The fall semester is off to a great start, minus the outcome of Badger football games. We've had very few disruptions to the educational experiences we are providing to our students, thanks in large measure to the overwhelming majority of our faculty, staff and students becoming vaccinated against COVID-19 and other precautions in place. We will continue to monitor and help ameliorate any disruptions that may occur throughout this semester and the entire academic year.
We had a very productive faculty meeting last month to discuss the school’s recommendations from the PREPARE Graduates Task Force and the future of our curriculum. We're creating new working groups to draft a curricular framework based on the recently affirmed guiding principles for curriculum revision and feedback on previously proposed curricular structures. The curricular framework will be presented to faculty in the winter of 2022. I very much support and am looking forward to this proposal, as I am certain it will significantly enhance the education we provide to our students once implemented.
The school continues to prepare for our accreditation site visit this coming January. The second week of November, we will hold a mock site visit, including a tour of all educational sites where students receive instruction and mock interviews with various groups.
One outcome of drafting and completing an accreditation self-study is having an opportunity to look back over the last five years and all that we've accomplished. I'm extraordinarily proud of our accomplishments, not least of which is the significantly enhanced diversity of our students, our net gain of numerous new faculty with associated staff growth, and the extraordinary success of the research we perform.
I, along with others within the school, look forward to meeting with the site visit team in January and demonstrating all that we have accomplished – and will continue to do – to better educate our students, perform research that benefits both animal and human health, and enhance the clinical care we provide in our hospital.
I hope each of you has an outstanding October.
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UW Veterinary Care Updates from the Director |
Welcome to new UW Veterinary Care employees Keisha Cyliax, a pharmacy technician; Corinne (CJ) Dunwiddie, a radiology technologist with the Diagnostic Imaging team; Samantha Gartner, greeter/cashier with Reception; Daniel (Danny) Hurd, CVT, a technician with the Anesthesia team; Heather Naxi, the new client care liaison for Small Animal Internal Medicine; Trisha Roehling, CVT, the new Small Animal Central Supply/Surgery/Operating Room CVT supervisor; and Linda Yang, a pharmacy technician. In addition, Leah Krawczyk, CVT, has transitioned to a new role as the client care liaison for Medical and Radiation Oncology.
Congratulations to numerous new diplomates of their respective specialty colleges:
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Kyle Bartholomew, American College of Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia
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Puja Basu, Erika Hoffeld, Laura Lee, Omer Lerman, Nataly Mamaliger, Andrea Pohly, Dane Rahoi, Diya Sharma and Ryan Taylor, American College of Veterinary Pathologists
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Jane Lund and Seamus Hoey, Equine Diagnostic Imaging (American College of Veterinary Radiology)
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Ellen Scherer and Amy Thomson, American Veterinary Dental College
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Laura Staats, International College of Veterinary Pharmacy
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Marilia Takada, Radiation Oncology (American College of Veterinary Radiology)
Congratulations also to residents Kelsey Jorge and Molly Viner on successfully completing the qualifying examination in Diagnostic Imaging (American College of Veterinary Radiology).
Each and every member of our hospital contributes greatly to our clients' satisfaction, as reinforced by the below comment from a recent client of Primary Care and Small Animal Internal Medicine. To all of you, thank you. When asked in our client survey, "Is there someone on the staff you'd like to compliment?" this client responded with the following:
"Everyone (from people answering phones, students, doctors and pharmacy). We have been going to the Vet School for over 30 years ... always has been a positive experience!" -Judy
Christopher Snyder, DVM, DAVDC
Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs
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All the better to pounce with! These veterinary anatomical illustrations show the lateral, cranial and dorsal views of the musculoskeletal system of the left hind limb of a lion. The illustrations are digitized from classic works of German medical illustrator Hermann Dittrich, published in 1911 through 1925. Source: University of Wisconsin Libraries
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Last month the school hosted an Alumni Palooza celebration – a combined tailgate, 2020 and 2021 alumni reunion, and in-person celebration for 2020 and 2021 graduates. We also recognized the recipients of the 2020 and 2021 Alumni Advisory Board’s alumni awards, and alumnus John Hallett DVM'90 highlighted his progress on the school's Forward Together sculpture. View photos from the event and read more about the 2021 alumni award recipients: Myron Kebus MS’90, DVM’92, Katie Kuehl DVM’12, Bernard Easterday MS’58, DVM’61 and Susan Hyland MS’73, PhD’78.
With flu season here, campus community members are strongly encouraged to receive the flu shot. Flu vaccines are free and being offered at a number of locations throughout campus via appointments and flu shot clinics. View details.
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Teaching and Learning News
An update from Peggy Schmidt, associate dean for professional programs
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The SVM returned to in-person events with the annual SVM Education Day on August 10. Mary Thompson from UW Student Learning Assessment and Andrea Kunze from the Office of Academic Affairs led activities about using rubrics to assess student performance. Kristen Friedrichs and Liddy Alvarez presented on rubrics they developed for use in their own courses. The day ended with a session where faculty and instructional staff shared educational innovations and inspirational ideas in both posters and presentations.
On Sept. 10, SVM faculty affirmed a set of guiding principles for the continued curriculum revision efforts. Next steps include creating new working groups who will begin to develop the courses that will populate the new curriculum. Be on the lookout for calls to participate in these working groups or other ways to get involved in the revision process. Our goal continues to be implementation of the new curriculum in fall 2023.
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Congratulations to Paul Miller, clinical professor of comparative ophthalmology, on his retirement today, Oct. 1. Paul has been at the University of Wisconsin since 1987, starting with an ophthalmology residency and moving into a faculty position in 1990. He is recognized worldwide for his contributions to clinical veterinary ophthalmology.
Lauren Trepanier, the Melita Grunow Family Professor in Companion Animal Health, will present a TEDx talk titled How Environmental Toxins Impact Your Dog on the evening of Oct. 20, discussing her research into lymphoma and bladder cancer.
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Welcome to five new Ross University students who began their clinical year with the SVM in September and join the Class of 2022: Sabrina Daniels, Neftali Flores, Elizabeth Lane, Alexandra Thore and Courtney Turk.
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Sophia Chao DVMx’22 has been awarded a 2021 Compassionate Care Scholarship from the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association (HSVMA) for her work in animal welfare. Her efforts include coordinating spay/neuter clinics at the UW SVM, volunteering with Pets for Life in Milwaukee, and leadership roles with the UW HSVMA student chapter.
Abbey Williams, a PhD student in Comparative Biomedical Sciences, and her advisor, Lisa Arendt, an associate professor in Comparative Biosciences, have received a Gilliam Fellowship for Advanced Study from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) to study how obesity affects the risk of breast cancer progression. HHMI Gilliam Fellowships have a twofold mission: to support underrepresented PhD students to pursue scientific research and to foster more inclusive academic environments at institutions that are committed to advancing diversity and inclusion in the sciences. Student fellowship recipients join a strong community of early-career scientists, while the advisors participate in mentorship development training. Both receive funding to implement diversity and inclusion initiatives on campus.
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Associate Professor Robert Lipinski will present a Waisman Center seminar Oct. 15 at the John D. Wiley Conference Center, from noon-1 p.m., titled New Approaches for Solving the Gene-Environment Puzzle and Preventing Human Birth Defects.
Principal investigators are invited to submit project proposals for the WARF Therapeutics program by Oct. 8. WARF Therapeutics collaborates with researchers to advance their work closer to clinical testing, a “bench to bedside” approach. The program invests in the development of drug-like molecules using industry-centric drug discovery resources and approaches led by a team of preclinical drug discovery experts.
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Bucky Badger admires sculpted works by John Hallett DVM’90 at the school's Alumni Palooza celebration on Sept. 11. In the background, alumni and their families view progress on the school's Forward Together sculpture (designed and created by Hallett) and design renderings of the SVM building expansion.
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October 5
SVM Discussion of “Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?”
(AAVMC Diversity Community Reads selection for fall 2021)
12:00-12:50 p.m.
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October 22
Dean’s Get Together
(Held concurrently with UW SVM Fall Research Day and UW SAVMA Fall Auction)
4:30-6:30 p.m.
School of Veterinary Medicine, outside under the overhang
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October 22
UW SAVMA Fall Auction
4:30-8:30 p.m.
School of Veterinary Medicine
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Veterinary Practice News
Wisconsin Public Radio
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
WTMJ-TV
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“Our core team of amazing certified veterinary technicians work tirelessly to help care for our patients, communicate with our clients and teach our students despite the stress of working through constantly changing protocols, long and hectic hours, and risk of illness. As clinicians, we are truly appreciative and inspired daily by our technicians’ dedication to their work.”
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-Elizabeth Alvarez, clinical assistant professor and section head of Primary Care, describes the critical role of veterinary technicians each and every day, and in particular throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. A recent SVM news story shares some of the pandemic's impacts in the hospital and expresses gratitude for clients, referring veterinarians and all who are delivering compassionate, lifesaving care under challenging circumstances.
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