Fall Is Upon Us
The fall semester is well underway at the School of Veterinary Medicine, and it was great to welcome all of our students back. We had several hundred people who attended the school's opening fall picnic last month, and it was great to see all of our returning students, as well as the students of the class of 2027 at the event. This month, we will celebrate Fall Research Day, which highlights the amazing science that our faculty and students pursue and the many opportunities available for our students in research.
I had the privilege this past month to honor Professor David Vail as the Barbara A.
Suran Chair in Comparative Oncology during his Investiture at the September Faculty Meeting. David and his research embodies much of what the School of Veterinary Medicine is all about. . . research designed to benefit both animal and human health.
In September, Jennifer Mnookin announced a new faculty hiring initiative with two initial themes: environmental sustainability and AI and machine learning. Many of the health science deans are working diligently with their Associate Deans for Research (thank you Suresh!!) to create a healthy aging concept that ultimately is incorporated into the overall initiative.
UW Health has announced free flu and COVID 19 vaccination clinics this fall, and I encourage you to get your boosters if you are so inclined.
Have a great October!
|
|
|
|
Mark D. Markel
Dean, UW School of Veterinary Medicine
|
|
UW Veterinary Care Updates from the Director |
Please join me in welcoming the following new employees who joined our team in September:
-
Jennifer Brei, CVT, is joining the Large Animal Hospital this week as a new veterinary nurse. She has prior veterinary nursing experience at Blue Pearl and Wildwoods Wildlife Rehab.
-
Alicia Elskamp, CVT, joined UWVC Dermatology as a new veterinary nurse. Alicia comes to UWVC from RARC, and she’s previously worked with Oregon Vet Clinic and Edinger Surgical Options.
-
Autumn Reidinger, CVT, joined the Small Animal Hospital as a new float nurse. Autumn is a previous veterinary technician supervisor at Badger Veterinary Hospital and worked in veterinary cardiology at MOVES prior to that role.
-
Cheryl Bartels, CVT, moved into Dentistry and Oral Surgery from her previous role as a float nurse.
-
Mia Kennedy, CVT, joined the large animal hospital full-time as a new veterinary nurse.
-
Emma Brennan joined the Large Animal Hospital as a new veterinary nurse. She has prior veterinary nursing experience at Wisconsin Equine Clinic and Apache Animal Hospital. She also brings loads of large animal handling experience (equine and bovine) to her new role.
-
Marcia Innis joined the client services team as a new client services specialist/CCL. Marcia has previous experience as a patient access representative with SSM Health. She brings several years of customer service and patient advocacy to her new role with UWVC.
-
Jennifer Borgen, CVT, moved into a new role as the veterinary nurse supervisor for Primary Care, Primary Care Dentistry, and the Dentistry and Oral Surgery services. Most folks will know Jen from her many years as a nurse with UWVC’s Oncology service.
|
|
I’m also proud to share the following client comment, which highlights the excellent care and customer service delivered by all members of our team. From the reception staff to the students, nurses, clinicians and everyone behind the scenes, we all play an important role in delivering compassionate care to our patients.
Eight months ago today, Finley Blu was diagnosed with hemangiosarcoma and underwent a splenectomy, followed by rounds of chemotherapy to fight a cancer that eventually every dog loses their life to. We know that this cancer is aggressive, and eventually will take him, but for now he is happy, strong and stubborn. The biggest shout out I could ever give is to the UW veterinary team in Madison! Everyone there-- and I do mean everyone-- rallies around him and makes our family feel like we are the only patients they have. They give 100% every day to the healthiest animal to the sickest animal and to all those in between. We love this boy so much and are so thankful that today we can celebrate!
Thank you for all that you do!
Christopher Snyder, DVM, DAVDC
Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs
|
|
Teaching and Learning News
An update from Peggy Schmidt, associate dean for professional programs
Curriculum Revision
The competency based DVM curriculum revision continues to progress. The project has reached an exciting pivot point as we begin to build cross-disciplinary, clinically integrated courses. Many thanks to Dr. McLean Gunderson, Dr. Paul Merkatroris, and Dr. Tracy Baker for taking the lead on piloting the module development process with our Movement & Support module. We expect to ramp up module development for phases one and two this fall as the rest of the module teams are established.
Dr. Joan Jorgenson and Dr. Ruthanne Chun’s professional skills course development team have made significant progress on the Professional Skills course spanning the first three phases of the curriculum. The team is considering learning activities and assessments that coalesce around the professional competencies outlined by the AAVMC. Course themes include career development, communication, ethics, finances, legal, leadership, mentorship, cultural responsiveness, practice management, the care team, and wellbeing.
Educational Research & Scholarly Activity
Publications:
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
Chun R; Alvarez E; Schultz K; Wheeler-Brooks J; Galassi G.
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association:
Alvarez E; Schultz K; Floerchinger A; Hull J.
Journal of Veterinary Medical Education
Nappier M, Alvarez E, Bartl-Wilson L, Boynton E, Hanlon A, Ng Z, Ogonmayowa O, Shoop T, Welburn N, Wuerz J.
Journal of Veterinary Medical Education
Nichelason A, Alvarez E, Schultz K, Anderson M.
Presentations:
Dan Pell, Calico Schmidt, and Margene Anderson shared a Short Communication, ‘Do we really know what’s in our curriculum? Building a Topic Inventory to inform curricular transformation’ at the AMEE Conference this August in Glasgow. Many thanks to Ellison Bentley and Lisa Arendt for their participation as well.
Posters:
Kelly Schultz, Simon Lygo-Baker, William Gilles, Ruthanne Chun, and Bethany Howlett from the Family Medicine department presented a poster titled, ‘Veterinary and pharmacy students’ expectations before and after participation in an interdisciplinary access to care veterinary clinic’ at the National Academies of Practice Annual Meeting and Forum in Washington D.C. March/April 2023.
Amy Nichelason, Nathan Bollig, Margene Anderson, Scott Hetzel, and Peggy Schmidt presented a poster, "New graduate independence: Comparing veterinarian and student expectations and ability to perform independently" at the AMEE Conference in Glasgow.
Elizabeth Alvarez, Simon Lygo-Baker, Kelly Schultz, William Gillis, and Ruthanne Chun presented a poster, "Assessing changes in professional students’ attitudes and skills after participating in an interdisciplinary access to care veterinary clinical, WisCARES" at the AMEE Conference in Glasgow.
|
|
The SVM recently celebrated the investiture of Professor David Vail (DMS) as the Barbara A. Suran Chair in Comparative Oncology, a position he has held since 2012. This endowed professorship was created to support groundbreaking research in comparative oncology, which studies the similarities and differences of cancer across different species, helping researchers develop new treatments and cures for both animals and humans.
|
|
School News
Lisa Forrest, professor (DSS) and section chief of radiation oncology, was selected on Friday to be a recipient of the Bernstein Lifetime Achievement Award from the American College of Veterinary Radiology (ACVR). The award, which has only been awarded to 7 other individuals, is given to members of the ACVR who have made outstanding contributions in the form of service, teaching, or research. Forrest is also the first woman to ever receive this prestigious honor!
SVM professor John Svaren (CBS) was chosen as the interim Associate Vice Chancellor for Biological Sciences. This position provides leadership for biological sciences and interdisciplinary research across the UW—Madison campus. While at the SVM, Svaren's research has focused on understanding how nerve cells work and finding ways to treat disorders that affect them, such as peripheral neuropathies. His lab has made important progress in unraveling the complexities of nerve function and finding potential treatments for diseases like Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT). Congrats to John on this honor, and we wish him well in his new role.
A new monoclonal antibody treatment for Canine Parvovirus is getting closer to full USDA licensure, thanks in part to work being done by SVM scientist Laurie Larson (PBS). Larson serves as a scientific advisor and consultant to the company developing the treatment. Virology and serology testing and analysis of the treatment have been completed by Larson's Companion animal Vaccines and Immunodiagnostic Service (CAVIDS) laboratory at the SVM. The Canine Parvovirus Monoclonal Antibody treatment by Elanco is the first and only USDA conditionally approved therapy of its kind that directly targets canine parvovirus and has been found to shorten the course of the disease, resolving some of the worst symptoms more quickly, limiting hospitalizations and increasing survivability. The product is now available to veterinarians and has great potential to save lives.
Michelle Turek (DSS) is giving a lecture on feline injection site sarcoma at the Veterinary Cancer Society meeting in Reno, Nevada and moderating a session at the American College of Veterinary Radiology conference in New Orleans later this month. Turek was also recently selected to participate in the AAVMC Leadership Academy for 2023-2024.
|
|
Hannah Dassow, DVMx’25, has been named this year's recipient of the Fluno Scholars-Ahles Scholarship. This award, rooted in a legacy that commemorates Peter Ahles and his daughter Amy, an SVM graduate. Hannah's childhood on her family farm in Medford, WI fueled her dream of becoming a vet. Thanks to this scholarship, she says she’ll be able to focus more on her educational goals than the financial stress of attending school. |
|
October 20
Fall Research Day
3:30-6 pm
SVM Room 2350
October 20
Dean’s Get Together
4:30--6 pm
SVM/Second Floor Lobby
|
|
November 11
Tailgate 2023
UW vs. Northwestern
Details TBD
November 17
Dean’s Get Together/Breakfast with Sally
7:30 - 9 am
SVM Foyer
|
|
Lyric Bartholomay, professor of pathobiological sciences, was recently featured in a PBS Wisconsin story about the 2023 mosquito season in Wisconsin.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
