On Our Way | Message from the Dean

Message from the Dean | August 2019

On Our Way

As most of you have heard, it has been an exciting time for the UW School of Veterinary Medicine. On July 3, Governor Evers signed the 2019-21 budget, which included the school's building expansion project within it. We are actively designing the expansion as we speak with Flad Architects and Affiliated Engineers, Inc. The design phase should take approximately 18 months to be completed.

Meanwhile, the design for the new parking ramp in Lot 62 has been completed and contractors are actively bidding on the project now. The goal is to start construction of the ramp this fall, with projected completion in December 2020. As I have mentioned in previous messages, we hope to begin construction of the building expansion in the winter of 2021, with projected completion in 2023. Thank you to everyone for your support in getting us to this point.

As highlighted below, we also held a reception for Bill Campbell, the recipient of the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine, on July 9 in the Hansen Biomedical Sciences Building. Bill was a graduate of the veterinary science program as well as the zoology program in the 1950s. His contribution to the health and well-being of both animals and humans through the discovery of ivermectin had a worldwide impact. It was a pleasure to get to know him and welcome him back to campus with Chancellor Blank and Professors Jeff Harden, Tony Stretton and Tim Yoshino at the reception.

I hope you all have a great remainder of your summer. In the next few weeks, from August 21-23, we will welcome the incoming Class of 2023 to the UW School of Veterinary Medicine.

UW Veterinary Care Updates from the Director

Welcome to our incoming specialty interns, Christina Barrett (Shelter Medicine), Kristi Bowers (Large Animal Surgery), Emily Pellat (Shelter Medicine), Alexandra Radtke (Radiology) and Emily Renner (Dentistry), and to our new residents: Megan Climans (Anatomic Pathology), Lydia Colopy (Emergency Critical Care), Dylan Djani (Neurology), Marianthi Gelatos (Small Animal Internal Medicine), Gail Huckins (Zoological Medicine), Kelsey Johnson (Small Animal Internal Medicine), Kelsey Jorge (Radiology), Alycia Kowalski (Large Animal Internal Medicine), Chele Lathroum (Emergency Critical Care), Kara Magee (Oncology), Steven Moirano (Radiation Oncology), Courtney Patson (Zoological Medicine), Jacquelyn Perino (Small Animal Surgery), Brittney Rigby (Dentistry), Elizabeth Roberts (Shelter Medicine), Diana Sanchez (Oncology), Anna Sirochman (Cardiology), Laura Staats (Pharmacy), Adam Townsend (Small Animal Surgery), Molly Viner (Radiology), Sarah White (Large Animal Surgery) and Venessa Yang (Ophthalmology).

Welcome also to Kiersten Kusko, veterinary assistant in the Critical Care Unit/Emergency Room, and to veterinary technician Brian Morell in the Large Animal Hospital. And congratulations to Shelby Williams who begins today as the new pharmacy manager. Williams has served as a pharmacist with UW Veterinary Care since October and we welcome her to this new role.

Congratulations as well to residents Katelyn Marlow on passing the specialty oncology boards; Katie Nadolny , specialty cardiology boards; Allison Leuin, small animal internal medicine boards; and Ricardo Fernandez, Casandra Jacobs, Nora Sheehan, Casey Smith and Elizabeth Woods, small animal internal medicine qualifier exam.

Last but not least, enjoy this recent note from a client thankful for our thoughtful service:

" Everyone is always so kind to us and our dog Titan. He is very scared when he comes to the vet; the doctors always make sure that everyone is acting appropriately around him. They are kind and so compassionate and incredibly helpful! I cannot thank everyone enough!"

- Michelle, Roscoe, Illinois

Ruthanne Chun DVM'91
Director, UW Veterinary Care
Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs

School News

Work in preparation for the school's building expansion is quickly picking up. Planning meetings have begun every other week with designers Flad Architects and Affiliated Engineers, Inc. Be on the lookout for additional information soon. In the meantime, if you have building questions specific to the hospital, please contact Ruthanne Chun; for queries related to research, Lyric Bartholomay; and for general questions about the project, Kristi Thorson.

The summer issue of On Call has mailed and is available online and in the SVM and Hanson buildings. In this issue we highlight partnerships with Madison Cat Project, hosting monthly spay and neuter clinics to give students valuable hands-on experience while combating cat overpopulation, and with Dane County Humane Society's Wildlife Center, providing veterinary medical care to an array of native wild animals admitted and rehabilitated there.

William C. Campbell MS'54, PhD'57 , co-recipient of the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine, was honored at a School of Veterinary Medicine reception in July recognizing his many contributions to the university and beyond.

Simon Lygo-Baker from the Department of Higher Education at the University of Surrey has again joined the SVM for the summer, working with faculty and staff on a number of aspects of teaching and learning. Find him in room 2055 or by email .

Nancy Ballsrud, a long-time friend of the university, has joined the SVM's Board of Visitors.

Faculty and Staff News

Professor Hannah Carey became the new president of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) on July 1 -- the first president in the organization's 107-year history whose appointment is in a School of Veterinary Medicine. Read Q&As from UW-Madison and FASEB about her new role and her research.

Welcome back to David Gasper PhD'15, who returns to the SVM as a clinical assistant professor in anatomic pathology within the Department of Pathobiological Sciences, after having worked in a specialty pathology practice in San Diego for the past three years, and to Mary Thurber DVM'14 , who joined the school in July as a clinical instructor in zoological medicine. Thurber was most recently a staff veterinarian at the Oakland Zoo .

Student News

Welcome to the 96 students in our Class of 2023, who will join us for new student orientation August 21-23.

Preston Cernek DVMx'21 received an inaugural Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research Veterinary Student Research Fellowship . Cernek is using computer vision technology to create a digital tool for early digital dermatitis detection on commercial dairy farms.

Maria Arendt MS'15, DVM'17, PhD'19 received the 2019 Alltech Student Research Manuscript Award during the 108th annual Poultry Science Association meeting in Montreal in July.

Rachel McNally DVMx'20 won first place for her poster presentation at the Morris Animal Foundation Scientific Advisory Board meeting in June in Denver. McNally presented foundation-supported research on cruciate ligament rupture in dogs conducted as part of the SVM Summer Scholars program with Professor Peter Muir.

Pahoua Xiong from the UW-Madison Office of Student Financial Aid will be in the SVM Office of Academic Affairs to assist students with financial aid and loan questions on the first and third Friday of each month, from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.