Arizona's Proposed College of Veterinary Medicine

Posted March 10, 2012
By Dr. Donald F. Smith, Cornell University

Will Arizona become the 27th state to have a veterinary college? YES, according to Midwestern University's president and CEO Kathleen Goeppinger who announced this week that its Glendale campus near Phoenix has allocated $90m for a teaching facility and hospital complex and anticipates accepting its first class of 100 veterinary students in just two years.

Conventional wisdom of most practicing veterinarians in the country, especially considering the business impact associated with the downturn in the economy and the 25% growth in the number of veterinary graduates in the last decade, is that we now have an oversupply of new veterinarians entering clinical practice each year.

However, the number of Arizona residents who currently graduate each year from U.S. veterinary colleges is only about 6.5 per million population. This is in the lowest quartile of all states, and only slightly higher than neighboring New Mexico, Utah and Nevada. Similarly, the number of veterinarians per capita practicing in Arizona (also Utah and Nevada) is much less than the national average.

When it comes to the vast rural areas in Arizona, the need for veterinarians is especially acute for both livestock and companion animals. That is the theme that resonates with the administration of Midwestern University as they propose to establish a college that will accept more students from rural areas with the hope that they will eventually fill part of that critical need in the State.

Representatives of the Arizona Cattlemen's Association and the Arizona Veterinary Medical Association  (AzVMA) I spoke to yesterday see the logic but also the challenges of this strategy. They acknowledge that most veterinary graduates regardless of origin, end up in small animal practice where compensation is greater and you don't have to "drive 80 miles one way to see a sick or injured horse".  The AzVMA has not taken an official position, but will continue to be involved in the conversations with Midwestern as plans for the school take shape.

Unmet needs outside of Practice:
There is another great unmet need for veterinarians across the entire U.S., and that is in public and corporate practice. Perhaps a new veterinary college in the southwest that is developed in association with other health colleges (as at Midwestern University) can help both regionally and nationally.

Vice Admiral Richard Carmona, USPHS
Surgeon General of the United States 2002-06

This priority is recognized by a prominent U.S. physician, Rich Carmona, the former surgeon general who is running for U.S. senate for the state of Arizona. Carmona has not to my knowledge given an opinion on this nascent veterinary college.

However, when speaking with him earlier this week, he shared with me his abiding respect for veterinarians in both the public and private sphere.

"During my tenure as United States Surgeon General [2002-06], it became very apparent that veterinarians were essential elements not only to the nation's health, but also to national and global preparedness activities, and as leaders of our multidisciplinary teams.

Veterinarians were some of the most sought-after professionals by all branches of the Federal Government. Whether from traditional veterinary practice to research and development, zoonoses, emerging infectious and global health, we were always in short supply of veterinarians."

Debating the merits of establishing new veterinary colleges will continue. However, we as veterinarians must find better ways to meet the needs of underserved areas in the country as well as expand into those fields in the public and corporate sectors where our educational background in comparative medicine and our talents in working in health care teams meet critical regional and national needs.

Dr. Smith invites comments at dfs6@cornell.edu

War Horse: Veterinarians Supporting Animal Health in Wartime

Blog by Donald F. Smith, DVM, Cornell University

Posted November 8, 2011, in honor of Veterans Day

Animal lovers are captivated by the elegant puppetry of the Tony award-winning play, War Horse. The turning of the horses’ ears, the movements of their heads and muzzles, the expressiveness of their eyes all lend pure magic to an otherwise serious drama.

Albert is a young British boy who becomes separated from his horse, Joey, when British troops need horses on the fighting fields of France during World War I. Joey is caught in German fire and becomes entangled in barbed wire deliberately set to ensnare the horses. Captured by the enemy, Joey then serves for the German army until he finally ends up in no-man’s land where Albert (now a youthful soldier) is reunited with his injured friend.

Up to six million horses were used in World War I. They carried munitions and pulled heavy artillery and wagons, and conveyed men and supplies. The loss of life from combat injuries was horrendous, but millions more succumbed to disease and starvation. As in the American Civil War, where it is estimated that one million horses and mules died, the tactical value of a horse was sometime considered greater than that of a soldier.

Just as physicians were critical to the health of soldiers, veterinarians were deployed in the war effort to care for horses and other animals. Also like their human medical counterparts, there were veterinarians on both sides of the conflict. This becomes evident in War Horse when the injured Joey is attended to by both English and German veterinarians.

World War I was the last major international conflict in which horses were considered essential to all aspects of the war effort. By the Second World War, horses had been largely replaced by armored vehicles, airplanes and other motorized equipment.

There was at least one major exception, however, and that was the China-Burma-India campaign where both Allied and Japanese forces used mules (U.S.) and horses (Japan) to traverse the almost impenetrable jungles and mountains of Burma.

U.S. veterinarian Dr. Kenneth Gumaer attends to a pack mule
on the trail in Burma, 1944. Photo provided by Dr. Gumaer.
Dr. Gumaer died in 2008 at age 88.

The commitment of both American and Japanese army veterinarians to the health of horses and mules who served in the Burma theater (1941-44) became evident in my interviews with veterinarians from both sides. American veterinarian Kenneth Gumaer spoke of his role in transporting 267 mules in the hold of a ship that left New Orleans in December 1943, was torpedoed off the coast of Florida and endured such heavy seas in the transatlantic crossing that many mules developed massive hematomas. “We only lost one mule in the entire 87-day crossing”, he proudly reported.

Japanese veterinarian Dr. Takehiko Takahashi describes his role in
transporting horses from China to Burma during WWII.
Dr. Takahashi died in 2011 at age 94.
Photo by author, 2010.

Japanese veterinarian, Dr. Takehiko Takahashi, encountered different challenges with his load of horses that left China in 1941. Despite his protests, the ship left port before the horses could be vaccinated, and he recalls another boat chasing them down and hoisting the life-saving anti-Strangles serum onto the deck where he vaccinated the horses in transit. To prevent the animals from succumbing to the sweltering heat and humidity of the ship’s hold as they coursed through the South China Sea, Dr. Takahashi fashioned a series of hoists to periodically raise the horses onto the deck for ventilation and exercise.

Both Drs. Gumaer and Takahashi related the unimaginable horror on the mountainous trails and jungle passages in Burma. Starvation and parasites took huge tolls on the lives of both man and beast. Animals carrying heavy packs sometimes lost their footing on the narrow mountain trails and fell to their death. Many Japanese horses were killed by low level strafing of British aircraft.

By the time the victorious American forces captured the key airfield of Myitkyina from the Japanese in spring 1944, only one-third of the thousands of mules had survived. All of the Japanese horses died.

War Horse is a cogent reminder that the military exploits of warring nations exact an enormous toll on animal life and that the veterinary care for all military animals―it is more likely to be dogs now than horses―is as essential today as it was during conflicts of previous decades.

On Veterans Day, pause to remember the animals that are casualties of mankind's wars. And as the Holiday season approaches, consider seeing the spectacular show, War Horse. It plays at Lincoln Center in New York City.

Dr. Smith invites comments at dfs6@cornell.edu

National Pet Week: My Puppy Pledge

By Donald F. Smith, Cornell University

Posted May 3, 2011

Join me in celebrating the 30^th anniversary of National Pet Week (May 1-7) as we rededicate ourselves to the responsibilities associated with having a pet.



Beau, my 14-year-old PUPPY

 Over 70 million dogs are members of households, reaching every community of the United States with love and affection. As new puppies are added to families this week, our children should consider the obligations and enjoyment of having a dog.

One way to do that is to understand the meaning of the word, P-U-P-P-Y.

“P” is for pleasure, that effervescent joy that radiates from a well-cared-for pet. Dogs love to please, craving attention and play. In return, they provide friendship and unconditional love.

“U” stands for utility. Dogs were made to work: to pull a sled, to guide the blind, to fetch a stick, to swim, to protect the weak. Make sure you give your dog lots of exercise, which he or she needs for emotional as well as physical health.

The second “P” stands for presence. As you admire your dear puppy, also look around you and see all of nature’s creatures, both wild and domesticated. Your puppy is part of a world where animals of every kind fill an essential role in nature.

Puppy’s next “P” is perseverance. Acquiring a pet carries the obligation to take care of your dog, to train, to groom, to assure proper nutrition, to provide quality health and veterinary care.

Most importantly, it all comes down to you, the final letter of PUPPY.  Getting a pet will change your life. It will bond you with joy, with friendship, with commitment, and – yes – occasionally with sorrow. Because dogs have a shorter life span than people, they often leave us before we are ready.

As you welcome your puppy into your home and your heart, may you acquire a fresh and personal perspective on the wonder of animals and the world that we share with our pets.

Dr. Smith invites comments at dfs6@cornell.edu

VETERINARY CLASS OF 2015: READY! SET! OPTIMIZE!

Author, Donald F. Smith, DVM

Date of posting: April 14, 2011

Congratulations to you who have been accepted to one of the U.S. veterinary colleges this fall. As you anticipate starting classes in just four months, let me offer some specific suggestions.

READY!  Don’t waste this Summer.  Whether you need to work, take a vacation to re-energize before classes start, or reconnect with family and friends, plan this summer in a purposeful manner. Don’t just ‘let it happen’. Determine what your personal, professional and financial goals will be for the fall, and establish a plan to achieve all of them.

Write a thank you note to those in your support network, the veterinarians and mentors who inspired your interest in animals and medicine, and your parents and family members who encouraged and helped you achieve your goals.

SET!  Get to know your College and Begin to Explore the Profession:  Every veterinary college has a story and a legacy. Discover the historical roots of your school, perhaps online or in a book commemorating an anniversary. Search your college’s web site, identify faculty whose interests match yours; write to them, introduce yourself, and make plans to meet them this fall.  

Resolve to learn about what it means to be a DVM (or VMD). Veterinary medicine is a versatile profession because the breadth and scope of our activities are almost limitless. Discover opportunities available to veterinarians beyond your own interest in shelter medicine, zoological medicine or equine practice. Read a great book on some aspect of veterinary medicine, for example, the biography of Dr. James Steele; and also on human medicine, for example, the biography of Dr. William Halsted (I have referenced these two on the side bar to this blog). Periodically check for veterinary news on the web: I find the AVMA http://www.avma.org/ and DVM360 sites http://www.dvm360.com/ excellent for this purpose. Also check out your state and regional veterinary association.

OPTIMIZE!  Prepare for next summer now: Your experience next summer (2012) may be one of the most important learning opportunities in your first year. Start planning now by talking to upper class students, faculty, advisors. For many students, getting out of the university town is important so you can experience the practical world of veterinary medicine. If you don't have a paying veterinary job for next summer, and earning money is important (as it will be for most of you), consider working part time as wait staff in a local restaurant during the afternoons and evening – and pursue your veterinary career during periods of times when you are not working (such as shadowing a veterinarian, working at dog or horse shows, or volunteering in a nursing home that uses animals).

Finally, I invite you to write about your experiences and goals in the comment section of this blog, sharing your ideas, challenges and opportunities. The veterinary community is small, so let’s take advantage of each others’ experiences and wisdom.

Dr. Smith invites comments at dfs6@cornell.edu.