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College of Veterinary Medicine

2019 Boiler Vet Camps Fascinate Participants

June 28, 2019

  • Maya interviews two campers while other participants take part in a cow demonstration
    Junior Boiler Vet Camp participants shared with PVM Communications Intern Maya Sanaba what they liked best about their camp experience.
  • Campers circle around Dr. Kellie McGrady as she demonstrates how to give a cow medicine
    Junior Boiler Vet Camp participants learn how to administer medication to cows.

Purdue Veterinary Medicine’s 12th annual Junior Boiler Vet Camp and 10th annual Senior Boiler Vet Camp wrapped up last week with the end of the Senior Camp. These unique summer camps run for two weeks every June and teach junior high and high school students what it takes to work in the field of veterinary medicine.

The program’s first week is dedicated to rising 8th and 9th graders participating in the Junior Camp, which involves learning about a variety of veterinary-related topics through sessions such as “Cud It Out”, “Fish Need Doctors Too”, and “Equine Treadmill and Bronchoscopy”, as well as opportunities to interact with many different species of animals. One junior camper from Kentucky said the chickens were his favorite part, while another said it was interesting to learn that cows had four stomach chambers.

  • A happy black and white dog stands in the middle of a circle of a campers
    A group of Senior Boiler Vet Camp participants gather around the dog that they cared for during the week.
  • A camper looks into a microscope
    A Senior Boiler Vet Camp participant observes cells under a microscope.

During the second week, the Senior Camp, for rising 10th, 11th, and 12th graders, focuses on subjects like surgery and anesthesia, as well as on learning what goes into a strong veterinary school application. A big part of the Senior Boiler Vet Camp happens on day one, when campers are placed in groups, and each group receives their camp dog to care for throughout the week. They also have the opportunity to observe and identify blood cells, learn to administer a canine physical exam, and much more. This year, six of the campers adopted the camp dogs that they bonded with during the week!

Boiler Vet Camp is a highly selective program, only accepting about 20% of applicants each year. When asked about getting into Boiler Vet Camp, one of the campers shared how shocked and excited she was when she found out she had been accepted, while others nodded in agreement. They said they found the summer camp to be a great opportunity for exposure to what professionals in the field of veterinary medicine really do.

Writer(s): Maya Sanaba, PVM Communications Intern | pvmnews@purdue.edu

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