Dr. Elaine Watson named dean of Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine

Posted October 26, 2011 by Donald F. Smith, Cornell University

Ross University’s veterinary school on the island of St. Kitts in the Caribbean is having a banner year. In March, they became accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association, and yesterday they announced the hiring of Dr. Elaine Watson as their next dean.

An internationally-recognized scholar in veterinary reproduction and seasoned administrator―she has served as dean of the veterinary school at the University of Edinburgh since 2003― Dr. Watson will bring experience in international veterinary medicine to a program that has until now been largely U.S. focused. She succeeds Dean David DeYoung.

The veterinary program at Ross University is one of three medical schools in the region owned by DeVry, Inc., the other two being Ross University School of Medicine and the American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine.

Ross admits three classes of veterinary students each year and graduates approximately 420 students per year (most veterinary colleges on the mainland graduate 80-140 students per year). Because they do not have a comprehensive teaching hospital, Ross students complete their clinical training in an accredited veterinary college in the U.S.

Most Ross students are American citizens, and return to the United States to practice clinical medicine. Over 60% locate in just eight states, either in the northeast (11% of their graduates are in New York State), or in Florida, California, Illinois and Ohio.

Ross University rides the crest of a “back to the future” wave in veterinary education. During the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries, a substantial proportion of veterinarians graduated from private, for-profit veterinary programs. These schools all disappeared by the late 1920s but a similar model for professional education has again emerged with Ross being the largest and best known.

Historically, the most successful of the early proprietary veterinary schools was the Ontario Veterinary College, founded in 1862. American students flocked to Toronto to receive a veterinary degree from the Edinburgh-educated Andrew Smith. Over a century later, another Edinburgh icon, Elaine Watson, has assumed leadership of the largest and most successful private veterinary school serving U.S. students.

Dr. Smith invites comments at dfs6@cornell.edu

Dr. Mitch Kornet and A Tradition of Mentoring

Guest Blog by Michelle Pesce, Cornell DVM Class of 2012
Posted October 21, 2011

Careers for Veterinarians Series

When Mitchell Kornet took his 89-cent hamster for a six-dollar veterinary appointment in 1968, he was making an investment in a good deal more than the rodent’s well-being. Dr. Albert Drolesky’s kind attention that evening was what first led 13-year-old Mitch to direct his aptitude for science towards veterinary medicine.

The 1979 graduate of Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine considers himself fortunate to have had a series of mentors throughout his education and early career. Their guidance helped him establish a successful small animal practice with loyal clientele, as well as a deep-rooted sense of benevolence towards students pursuing a career in veterinary medicine.

Dr. Mitch Kornet CVM (Cornell '79) examining
his own dog, Ferrous, at the Mid Island Animal Hospital.

As the first of his family to attend college, Mitch was apprehensive about attending Cornell as an undergraduate. After finding his footing academically in his freshman year, he sought experience in the large animal clinic as a sophomore. Dr. Lawrence Kramer, who had recently been appointed as head of the clinic, offered Mitch a job in the pharmacy dispensary and took a special interest in his development as a prospective veterinary student.

Following his first year of veterinary college, Mitch returned to the practice he had visited years before with his hamster. The new practice owner, Dr. Richard Lange, helped Mitch understand the workup on cases and also shared with him how much fun one can have being a veterinarian.

Dr. Kornet had been among the youngest students in his graduating class, and his youth was recognized by clients when he took ownership of Mid Island Animal Hospital in Hicksville, NY in 1983 at age 28.

“I received a hostile call from a client one afternoon… she proceeded to give me a list of demands that included which employees to retain and hours that I should be open. I listened carefully and was very polite. Then Mrs. Weber said, ‘and one more thing young man…..’ That didn’t sound right to me and I had to take control of the conversation – quickly. So without thinking, I said, ‘That’s enough Mrs. Weber, from now on when you address me, you will call me Dr. Young Man.’”

Mrs. Weber hung up on “Dr. Young Man” that day, but did eventually return to the practice. Mid Island Animal Hospital evolved into a busy American Animal Hospital Association-accredited small animal practice as hours were extended, emergency appointments were invited, and the employee base expanded.

In 1998, Dr. Kornet began volunteering as a member of the Long Island Veterinary Medical Association’s Disaster Preparedness Plan. A far cry from anyone's expectations, the plan was put into action following September 11th, 2001.

Mid Island Animal Hospital, Hicksville, N.Y.

In the ensuing two months, Dr. Kornet assembled teams of veterinarians and technicians who worked 12-hour shifts around the clock at veterinary triage site for search and rescue dogs. For his efforts, Dr. Kornet was honored as Long Island’s Veterinarian of the Year.

As a student in Dean Smith‘s “Versatile Profession” course in February 2010, I took great interest in his reference to Dr. Mitch Kornet, and wondered if his practice would merit a visit. I mailed him a letter and a copy of my résumé, and what followed was one of the most worthwhile summer jobs I’ve ever had, redefining my concept of a model small animal practice.

At Mid Island Animal Hospital, the greatest care and attention is provided to every patient, whether routine or unusual, and the legacy of mentorship that had  begun many years earlier was passed onto my generation of veterinary students, as well as aspiring animal health technicians.  

As Dr. Kornet reminded me: “What’s remarkable to me is that no matter what generation we are in, we are all the same. Veterinarians want to learn, do well, and be good doctors for the sake of our patients. We love animals, and we have unending energy to make the lives of our patients better. And because of the broad scope of our training we are capable of doing some extraordinary things.”

Author Michelle Pesce, Cornell's DVM Class of 2012, and Dr. Mitch Kornet '79

Michelle grew up in Massapequa, N.Y. on the southern shore of Long Island.

The First Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in the U.S.

By Donald F. Smith, Cornell University
Posted October 7, 2011.

Everyone has to start at the beginning, even if that person is destined to become one of the most famous veterinarians in history. On this date, October 7, 143 years ago, Daniel Salmon began his veterinary studies when Cornell University opened its doors for the first time. He would become the nation's first D.V.M. graduate.(1)

Celebrating what came to be known as the university's Inauguration Day, founder Ezra Cornell said, “I hope we have laid the foundation of an institution which shall combine practical with liberal education …. [and] which shall prove beneficial to the poor young men and poor young women of our country.” Wisely, Ezra Cornell also insisted that veterinary medicine be among the subjects to be taught from the very beginning of his new university.

Daniel Elmer Salmon
(Photo by Cornell University)

James Law, an eminent Scottish veterinarian had arrived in Ithaca only weeks earlier to become the nation’s first university professor of veterinary medicine. Though Professor Law had several students who became leaders in veterinary medicine and animal health research in the late 19^th century, none was more famous than Daniel Salmon.

When the Bureau of Animal Industry was established in 1894 to promote the health of livestock, and to establish a national standard for meat inspection, Daniel Salmon was chosen as its first director. He is also attributed with the discovery of the bacterial organism that bears his name, Salmonella.

The students who started their veterinary education at Cornell in August of this year have a special kinship with every new veterinary student who has entered this university since Daniel Salmon. Though they are now immersed in the challenging studies that are necessary in the making of a veterinarian, they can also look with pride at the man who started on a similar journey 143 years ago today.

(1) Salmon actually received his veterinary degree in 1872.  At that time, the degree was called the B.V.M. and he was the the second Cornell student to be so recognized.  Salmon then did postgraduate work in Europe and Cornell to qualify for the DVM degree in 1876.  In the modern era, that additional work would roughly quality for what we now designate as the PhD. So, perhaps it would be more accurate to say that Salmon received his equivalent of the DVM in 1872, and the modern equivalent of the PhD in 1876.

Dr. Smith invites comments at dfs6@cornell.edu

A Veterinary Student's Summer Experience with Mountain Gorillas in Africa

Guest Blog by Matt Marinkovich, Cornell Class of 2014

Posted September 27, 2011

I sometimes tell veterinary students that the most important course they will take in their first year is not at their college, but what they decide to do during the summer. Especially in today's competitive job  environment, students have an invaluable opportunity to experience the real world and learn from people whose life stories may open up new prospects for career opportunities. Matt Marinkovich spent summer 2011 pursuing his career goal in conservation medicine in Africa. This is his story.        
Donald F. Smith

With a desire to see what role veterinary medicine plays in modern-day conservation, I traveled to East Africa and spent seven weeks with the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project (MGVP). For 25 years, this program has sought to protect the world’s remaining 750 mountain gorillas that live in Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Mountain gorillas are currently the only great ape with increasing population numbers, and their success is owed in large part to the work of the MGVP. Veterinarians with the MGVP understand that sustainable conservation will only be effective if they work closely with people in the communities that surround the gorilla habitat. Monitoring disease outbreaks, caring for orphan gorillas, and removing poachers’ snares require the support of the indigenous populations because the efforts of the MGVP do not end at the boundaries of the national parks where the apes live. By adopting a “One Health” approach, they have also launched programs that address human health and livestock herds as well as protection for the great apes.

I learned many lessons this summer, but one stands out: conservation is about communities.  Conservation in the developing world has often failed in the past because it did not incorporate members of the local community in efforts that can only be sustainable by their commitment and long term practices. The people in the local communities surrounding the national parks now realize that the only mountain gorillas alive today are in their own backyard. They recognize that their national parks have a resource that is unique in the world and they now stand with the MGVP to counter poaching, and to support the disease surveillance and treatment work of the veterinary staff.

During the summer, I witnessed the bravery of the conservationists and rangers working in Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Over 140 rangers have lost their lives since 1996, protecting the broad biodiversity and pristine habitats of Virungas. When one Congolese conservationist was asked how he is able to work in these conflict-ridden areas, he replied simply, “When I am in rebel territory, I am a rebel, and when I am on government lands, I stand with them.”  Being around these men and women, who are nothing short of heroes, was humbling and a true inspiration.

In early June, I attended the “Gorillas Across Africa” inaugural conference in Uganda that brought together 40 researchers, conservationists, and veterinarians who work to protect the various gorilla species and subspecies throughout Africa.  I was struck by the incredible diversity of nations represented.  These passionate conservationists from all over Africa came together for the collective purpose of protecting vital gorilla habitats in their countries and beyond.



Some of attendees at the "Gorillas Across Africa" conference in Uganda.
Matt Marinkovich is second from left in back row.  (Photo @ Martha Robbins)

Though there were representatives from many of the large international conservation organizations like the Wildlife Conservation Society, Max Planck Institute, and San Diego Zoological Society, 75% of the attendees were Africans. This testifies to the critical role that indigenous communities play in effective conservation. The phrase “capacity building” is popular in conservation literature, and the idea encourages organizations to develop skills within the local communities so that the work can be handed over to them when the time is right.  It was amazing to see the theory of “capacity building” not only in action, but bearing incredible fruit in conservation across Africa. For example, of the 13 veterinarians in the MGVP, only one expatriate is on the ground full time -- the other veterinarians are all African.

Dr. Jan Ramer is MGVP’s Regional Veterinary Manager and is ultimately in charge of the health of all mountain gorillas alive today. She works tirelessly with a group of highly skilled great ape veterinarians in each of the three countries where the mountain gorillas live, ensuring that this species has the optimal opportunity to flourish.  

Matt Marinkovich examining an anesthetized gorilla.

The summer experience left me optimistic about the state of conservation for the mountain gorillas, and for African wildlife in general. Continuing challenges remain, but having witnessed the passionate work of sustainable organizations on the ground, especially MGVP, I am very hopeful for the future of conservation in the developing world.

The experience has helped to show me what it is like to be a veterinarian on the front lines of species conservation, and it has fueled my passion for the field of conservation medicine even more.  My dream to pursue a career in this field is now reinforced by a realistic and practical understanding of the challenges in modern-day conservation.  I hope someday to have the chance to work face-to-face with these incredible gorillas once again.

I acknowledge and extend my gratitude to the Expanding Horizons Program at the Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine for the generous financial grant that made this trip possible.  (Photos above by author, except group picture provided by Martha Robbins).  Matt Marinkovich.

Applying to Veterinary College: Your Essay or Personal Statement

By Donald F. Smith, DVM, Cornell University

Posted September 11, 2011

The deadline for veterinary college applications for the Class of 2016 is fast approaching. In a previous blog, I addressed some key features of recommendation letters from veterinarians and others whom you have asked to support your application. 

http://veterinarylegacy.blogspot.com/2011/04/letters-of-recommendation-for.html 

I now turn to your essay, that important personal statement that becomes the central point for evaluators as they ascertain your understanding of the breadth and scope of veterinary medicine, and your ability and commitment to become a contributing member of the profession.

As you review the various drafts of your essay and make final changes before the VMCAS deadline, consider the following

• How well have you convinced the faculty reviewing your folder that you have a broad perspective on contemporary veterinary medicine?
• If you have a specific interest in one species or group of species (like cats, horses, wildlife), or in one professional field (like public health, surgery, biomedical research), have you provided a compelling argument that you are flexible to learn about other academic or clinical interests?
• Did you provide an overview of your life experiences leading to your current interest in becoming a veterinarian? Did you articulate an interest in, and aptitude for, science as well as a love and respect for animals?
• Have you described your ability to work with people from different backgrounds and with varying personalities both within and outside the profession?
• Avoid using the current buzz words or phrases such as zoonotic disease, human-animal bond, environmental sustainability, or one health unless you can provide a compelling reason why these are important to you as you pursue veterinary medicine.

Your essay should describe you accurately, without hyperbole. Make sure it is clear, concise, and free of errors.

Best wishes as you submit your final application and as you await those calls, letters and e-mails in a few months.

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

Strategies for Success for New Veterinary Students

Donald F. Smith and Jennifer K. Morrissey '13 (Cornell University)

Posted August 9, 2011.

When the members of the Veterinary Classes of 2015 arrive on campus during August, they should be aware that they could be facing a challenging market climate for jobs when they graduate in four years. Because of the continuing national economic slowdown, some veterinary practices have been reticent to take on new graduates to replace retiring veterinarians, and are even more hesitant to expand their staff.

But that is only part of the picture. The number of DVMs entering the market is also increasing as most colleges are expanding their class size and more veterinarians from newly-accredited foreign schools compete for slots traditionally held by graduates of the U.S. colleges. Based upon projected enrollment estimates for fall 2011, the number of students starting their DVM education this year is about 2,950, almost 25% higher than a decade ago. More than 300 additional students are enrolling in the Caribbean schools, and most will return to the U.S. to practice.

What advice do we have for veterinary students in this challenging climate?

Keep an eye on the profession as you learn how to become a veterinarian. Don’t become so immersed in your classes that you lose track of the major market forces affecting the veterinary profession. Have two sets of mentors: the faculty who teach you AND those mentors outside academia who piqued your interest in becoming a veterinarian. It is always best to be aware of both the academic and the clinical sides of the issue, and the differing opinions you hear may help you plan your future.

One of the best web sites on the latest issues affecting the profession is http://www.dvm360.com/. The AVMA’s website is also a great source of information at http://www.avma.org/. If you have a particular species of interest, joining the correlating club at your veterinary college can be very informative—often your membership includes subscriptions to helpful industry-related magazines and websites.

Use your summers wisely. The most important learning experience for first- and second-year students is often what they do during the summers. Start now to plan your summer of 2012. Use it to establish contacts, learn new skills including business management, discern the emerging trends in the profession, and if possible, earn money. Avoid the easy and comfortable job, venture into new territories to expand your vision of the profession. Instead of taking a routine job at your college, start looking this fall into the possibility for jobs in good private practices, in corporate veterinary medicine, in public health agencies, or at other veterinary colleges. Peruse your state Veterinary Medical Association’s web site, and also the AVMA’s veterinary career center.

Establish connections. Being successful requires not only professional competence but also making connections and marketing yourself in a proactive, sincere and honest manner. Take advantage of student trips to industry-related conferences and be sure to make your presence known when you attend—scout out different lecturers, introduce yourself to private practitioners, and visit the info booths where clinics may present information about externships or internships.

Help at your college’s reunions or tours so that you have the opportunity to introduce yourself to alumni and visitors. Subscribe and check websites that allow you to network with veterinarians from different areas of the country. These individuals can act as mentors and advise you during your academic career. If a guest practitioner or resident teaches a class or lab in which you have a particular interest, introduce yourself and ask them how they got to where they are today. And if you create a bond with a practitioner or mentor, be sure to send them a thank you note and stay in touch with them.

Be frugal and don’t put off thinking about your accruing educational debt. For the 90% of students who take out loans to finance their veterinary education, the tendency is often to put off thinking about the realities of pay back until closer to graduation:  the number can be so large that it begins to feel ‘unreal’. However, the better you understand the specifics of your debt as you proceed through your four years of education, the more likely you will be frugal because you know the future compounding impact of a dollar saved today on specialty coffee, or a dollar earned through a part-time job.

Enjoy the ride. Despite the realities described above, keep things in perspective. You are embarking on an educational dream of your lifetime and you are on track to fulfill these dreams. Just keep your eyes open to the greater world of veterinary medicine, as you work hard to master the academic courses and professional skills needed to earn your DVM. 

Dr. Smith and Ms. Morrissey invite comments at dfs6@cornell.edu and jkmorrissey@gmail.com, respectively.

Historian Celebrates 250 Years of the Veterinary Profession During the Annual AVMA Meeting.

Posted July 24, 2011
Donald F. Smith, Cornell University

Dr. Fred Born is a Wisconsin veterinarian who is on a mission to research and record some of the important historical records of veterinary medicine. A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, Fred is a 1962 graduate of Michigan State University who established and was the senior partner in a six-veterinarian mixed animal practice in Fond du Lac (WI), where he concentrated on small animal medicine and surgery. An author of three veterinary textbooks, Fred has received numerous awards including being named the Veterinarian of the Year in 1971 by his state colleagues.



Dr. Fred Born with the display he prepared for the 2011 AVMA meeting.
Photo by the author.



An avid historian, Dr. Born feels that “understanding what has happened in the past gives us an important insight into historical challenges and opportunities as we prepare for the future”. To that end, he developed an exhibit to celebrate this year as the 250^th anniversary of the veterinary profession. The display was presented at the recent AVMA meeting in St. Louis, Missouri and attracted an enthusiastic gathering of veterinarians interested in the history of the profession. A special feature was an extensive collection of late 18^th and 19^th century veterinary instruments, many of which are in mint condition

His tribute to the world’s first veterinary college in Lyon, France which was established in 1761 included a series of collectable post cards as well a life-sized image of the college’s founder, Claude Bourgelet.  The focus on the European legacy delighted the French delegation led by Prof Jean-François Chary.

Dr. Born (right) with Prof. Jean-Francois Chary (center), leader of the French
delegation at the AVMA meeting. Left is Prof. Dr. Stephane Martinot,
Dean Veterinary School Lyon, France.
Photo by the author.

About 10 years ago, Dr. Born and colleagues interviewed past presidents of the Wisconsin Veterinary Medical Association, including several who had graduated during the Depression. He has concluded that the generation of veterinarians who graduated during the 1940s, 1950s and early 1960s has seen unprecedented changes in the profession as well as in societal expectations and life styles.

Under Dr. Born's leadership, members of the American Veterinary Medical History Society are encouraging state associations to promote the collection of interviews with veterinarians who are now in their 80s and 90s, “to record this priceless history for the benefit of the profession and as a legacy of future generations of veterinarians”.

Dr. Fred Born's exhibit to honor the 250th anniversary of the veterinary medical profession.
AVMA meeting, St. Louis, Missouri. Photo courtesy Dr. Born.

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

A Veterinary Student's Externship at Johns Hopkins Hospital

Guest Blog by Jennifer Morrissey, Cornell Class of 2013

Posted July 23, 2011

Ms. Morrissey scheduled her observing externship at Johns Hopkins Hospital during the summer between her second and third year veterinary college. She has a career interest in anesthesiology.

As I walked into Johns Hopkins Hospital on my first day of a two and a half week externship in anesthesia, to say I was worried is an understatement. Was externing at a human hospital a big mistake? Was I going to learn anything that would be valid in my own veterinary career? But when I reached the office of Andrea Collins, my coordinator for the externship, I was immediately relieved—her office was in the Blalock building.

Alfred Blalock was a surgeon at Johns Hopkins in the 1940s. He and his assistant, Vivien Thomas, perfected a technique colloquially called the blue baby procedure, in which the heart vessels in the affected infants were rerouted to assist oxygenation of the blood in the lungs.

Why was this story so comforting to me? Because the surgery was developed using hundreds of dogs, and finally perfected in a dog named Anna who became so famous that her portrait hands at Johns Hopkins University. A technique similar to the one developed for Anna is still used in veterinary patients today. It is also a procedure that we study in our first-year curriculum at Cornell. The simple name of the building (Blalock) reminded me that, at the end of the day, human and veterinary medicine are one medicine.

I had the pleasure of spending the next two weeks observing and learning from some of the most diligent and instructive residents I could have imagined. Every day was a learning experience with lessons ranging from how to conduct yourself in the O.R., to airway management and, my favorite subjects as an anesthesiology geek, pharmacology and physiology. The principles were all the same. Don’t touch sterile drapes! Know how to make sure your endotracheal tube is, indeed, in the trachea. Which drugs are best for sedating a patient? Beware polarizing blockers in a patient with kidney disease. Maintain fluid volume. When should we use colloids instead of crystalloids?



Veterinary student Jennifer Morrissey recently completed
an externship at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.
Photo courtest of Ms. Morrissey.



As I rotated among a half dozen residents, I was reminded that medicine (whether human or veterinary) medicine is not just a science, it is an art. Some rules, of course, are written in stone. But I had the opportunity to discuss differing opinions among the residents. Should I start a blood transfusion now, or wait to check the hemoglobin level? Which opiate should I administer to this patient? And there were no wrong answers; it was just a difference among artists. 

It was in these artistic details that I came to grasp some of the important differences between human and veterinary medicine. The most striking difference presented itself on the second day of the externship. While chatting with a man to ease his worry over getting an epidural block, he grabbed my hand, looked me in the eye and said, “I’m not going to wake up from this, am I?”

It may seem obvious, but it is truly striking to realize that human medicine patients can talk. I was completely unprepared for this scenario! Cornell has, of course, educated me on how to talk to animal owners and trainers, and how to project serenity while working around patients. The fact that veterinary patients cannot talk is often taken as a challenge for diagnosticians. It also makes the projection of empathy a more physical practice - a petting hand, a soothing tone.

As this man looked at me, I became fully aware of how different it must be to care for other people. How do you soothe without lying? How do you emotionally separate from someone who is so much like yourself, who can understand your words? Over the weeks, I witnessed many more humbling experiences and watched as the residents dealt with each one with grace and kindness. 

I observed many other differences while at Hopkins. The precautions and monitoring of patients is taken to a whole different level in human medicine. There are also certain drug differences that exist between the two fields, ketamine being a major example. Unlike veterinarians, physicians also have to deal with the nasty 90 degree angle of the human trachea when placing an endotracheal tube―in supine position no less! 

But at the end of the day, the warm welcome and tutoring from the residents and attending anesthesiologists made me feel like I was among colleagues. I was extremely disappointed when my externship drew to a close, but I left feeling better prepared for both the art and science of one medicine.