The Critical Role of Mentors for Veterinary Students

Donald F. Smith (Cornell University)

and Julie Kumble (Women's Fund of Western Massachusetts)

May 9, 2014

Mentoring is widely considered to be an essential ingredient in the success and future leadership of students. Nearly all of the women deans of veterinary colleges with whom we’ve spoken point to the absolute influence that mentors had on their trajectories.1 The belief, confidence and support of their mentors fostered for these women a sense of belief and confidence in them.

We took their lessons to heart and asked each of the 35 students in our course, “Women’s Leadership in Veterinary Medicine,”2 to identify a potential mentor and to interview her (or him) as a means to establish a first-time connection, or to further cultivate an already existing relationship.

Nurturing is a close cousin of mentoring, and some of us are fortunate enough to find people in our academic years who offer a good dose of each. New York Times Op Ed columnist, Charles Blow, defines the concept of nurturing as it relates to his professors and how pivotal they were in his college years.3 He also cites a new study that points to the fact that students report feeling like they’ve had mentoring or nurturing far too infrequently.4

While we believe that mentors within veterinary college are important to career development, we also stressed to our students the critical importance of reaching beyond the academy. However, there was a time in veterinary educational circles that mentoring was considered the exclusive provenance of veterinary college faculty. In the early days of the profession, one prominent academic, Dean Leonard Pearson5 who chaired the AVMA’s Committee on Intelligence and Education, insisted that just as “water runs downstream from its source … No profession can rise higher than the schools in which its members are trained, as these are the sources of the special knowledge…” Reporting on behalf of his committee in 1907, Pearson inferred that knowledge emanates from the veterinary colleges and that practitioners in the field would always be less informed than their teachers and only by having well-educated faculty could veterinarians ever be expected to be able to practice effectively.6

By the 1930s (if not before), that concept had been turned on its head and veterinarians outside of the universities were developing some of the major advances in clinical medicine and feeding them back into the universities.7 More recently, and especially since the development of the clinical specialty boards in the last half century, some of the most progressive practitioners and scholars can be found in private practice, research institutes, governmental agencies and nonprofits, as well as in academia.

We instructed the students in our course to reach outside the university to find potential mentors for their class assignment―because they have regular access to faculty here at Cornell, we insisted that they broaden their network. Some took a comfortable, but still valuable, route of interviewing veterinarians who had been instrumental earlier in their career, as they developed their credentials for applying to college. Others were venturesome, contacting people whom they had only heard about, or whom they identified through the AVMA member data base (a marvelous resource, by the way).

Aziza Glass, who is interested in a career in biomedical science, tracked down and interviewed four-time space traveler, Dr. Richard Linnehan, who told her that veterinary schools need to find ways to move beyond their classical mindset to include One Health as a crucial part of veterinary theory, education and practice sets.8

Because of her interview with Dr. Karen Bradley, founder of Women’s Veterinary Leadership Development Initiative, Jordan Daniels was energized at the increasingly active role that dynamic and courageous practitioners can play in transforming organized veterinary medicine and making it more responsive in the 21st century. She took that verve and, together with several other students in the course, launched the first student chapter of the Women’s Veterinary Leadership Development Initiative.

Yet another student interviewed Dr. Valerie Ragan, director of the Center for Public and Corporate Veterinary Medicine. Another interviewed a women who is one of the most creative and skilled deans in the country.

These are not just insightful and helpful interviews, but they represent introductions to some of the truly great leaders of our time with the potential for these people (both women and men) to affect the careers of students in a meaningful and sustaining manner.

We agree with Mr. Blow that mentors are important and they are often available in the students’ college environment. But as educators of future professionals we must insist that more of our educational offerings tie directly to experts and leaders outside the academy. To be competitive in today’s veterinary environment, our students should develop strategic networks and mentoring relationships that include the breadth of the profession.

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1 Smith, Donald F and Julie Kumble. Mentoring as a Career Factor: Six US Women Deans Reflect. Perspectives in Veterinary Medicine.Sept 12, 2013.
2 Smith, Donald F and Julie Kumble. Women’s Leadership in Veterinary Medicine: A Course for Veterinary Students. Perspectives in Veterinary Medicine. April 2, 2014.
3 Blow, Charles M. In College, Nurturing Matters. New York Times, May 7, 2014.
4 Ray, Julie and Stephanie Kafka. Life in College Matters for Life After College. Gallup Economy, May 6, 2014.
5 Leonard Pearson VMD was the third dean of veterinary medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (1897-1909).
6 Pearson, Leonard, Report of the Committee on Intelligence and Education. Proceedings of the American Veterinary Medical Association 1907. (Philadelphia, J.B. Lippincott Company), 1908.101-102.
7 Smith, Donald F. 150th Anniversary of Veterinary Education and the Veterinary Profession in the United States. J Vet Med Educ 37(4) 2010, 322-323.
8 Glass, Aziza. A Student Interviews a Veterinary Astronaut. Perspectives in Veterinary Medicine. April 28, 2014.

Dr. Smith invites comments at dfs6@cornell.edu

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Stories of Women Veterinarians

By Donald F. Smith

March 8, 2014 (International Women’s Day)

March is Women’s History Month. For veterinarians, it provides an opportunity to pause and reflect on the challenges women faced in gaining access to the profession until the mid 1970s; and the challenges they face even to the present to be involved sufficiently in the leadership of profession.

For the past year, I (and others) have written extensively on the subject of women veterinarians in general, and women’s leadership, more specifically. Here is a listing and brief overview of some of these stories in the hope that his repository will serve as an inspiration to women and men alike. 

Stories of Individual Women in the Early Years of the Profession through the 1960s

One of the early women to receive a DVM was Joanna Asmus, Cornell class of 1929. She was the daughter of the university’s farrier, a post that was held in very high distinction in that period. This story was researched and written by a veterinary student, Michelle  Pesce ’12.

·        http://veterinarylegacy.blogspot.com/2011/05/joanna-asmus-sutorius-dvm-1929-cornells.html (May 25, 2011)

Cornell admitted three women in 1935. Though it was during the depths of the Depression, this was the most women of any single class to that date. There was reluctance on the part of some faculty to admit women feeling that they were taking the place of a man who could be a family breadwinner. Nonetheless, the women were well-integrated with the 37 men, most of whom considered the women valued members of the Class of 1939. Each of these women had careers in clinical practice. Two also developed alternative pathways, one in zoo animal medicine (Halloran) and the other (von Decken Luers) in regulatory work in the Virgin Islands. Here are their stories.

·         https://www.veritasdvmblog.com/women-in-veterinary-medicine-dr-patricia-oconnor-halloran-cornell-1939/ (Aug 7, 2013)

·         https://www.veritasdvmblog.com/women-in-veterinary-medicine-dr-rikki-von-decken-luers-cornell-1939/ (Aug 6, 2013)

·         https://www.veritasdvmblog.com/women-in-veterinary-medicine-dr-elizabeth-beckley-gundlach-cornell-1939/ (Aug 5, 2013)

Additional descriptions about life during the Depression can be found in a series of four stories at www.veritasdvmblog posted November 13, 14, 16 and 17, 2013.  Though none of these stories are about women, per se, they give the reader a sense of how challenging life was during that period and how precious a commodity a veterinary degree was for young people of either gender.

The University of Pennsylvania admitted its first woman in 1934. Josephine Deubler VMD, PhD led a remarkable career in teaching and research. An avid dog breeder and judge, the capstone of her career (in her words) was having the privilege to judge Best in Show at the 1998 Westminster Kennel Club show in Madison Square Garden.

·        https://www.veritasdvmblog.com/the-veterinarian-who-judged-best-in-show-at-the-westminster/ (May 19, 2013)

During the 1950s and 1960s, it was common for veterinary classes to hold two seats per year for women. Admission committees would review all of the male candidates, then select a small group of women candidates for interview. Occasionally, a class would have three or four women, as in the Class that started at Cornell in 1956, of which Dr. Carolyn Comans was a member. Five years later, Dr. Linda Reeve Peddie was the only women in her Cornell class.

·         https://www.veritasdvmblog.com/dr-carolyn-comans-yin-yang-professional-personal-life/  (Oct 6, 2013)

·         http://veterinarylegacy.blogspot.com/2011/02/only-woman-in-her-class.html (Feb 5, 2011)

Stories of Women’s Leadership in Organized Veterinary Medicine

Dr. Eva Evans graduated less than two years ago from the University of Tennessee. Despite her busy life in clinical practice, she has already become involved with the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) as a member of the Political Action Committee. She is considered a role model and mentor for other young women seeking to influence the profession through organized veterinary medicine.

·         https://www.veritasdvmblog.com/path-leadership-new-dvm-story-dr-eva-evans/  (Sep 29, 2013)

Though still a relatively early career veterinarian, Dr. Karen Bradley is a well-respected veterinarian and one of the most influential women leaders in the profession. She is founder and president of the Women's Veterinary Leadership Development Initiative. Here is the story that I call simply, “Five Days in July”.

·         https://www.veritasdvmblog.com/five-days-in-july-catalyzing-a-new-wave-of-womens-leadership-in-the-avma/ (Jul 29, 2013)

Dr. Andrea Dennis-LaVigne will assume the presidency of the Connecticut Veterinary Medical Association this spring. She is deeply involved not only in the veterinary profession, but also in community service, most notably as a governor appointee to the Board of Trustees of the University of Connecticut.

·         https://www.veritasdvmblog.com/tuskegee-graduate-lead-connecticut-veterinary-medical-association/ (Feb 10, 2014)

                                               

Dr. Linda Tintle is a practice owner in the northeast who has served as her state’s association president. She is a strong advocate for practice ownership, as she emphasizes in this story from last August.

·         https://www.veritasdvmblog.com/new-york-president-challenges-the-empire-states-veterinarians/ (Aug 23, 2013)

Through changes in policy and creative educational opportunities, Iowa Veterinary Medical Association advocates and promotes women and recent graduates to leadership position in its state organization. Some of their programs are jointly administered with Iowa State University.

·         https://www.veritasdvmblog.com/veterinary-leadership-iowa/ (Dec 12, 2013)

At a national level, the profile of AVMA leadership positions demonstrates an unequal representation of women amongst the colleges of which they are alumnae.  Some colleges, notably Iowa State University and Washington State University have alumnae in greater numbers than colleges like University of California, Davis, or the Ohio State University, among others.

·         https://www.veritasdvmblog.com/avma-leadership-gender-college-graduation/ (Nov 7, 2013)

Stories of Women Deans in Veterinary Medicine

Though our student population has been over 50% female for almost three decades and now exceeds 80% at many colleges of veterinary medicine―the national average is 78%―there are only six women deans in the US (20%, similar to US Congress).

·         https://www.veritasdvmblog.com/women-veterinary-deans/ (Jul 11, 2013)

One of the great thrills of writing about leaders is interviewing them and finding out what makes them so successful, while recognizing that they are most often ordinary people doing exceptional things in an extraordinary way.  Here are the stories of two deans, Dr. Sheila Allen (University of Georgia) and Dr. Eleanor Green (Texas A&M University).

·         https://www.veritasdvmblog.com/dr-sheila-w-allen-university-georgia-veterinary-dean-passion-education/ (Sep 10, 2013)

·         https://www.veritasdvmblog.com/texas-dean-eleanor-green-hall-fame-veterinarian/ (Oct 23, 2013)

Not surprisingly, the deans credit mentors as one of the significant reasons for their success as veterinarians and as academic leaders.

·         https://www.veritasdvmblog.com/mentoring-career-factor-six-us-women-veterinary-deans-reflect/  (Sep 12, 2013)

Women’s Veterinary Leadership Development Initiative, and Courses in Women’s Leadership

The Women’s Veterinary LeadershipDevelopment Initiative (WVLDI) has sponsored and organized several educational programs in the last few months, and has exciting plans for the next year. Sponsors include the AVMA and CEVA Animal Health.

·         https://www.veritasdvmblog.com/western-veterinary-conference-hosts-womens-leadership-symposium/ (Mar 3, 2014)

A successful women’s leadership development course for students at Cornell was held on March 1. Thirty-five first-, second- and third year students attended the six-hour Saturday program, with guest speakers from New York, Massachusetts and Connecticut.

·         https://www.veritasdvmblog.com/veterinary-students-stepping-womens-leadership-training/ (Jan 12, 2014)

Participants in the First Student Course for Women's Leadership,
held at Cornell University on March 1st. Instructors in the middle of the front row are
Linda Tintle DVM, Julie Kumble MEd, Susan Wylegala DVM, and Andrea Dennis-LaVigne DVM
(Photo by the author)

With acknowledgement and thanks to the Women’s Veterinary Leadership Development Initiative, led by Drs. Karen Bradley (President), Stacy Pritt (Vice President), and Douglas Aspros (Secretary-Treasurer); and the rest of the directors. 

Dr. Smith can be reached at dfs6@cornell.edu

Come to the Women's Leadership Symposium at the WESTERN VETERINARY CONFERENCE

By Donald F. Smith
February 11, 2014

As millions turn on their television sets tomorrow morning to watch the fierce US-Canada women's hockey rivalry play out in Sochi, an expert in the sport says there may be something else to watch for than fast skating and great stick handling.

A.J. Mleczko, former Harvard hockey standout,
and member of the 1998 USA team that won gold in Nagano

Mleczko comments on what many hockey fans have observed in women's and men's style of hockey. Besides the lack of checking--that is a non-no for women--the former Harvard star says that women tend to pass the puck to teammates more than men, to ensure the best possible angle or opening for a goal. Also looking for the greatest likelihood of a shot going into the net, they sometimes delay too long and thereby get too close to the net where the chance of finding the opening is snuffed by the goalie or other defensive players. 

Men, on the other hand, are more inclined to take low-yield shots, many from further away from the net. They are less concerned with teamwork than women from the standpoint of passing the puck to get the perfect shot by a teammate, or finding the perfect angle or opening from which to release the puck themselves. 

Does this sound familiar?

Join the directors of the Women's Veterinary Leadership Development Initiative (WVLDI) for a four-hour interactive symposium on Women's Leadership in Veterinary Medicine at Western Veterinary Conference in Las Vegas. It takes veterinary leadership to a new level. Join us, please.

Monday, Feb 17, 2014; 8:00am - 12:00pm

Presenters: Karen Bradley, Julie Kumble, Douglas Aspros and Donald Smith

For additional information, please go to 
http://veterinarylegacy.blogspot.com/2014/02/womens-leadership-in-veterinary.html


We are grateful to the American Veterinary Medical Association and 
also CEVA Animal Health
for their commitment and generous support.