BE THE WINTER 2018
The future looks bright COLLEGE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE
FROM THE DEAN al He
d We l l b e th an ing
HIGHLIGHTING OUR PROGRESS
Advancing Education and Student Success
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Be the Model Comprehensive College of Veterinary Medicine in the World
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Innovative and Impactful Research Referral Veterinary Medical Center of Choice
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Ad
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Outreach and Community Engagement
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Operational Excellence
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to be the model comprehensive college of veterinary medicine
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Culture and the Sustainability of Our People
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In this issue The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine is striving to become the world’s model college of veterinary medicine. In this issue, you’ll see how students, faculty and staff are taking the college and its hospitals to new levels of impact, steered by a new strategic plan. 1 Dean’s Welcome 2 Hands-on experience prepares students for clinical practice 4 New opportunities for fulfilling careers at the Veterinary Medical Center
In this issue you’ll find stories illustrating the progress we’ve made toward reaching the goals outlined in our strategic plan and how we are living our ambition to be the model comprehensive college of veterinary medicine in the world—impacting animal and human health through innovation, collaboration and excellence. Learn more about our plans to Be the Model at go.osu.edu/ BeTheModelCVM
How are we becoming the model? Our new antimicrobial stewardship program is leading the way toward safer antibiotic use and will help us become a model referral veterinary medical center of choice and serve as a model for others in private veterinary practice and referral hospitals. A major staff reclassification overhaul is ushering in more fulfilling career opportunities at the Veterinary Medical Center and positioning us to become a model for culture and sustainability of our people. The Stanton Summer Externship Program is giving students once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to gain real-world experience with “Spectrum of Care” small animal practices serving diverse and underserved populations, contributing to our outreach and community engagement goal, and helping to prepare even more confident, competent and career-ready graduates. Our recent graduating class departed for amazing opportunities and the incoming class of 2022 continues our tradition of academic excellence and diversity, demonstrating our longstanding commitment to advancing education and student success. And what fuels our progress? Dynamic partnerships, health and wellbeing of our people, diversity and inclusion, and responsible resource stewardship. These are the threads that weave our strategic plan together. Intrigued? I invite you to keep reading to learn more.
6 Confident, competent, career-ready focused training provided in Veterinary Clinical and Professional Skills Center
Whether you’re an alumnus, client, student, faculty or staff member, supporter, colleague and peer, or friend, we are grateful for your continued connection with the college. Thanks to you, we will be the model college of veterinary medicine in the world!
8 Bidding farewell to accomplished graduates and saying hello to an exceptional new class
With Gratitude,
11 Leading the way toward safe, effective antibiotic use 12 On our way to becoming the model Rustin Moore, DVM, PhD, DACVS Dean, College of Veterinary Medicine The Ohio State University 1
ADVANCING EDUCATION AND STUDENT SUCCESS hands-on experience of caring for dogs and other small animals by providing a spectrum of care, students learn how to help clientele from a broad range of socioeconomic backgrounds. “It’s an art,” says Todd Shockey, DVM ’00, “learning how to think critically and solve problems with the resources you have to help patients. It’s not always perfect, but we do what we can to help—and there’s always a way to help.” Dr. Shockey hosted students for the first time this past summer at Parkersburg Veterinary Hospital, an eight-doctor small animal clinic in Parkersburg, West Virginia.
The Stanton Summer Externs spend several weeks in practices like the Docton Animal Clinic.
HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE prepares students for clinical practice When Matt Stonecypher, DVM ’00, and Tina Stonecypher, DVM ’00, were Ohio State veterinary students, they would have jumped at the chance to gain clinical experience at a small animal practice. The past two summers, the couple was able to provide that experience for the four students they hosted through the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Stanton Summer Externship program at their Xenia, Ohio-based Docton Animal Clinic. “The students are experiencing what we did in our first month
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of real practice, only well before they go into real practice,” says Dr. Tina Stonecypher. The Stanton Summer Externship Program, made possible through a generous donation by the Stanton Foundation, enables 16 students between their first and second years of the DVM program to participate in a ten-week program that includes shadowing general practice veterinarians in busy small animal practices. Admission is competitive. In addition to the
From spaying cats to dealing with skin cases, lacerations, broken bones and more, Stanton Summer Externship students saw a wide variety of cases. “The students had a great day when we had a 110-pound Swiss mountain dog giving birth to a dozen puppies,” recalls Dr. Matt Stonecypher. “It was good for them to see early on what they’re hoping to be doing in their careers.” In addition to the exciting moments of catching puppies, that also meant familiarizing the students with the daily ‘grind’ of a busy practice. “I always try to be as transparent with them as I can,” says Dr. Shockey. “I tell them, ‘the air conditioning went out, so-and-so didn’t show up for work, I’m late for a surgery and I have to teach you guys as well. But that’s life and reality and you have to learn to juggle all that stuff.’” Students and externship hosts alike enjoyed the experience. “It’s important to me to see students come out confident in what they do—that’s why the Stanton program intrigued me,” says Dr. Matt Stonecypher. “And my staff really bonds with the students. It’s fun to see those interactions.”
Stanton Summer Externship students shared the same enthusiasm about the experience: Marshall Aanestad DVM Candidate, Class of 2020 Externship site: Proctorville Animal Clinic, Proctorville, Ohio “My dad was a general practitioner in a small town and I plan on doing the same thing. I was drawn to the Stanton externship by that, and by the fact that we’re able to do surgery so early in our education. I got to do 16 spays and neuters on my own and also was able to help out with specialized surgeries including orthopedic surgeries. The nice thing about this clinic is that they help a lot of people who can’t afford referrals to other places, so they are where the buck stops. And they’re willing to do just about anything for their clients.” Andrea Bessler DVM Candidate, Class of 2021 Externship site: Ashland Animal Clinic, Ashland, Kentucky “If you’re in an economically challenged area, veterinary care can be seen as a luxury or inaccessible. Veterinary medicine has to be different in terms of practice and brings about different challenges as far as diagnostic and technical skills. At Ohio State, we’re learning the gold standard of medicine, but most people won’t be able to practice that way exclusively because clients have financial constraints. The Stanton program provided a more realistic way of seeing real-world veterinary medicine.” Richard Algarin DVM Candidate, Class of 2020 Externship site: Proctorville Animal Clinic, Proctorville, Ohio “Being able to get hands-on surgical experience was so rewarding. Now I’m in my third year going through surgery class, and I’m teaching other students what I learned through Stanton. It gave me so much confidence in myself and my abilities. And coming originally from Staten Island, New York, going to Proctorville was a whole new experience aside from the veterinary medicine aspect. It was a cultural experience as well as a learning experience.”
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CULTURE AND SUSTAINABILITY OF OUR PEOPLE
anesthesia and pick up on small and subtle changes that occur with the patient.” The reclassification means that O’Brien is rewarded for his specialization. “The reclassification has added incentives for technicians to get into disciplines like anesthesia or critical care—areas with higher turnover and more stress,” says O’Brien. “It makes me feel more comfortable with my decision to get certified and helps me think of this as a longterm career path.”
NEW OPPORTUNITIES for fulfilling careers at the Veterinary Medical Center Exciting new changes to staff classifications are ushering in new opportunities for some Veterinary Medical Center staff members. In an effort to increase retention and improve recruitment of veterinary technicians and client services employees, the College of Veterinary Medicine’s human resources team partnered with university human resources for a muchneeded classification/compensation redesign. The result? New advancement opportunities and increases in pay for hundreds of affected jobs— better positioning the Veterinary Medical Center for retaining and acquiring new talent. According to Human Resources Director Kristi Pyke, the reclassification process involved reviewing compensation and market data for two major areas: veterinary technicians and client services. “We reviewed about 200 positions and reclassified them into more progressive, careerfocused classifications that allowed for growth and development of staff. The reclassification accounted for areas of retention and also acknowledged the complexity of the level of skills required for certain positions.” It’s an important change for staff morale, says Veterinary Medical Center Director Karin Zuckerman. “Before, we would hear from some staff that there were few growth opportunities within the college, and if they wanted to progress in their careers, they felt like they needed to
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“I knew I needed a specialty to work toward and get really good at.” “It makes me feel more comfortable with my decision to get certified and helps me think of this as a long-term career path.” — Carl O’Brien, RVT, VTS leave. Now there are opportunities for those interested in career growth within the Veterinary Medical Center, and hopefully more individuals will choose to stay and grow with us here.”
— Jill Hohlbein, RVT The changes, which went into effect at the end of June/early July, are already receiving rave reviews from staff members impacted. Large Animal Anesthesia Service Coordinator Carl O’Brien, RVT, VTS, for example, spent a good deal of his own time and money pursuing his board certification specialty credential in anesthesia—a topic that fascinated him from the start of his veterinary career. “There’s always something new to learn and you never fully plateau in your knowledge base,” says O’Brien. “You have to be vigilant all the way through
Jill Hohlbein, RVT, chose to leave her job in private practice a year ago to work at the Veterinary Medical Center—in part because she wanted to specialize in small animal dentistry and saw the opportunity at Ohio State. “In the past few years in practice I developed a passion for teeth and really enjoyed the benefit of seeing pets thrive. I knew I needed a specialty to work toward and get really good at; that’s just how my personality is,” says Hohlbein. She has another year of training before she can take her boards and is enjoying the variety of complex cases she gets to see at the Veterinary Medical Center. Still, she took a pay cut to work at Ohio State and looks forward to the opportunities the reclassification will enable. “It’s put a little light at the end of the tunnel. I wanted to do the specialization for myself, but knowing that the college is now recognizing my hard work makes it even more rewarding.” The move is right in line with the college’s strategic plan goal to improve the culture and sustainability of our people, says Zuckerman. “We have an unbelievably talented group of registered veterinary technicians and client service personnel at the Veterinary Medical Center, and I certainly want them to stay and have fulfilling careers here.”
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ADVANCING EDUCATION AND STUDENT SUCCESS client/patient interactions. The center will enhance patient care and client satisfaction by allowing students to practice skills in this simulated environment before entering their clinical rotations and workforce. The center is possible because of a generous gift from the Stanton Foundation.
communications rooms, plus a devoted 3D printing space.
At the student open house, Emma Read, DVM, associate dean for professional programs, helped demonstrate surgery draping.
focused training provided in Veterinary Clinical and Professional Skills Center
The center allows the college to expand the opportunities to integrate hands-on experiential skills training throughout all aspects of the curriculum. From first to fourth years, all students will have access to the center. First-year students begin getting hands-on experience their first semester, and the number and types of skills build upon one another during their second and their years, while fourth-year students can use the center to refine their clinical skills in a safe environment.
The College of Veterinary Medicine’s new Veterinary Clinical and Professional Skills Center (VCPSC) is a state-of-the-art education and assessment resource, unique in veterinary
Combining audiovisual and lecture capture technology with high- and low-fidelity models and simulators, the center is a realistic educational environment that imitates actual
CONFIDENT, COMPETENT, CAREER-READY
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The VCPSC, together with a continuum of other learning opportunities, embodies Ohio State’s commitment to preparing more confident, competent and career-ready veterinary graduates, equipped to provide a broad spectrum of care to animals and serve clients from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds.
education. The center includes nearly 9,000 square feet of educational space, including a large open lab that can accommodate up to 80 students, seven flexible skills labs and
During a special tour in September, students got hands-on experience handling some of the simulators and models that will be used as teaching tools in the center. Later in the month, university leaders with representatives from the Stanton Foundation joined alumni, clients and other guests for a formal dedication and ribbon cutting ceremony.
Dentistry lab is first class in new center A dentistry lab with firstyear students, associated with their canine/carnivore anatomy course, was the inaugural class in the center and students were excited to start using the new space. “I think getting to use this new facility is a great opportunity to apply the knowledge that we get in the classroom. In this modern era of education, it is not uncommon to have cool technology, but the real value is having instructors and a curriculum that can use it in an educational and applicable manner,” says Mary Pangalangan, DVM candidate, class of 2022.
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ADVANCING EDUCATION AND STUDENT SUCCESS
Class of 2022
BY THE NUMBERS
from biology to English, public health to anthropology. Seventy percent of students are from underrepresented groups in veterinary medicine, including males, race/ethnic diversity and first-generation college students. Their volunteerism is impressive, as is their range of personal interests spanning poetry, beekeeping, autocross driving, camel handling and more. There is even a mutton ‘bustin’ champion, a Blackhawk helicopter crew chief and a National Spelling Bee finalist among them.
Commencement 2018
BIDDING FAREWELL AND SAYING HELLO to accomplished graduates and an exceptional new class As the College of Veterinary Medicine said congratulations and best wishes to the Class of 2018 last May and welcomed the Class of 2022 this August, two facts remain constant: the college continues to attract the most talented students in the nation, and the future is bright for our graduates, the college and profession.
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An exceptional incoming class full of promise The Class of 2022 is among the most wellprepared and diverse in the college’s history. The 162 students hail from 26 states as well as China, and have degrees in disciplines
Says Emma Read, DVM, MVSc, DACVS, associate dean for professional programs, “The diversity in this class is not just about race and gender, but also the wide variety of degrees from many academic majors, the range of institutions students represent, and all of their unique characteristics. We’re trying to select people from a range of cultures and backgrounds, which will make the veterinary profession even stronger.” The removal of the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) as an admissions factor for prospective veterinary students promises to lead to an even more diverse class with the same emphasis on academic rigor. Why did the college remove the GRE as a requirement? Because there is no evidence that it is predictive of success of veterinary students, and it can be just another barrier for some highly-qualified applicants, says Dr. Read. “We are trying to
APPLICANTS
1,388 FEMALES
74%
RACIAL/ETHNIC DIVERSITY
35%
CLASS SIZE
162 MALES
26% FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENT
29%
AVERAGE OVERALL GPA
3.6
remove barriers in the expense of applying for veterinary school, and some students incur a great deal of cost preparing for and taking the GRE. We wanted to make it an equal opportunity for all and not potentially an advantage to those with more resources.” The number of applications for the Class of 2023 increased about 27 percent, compared to the national average of about 10 percent.
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REFERRAL VETERINARY MEDICAL CENTER OF CHOICE A promising future for our graduates Following national trends that correlate to a strong economy, the Class of 2018 has experienced great success following graduation. Of 116 graduates who responded to the AVMA survey before graduation, 39 have pursued advanced training, two have gone to public or corporate positions and 75 have secured positions with private practice.
salary hit $91,374—a $10,000 increase from 2017, which was about $10,000 greater than in 2016. In addition to earning more money, these graduates are going into their professions with a lower debt-to-income ratio than in previous years. The drop is credited to an increase in donor-funded scholarships at the college, as well as higher salaries. You can learn more about the college’s efforts to increase scholarships at go.osu.edu/cvmscholarship.
In a market that continues to favor the job-seeker, salaries are up from previous years. In private practice, the average starting salary for Ohio State graduates was $84,495, slightly higher than the national average of $83,098 (AVMA survey of graduating veterinary students). In companion animal exclusive positions, the average starting
An additional perk for the Class of 2018? For the first-time ever, nine graduates received student loan repayment assistance as an employer benefit.
$90K Ohio State graduate average starting salary
$84
National average
80K
$75 70K
$67
$64 60K
50K
$69
65
2009
$66
67
66 $61 65
’10
’11
’12
$68
$68 67
’13
71
83
$77 74
77
67
’14
’15
’16
’17
’18
Source: AVMA survey of graduating veterinary students
Between 2009 and 2018, graduates’ starting salaries in private practice have increased by more than 31 percent—including a $10,000 jump from 2017 to 2018.
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LEADING THE WAY toward safe, effective antibiotic use With antibiotic resistance on the rise and the enormous implications for animal and human health, the College of Veterinary Medicine has initiated a comprehensive antimicrobial stewardship program that is revolutionizing the way antibiotics are used at the Veterinary Medical Center and beyond. The program seeks to educate students in the appropriate and best use of antibiotics, to ensure Veterinary Medical Center patients receive appropriate care with respect to antibiotics and to benefit society in general by reducing antibiotic resistance. A team from the college partnered with experts throughout the university, including Ohio State’s Wexner Medical Center, the College of Food, Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, College of Nursing, College of Pharmacy, and College of Public Health, to determine how to reach these goals. The results? A three-fold program resulting in the creation of antibiotic use guidelines for the college’s hospitals, monitoring of antibiotic prescribing practices, and both active and passive surveillance of targeted resistant bacteria that could cause problems in the hospitals. The antibiotic use guidelines, which remain a living document, are available online— easily accessible for students and clinicians to view on their phones or computers.
The hope is that as the college increasingly graduates veterinarians who have been exposed to the guidelines during their clinical experiences, they will “take them along for the benefit of the practices they go to,” says Emily Feyes, DVM, a third-year To view the college’s antibiotic veterinary public health guidelines, go to: resident and member go.osu.edu/osuvmc-abx-use of the college’s antimicrobial stewardship working group. “They can help to incorporate these best practices with veterinarians who have been practicing for years.” As the college seeks to be a national model through its new strategic plan, the antimicrobial stewardship program is one example of Ohio State’s leadership. Says Thomas Wittum, PhD, Chair of the Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, “This is a new movement in veterinary medicine and we want to provide a model for veterinary practices and other institutions for how to incorporate antibiotic stewardship in veterinary medicine.”
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CULTURE AND SUSTAINABILITY OF OUR PEOPLE
OUTREACH AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
College recognized for commmitment to diversity and inclusion for second year The Ohio State Health University College Professions of Veterinary Medicine is a recipient of the 2018 Health Professions Higher Education ® Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education. The college was selected based upon efforts to establish a comprehensive and holistic admissions process, recruit underrepresented and first-generation students, establish best practices for faculty searches and recruitment, and develop programming and training to further a community of inclusion for faculty, staff and students. This award is a national honor recognizing U.S. health professions schools that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion. The college is especially honored to have been selected in both 2017 and again in 2018. “This demonstrates our commitment to creating an inclusive community and enhancing diversity in our college and is aligned with the Diversity and Inclusion foundational principle of our ‘Be the Model’ strategic plan,” says Dean Rustin Moore. “The goal is to foster an environment throughout the College and Veterinary Medical Center where everyone—students, staff, faculty, clients, alumni, guests and others—feels welcome, comfortable and can thrive.”
2018
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Alumni shared their perspectives and insights with students during a networking lunch on Friday afternoon. Student ambassadors Jeffery Kim, left, class of 2020, and Rachel Braun, right, class of 2020, moderated the State of the College Conversation with Dean Rustin Moore. Watch the entire conversation at go.osu.edu/stateofcollege2018
Homecoming celebration offers opportunity for alumni to connect and engage About 300 alumni, family and friends were “back home” on campus for 2018 Homecoming activities the weekend of October 5-6. Alumni connected with students and shared professional insights during a networking lunch on Friday, and ended the day with class reunions. Before a tailgating celebration on Saturday, guests toured the Veterinary Clinical and Professional Skills Center and attended a State of the College Conversation with Dean Rustin Moore.
As usual, our Homecoming tailgate was a favorite with alumni, family and friends!
More than 30 members of the Class of 1968 gathered for a special 50th Reunion dinner on Friday evening.
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Healthy animals ... healthy people Published by The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine Veterinary Medicine Academic Building 1900 Coffey Road Columbus, OH 43210 614-688-8433
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