dr. Connelly, there was a need to redo and improve anesthesia mask technology that has not been updated in several decades. Read more about the product here.

Check out the new alumni Facebook group!

For those interested in connecting with other alumni and staying in the loop on news and updates, see the new K-State CVM Alumni Facebook group. To join, request entry by clicking the "Join Group" button, which can be found here.

83rd Annual Conference for Veterinarians

Due to concerns with COVID-19, this year's Annual Conference will again be held remotely. This year we will be using an application called WHOVA to present the entire conference. This will allow you to watch the sessions live, but will also provide access to the content for 6 weeks after the conference has concluded. You will have the opporutnity to have additional virtual networking experiences during some of our breaks. During our trade show, attendees will have time to visit the different virtual booths, and during scheduled times, there will be representatives in those booths from those organizations and companies.

This year you will have the opportunity to get 18 hours of CE throughout 3 days. If you are not able to watch these live, they will still be available for 6 weeks after the conference has concluded. We will share additional information with how to access those CE's after the conference.

Continue to check back on this website for additional information as it becomes available.

18 hours of CE will be offered during the conference. You will also receive access to all lectures presented during Annual Conference to watch for free for 6 weeks after the conference has concluded.

Registration information is now available.

Submit nominations for Alumni Recognition Awards online

See our new online nomination form to nominate a fellow alumnus for one of our many annual recognition awards, presented at the national conferences: VMX, WVC, AVMA and the Annual Conference for Veterinarians. See full details at the link below.

https://www.vet.k-state.edu/asp/alumni-awards/awards.aspx .

Welcome to:

Zoe Holthaus, Pharmacy Technician, Veterinary Health Center
Susan Hettenbach, Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, Program/Project Manager I
Jared Benefield, Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Research Assistant
Tessa Moren, Veterinary Health Center, Veterinary Assistant
Minfeng Tang, Clinical Sciences, Research Associate
Brittany Branson, Veterinary Health Center, Client Services Assistant

Farewell to:

Kailey Berkenmeier, Veterinary Health Center, Veterinary Nurse III
David Decker, Veterinary Health Center, Animal Technician I
Brady Neyland, Veterinary Health Center, Veterinary Nurse III
Kathryn Busby-Jordan, Veterinary Health Center, Client Services Assistant