Enhancing Our Culture of Service

By Hodes Family Dean Bonnie Rush

I love to present my top 10 list of favorite current events in the College of Veterinary Medicine. The list changes over time and typically includes current renovations, research accomplishments, student performance, and outreach activities. To avoid playing favorites, all the activities and priorities are No. 1!

This issue of Wildcat Veterinarian highlights several activities from my top 10 list. You will notice a common theme of students, staff and faculty engaging in service activities to support Kansans. The college has always provided service to the state of Kansas through the Veterinary Health Center and the Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. Faculty, students and staff are now extending their efforts to provide service to the community of Manhattan and the state of Kansas.

A Collection of No. 1’s

There are some special classmates in the first- and secondyear classroom. Snyder and Ohlde are puppies in the Kansas Specialty Dog Service (KSDS) training program under the supervision of two pairs of veterinary students. The puppies will be with us for 18 months. The first- and second-year veterinary classes provide an environment of daily socialization. Student handlers train the puppies in 30 standard commands. Snyder and Ohlde will eventually return to KSDS for intensive, targeted training to prepare them for a life of service. Their departure will be challenging for us, but we are pleased to have supported them in their destiny to change someone’s life.

Our next No. 1 involves Shelter Medicine and Community Outreach programs, highlighted on Page 8. With the support of a generous gift, we purchased our first Mobile Surgery Unit in 2015. Since then, we have literally driven the tires off of it. We added a second vehicle, Wellness on Wheels, in spring 2021. As of 2023, we now we have a third mobile surgery unit. In seven years, veterinary students have performed more than 38,000 spay/neuter procedures within two hours of Manhattan, Kansas.

The students gain enhanced surgical skills the pets become more adoptable, and shelter organizations can focus on more advanced health care priorities. It is a win for pets, students and shelters. Before this program, students were performing three to five surgical procedures prior to graduation. While on the trailer, they are performing 50 to 60 surgical procedures in a two-week period of time. Shelter medicine is our most highly rated rotation among fourth-year students.

In 2019, we expanded outreach activities to include community engagement events, taking this program beyond spay and neuter services. The first event was Everybody Counts in Manhattan in August of 2019. This is a citywide event to provide support services for underserved populations. With our participation, we provide basic veterinary care for pets that would not otherwise receive vaccines or deworming medications. For our students, these events provide an opportunity to serve as principal decision-maker for preventive medical care for these pets.

Since that beginning, we have expanded to hosting or participating in community events twice a month. Starting in the 2022-2023 academic year, we have a dedication rotation for student participation in community outreach. We are grateful for faculty and staff who have gone above and beyond to make an impact for veterinary students and community members.

On Page 15, we found a unique way to thank our biggest champion for Shelter Medicine: Cheryl Mellenthin from Houston, Texas. She has helped us from the beginning, every step of the way. Without Cheryl, we would not have a Shelter Medicine program. We presented an honorary DVM degree to her from the College of Veterinary Medicine at our spring commencement in 2022. This is the first honorary DVM in the history of the college.

Outreach efforts continue to flourish in other areas of the college as well. Senior veterinary students are stars of the show at the American Royal, the Dodge City Rodeo, the Kansas State Fair Birthing Center and other large-scale public events across Kansas. On Page 33, read about how our Equine Field Service team provided care at an equine rescue facility near Junction City, Kansas. On Page 41, learn about a 2001 DVM alumna, Dr. Renee Schmid, who collaborates with our toxicology team in her live-saving work with the Pet Poison Hotline. On Page 49, we recognize the ophthalmology team for providing eye exams for service dogs in conjunction with the National Service Dog Eye Exam event organized by the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists.

Everybody Counts Community Event - 2022.

Photo by Evert Nelson.

These service efforts contribute to producing wellrounded, highly trained veterinary graduates with a strong work ethic, expert communication skills and experience in public venues. The class of 2022 passed the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination at a rate of 99%, which is 9 percentage points above the average pass rate for other colleges of veterinary medicine (90%).

Scholarships continue to contribute to the delivery of a more affordable degree with less educational debt. The scholarship endowment has doubled in the last five years. College fundraising efforts were No. 1 on campus for the first time ever in 2022. On Page 54, you can learn about the Vanier family matching gifts, a program to help scholarship dollars go even farther.

Last, but not least, we have enjoyed seeing so many alumni at Vet Town, our pregame tailgate party during the 2022 football season. We hosted approximately 300 alumni and friends at the most highly attended games towards the end of the season. We hope to see you there next fall!

We hope you enjoy reading this issue of Wildcat Veterinarian and invite you to keep in touch. Please let us know how you participate in a service for your community or state. Wishing you a wonderful year in 2023.