The enduring popularity of the annual Purdue Veterinary Technician Symposium was evident again this spring as more than 125 participants turned out for the day-long continuing education program in Lynn Hall. The 12th annual symposium on Sunday, March 8, attracted attendees from Indiana and seven other states, including Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Alabama and Ohio.
Participants could choose between Small Animal and Large Animal tracks. Sessions covered topics ranging from “Exotic Species Anesthesia” to “Physical Rehabilitation for the Critical Care Patient” in the small animal track, and, in the large animal track, “Major Threats to Animal Health in Indiana,” and “Seeing is Believing: the Use of Ultrasonography in Equine Sports Medicine.” Dr. Mindy Anderson, assistant dean for veterinary technology programs and clinical associate professor of Basic Medical Sciences, began the symposium with a welcome and opening remarks that included an update on Purdue’s on-campus and distance learning veterinary technology programs.
Other symposium speakers included nine Purdue Veterinary Medicine faculty and staff members and three presenters from outside the college. Two PVM staff members served as moderators. Danielle Buchanan, BS, RVT, VTS (SAIM), Clinical Skills Laboratory manager, was the moderator for the Small Animal Track, and Molly Cripe Birt, BS, RVT, VTS (EVN), instructional technologist, was the moderator as well as one of the speakers for the large animal track. Her presentation was entitled, “Assessing and Addressing Pain in the Equine Patient.”
The Veterinary Technician Symposium is designed to provide valuable continuing education for veterinary assistants, veterinary technology students, and veterinary technicians and technologists in practice. Special thanks to the following PVM faculty, staff, alumni and former Purdue staff who gave symposium presentations:
- Lauren Bacon, RVT, (PU BS-VT 2020), director of traceability for the Indiana State Board of Animal Health (BOAH)
- Katie Beard, RVT, VTS(IM), (PU BS-VT 2009), MedVet Indianapolis
- Molly Cripe Birt, RVT, VTS (EVN), (PU BS-VT 2007), Purdue instructional technologist
- Estee DeVries, RVT, (PU BS-VT 2022), Purdue veterinary technician, Cardiology
- Tomohito Inoue, DVM, Purdue lecturer, Anesthesiology
- Camilla Jamieson, BVMedSci, BVM&BVS, Purdue clinical assistant professor, Large Animal Emergency and Critical Care
- Heidi Lescun, BS, RVT, Vetamac director of Technical Services Operations and former Purdue anesthesia technologist supervisor
- Tami L. Lind, BS, RVT, VTS (ECC), (PU BS-VT 2010), Purdue clinical services coordinator, Small Animal
- Lara Luke, RVT, (PU AS-VT ’98), Purdue veterinary technologist, Internal Medicine
- Jurica Tršan, DVM, DACVIM (LAIM), Purdue visiting assistant professor, Large Animal Medicine & ECC
- Sarah Waxman, DVM, (PU MS 2014), DACVS-LA, clinical assistant professor, Equine Field Services
- Rachel Yoquelet, RVT, (PU BS-VT 2017) VTS(ECC), CVMRT, veterinary technician, Physical Rehabilitation
Another Purdue Veterinary Technician Symposium is planned for next year but the date is still being finalized.
