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Sign Up for New Monthly Electronic Newsletter, Illinois Vetnews
Sign up for the College’s new monthly electronic newsletter, Illinois Vetnews. We hope it will become a timely way to provide our alumni and friends with useful information from the College. Each issue will contain practice management tips and client handouts from the Extension group, updates on admissions and student activities, news from the teaching hospital, and reports on the latest happenings at Illinois.To add your address to our list, please send a request by email to vetnews@cvm.uiuc.edu or call Beth Erwin at 217/333-2762.
College Opens Its Doors for Open House
Borrowing a page from Dr. Seuss, the 2003 Veterinary Medicine Open House enticed animal lovers of all ages with the theme “Oh, the Animals You’ll See!”
Despite the early morning snow and chilly temperature, thousands turned out on April 5 to see the animals and learn about the science and compassion that go into the veterinary profession.
New this year was a special tent for kids featuring games, coloring activities, and face painting. New faculty member Dr. Jennifer Langan (see story above) brought pelts, horns, and skulls from the traveling exhibit at Brookfield Zoo to add a hands-on dimension to the zoo medicine exhibit.
Small animal surgery and anesthesia, which offered visitors the chance to practice tying sutures and let kids gown up to “surgically remove” goodies from a stuffed toy dog, won the competition for the exhibit that was most interactive and informative.
The student leaders would like to thank the sponsors that generously contributed to make Open House possible. In addition to those on the Events page, the Chicago Veterinary Medical Association and the College of Veterinary Medicine also helped support this event.
Mark your extended calendars for upcoming Open House dates: April 3, 2004, and April 2, 2005.
Veterinary Profession Needs YOU as a Recruiter!
by Dr. Gerald Pijanowski
In early February, 337 potential members of the Class of 2007 visited our college to interview. Soon thereafter, we sent offers of admission to the very best from among what was, once again, a very strong pool of applicants.
While the applicant pool has been strong in recent years, we cannot become complacent. If the profession of veterinary medicine is to remain strong, vibrant, and responsive to the changing needs of society, all veterinarians must actively recruit outstanding people to the field.
What does it mean to “recruit” someone into the profession?
The first step involves education. Obviously, people cannot consider veterinary medicine as a career if they do not know about it. Our college hosts tour groups, helps sponsor an annual Open House, and engages in outreach activities through local scouting and 4-H groups. We can present the profession of veterinary medicine to a limited number of high school students in these ways, but further activities are needed.
You, our core of more than 4,000 alumni and friends, are in the best position to introduce young people to the profession. Every time you see a patient, you have the potential to influence a young person. You introduce these prospects to the profession just by doing what you do. You probably spend a bit of time talking to the client about what is going on, why you are doing a procedure, and so forth. Make an effort to engage that young person sitting in your exam room in the conversation. If there seems to be a spark of interest, do what you can to make it burn.
Volunteer to speak at school career days, create jobs or job shadowing opportunities at your laboratory or clinic, inform people of the annual Veterinary Medicine Open House, or promote the availability of tours at our facility.
You can be an effective recruiter by being a role model. Show that veterinary medicine is based on science. Young people often think science is done only in a “laboratory” and may not realize they can be scientists and practice veterinary medicine at the same time.
Let them know that this profession is ultimately about working with and for people. We encounter many applicants who say they always wanted to be a veterinarian because they “really love animals,” but they do not like science or working with people. The sooner these young people get a chance to talk or work with a veterinarian and gain a better understanding of the field, the sooner they can find a great career choice better suited to their interests.
The applicant pool is carefully evaluated and a limited number of students are admitted to the college, and, ultimately, the profession. The admission decision is taken very seriously by the Admissions Committee. Please help the process by encouraging promising young people who have a strong interest in science and want to help people by helping animals.
Putting Knowledge to Work: Extension Offers Practice Management Help
University of Illinois Extension sums up its mission as helping people in Illinois “put knowledge to work.”
A new service offered by the Office of Continuing Education-Public Service (CEPS)/Extension at the College of Veterinary Medicine will literally put knowledge into your work place.
Dr. Christine Merle, a member of the CEPS team with DVM (’96 IL) and MBA (’00 DePaul University) degrees, is available as a practice management Extension veterinarian. She can tailor valuable business information to veterinarians and their staff using approaches that include short written handouts, formal lectures, and interactive activities relating to topics such as strategic target marketing and staff development and training. She is available for small to large group seminars, in-house clinic training, and individual consultations.
In addition, she will be contributing monthly practice management tips through the College’s new electronic newsletter.
To find out more, please contact Dr. Merle at 217/333-2907 or cmerle@cvm.uiuc.edu.
Doberman Health Weekend Combines Screening, Education, and Research
Dr. Mark Oyama, veterinary clinical medicine, is taking an unusual approach to gathering data.
By offering two days of owner education and a discounted cardiac examination, the assistant professor of cardiology attracted Doberman pinschers and their owners to the College on May 10 and 11 to collect clinical information that may lead to advances in early detection of a common canine heart problem, dilated cardiomyopathy.
Over the course of the two-day Doberman Pinscher Health Conference, the dogs and their two-legged companions attended 8 hours of presentations on canine health issues, toured the College, and enjoyed lunches and snacks. Each dog also received an exam including a cardiac ultrasound, electrocardiogram, and blood draw.
Owners received results of the screening by mail after the conference. Dr. Oyama will use the data collected to explore whether a blood marker can be used as an inexpensive and accurate way to screen for early-stage heart disease.
A pilot study performed by Dr. Oyama with funding from the Doberman Pinscher Foundation of America showed that a blood-based screening test warrants further investigation. The test would not be breed specific, but Doberman pinschers have a propensity for the disease, making them good study subjects.
The event was sponsored by the College, the Doberman Pinscher Foundation of America, and Beckman Coulter, Inc.
Bone Cancer Clinical Trial Seeks SubjectsThe Cancer Care Clinic at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital has announced a funded clinical trial involving osteosarcoma (OSA), the most common primary bone tumor in dogs.
The main goal of this trial is to objectively assess the effectiveness of amino- bisphosphonates for the management of bone pain associated with canine appendicular OSA. Aminobisphosphonates have been used effectively in humans for more than 10 years. The Cancer Care Clinic has been safely using them in dogs since 1996.
Dogs with appendicular OSA enrolled in the study will be provided with amino-bisphosphonate at no cost for palliative therapy of bone pain every four weeks, for a maximum of three treatment cycles.
For additional information, please contact: Dr. Timothy M. Fan, 217/333-5375; Dr. Louis-Philippe de Lorimier, 217/265-4088; or Dr. Sarah Charney, 217/244-8747.
Fall Conference Features Endocrinologist, Financial AdviserCome to the annual Fall Conference for Veterinarians on October 9 and 10 for practical continuing education and fellowship with colleagues and former classmates.
Dr. Richard Nelson, professor and chair of the Department of Medicine and Epidemiology at the University of California-Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, is an expert in endocrinology, primarily the endocrine pancreas and thyroid gland, and is co-author of two textbooks, Canine and Feline Endocrinology and Reproduction and Small Animal Internal Medicine.
Denise Tumblin, veterinary financial adviser with Wutchiett Tumblin and Associates, of Columbus, Ohio, home of the “well-managed practice,” will offer a start-to-finish guide to selling or buying part or all of a veterinary practice in 1, 2 or even 5 years.
Many other practical and engaging speakers will be on hand, including Dr. Larry Firkins, veterinary pathobiology, who will speak on the role of the veterinarian in responding to threats of bioterrorism.
The joint College and Alumni Association awards will be given at a Thursday evening reception in lieu of a banquet this year.
Be sure to make your hotel reservations soon, and watch the mail for the registration announcement—which has a new look—arriving in August.
Hotel Room Blocks for Fall Conference October 9-10, 2003
Chancellor Hotel and Convention Center, Champaign
Single, $59; Double, $69
217/352-7891
Eastland Suites, Urbana
$65
217/367-8331
Drury Inns and Suites, Champaign
Single, $65.99; Double, $75
217/398-0030
Hawthorn Suites Ltd., Champaign
$65
217/398-3400
Holiday Inn, Urbana
Single, $65; Double, $75
217/328-7900
![[Open House reptile exhibit]](images/lizardopenhs.jpg)
![[Open House turtle]](images/turtleopenhs.jpg)