Dr. Niwako Ogata, an associate professor of veterinary behavior medicine in Purdue’s College of Veterinary Medicine, says pets could be feeling secondhand anxiety from their owners who are coping with lifestyle changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. (Stock image)
The COVID-19 pandemic is creating emotional stress and anxiety for humans – but chances are, their furry companions are likely feeling the same way.
Dr. Niwako Ogata, an associate professor of veterinary behavior medicine in Purdue University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, says pets could be feeling secondhand anxiety from their owners who are coping with lifestyle changes caused by the pandemic. People’s disruption in routines and more time at home can also induce anxiety in animals, especially if they have underlying anxiety issues.
Just recently Purdue Veterinary Medicine’s Dr. Candace Croney was interviewed by Jim Richards on Newstalk 1010 about how COVID-19 is affecting animals and pets.
At the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, we are persistent in our pursuit of the next giant leap in veterinary medicine. What better opportunity to showcase that than during the 2020 Purdue Veterinary Conference!
With the health and well-being of the veterinary community in mind, the college has decided to offer this year’s conference in a virtual format. General education sessions will be conducted in a live, synchronous format that will be hosted virtually using our conference app. Attendees will be able to view the sessions, interact with speakers, visit exhibitor booths virtually, and network with other conference participants all from the comfort of their home or office! The app will be available on mobile devices, and also will have a feature that enables it to be used on desktop computers.
You won’t want to miss our keynote speakers this year! Dr. Andy Roark is a practicing veterinarian, international speaker, author, and media personality. Founder of the popular website DrAndyRoark.com, he is well known for sharing the human side of veterinary medicine and providing a platform for fellow veterinary professionals to share experiences. Dr. Roark will be presenting this year’s Stockton Lecture entitled, “How to Drive Change in Your Veterinary Practice” on Wednesday, September 23. Now more than ever, we recognize change can be both difficult and necessary. Dr. Roark will outline key steps that anyone can take to help create change in their organization. He also will lead sessions focused on practice management during the conference.
Other keynotes include the Wellness Keynote on September 23, featuring Dr. Mia Cary, CEO and change agent of Cary Consulting, who will focus on work-life integration. Dr. Kemba Marshall, director of Veterinary Services with Land O’Lakes, Inc., will present this year’s Diversity Keynote on Thursday, September 24.
The conference will offer three days of high quality tracks on small animal, practice management, equine, exotics, ruminants, swine, emergency preparedness, and topics of interest for veterinary nurses. This year’s conference would not be possible without the generosity of our sponsors: IDEXX, Banfield Pet Hospital, the Indiana Board of Animal Health/Indiana State Department of Health, Nutrena, Purina, Zoetis, Elanco, Hill’s Pet Nutrition, and Coyne Veterinary Services.
The conference schedule, along with speaker and exhibitor information can be found at www.purdue.edu/vet/conference.
Forty-five participants connected via Zoom for a virtual panel discussion hosted by Purdue Veterinary Medicine on the topic of mental health. Panelists, special guests, and event coordinators included: (From the top, left-right) Jennifer Dehn, LMSW (panelist), Andrea Brown (coordinator), Tanya Finkbiner (coordinator), Ed Sutarik (special guest), Dr. Raj Singh (panelist), Susan Xioufaridou (coordinator), Dr. Mark Hilton (moderator), and Dr. Adrienne Noble-Clark (panelist).
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, which served as an excellent opportunity for Purdue Veterinary Medicine to shed light on an incredibly important, yet difficult topic to address in the veterinary profession. The college hosted a virtual panel discussion on Tuesday, May 19, to provide an outlet for veterinary professionals to candidly talk about how they are addressing mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. The panel featured two PVM alumni practitioners and the Purdue Veterinary Hospital’s own social worker, who shared about the importance of mental health during these stressful times.
The panelists were: Dr. Raj Singh (PU DVM ’90), owner of the Sunnyvale Veterinary Clinic in Sunnyvale, Calif.; Dr. Adrienne Noble-Clark (PU DVM 2013), veterinarian at Banfield Pet Hospital in Indianapolis, Ind.; and Jennifer Dehn, LMSW, PVM social worker in the Purdue Veterinary Hospital. Dr. Mark Hilton (PU DVM ’83), a fellow alumnus and PVM Emeritus Professor who now works as Senior Technical Consultant for Elanco Animal Health, Inc., served as moderator for the discussion.
The panel members discussed how one’s own mental and physical health may suffer when so much time is being devoted to caring for patients, clients, and co-workers. Add in the additional stress and changes required to operate during a pandemic, and it’s even more difficult. The panelists encouraged attendees to make efforts to stay positive through such methods as shifting their mindset to intentionally find joy and gratitude in the little things, practicing self-care, and creating space to vent or de-stress while in the clinic. According to Jennifer Dehn, self-care should be something that we want to do and enjoy, instead of something we feel we have to. It can be simple things like exercising or reading for 10-20 minutes. The key is that it shouldn’t feel like it is another chore, and should be something you can do in a reasonable amount of time so that you can work it into your day. She also explained that self-care can involve saying “no” to something so you can say “yes” to something else.
The panelists also noted that it’s crucial to recognize when you or your colleagues need help that may require professional intervention. They encouraged the virtual panel discussion participants not to be afraid to talk about the importance of mental health and to model positive behavior for their colleagues, while also recognizing that listening may be even more important than talking when someone is struggling.
Data suggests that veterinarians have a higher risk of suicide when compared with the general population. A special guest in the panel discussion, Ed Sutarik, graciously shared how his family was impacted by tragedy when his son, veterinarian Jeffrey Sutarik (PU DVM 2005), became part of those statistics. Jeffery took his own life in late 2019 after struggling with anxiety and mental illness. Jeffery’s story is one that emphasizes the need to overcome the stigma around mental health and find additional ways to support wellness within the veterinary community. While a difficult and heavy part of the evening’s discussion, it was necessary to shed light on the reality of the situation in the veterinary profession. Besides addressing a critically important topic, the panel discussion also provided a sense of community and support for veterinary professionals during the pandemic.
In addition, participants received 1.0 continuing education (CE) credit for their attendance. The event was hosted as a collaboration between PVM’s Office of Lifelong Learning, Office of Development, and Alumni Relations & Special Events.
Arrangements are being made for a virtual White Coat Ceremony in June to recognize members of the College of Veterinary Medicine’s DVM Class of 2021 during their transition into their clinical year. As the spring semester concluded with courses being moved to online formats due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the traditional White Coat Ceremony that would have taken place in the Purdue Memorial Union in April was postponed, and plans were put in place to conduct the event virtually. As a result, the College will host the White Coat Ceremony as a Facebook Live event June 6 at 3:00 p.m., EDT.
The DVM students each will receive a package prior to the event containing their white coats and programs. They are encouraged to gather with loved ones, while safely following social distancing guidelines in their homes for the event, and participate via their Facebook accounts. The program will feature remarks by Dean Willie Reed and the IVMA president, Dr. Aaron Smiley, as well as an address by Dr. Nickie Baird, professor of large animal surgery and Large Animal Hospital chief of staff, who was selected by students to speak at the event. Dr. Baird will give a talk entitled, “The Journey Ahead… A Clinician’s Insights.”
Several students will be recognized as well. The Holly Watts Memorial Award and Dr. William Carlton Award for Aptitude in Clinical Pathology will be presented and the Open House co-chairs will be honored for all the work they did leading the team that planned the event, which had to be suddenly cancelled due to the pandemic just a month before it was scheduled to be held.
PVM faculty and staff are encouraged to participate in the virtual White Coat Ceremony along with the students and their families. Instructions for how students, their loved ones, and members of the Purdue Veterinary Medicine family can join the event will be shared in a separate announcement. For those students and their families who are not able to participate, a video link to a recording will be provided by private invitation after the event.
In a normal year, Purdue Veterinary Medicine’s traditional Oath Ceremony would follow the Purdue University commencement exercises in the Elliott Hall of Music, yet this year’s far-from-normal events induced by the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a heroic effort to develop alternate plans. Purdue University converted its beloved traditional commencement ceremony into an on-demand virtual presentation, complete with all of the sights and sounds of the customary pomp and circumstance. Utilizing technology and ingenuity, the virtual commencement exercises honored the nearly 7,500 Boilermakers graduating this month, including DVM and Veterinary Nursing graduates.
The University sent each degree candidate a Purdue-branded commencement box that included a diploma cover, commencement program, cord and/or medallion (if applicable), as well as other memorabilia. The on-demand commencement ceremony can be accessed via a webpage portal at www.purdue.university/may2020, which houses specific online streaming details for each of the six divisions, including Division III, which features the College of Veterinary Medicine and the reading of the names of all of the DVM and Veterinary Nursing graduates. The recognition of DVM graduates begins 22:30 into the program. Veterinary Nursing graduates are announced 57:40 into the program. The Purdue University commencement website also features congratulatory messages from each of the college deans, including Dean Willie Reed.
The virtual Graduation Celebration hosted by the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine in lieu of traditional commencement exercises included the recognition of recipients of faculty, resident, intern, and student awards. Typically the awards would have been presented at the Graduation Gala on the eve of commencement, but due to the changes necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the award recognition was incorporated into the college’s virtual celebration that was streamed via Facebook Live Saturday, May 16.
As part of the program the names of the awardees were scrolled across the screen, with special mention of the following faculty/resident/intern awards:
Dr. Trey Callahan, small animal medicine and surgery intern in the Purdue Veterinary Hospital, was awarded the Katie McCallister Award for demonstrating extraordinary compassion and empathy toward both patients and their families.
Katie McCallister Compassion Award – Dr. Robert “Trey” Callahan, small animal medicine and surgery intern Established by Dr. Robert and Sandy McCallister and their family in memory of Katie, their beloved Sheltie, this award recognizes a resident or intern who demonstrates extraordinary compassion and empathy toward both patients and their families, possesses excellent communication skills that promote a sense of trust and confidence, and serves as an excellent role model for both students and peers in providing quality and compassionate care for their patients.
Dr. Ann L. Johnson & Dr. Walter E. Hoffmann Resident Teaching Award – Dr. Sissy Hong, third-year resident in neurology Established by a Purdue Veterinary Medicine alumna, Dr. Ann Johnson (PU DVM ’75), and her husband, this award recognizes outstanding teaching by a resident in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences.
Elanco Veterinary Nursing Outstanding Teaching Award – Dr. Mindy Anderson, visiting assistant professor of basic medical sciences and instructor in the Veterinary Nursing Program Selected by a vote of the veterinary nursing students, this award recognizes excellence in teaching in the Veterinary Nursing Program.
Weedon Faculty Recognition Award – Dr. Jim Weisman, assistant dean for student affairs and clinical associate professor Selected by a vote of the members of the DVM Class of 2020, this award recognizes the individual faculty member who has made the greatest contribution to their success during their four years in veterinary school.
Additionally, recipients of the following Veterinary Nursing Student Awards were recognized:
Eber H. Allen Leadership Award – Sarah Summerlot, AAS, and Samantha Thompson, AAS Sponsored by the Northeast Indiana Veterinary Medical Association, this award is presented to veterinary nursing students who exhibit outstanding leadership and professionalism, which has resulted in advancing a positive image of the Veterinary Nursing Program.
Highest Academic Achievement Award – Jennifer Davis, AAS Sponsored by Harry and Freida Latshaw, this award recognizes the student who has excelled academically and has earned the highest grade point average in the associate degree program.
Outstanding Veterinary Nurse Award – Megan Allan, BS, RVT This award, sponsored by Harry and Freida Latshaw, is awarded to a fourth-year veterinary nursing student who exhibits both outstanding academics and excellent clinical skills.
Veterinary Nurse Highest Technical Proficiency Award – Sarah Summerlot, AAS Sponsored by Connie Han and Cheryl Hurd, this award recognizes a student for outstanding technical proficiency in clinical rotations in the Purdue Veterinary Hospital.
Recognition also was given to the following recipients of DVM Student Awards:
Dean Willie Reed presents Dr. Sissy Hong with her award certificate as the 2020 recipient of the Johnson and Hoffmann Teaching Award. This award is presented annually to a resident in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences in recognition of outstanding teaching.
American College of Veterinary Surgeons Award – Dr. Danielle Keating, Large Animal Surgery, and Dr. Julie Mosher, Small Animal Surgery This award is given to students who demonstrate academic and clinical proficiency in surgery, as well as aptitude and interest in surgery.
IDEXX Award for Proficiency in Clinical Pathology – Dr. Sofia Lopez-Valle This award recognizes a student who demonstrates a strong understanding of clinical pathology and its practical application to clinical cases.
Comparative Ophthalmology Award – Dr. Levi Smith Established by veterinary ophthalmology alumni, this award is presented to a student who demonstrates excellence in academic performance, research, or service in comparative ophthalmology.
American Academy of Veterinary Dermatology Award – Dr. Cassandra Ceckowski This award is presented to a student who excels in clinical dermatology.
Veterinary Cancer Society Award for Proficiency in Clinical Oncology – Dr. Eric Boone This award recognizes a student who demonstrates proficiency in the care of veterinary oncology patients and aptitude in clinical oncology.
American College of Veterinary Radiology Award – Dr. Brooke Unruh This award is presented to a student excelling in comparative radiology and diagnostic imaging.
Shelter Medicine Program Award – Dr. Samantha Swartzentruber This award recognizes a student who exemplifies compassion for shelter pets, excellent interaction with shelter clients, and proficiency in shelter medicine.
Indiana State Poultry Association Award – Dr. Nick Newsome This award honors a student with high proficiency in avian medicine.
American Animal Hospital Association Award for Proficiency in Primary Care – Dr. Danielle Lower This award is presented to a veterinary student with proficiency in primary care.
American College of Veterinary Pathologists Award for Excellence in Veterinary Pathology – Dr. Levi Smith This award recognizes an outstanding veterinary student who demonstrates exceptional proficiency and interest in anatomic and/or clinical pathology.
American College of Theriogenologists Clinical Proficiency Student Award – Dr. Brooke Unruh This award honors a DVM student who exemplifies clinical proficiency in theriogenology.
Indiana Veterinary Medical Association Award for Clinical Proficiency in All Species – Dr. Julie Mosher, Small Animal; Dr. Brooke Unruh, Large Animal; and Dr. Sarah Bohac, All Species This award recognizes proficiency in small animal medicine and surgery, large animal medicine and surgery, or in all species.
American Association of Feline Practitioners Award – Dr. Samantha Swartzentruber This recognition is awarded to a student demonstrating highest proficiency in feline medicine and surgery.
Indiana Association of Equine Practitioners Award – Dr. Caitlin Smith, First Place; Dr. Danielle Keating, Second Place; and Dr. Hailey Everett, Third Place This award recognizes three students who exhibit the highest proficiency in equine medicine and surgery and display the highest degree of professionalism.
15th District of the Indiana Veterinary Medical Association / American Association of Bovine Practitioners Excellence in Bovine Veterinary Medicine Award – Dr. Trey Gellert This award is presented to a student who has demonstrated exceptional proficiency and interest in bovine production medicine and surgery.
Central Indiana Veterinary Medical Association Award – Dr. Anne Marshall This award honors a student with outstanding client communication skills.
G. Edward Cummins Compassionate Care Award – Dr. Anna Sacco This award was established by Elaine and Stephen Fess to recognize a student exemplifying clinical training and compassion for animals and clients alike.
Bastien Award – Dr. Jessica Linder This award was established by John and JoAnn Bastien and is presented to a student exemplifying empathy and exceptional care to canine patients.
Veterinary Clinical Sciences Award for Exceptional Clinical Proficiency by a Clinical Year Student – Dr. Melissa Tilley This award, sponsored by the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, recognizes a student who demonstrates excellence in patient care, knowledge of medical principles of disease, teamwork, and improvement in clinical proficiency.
American College of Veterinary Internal MedicineCertificate of Clinical Excellence – Dr. Eric Boone, Small Animal; Dr. Kylie Roman, Small Animal; and Dr. Megan Swasey, Large Animal This recognition is awarded to two students in small animal and one in large animal.
Indiana Horse Council Award – Dr. Danielle Keating This award honors an Equine Club member who provided the greatest exposure to, participated in activities of, and heightened awareness of the Indiana equine industry for other veterinary students at Purdue during the preceding academic year.
12th District of the Indiana Veterinary Medical Association Award – Dr. Sara Canada This recognition is awarded to a student who demonstrates excellence in academic performance, research, or service in veterinary public health and preventive medicine.
Class of 1983 Award – Dr. Christina Smith This award, established in honor of a Class of 1983 alumna, Dr. Madelynn Allen, is presented to a student who has overcome obstacles or persevered despite difficult circumstances in pursuit of the DVM degree.
Purdue Veterinary Alumni Association Senior Leadership Award – Dr. Kylie Roman This award honors a student selected by classmates for demonstrating leadership through involvement in school activities, service to community, and engagement with the veterinary medical profession.
Life is unpredictable, as we have been so starkly reminded in the past few months. But when the COVID-19 pandemic began to obliterate plans for long-held spring-time traditions, especially graduation ceremonies, we all had a chance to realize anew that the success which earns true respect does not flow from an absence of change, but from the character, tenacity, and persistence required to meld change into new opportunity. So, as Purdue University and the College of Veterinary Medicine recognized that there was no way to safely conduct in-person May commencement exercises, teams set about planning something unprecedented – graduation ceremonies in the realm of virtual reality.
As a professional degree granting institution, the College of Veterinary Medicine has a long tradition of conducting an Oath Ceremony where its graduates officially recite their respective oaths as veterinarians and veterinary nurses. Normally held in the Purdue Memorial Union Ballrooms, the program features all the appropriate regalia and speeches, including remarks from Dean Willie Reed, class responders and representatives of the Indiana Veterinary Medical Association and Indiana Veterinary Technician Association. This year, thanks to the work of a dedicated team of faculty and staff, and the help of Purdue’s Hall of Music Productions, all of those elements came to life virtually.
At 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 16, the 2020 PVM Graduation Celebration commenced, with hundreds of computers logged-in as the event was streamed via Facebook Live. Hours of behind-the-scenes work and recording sessions in the Elliott Hall of Music were transformed into a stunning ceremony that began with Dean Reed greeting the virtual audience of graduates and their families and loved ones. “During this unprecedented time in our world, our country, and on college campuses across the nation, we at the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine wanted to be sure to still mark this wonderful graduation day, and celebrate this amazing milestone in the lives of our students,” Dean Reed said. “Albeit from our homes instead of in person, this virtual Graduation Celebration provides a special opportunity to continue a long-held and beloved tradition of our college.”
Rachel Tonne, BS, RVT, speaks as the Class Responder for the Veterinary Nursing Class of 2020.
The program continued with words of commendation in the form of recorded messages from the president of the IVMA, Dr. Aaron Smiley, chief of staff at the Devonshire Veterinary Clinic in Anderson, Ind. and the Geist Station Animal Hospital in Indianapolis; and president of the IVTA Courtney Waxman, a registered veterinary technician and certified Veterinary Technician Specialist in Emergency and Critical Care who serves as PVM distance learning instructional technologist. Then Dean Reed introduced the class responder for the veterinary nursing graduates, Rachel Tonne, BS, RVT, of Carmel, Ind.
“I understand that this is not how many of us thought commencement would look four years ago,” Rachel said. “But I am confident that we can still celebrate our accomplishments as students.” Remarking on the power of the friendships formed during college, Rachel shared, “Those friends who helped you when you were stressing before an exam – they will help you through a pandemic, too.” Referring to both the graduates of the on-campus Veterinary Nursing Program and the Veterinary Nursing Distance Learning Program, she continued, “You have worked hard to get where you are now. You have spent hours studying and forming relationships with people who would help you through difficult times. You relied on friends, family, faculty and staff, doctors and technicians, all of whom deserve our thanks. And as we step into the world as graduates, may we never forget those friendships which helped us to where we are now.”
All of the veterinary nursing and DVM graduates were prepared for the virtual program with the help of a commencement package that was sent to them ahead of time, containing everything needed for the celebration, including memorabilia and even sparkling cider for a toast at the end. As the graduates watched the proceedings with their families and loved ones, they were able to replicate in their homes the ceremonial recognition that otherwise would have been conferred at the event.
Dean Reed virtually applies the Associate of Applied Science in Veterinary Nursing pin to graduate Bayli Grubb.
As the program continued, Dean Reed conducted the pinning ceremony for the veterinary nursing graduates. “This pin symbolizes the graduates’ entry into the veterinary nursing profession,” Dean Reed explained. He noted that associate degree graduates from AVMA-accredited programs are eligible to become registered veterinary technicians upon passing the Veterinary Technician National Examination. Students who complete an additional two years of education, in which they learn and develop a deeper understanding of veterinary medical related diseases, diagnostics, advanced nursing skills, and team management skills, earn the Bachelor of Science in Veterinary Nursing degree.
As the names of the associate’s and then bachelor’s degree graduates were read, and with the help of the marvels of technology, Dean Reed virtually-applied each pin to each graduate while their likeness was displayed on the screen. Simultaneously, each graduate had a special family member or other loved one do the same in person at their home, using the pin they received in their graduation package.
Then, Dean Reed called on all of the veterinary nursing graduates as well as all of the veterinary nurses who joined the ceremony virtually to stand and recite the Veterinary Technician Oath. “The oath signifies our high regard for the ethical standards and legal regulations governing the practice of veterinary nursing, our strong commitment to the highest standards of patient care and client service, and our dedication to the animals that we serve,” Dean Reed explained. He then introduced Dr. Mindy Anderson, a veterinary nurse and a Doctor of Pharmacy, who is a visiting assistant professor in the Department of Basic Medical Sciences and an instructor in the Veterinary Nursing Program. Dr. Anderson was selected by the veterinary nursing students to lead them in reciting the Veterinary Technician Oath of Ethical Conduct, symbolizing their acceptance into the veterinary nursing profession.
Dr. Destiny Evans is virtually-hooded by Dean Willie Reed.
Next Dean Reed turned his attention to the DVM graduates. “Four years ago, you were welcomed into the Purdue University DVM Program. Today the Class of 2020 becomes the 58th Purdue DVM class to celebrate commencement and take the Veterinarians’ Oath,” Dean Reed noted. “I also want to thank you for the significant role your class has played as active participants in the life of the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine. Through your own personal commitment and hard work, and your willingness to work together and pursue goals beyond individual success, you have accomplished much.”
“I especially want to commend you for the way in which you adapted as our world changed immensely in just the last few months,” Dean Reed continued. “As our faculty, staff, and administration worked mightily to make necessary adjustments in the interests of everyone’s health and safety, adopting different modes of teaching and learning, you persevered, and ‘finished the course.’ Not only is this graduation ceremony the first we have ever done virtually, you are the first Purdue Veterinary Medicine class to finish your education in the midst of such extraordinary circumstances. You have lived through an unprecedented time in our college, and your achievement is also unprecedented! We greatly appreciate your adaptability, courage, and perseverance.”
Dean Willie Reed raised a toast of sparkling cider on screen as graduates and their families did the same in their homes to conclude the virtual PVM Graduation Celebration.
The class response came from Dr. Kylie Roman, who is originally from Fishers, Ind. and moved with her husband to Minnesota prior to starting veterinary school. “You will likely never find a class with the experiences that we have had,” Dr. Roman said, speaking on behalf of her classmates. Recalling a variety of firsts and lasts that distinguished the class, from being the last class to leave before the first brick of the new veterinary hospital is laid, and being the first to complete its clinical year during a pandemic, trading-in live clinics for Zoom clinics online, Dr. Roman said it is perhaps most fitting that her class also is the first to have an online graduation ceremony. “I truly think that we got some extra preparation for obstacles in our future. If we can survive these last four years together, I have no doubt in my mind that we can survive all the obstacles to come in the future,” Dr. Roman said. While acknowledging that leaving without being able to say a proper goodbye to those who supported them as well as each other is heart wrenching, Dr. Roman also expressed appreciation for all the clinicians, professors, veterinary nurses, administrative and support staff, counselors, and the college in general who made this all possible. “Thank you for the memories. Thank you for the support. And thank you for our future.”
What followed was another first, as Dean Reed conducted a virtual hooding ceremony. With the aid of technology and careful video editing, Dean Reed virtually-applied the DVM hood to each of the DVM graduates as their names were read and their likeness appeared on the screen. Simultaneously, a special family member or other loved one did the same in person at home, using the hood shipped to each graduate in their graduation package.
Words of congratulations from family, loved ones, faculty, and staff flowed across the Facebook Live chat window as the ceremony progressed. Then Dean Reed invited all the DVM graduates along with all other veterinarians participating in the virtual ceremony to stand and recite the Veterinarian’s Oath as a solemn promise to serve the animal kingdom and society.
Purdue DVM Class of 2020 member, Colleen Bailey, paused for a photo op on campus after celebrating commencement with her family who came from western New York to help her complete her move-out.
Also during the program, graduates who won awards were recognized as their names and the awards they received were scrolled across the screen. Since typically the awards would have been presented at the Graduation Gala the evening before commencement, arrangements were made to fold that recognition into the Facebook Live Graduation Celebration. Additionally, several college faculty, residents, and interns, were honored with awards recognizing the impact they have had on the graduates and the patients they worked with during their fourth year. (Click here to view related story).
The Graduation Celebration concluded with a celebratory toast, led by Dean Reed and joined by the graduates who all had received a bottle of sparkling cider in their graduation packages from the college. “We wanted to add an extra special ingredient to our program today, to add a dimension of reality to our virtual ceremony,” Dean Reed said as he raised his glass on screen. “I invite everyone gathered for this very important day in the lives of our newest graduates to please raise a toast to our graduates.” The program concluded with an opportunity for all the participants to stand and sing along with a recording of Hail Purdue!” Participation in the Facebook Live event peaked with 540 viewing accounts logged-on, and multiple people typically watching on each account. Congratulations PVM Class of 2020! And thank you to all the faculty and staff who organized PVM’s first-of-its-kind virtual commencement!
Ninth-grader Johnny Shen holds a box of facemasks donated to the Purdue Veterinary Hospital by the Greater Lafayette Chinese Community.
Community support continues to pour in for the Purdue Veterinary Hospital in the form of facemask donations for hospital employees. In addition to individual donations, the hospital received a bulk donation from the Greater Lafayette Chinese Community Thursday, May 7.
Johnny Shen, a ninth-grader, accompanied by his mom, Linda Mao, delivered the donation of 350 facemasks to Lynn Hall. Hospital Administrative Assistant Terri Donald was on-hand to accept the donation. In a note of thanks to the GLCC, Terri wrote, “Your show of community support will encourage the veterinary hospital team of clinicians, nurses, staff, interns, residents, and students. Again, thank you very much!”
Shaomin Hu, a representative of the GLCC and point-person for the donation, said their donors were really pleased with every effort by the healthcare team in the Purdue Veterinary Hospital to go through this crisis, adding that the community will continue to make their best effort to help in this fight. The GLCC recently was featured in a story on WLFI for their generous support to 19 local healthcare facilities and front-line organizations by providing PPE and lunch boxes. Click here to view the GLCC Facebook page.
Johnny, accompanied by his mom, Linda Mao, holds up a thank you card they received from the hospital administration in appreciation for the generous donation.
In response to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention safety guidelines on the use of cloth face coverings to help slow the spread of COVID-19, Dr. Ellen I. Lowery, Purdue Veterinary Hospital director, had issued a request to the PVM family seeking donations of cloth facemasks to use in the hospital. The facemasks are not a replacement for appropriate PPE or surgical masks. However, in situations where physical distancing of six feet is not always possible, such as with patient care, the use of cloth masks helps protect individuals around the mask wearer. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the hospital remains committed to the health and safety of the hospital team and clients.
Facemask donations are still being accepted. Faculty, staff, and students who are working on campus can find donation bins in Lynn Hall near the hospital reception areas, loading dock, Continuum Café area, and the hospital administration office. Additionally, pink drop-off bins are located near the client parking areas outside both the Small and Large Animal Hospitals.
Lydia Hall, of the DVM Class of 2021, pictured holding a cockatoo, led the Veterinary Exotic Animal Club officers as president when the club planned the second MOAAR Symposium November 9-10, 2019.
Veterinary students earn respect not only by completing a famously rigorous curriculum, but also by going above and beyond in the process, pursuing particular areas of interest and helping others along the way. Such is true of members of the Purdue Veterinary Exotic Animal Club (PVEAC) – the club which this year won the Outstanding Program Award, presented by Purdue Student Activities and Organizations.
Paige Phillippi, of the DVM Class of 2022, participated in the 2019 MOAAR Symposium, and is the current PVEAC president.
The Outstanding Program Award recognizes the student organization that has implemented the most outstanding campus program during the academic year. The Veterinary Exotic Animal Club received the award for hosting annual symposia with alternating themes since 2017. The symposia began with the first biennial Medicine of Aquatics, Amphibians, and Reptiles (MOAAR) Symposium in 2017, which was followed by the Medicine of Mammalian and Avian Species (MMAS) Symposium in 2018. The club then hosted the second MOAAR Symposium last November.
Attendance for each event ranged from 90 to 120 participants, and included veterinary students from several veterinary colleges, such as Michigan State, Kansas State, and Ohio State, as well as exotic animal veterinarians and veterinary nurses. Each of the weekend-long symposia featured multiple speakers addressing a range of topics, and included special keynote presentations. The first keynote speaker in 2017 was SeaWorld Orlando veterinarian Claire Erlacher-Reid, a diplomate of the American College of Zoological Medicine. Dr. Endre Sós, of the Budapet Zoo in Hungary, gave the keynote lecture at the 2018 MMAS Symposium. Then, last November, the second MOAAR Symposium featured Dr. Cara Field, staff veterinarian for the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, Calif., as the keynote speaker.
Dr. Steve Thompson, Veterinary Exotic Animal Club advisor, said the club officers for the past three years, as well as many club members who assisted on the symposia planning and implementation teams, deserve the credit for the club winning the award. The 2017 officers, led by Dr. Kelsey Trumpp (PU DVM 2019), started the MOAAR symposia. The 2018 officers, led by Levi Smith, of the DVM Class of 2020, decided to alternate MMAS with MOAAR (Dr. Thompson points out that “Más” is “more” in Spanish). “We then tied-in the College’s Office of Lifelong Learning to continue annual programming with continuity and professionalism for Purdue Veterinary Medicine,” Dr. Thompson explained. Dr. Thompson also emphasized that many students even provided housing for the veterinary students who attended the symposia from out of state.
Paige Phillippi, of the DVM Class of 2022, participated in the 2019 MOAAR Symposium, and is the current PVEAC president.
The 2019 officers, led by Lydia Hall, of the DVM Class of 2021, orchestrated plans for the second MOAAR Symposium. The current officers are led by Paige Phillippi, of the DVM Class of 2022. Dr. Thompson says planning has begun for the next MMAS Symposium, but due to the current circumstances, the timing has yet to be determined and likely will involve postponing the event to sometime in the first part of 2021.
The award was presented virtually to the current club officers as well as some former officers by representatives of Student Activities and Organizations during a Zoom meeting April 24. Congratulations to all of the club officers and members involved in organizing and hosting the symposia for enabling the Purdue Veterinary Exotic Animal Club to be named the 2020 recipient of the Outstanding Program Award!
