AVMA Presidents: Dr. Jack O. Walther 2003-04

Posted March 24, 2012

by Donald F. Smith, Cornell University

This historical blog is in recognition of the 150th anniversary 

of the American Veterinary Medical Association (1863-2013). 
See Dr. Walther's complete biography and interview with audio at http://ecommons.library.cornell.edu/bitstream/1813/28642/2/Walther,%20Jack%20).%201963%20UC%20Davis,%20BioInt.pdf

Dr. Walther grew up on a ranch in Nevada and graduated from the University of California, Davis in 1963. He established an equine practice in Reno but like many other veterinary graduates of the early 1960s, he was drafted during the Vietnam War and spent two years in the Army Veterinary Corps. Returning to Nevada after his discharge, Jack entered the companion animal field and over the next 35 years established three small animal hospitals in the Reno area.

Dr. Walther was heavily involved in activities of the Nevada Veterinary Medical Association starting in the 1970s and in 1992 was selected as Nevada’s delegate to the AVMA. From there, he  was elected to the AVMA's executive board representing his region of the country. 

During a trip to Cornell University in September 2001 while AVMA vice president, he received an unanticipated call from a colleague encouraging him to run for the position of president-elect. Though no previous vice president had used that position as a springboard to the presidency for almost 100 years, Dr. Walther entered the race and in July 2003 was installed as the AVMA's 140th president.

Dr. Walther was president in a year in which serious diseases of food-producing animals, notably, highly pathogenic avian influenza and bovine spongiform encephalopathy emerged as threats to the nation’s food animals and international trade.

Dr. Walther testifying before Congress in 2004, encouraging 
improved surveillance for Chronic Wasting Disease that
threatened deer and elk populations.
AVMA photo provided by Dr. Walther

In what he considers one of his most important initiatives, Dr. Walther energized and expanded the public relations programs of the AVMA, transforming that department in ways that were long overdue. He also fundamentally improved the way in which legislative issues in various states were monitored by the AVMA so that relevant and timely information could be shared among veterinary associations in other states. Dr. Walther also facilitated the establishment of a privately-managed testing service for veterinary graduates of foreign and non-accredited colleges that helped reduce a two-to-three year backlog of new veterinarians awaiting examination for licensure to practice. 


Throughout his professional career, Dr. Walther has been involved in community activities. Dr. Walther promoted major expansion of passenger and commercial air service in the Reno/Sparks area while a leader of the Washoe County Airport Authority. He was also chair of the board of the National Championship Air Races in the 1990s. An avid cowboy himself, Dr. Walther served as chairman of the small and financially-fragile Reno Rodeo and saw it become one of the top rodeos in North America. 

Dr. Walther plays his role as working cowboy

on his ranch in Lamoille, NV in 2010.

Photo provided by Dr. Walther.

Dr. Walther continues to be an active leader in veterinary medicine, serving on several veterinary boards, in particular the Western Veterinary Conference. His various roles with the conference were so distinguished that the program for the 2013 annual meeting will be named in his honor (only the sixth time this has occurred in the past three decades).

Dr. Smith invites comments at dfs6@cornell.edu

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

Gender and Jobs for Veterinarians

Posted March 5, 2012
By Dr. Donald F. Smith, Cornell University


Four decades ago, only 10% of graduating veterinarians were women. With the passing of Title IX and the removal of gender bias in veterinary college admissions during the 1970s, approximately four out of five veterinary students are now female. The number of female veterinarians now exceeds the number of male veterinarians (AVMA members). However, contrary to conventional wisdom and numerous articles, the number of male veterinarians in the U.S. has remained stable for the past five years. This presumably relates to the fact that their retirement balances the number of men receiving their veterinary degrees and entering the profession for the first time.

Number of Female and Male Veterinarians (AVMA members)
in the U.S. between 2006 and 2011 (see footnote)

The following chart show the distribution of men and women in private clinical practice in the United States. The total number of companion animal veterinarians (dogs, cats, pet birds, rodents and amphibians) vastly outnumbers those engaged in large animal, mixed animal or other species. Six years ago, there were many more men than women in companion animal practice but women now exceed men by almost 25%. Most of the equine-oriented students in veterinary colleges today are women and this is reflected in the near parity of equine practitioners in private clinical practice. Despite the preponderance of men in food animal practice, an increasing number of women veterinary students are now interested in livestock practice.

Number of Female and Male Veterinarians (AVMA members)
in Clinical Practice in the U.S. in 2011, by Species (see footnote)

The following chart shows the number veterinarians, by gender, in public and corporate employment. Women now outnumber men in universities and colleges; however, men remain the majority in federal and state/local governments, and in industry. There are now equal numbers in the uniformed services. The "other" category includes non profit organizations and animal shelters, where women are employed in larger numbers. 

Number of Female and Male Veterinarians (AVMA members)
in Public and Corporate Employment in the U.S. in 2011 (see footnote)

Footnote (reference): Market Research Statistics of the American Veterinary Medical Association

Dr. Smith invites comments at dfs6@cornell.edu

A Tribute to African-American Deans in Veterinary Medicine

Posted February 27, 2012
Written by Donald F. Smith, Cornell University

My final blog for February is a celebration and tribute to African-American veterinarians who are currently deans of U.S. veterinary colleges, or have recently served in that capacity.  At a time when fewer than three percent of the veterinary students in the United States are African-American, three of our 28 veterinary colleges are currently led by African-American deans.



Current deans of veterinary medicine (L-R): Willie M. Reed (Purdue), Phillip D. Nelson
(Western University of the Health Sciences) and Tsegaye Habtermariam (Tuskegee).
Photo by the author, 2011



Dr. Willie M. Reed, dean of Purdue University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, was raised in Alabama and received his DVM from Tuskegee University in 1978, and PhD from Purdue in 1982. He served as an avian pathologist on the faculty at Purdue, then became director of Michigan State University’s Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory (now called the Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health). An accomplished scientist, administrator and champion of diversity, Dr. Reed was attracted back to Purdue as dean in 2007, where he has served both the college and the greater veterinary community with distinction. He is past president of the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges.

The dean of newest veterinary college in the U.S. at Western University of the Health Sciences is Phillip D. Nelson, DVM, PhD. A 1979 veterinary graduate of Tuskegee University with his PhD from North Carolina State University (1993), Dr. Nelson established a career that included research on a feline model for human HIV infection. He held senior administrative positions at Tuskegee University and at Mississippi State’s veterinary college before moving to Western in 2005 and becoming the college’s second dean in 2007. Dr. Nelson is a strong proponent that each student should develop a positive moral compass, and practice the profession with compassion and decency.

Dr. Tsegaye Habtemariam’s journey to becoming Tuskegee’s Dean of Veterinary Medicine and Nursing and Allied Health in 2006 began in his home country of Ethiopia where he received his B.Sc. in 1964. His passion to become a veterinarian led him to the U.S. where he received this DVM from Colorado State University in 1970, and advanced degrees (MPVM and PhD) from the University of California at Davis. Dr. Habtemariam has a distinguished research record in risk analysis with a focus on diseases of agricultural species like Food and Mouth Disease and Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (often referred to as “mad cow disease”). He has held numerous prominent international assignments of significant importance to disease surveillance and control.



Dr. Michael Blackwell, veterinary dean,
the University of Tennessee (2000-2007).
Photo provided by Dr. Blackwell



Dr. Michael J. Blackwell was the first African-American to serve as dean of a veterinary college outside of Tuskegee. A second-generation veterinarian—his father was in the second graduating class at Tuskegee—Dr. Blackwell was appointed dean of the veterinary college at the University of Tennessee in 2000 after having been Chief of Staff of the Office of the Surgeon General of the United States.

Dr. Blackwell served as dean with distinction for seven years when he left the university to form The Blackwell Group, a management and venture-capital corporation.


Dr. Smith invites comments at dfs6@cornell.edu

North American Veterinary Conference 2012

Posted January 16, 2012
Written by Donald F. Smith, DVM, Cornell University

The North American Veterinary Conference (NAVC) opened last Saturday in Orlando, FL. Traditionally the first major veterinary conference of the year, this is one of the two largest continuing education programs in the world for veterinarians, veterinary technicians, practice managers and other veterinary health professionals.

The location in central Florida makes the NAVC a popular site for northeastern and upper midwestern veterinarians to bring their families to escape the grip of winter and also enjoy Disney attractions. Attendees come from all over the U.S. and many foreign countries to update their knowledge and learn about the latest medical advances from over 350 speakers. The massive exhibition area also allows veterinarians to see and purchase the latest products from pharmaceutical and pet food companies, from diagnostic testing services, medical appliance companies, publishing companies and numerous other vendors.

The conference is also a place for friends and former classmates to gather and rekindle friendships. This intermingling is facilitated by alumni receptions that veterinary colleges host where they also share updates of their latest activities. Grandparents even come to Forida, taking their grandkids to Disney while Mom or Dad attends meetings.

Approximately 750 veterinary students also participate. Living on frugal budgets, they scour the internet for the least expensive flights to Florida, then squeeze into small hotel rooms and attend stimulating lectures from people whose textbooks they have been reading back home. Banfield Pet Hospital even sponsors a competition for veterinary students for bragging rights for their home institution.


Dr. Laurel Kaddatz, Hospital Director
of the Pound Ridge Veterinary Center (NY),
 2012 president of the NAVC
Photo by the author

 Barely 30 years old, this conference has grown from humble roots in the early 1980s. Like its counterpart, the Western Veterinary Conference (held every February in Las Vegas), the NAVC has eclipsed and often replaced many of the smaller state and college continuing education programs. The sheer magnitude of the conference and the quality and variety of programs (over a dozen daily lecture tracks, including the largest exotic animal medical program in the world), as well as the nightly entertainment and local central Florida attractions have catapulted the NAVC into its current prominence with approximately 14,000 professional attendees this year.

A non-profit educational venture, the NAVC is administered by a board, many of whom are veterinary practitioners. Laurel Kaddatz DVM (U. Minn '77) serves as 2012 president of the NAVC. He is a companion animal practitioner from Pound Ridge, NY, and past president of the New York State Veterinary Medical Society. He and his wife, Jacqueline hosted Saturday evening's President's reception at the Gaylord Palms Resort. A veritable who's who of veterinarians attended, including the AVMA president and most of the Executive Board, numerous veterinary college deans, and leaders from industry.

Dr. Smith invites comments at dfs6@cornell.edu

Tuskegee University's Distinctive School of Veterinary Medicine

Posted January 13, 2012 (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day)

Donald F. Smith, Cornell University

This historical blog is in recognition of the 150th anniversary 
of the American Veterinary Medical Association (1863-2013).

The first and only veterinary school at an historic Black college was established in the post WWII period at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. From its humble beginnings under the inspiration of Frederick Douglass Patterson, veterinarian and third president of Tuskegee, the school has had a distinguished history of educating young African-Americans and others for the past seven decades.

Patterson was orphaned at an early age and separated from his family except for an older sister who raised and supported him though his early life and schooling. He had the good fortune to attend Iowa State University, where he received his DVM in 1923 and his M.S. three years later. He then joined the faculty of Tuskegee Institute at a time when the South was transitioning from plantation living where the principal crop was cotton, to livestock production. The need for veterinarians became more acute as farmers were poorly equipped to raise cattle and other livestock.



Tuskegee University veterinary students
examine a dog (above) and assist during
operation of canine patient (below).
Photos provided by Tuskegee University
School of Veterinary Medicine

Though some of the northern veterinary colleges, in particular, Kansas State and Ohio State Universities, Cornell and the University of Pennsylvania, had educated African-American students before 1940, the numbers were small (fewer than 70). The southern veterinary colleges, where most of the aspiring Black students lived, were segregated. As the northern colleges became more pressed to admit students from their states, there were few places for African-Americans students to receive the DVM degree.

Dr. Patterson was sent to Cornell for further graduate training. Shortly after returning with his PhD, he was named the third president of Tuskegee.

A bold and visionary leader, President Patterson lobbied successfully from the state of Alabama for a new program in veterinary medicine. Using that modest public support as well as student labor, the college opened in 1945 with the expectation that it would become a regional center where Blacks could study veterinary medicine.

Patterson’s early faculty were led by Dr. Edward B. Evans, who became the founding dean. Several faculty traveled to northern schools like Cornell and Iowa State University for graduate degrees in their early years. This was essential to establish credible teaching and research programs and to eventually achieve accreditation by the American Veterinary Medical Association.

President Patterson's legacy extended to other fields as he encouraged African-Americans to pursue higher education. Historically, he is best known as the leader who established the United Negro College Fund. He also supported the establishment of the famed Tuskegee Airmen program .

Tuskegee’s School of Veterinary Medicine currently enrolls approximately 70 DVM students in each class. Two of the current deans of other U.S. veterinary colleges are Tuskegee graduates: Willie Reed '78 (Purdue University) and Phillip Nelson '79 (Western University of the Health Sciences). Dr. Michael Blackwell '75 served as chief of staff for the surgeon general of the U.S. (1999-2000) and also dean of the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine (2000-2008).

Tsegaye Habtemariam, DVM, MPVM, PhD
Dean, Tuskegee University 
College of Veterinary Medicine,
Nursing and Allied Health 
All photos provided by Tuskegee University

Most Tuskegee graduates practice east of the Mississippi, though only 7% live in Alabama. Fifty percent reside in states adjacent to Alabama (Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland and Kentucky); and another 10% practice in New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Other notable Tuskegee veterinary graduates include Dr. Harold Davis '76, past president of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists and former VP, Amgen, Inc., and Dr. Matthew Jenkins '57, former practitioner in California and former member of Tuskegee’s Board of Trustees. Dr. and Mrs. Roberta Jenkins are generous supporters of Tuskegee’s School of Veterinary Medicine.

Dr. Smith invites comments at dfs6@cornell.edu

Top Veterinary Stories for 2011

Dr. Donald F. Smith, Cornell University
Posted December 29, 2011

World Veterinary Year (Vet 2011) - The world's first veterinary school was established in Lyon, France 250 years ago (1761) by French veterinarian Claude Bourgelat. It was commissioned by King Louis XV to promote the prevention of cattle disease, notable Rinderpest (cattle plague). A second school was started by Bourgelat three years later in the Paris suburb of Alfort. Veterinary colleges soon emerged in London and Scotland. The 150th anniversary of veterinary medicine in the United States will be celebrated in 2013.

Animals in Movies - Two  movies gave us much to consider regarding the use and abuse of animals in war and peace. Sara Gruen's novel-turned-movie, "Water for Elephants" provided a glimpse of  circus life during the Great Depression; and the release of  Steven Spielberg's "War Horse" on Christmas Day portrayed the enormity of loss of equine life during wartime. Though segments of these movies needlessly strain the limits of credulity, the central themes provide compelling stories of the need for animal welfare and proper veterinary care.

Supporting Pets after the Great Japanese Earthquake - Disaster preparedness and response for animals came to prominence after Hurricane Katrina. However, the magnitude of animal devastation resulting from the March earthquake and tsunami of Northeastern Japan far eclipsed anything we had seen here in America. Dr. Asako Shimamura took leave from her regular job and worked as an individual volunteer in some of the hardest hit areas. Coordinating efforts with local veterinarians, she collected and distributed medical supplies and food in the heart of the disaster area, and reunited animals with their human families. Because of the loss of communication, the most severly affected areas were often those not identified by the Tokyo headquarters. By mid May, Dr. Shimamura had made over 200 different trips into the disaster area within the Miyagi Prefecture. Her bravery, commitment, compassion and perseverance against incredible natural and human challenges is one of the great veterinary stories of the year.

Veterinarian Awarded National Medal of Science - Ralph Brinster, a veterinary professor at the University of Pennsylvania received the National Medal of Science "for fundamental contributions to the development and use of transgenic mice". This award is the highest honor bestowed by the United States' government on scientists and engineers. Dr. Brinster is the first veterinarian in the country to receive the award since it was established 50 years ago. The White House announcement acclaimed Brinster's research to have "provided experimental foundations and inspiration for progress in germline genetic modification in a range of species, which has generated a revolution in biology, medicine, and agriculture."

AVMA Accreditation of Ross University - The American Veterinary Medical Association granted Ross University's School of Veterinary Medicine full accreditation in March. A private institution located on the Island of St. Kitts in the Caribbean, Ross graduates over 400 students per year, 98% of whom are from the U.S. This represents about 10% of the total graduates seeking employment in the United States annually. Not since the then-proprietary Ontario Veterinary College (see footnote) attracted massive numbers of Americans to its for-profit school in Toronto in the late 19th century has a non-American veterinary institution trained so many U.S. citizens as veterinarians. The accreditation of Ross was followed several months later by similar recognition of St. George's School of Veterinary Medicine on the island of Grenada.


AND THE TOP STORY FOR 2011
Rinderpest Eradication
On June 28, the 192 Member countries of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization adopted a Resolution declaring global freedom from Rinderpest. Referred to as cattle plague throughout much of history, this was an infectious disease of cattle, buffalo, yak and many wildlife species. Its devastation has been profound, producing massive starvation, economic ruin and political instability. For example, Rinderpest destroyed 90% of the cattle and millions of wild animals in sub-Saharan Africa in the 1890s. Rinderpest is the first animal disease to be eliminated by human efforts, and only the second disease of any kind, after smallpox in humans.

Footnote: The Ontario Veterinary College was established by Scottish veterinarian, Andrew Smith, as a for-profit college in downtown Toronto in 1862. It operated as a proprietary college for almost 50 years when it became a publicly-supported institution under the umbrella of the University of Toronto. Contemporary Scot, James Law, established the veterinary program at Cornell University in 1868 but his high matriculation and curriculum standards were out of reach of most American students so they migrated north of the border and returned to practice in New York and neighboring states.

Dr. Smith welcomes comments at dfs6@cornell.edu

Consider a Year-End Donation in Support of the Animals

Posted by Dr. Donald F. Smith, Cornell University

December 11, 2011.

If you are planning charitable donations this time of year, you may want to consider animal health and welfare programs among your causes to support. For those who don't know where to turn, I offer these suggestions.



The value of supporting the local community:

Local humane shelters are among the most money-strapped animal non profits in the country. They operate in local communities, providing critical services for adoption and education, as well as dealing with animal rescue, cruelty prevention, and pet overpopulation issues. I have always been impressed by the number of older veterinarians who leave a legacy of giving generously of their time and professional expertise for local shelters and, upon their death, have designated  that memorial gifts in their honor be made to a local shelter.

Supporting the Next Generation of Veterinarians:

Twenty years ago, the ratio of staring salary to educational debt for a graduating veterinarian was 1:1.  It is now almost 1:3, and the ratio is spreading. State financial support for veterinary colleges has been under siege for at least two decades, and has plummeted precipitously in the last four years. I recently estimated that the average level of operating support for veterinary colleges is less than $2.00 per capita. Many states provide no direct support for veterinary colleges nor do they provide even partial tuition support for students who attend out-of-state colleges because there are no veterinary colleges in their home state.



Cornell University's Graduating DVM Class of 2011 (May 2011)



Each of the 28 veterinary colleges in the United States has scholarship funds that would benefit from your donation. Consult the website of your favorite college, or contact me directly and I can provide you with the name and address of the appropriate contact at the college of your choice.

Support Veterinary Medical Research:

There are several reputable organizations that support research on animal health and welfare. Two that I consider among the most effective are: The Morris Animal Foundation  (supporting the health of pets and wildlife) and the Winn Feline Foundation (for cats).

Among my favorite conservation and wildlife programs are the Wildlife Conservation Society, which includes the world-famous Bronx Zoo where the West Nile Virus was isolated in 1999; and the Cheetah Conservation Fund, a scientifically-based program located in Namibia, Africa.  

As always, I welcome comments and questions at dfs6@cornell.edu

All photos provided by the author.