Stethoscopes and Selfies Mark Start of Fall Semester for First Year PVM Students

Students in the Veterinary Technology Class of 2028 pose for a Stethoscope Celebration photo with Dean Bret Marsh and Dr. Mindy Anderson, assistant dean for the veterinary technology program.
Students in the Veterinary Technology Class of 2028 pose for a Stethoscope Celebration photo with Dean Bret Marsh and Dr. Mindy Anderson, assistant dean for the veterinary technology program.

An important Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine tradition kicked-off the new school year for first-year veterinary students in the Class of 2029 as well as veterinary technology students in the Class of 2028 who are attending classes in Lynn Hall this fall for the first time. The annual Stethoscope Celebration was held August 26 at the Beck Agricultural Center. In addition to a full-course meal, the event featured remarks by Dean Bret Marsh and event sponsors, and culminated with each student receiving a complimentary stethoscope.

“This event, which officially welcomes our new Veterinary Technology and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine students into the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, is a great way to kick off the new academic year,” said Dean Bret Marsh as he began the evening event and thanked the event sponsors – Patterson Veterinary, the Purdue Veterinary Alumni Association, and the Indiana Veterinary Medical Association.

Students in the DVM Class of 2029 are joined by Dean Bret Marsh as they gather for a group photo at the annual Stethoscope Celebration.
Students in the DVM Class of 2029 are joined by Dean Bret Marsh as they gather for a group photo at the annual Stethoscope Celebration.

After the meal was served, a representative of each sponsor was invited to share words of advice. Then Dean Marsh returned to the podium to address the students. “You have begun a unique educational experience that will enable you to achieve your dream of becoming a veterinarian, or a veterinary technician or technologist, and joining a veterinary medical team,” Dean Marsh said. “You will gain a lot of hands-on experience as part of your coursework and your rotations in the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital. And you will have the opportunity to start using your stethoscopes right away!”

At the conclusion of the program, the students lined up to receive their complimentary stethoscopes before stepping outside to proudly display their shiny new hardware in group photos and candid photo ops.

Photos of the event taken by professional photographer Ed Lausch, with assistance from David Teter and Kevin Doerr, are available to view online at www.lauschphotography.com. Look in the Client Galleries section for “2025 Purdue Veterinary Medicine” and use the password “2025PVM”.

Writer(s): Susan Xioufaridou | pvmnews@purdue.edu

Recent Stories

“Paws Up” – brought to you by the PVM Wellness Committee

The Wellness Committee would like to extend a heartfelt Paws Up to Laurie Marsh, who is a supervisor for the Emergency Critical Care & Small Animal Reception team.

Purdue VBMA Club Hosts Picture-perfect Activity

When veterinary students in the Purdue Chapter of the Veterinary Business Management Association (VBMA) were looking for a new event to host as a student organization, an intriguing idea came to mind that was easy to “picture” as a perfect success!  So the club set out to plan the activity in order to meet an important need of the club members while also providing a fun chance for the students to get keepsake images of their furry study buddies.

PVM Faculty Legends Honored at 25th Annual Healing Oasis Wellness Center Conference 

The theme “Knowledge – Like a Precious Metal, is PRICELESS,” proved especially appropriate for the 25th anniversary of the annual Healing Oasis Wellness Center Conference spearheaded by a Purdue Veterinary Medicine alumnus, Dr. Pedro Rivera.  That’s because the conference, held at the end of 2025 at the National University of Health Sciences in Lombard, Illinois, gave special recognition to legendary Purdue Veterinary Medicine educators Kathy Salisbury and Ron Hullinger.

How the Brain Recognizes What It’s Seen Before and Why It Matters for Autism Research

When you walk into a familiar place — your kitchen, a classroom, or your neighborhood — your brain instantly starts matching what you see with memories of past experiences. A new study from Purdue University reveals a key piece of how that recognition process works, and why it may be disrupted in conditions such as Fragile X syndrome, a leading inherited cause of autism.

“Paws Up” – brought to you by the PVM Wellness Committee

Today we are recognizing Chloe Morris, RVT, who is a veterinary technologist in Anesthesiology in the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital.

Partnership to make Purdue Veterinary Nursing Distance Learning program available to employees at more than 1,000 general practice veterinary hospitals

Already Purdue’s largest online program, the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Veterinary Nursing Distance Learning program is partnering with National Veterinary Associates General Practice to offer the VNDL program to technicians at NVA’s more than 1,000 general practice veterinary hospitals.

PVM Distinguished Professor Suresh Mittal to Speak at Purdue’s Westwood Lecture Series

The Westwood Lecture Series is part of Purdue President Mung Chiang’s efforts aimed at enhancing the intellectual vibrancy of the Purdue West Lafayette campus, and the next featured speaker is Purdue Veterinary Medicine’s Distinguished Professor of Virology, Dr. Suresh Mittal. His presentation entitled, “Universal Influenza Vaccine — An Aspiration or Reality?” is scheduled for January 28, and registration for the lecture is now open.

PVM Concludes 2024 with Recognition of Service Anniversaries and Award-winning Staff

As 2024 came to a close at Purdue University, the College of Veterinary Medicine continued a long-standing tradition of celebrating staff service anniversaries and recognizing staff and faculty accomplishments at the Staff Service Recognition Ceremony. Held in Lynn 1136 on Wednesday, December 18, the ceremony honored more than 70 PVM personnel.