A2RC Teaching Assistant Edris Grate (left) helps program participants Asia Phillips and Aaron Lewis as they examine a cat. For Edris, serving as an A2RC volunteer is particularly meaningful since he attended the program as a student before being admitted to PVM’s Class of 2021.
A total of 20 students from the U.S. and Puerto Rico spent two weeks at the end of last month participating in Purdue Veterinary Medicine’s annual Access to Animal-Related Careers (A2RC) Program. Coordinated by PVM’s Office for Diversity and Inclusion, the annual learning experience gives second- and third-year pre-veterinary students who are underrepresented in veterinary medicine a glimpse into the life of a first-year Purdue DVM student. The 2018 class of A2RC scholars included students from Prairie View A&M University in Texas, Bowling Green State University in Ohio, North Carolina A&T State University, Norfolk State University, Lincoln University – Missouri, the University of Puerto Rico – Piedras Campus; the University of Kentucky, the University of Florida, Tuskegee University, Alabama A&M University, Texas Southern University, and Fayetteville State University, as well as Purdue University.
Dr. Michael Hill, PVM professor emeritus, helps Paula Lugo Loyola and Candace Moore as they gain hands-on experience examining a dog as part of their participation in the A2RC Program.
The highly interactive A2RC Program schedule included sessions that gave participants exposure to PVM’s applications & integrations (A&I) courses as well various veterinary specialty areas, such as radiation oncology, diagnostic imaging, cardiology, and emergency and critical care. The students also participated in visits to an animal shelter, swine farm, and dairy farm. Additionally they had interactive sessions involving food animal, companion animal, and pre-clinical studies. Hands-on experiences included the topics of Physical Exam and Diagnostics in the Horse; Small Mammals and Exotics; and Restraint, Diagnostics, and Therapeutics in Dogs. Other activities included the opportunity for the students to participate in mock interviews, attend the Iverson Bell Midwest Regional Diversity Summit, which was held at Purdue May 18-20, and visit Purdue cultural centers.
The A2RC Program concluded Friday, May 25, with a farewell reception in the Continuum Café hosted by the College in honor of the participants. Special thanks to faculty coordinators Dr. Michael Hill, PVM professor emeritus of swine production medicine, and Dr. Darryl Ragland, associate professor of food animal production medicine in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, once again, for their help in leading the program. A big thank you also is in order for the A2RC Program teaching assistants: Cecilia Silva (DVM Class of 2021), Chad Van Koot (DVM Class of 2020), Sofia Lopez-Valle (DVM Class of 2020), Ezequiel Montanez (DVM Class of 2020), Edris Grate (DVM Class of 2021), William Willis (DVM Class of 2020), and Jessica Linder (DVM Class of 2020).
A2RC participants gather with Dean Reed for a photo during the reception that was held in their honor in the Continuum Café at the conclusion of the two-week program, Friday, May 25.