WINTER 2022 / ALUMNI MAGAZINE
VOLUNTEERING IS AT THE VERY CORE OF BEING A ROSSIE
THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE FOR ROSS UNIVERSIT Y SCHOOL OF VETERINARY MEDICINE
FE AT U R ES.
DEAR RUSVM ALUMNI,
DR. ANDREA PEDA
As a Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine (RUSVM) faculty member and a 2009 RUSVM graduate, I have had a great deal of experience living in St. Kitts, working with RUSVM students, faculty, and staff, and the greater community. Giving back to the St. Kitts community through community outreach programs and improving animal welfare has been my passion since arriving on the island so many years ago. My career has always been focused on small animal medicine, shelter medicine, and academia. I made my way to RUSVM in 2010 to teach surgical and medical skills in the clinical skills lab for two years and rejoined the team in 2013 at the Ross University Veterinary Clinic as an associate veterinarian and clinical teaching instructor. Since that time, I have dedicated my work to building the human-animal bond, educating students, and striving to provide a gold standard of care to all the furry patients. Nearly five years ago, I created the shelter medicine program which includes an elective lecture course and a mandatory seventh-semester preclinical shelter medicine rotation. In its infancy, the shelter medicine program was housed on campus and served the community through a low-cost pet wellness clinic. In September 2019, Basseterre Animal Rescue Center (BARC) opened its doors to the public and the shelter medicine program was relocated. At BARC, students engage directly with community members to educate on basic pet wellness and husbandry and provide low-cost wellness services to St. Kitts companion animals. Wellness services include vaccinations, deworming, flea-tick-heartworm preventatives, microchipping, and basic blood testing. Students are afforded the opportunity to immerse themselves in the St. Kitts culture and work with different cultural norms, educate community members on wellness and welfare, promote spaying and neutering their pets, and gain extensive hands-on clinical and communications experience. In 2020, RUSVM received a grant courtesy of PetSmart Charities® Access to Care Fund through the One Health Research Foundation to enhance teaching and learning opportunities for RUSVM students, and low-cost support for animal patients. We have been able to purchase a new transport vehicle, outfit a spay/neuter clinic on-site at BARC, and expand student extracurriculars with additional spay and neuter events. I absolutely love working with students and the community and look forward to continuing to make a positive impact on all pets and people of St. Kitts as well. I continue to serve as the faculty advisor and mentor for all RUSVM small animal welfare and rescue organizations including the Student Chapter of the Associate of Shelter Veterinarians, Volunteers for Intercultural and Definitive Adventure, and Feral Cat Project—programs that all positively impact the St. Kitts community. To say that this work is incredibly rewarding is an understatement. We could not make this immense impact without the support from Adtalem Global Education, RUSVM administration, faculty, staff and students, BARC and the BARC board members, and most importantly, the St. Kitts community and local government. Dr. Andrea Peda ’09 RUSVM Assistant Professor
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A UNIQUE VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY RUSVM alumni have found a unique way to volunteer their time for a small animal non-profit just minutes away from their alma mater on St. Kitts.
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DIVING RIGHT IN
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DISCOVERING A PASSION FOR RESEARCH
Nicole Atherley took a chance on a Masters by Research project, and it opened a whole new career path to her.
Earning simultaneous DVM and MSc degrees was the unexpectedly perfect path for this alumna, who’s now planning for a career in academia.
WINTER 2022. Sean Callanan, MVB CertVR MRCVS PhD FRCPath DiplECVP Dean Mary Mauldin Pereira ’05 DVM MSc Assistant Dean of Alumni Relations Colleen Glenney Manager of Alumni Relations
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS/EDITORS
Dan Ciaglia Colleen Glenney Becky Holton Janice Jensen Melissa Kvidahl-Reilly Kristine Lester Mary Mauldin Pereira MAGAZINE PROJECT MANAGERS
Colleen Glenney Kristine Lester
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE. Thank You to Our Alumni Ambassadors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
DESIGN
Peter Gialloreto Howard Design Group, Inc. Princeton, NJ
Walking the Path . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Rossies Give Back . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Rossies Past & Present Come Together to Save an Island Pup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 One Health, Countless Implications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 RUSVM Expands Shelter Medicine Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Rossies’ Pets Pictorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Dr. Erika Little Appointment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 Dr. Samson Mukaratirwa Appointment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Research Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 New Beginnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 Event Roundup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
The Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine Alumni Magazine is published by the Office of Alumni Relations along with the Office of Marketing and Communications. It is distributed to alumni, faculty, staff, students and friends. For information or to send name/address changes please contact: rusvmalumni@rossu.edu. ROSS VET ALUMNI MAGAZINE / WINTER 2022 / 1
JOB POSTINGS
LOOKING TO FILL INTERNSHIPS OR FULL-TIME/PART-TIME POSITIONS AT YOUR PRACTICE?
SAVE THE DATE NOVEMBER 6-11, 2022 Mark your calendars for Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine’s 2022 West Indies Veterinary Conference. We are grateful for your support over the years and thrilled that the 2022 conference will coincide with the university’s 40th anniversary! Looking forward to having you all join us for this historical celebration.
Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine is happy to work to build relationships between your organization and RUSVM alumni. Listing your openings with RUSVM can provide you with increased exposure to quality practitioners from a variety of specialties. Support the RUSVM community of alumni and enhance your organization by recruiting and hiring fellow Rossies. Please email RUSVMemployers@rossvet.edu.kn.
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FE AT U R E .
A UNIQUE VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY FOR RUSVM ALUMNI
“RUSVM alumni have found the opportunity to be a professionally satisfying, soulfulfilling, and special way to give back to the country where they attended school.”
ROSS UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF VETERINARY MEDICINE (RUSVM) ALUMNI HAVE FOUND A UNIQUE WAY TO VOLUNTEER THEIR TIME FOR A SMALL ANIMAL NON-PROFIT JUST MINUTES AWAY FROM THEIR ALMA MATER ON ST. KITTS.
TERRY EYLERS ’11
By J anice Jensen, Founder/Director, Nevis Animal Speak
BRANDI COX ’15
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LILLY OCK ’11
n 2019, local charity Nevis Animal Speak (NAS) opened the first dedicated and private small animal vet clinic in St. Kitts and Nevis’ history. Their model of success is designed around a Volunteer Vet program where vets can donate two weeks or more of their time to support the underserved and local community. When Founder and Director Janice Jensen was asked, “Why a charity clinic?” she said the answer was simple. “We had a choice to be for-profit and serve only a select few, or to be a non-
profit and support all who need us.” The clinic’s mission is to help ensure that no dog or cat, homed or stray, goes without necessary medical care. In the first nine months after opening, NAS had seen over 1,000 new patients and continues to see an average of 100 new patients each month. The small two-room space was quickly outgrown, and NAS immediately drew up plans with a design studio, Animal Arts, CO, to construct a 2,100 sq. ft. medical facility to support their patients, clients, and volunteers. This privately funded clinic will be complete by the end of the year.
Although the Volunteer Vet program is offered internationally, RUSVM alumni have found the opportunity to be a “professionally satisfying, soul-fulfilling, and special way to give back to the country where they attended school,” according to Dr. Terry Eylers ’11. Given their experience living in St. Kitts and Nevis, RUSVM alumni are able to assimilate quickly at the NAS clinic, being familiar with the local culture, primary medically relevant diseases, and environmental issues of many of their patients living in the tropics. With the local familiarity RUSVM alumni have with St. Kitts and Nevis, interacting
with clients makes a significant impact in local long-term pet care. “The face-to-face interactions we have with the clients is the only way many learn about small animal medicine,” according to Dr. Brandi Cox ’15, who spent two months working through the Volunteer Vet program. Additionally, Dr. Lilly Ock ‘11 was initially scheduled to volunteer for three weeks and extended her stay to support the RUSVM Volunteers for Interculterural and Definitive Adventure (VIDA) club under the guidance of Dr. Andrea Peda ’09, RUSVM Asst. Professor, to hold a much-needed spay and neuter event at NAS at the end of October.
With the support of NAS Clinic Director April Bowen, LVT, and a locally trained staff, including two receptionists and two animal assistants, NAS is excited to continue to fulfill its charitable mission with the support of RUSVM alumni! For more information on the Volunteer Vet program, please visit the NAS website at: nevisanimalspeak.org/volunteer-vetsholidays
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DIVING RIGHT IN By Melissa Kvidahl-Reilly
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NICOLE ATHERLEY TOOK A CHANCE ON A MASTERS BY RESEARCH PROJECT, AND IT OPENED A WHOLE NEW CAREER PATH TO HER.
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t was 2017, and Dr. Nicole Atherley was working as a microbiology technician in the same department where she was once a student at the University of the West Indies in Barbados. “I was working in the field for which I studied, and I could have stayed in that job until I retired, but I wanted to do more,” she says. “It was then that I saw an opportunity through the Caribaea Initiative to work on a research project about the biology and diseases of the Caribbean spiny lobster.” Housed at RUSVM, this research project was intended to last one year and, by participating, Athlerley would earn a Master’s Degree by Research. A Caribbean native, her interest was piqued. The research would have real world implications for the place she calls home, and also potentially open the door to a new and exciting career path. “Currently, instead of a closed season, there is a minimum legal size for lobster fisheries in St. Kitts,” Atherley says. “Through this research, we wanted to determine
which months would make sense as a closed season, to make sure we’re not depleting the resources. We then could provide that information to those who draft and implement policies, namely the St. Kitts and Nevis Department of Marine Resources, so they could make informed decisions.” The project also examined the biology and diseases of the spiny lobster, for example, whether Carcinonemertes conanobrieni, a nemertean (ribbon worm) found in Florida and Columbia that eats the lobster’s eggs, was present in St. Kitts. But findings early on in the study changed the course of her research dramatically. “We did find this nemertean worm in St. Kitts, but we also found another species of worm that hadn’t been reported before,” Atherley says. “We realized this project was going in a good direction and one year was not enough to find out all the things we wanted to learn.” It was at that time that Atherley expanded this research into a PhD project. Atherley’s doctoral research sought to determine the overall health of the lobsters,
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their size at sexual maturity (to find out whether the existing minimum legal sizes for lobsters in St. Kitts and Nevis needed updating), and which pathogens, parasites, and diseases may affect population size and, by extension, sustainable fisheries and aquaculture. “I’m very hands on, and I’m what they call a lab rat,” she muses. “I love doing research, and it’s so cool when you see that your research has real life applications, as well. I believe that’s what research is supposed to be. There should be some benefit for those around you.” When she wrapped up her PhD in 2021, Atherley knew she wanted to do more. “Mainly, I’m interested in learning more about this new nemertean worm we discovered,” she says. “Up to the point of my PhD, as far as we knew, the Carcinonemertes conanobrieni was the only species of nemertean worm associated with the Caribbean spiny lobster. The question is: what is this new one we found?” To answer that question, Atherley hopes to find more samples of the adult worm thanks to continued support by the Department of Marine Resources.
THE CARIBAEA INITIATIVE is an international nature conservation organization that develops and promotes research projects and educational initiatives focused on the study and protection of Caribbean biodiversity. Many of the projects include training a growing number of Caribbean students as they earn their bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degrees. “The program is designed to train Caribbean students to be able to do research in the Caribbean, and publish research from the Caribbean,” Atherley says.
Having been bit by the research bug, so to speak, Atherley hopes to enter a postdoctoral program. “Doing a postdoc provides a bridge between being a student and stepping into a career of research,” she says. “My interest is in aquaculture, marine diseases, how a pathogen interacts with a host, and how they interact together with the environment. It’s all interconnected.” In the end, she credits taking the leap that day in 2017 as a pivotal point in her career: “During that project, I learned so much. Since coming here, I’ve learned how to snorkel and scuba dive. It was a time of learning new things and doing as much as I could to be competent. It completely changed my trajectory. I am also thankful for the support of my supervisors and scientific committee, Drs. Mark Freeman, Michelle Dennis, and Donald Behringer, as well as committee chair Dr. Fortune Sithole. The research department, namely Ruth Braganza and Juanna Berry, and the RUSVM community at large have made a huge impact on the success of this research and on me as an individual.”
NICOLE ATHERLEY’S SCIENTIFIC METHOD The Questions: What diseases impact the Caribbean spiny lobster, at what size do they reach sexual maturity, and when in the year do they reach their peak reproductive activity? The Method: Atherley sourced lobsters from fishermen in St. Kitts. They were anaesthetized and euthanized, and then samples were collected for analysis. Gonads and ovaries were assessed for physiological maturity, and the peak months of reproduction were determined by ascertaining when there was the highest proportion of mature male and female lobsters. The gills of the lobsters were examined for the presence of nemertean worms. Mitochondrial DNA samples were collected from the worms, and lobsters were screened for disease. The Results and Conclusion: Atherley confirmed the presence of Carcinonemertes conanobrieni in 27 out of 31 females, and an undescribed species was also found. She also determined that lobster size during sexual maturity in St. Kitts and Nevis is below the minimum legal size, indicating that lobsters reproduce at least once before being removed from the fishing stock. Plus, Atherley found that the period of elevated reproductive activity spans from March to May, indicating a potential closed season.
A BIG ROSSIE SHOUTOUT TO OUR AMAZING ALUMNI AMBASSADORS WHO REPRESENTED THE ALUMNI COMMUNITY AT ONE OF OUR IN-PERSON OR VIRTUAL ADMISSIONS EVENTS THIS FALL, INCLUDING: Nejla Azima ’14 Jamie Baker ’15 Kanwar Boparai ’01 Laura Bradley ’19 Rhett Bridger ’16 Tracey Challenger ’17 Valerie Morales Coll ’21 Jessica Cusmariu ’14 Shannon (Fitzgerald) Dawkins ’06 Heather Farmer ’06 Bianca Ferlisi ’20 Jordan (Whitaker) Foxx ’21 Christa Gallagher ’93 Boaz Man ’04
Amanda Murti ’19 Kiana Parsaie ’21 Lindsay Patterson ’17 Pedro de Pedro ’05 Terri Pettis ’11 Midge Ritchie ’10 Emillie Rose ’21 Megan Rosen ’18 Nisha Sanathara ’11 Josh Seidman ’21 Audrey Stevens ’14 Jazmeen Suleman ’20 Ashley Ziegler ’16
Dr. Heather Farmer and Dr. Boaz Man join Admissions staff Maryann Gomez at a Ross Vet informational session in Orlando, FL in October
WE APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE TO THE UNIVERSITY!
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DISCOVERING A PASSION FOR RESEARCH EARNING SIMULTANEOUS DVM AND MSC DEGREES WAS THE UNEXPECTEDLY PERFECT PATH FOR THIS ALUMNA, WHO’S NOW PLANNING FOR A CAREER IN ACADEMIA.
By Melissa Kvidahl-Reilly
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f things had worked out the way Brittany Middlebrooks ’20, DVM planned, she might not be where she is today — well on her way to achieving her dream career. Though she grew up around horses and always knew she wanted to enroll in veterinary school, she was discouraged by her undergraduate advisor to pursue a pre-veterinary studies program when she arrived on campus. “I thought, maybe they’re right, and maybe I’m not smart enough to be a veterinarian—even though I had a great GPA,” she recalls. “But I really wanted to work with animals and, at that time, horses specifically. So I concentrated my studies in equine business, thinking I might end up on the management side of the equine world. But that all changed after graduation when, like many of her peers, she found herself wondering what her next step would be. She took a job as a veterinary technician in a small animal clinic, mainly just to see if she liked it. “Within three weeks of training there, I realized I had to go to veterinary school,” she says. So she went back to the drawing board. Middlebrooks spent a year and a half working as a vet tech and taking her prerequisites before applying and being accepted to RUSVM’s DVM degree program. When she arrived on the island, her path once again took an unexpected turn. “After working at a small animal hospital, I assumed that’s where I’d end up,” she says.
“I found myself at RUSVM working outside and doing research on donkeys, I just couldn’t imagine going back.” BRITTANY MIDDLEBROOKS ’20
“But when I found myself at RUSVM working outside and doing research on donkeys, I just couldn’t imagine going back.” Her research experience on the island spanned a year and a half, and it was around that time that she asked if she could turn her work into a master’s project. The timing was a little unconventional but, surprisingly, perfect. She had finished her preclinical training on the island in the spring, and had the summer available before embarking on her clinical year at the University of California, Davis that fall. “I realized at the time that I ultimately wanted to do a residency program, and I had a pretty positive idea that I wanted to go into academia at some point,” she says. “So I thought having a master’s degree would make me a better candidate for a residency.” Her plans didn’t stop there. After completing her clinical year at UC Davis, Middlebrooks stayed on for an internship with the university’s ambulatory Equine Field Service. She spent time on call responding to emergencies, did entrance examinations for imported horses, and helped fourth year veterinary students hone their clinical skills and client communications. She also rotated through the in-house Equine Medical Service, Equine Surgery Service, and Equine Emergency Service, building her confidence in clinical knowledge, reasoning, and skills. “One of the things I’m most proud of
regarding my internship was my ability to form professional, yet sincere, relationships with clients and their animals,” she says. “I really felt like my clients trusted me with their horses and that was truly an honor.” It may not have been the path she imagined when she first approached her undergraduate advisor all those years ago, but it turned out to be the most rewarding one. Middlebrooks is currently working as a theriogenology resident in the Equine Reproduction Laboratory at Colorado State University where, over the course of the three-year program, she’ll have the opportunity to manage stallions, mares, and foals, and also gain additional teaching experience. Most notably, she will also continue her research, and she’s currently working on a case report about equine sexual development. And she credits her time at RUSVM as setting her on this path, exposing her to research, teamwork, and teaching. “My dream job is a faculty position at a teaching hospital working in equine theriogenology, where I’d get to teach and do research but also work in the clinic,” she says. “If people are considering doing their master’s at RUSVM or even doing it as part of their DVM, I say do it. There are so many faculty members willing to talk about and share their research. Dive in. Get that hands-on experience. You never know what it can turn into.”
MASTER CLASS During her master’s research at RUSVM, Middlebrooks assessed the safety and efficacy of pZP and reZP vaccines in Caribbean donkeys, looking for vaccine site reactions and comparing the vaccines’ reproductive effects. In addition to scheduling and training volunteers and caring for the donkeys, Middlebrooks got a lot of hands-on time in the field doing weekly transrectal palpation and ultrasound, as well as weekly blood draws. Ultimately, what her research found was that the vaccines do provide contraceptive effects, and that some donkeys even entered a period of ovarian shutdown. “There were some interesting findings regarding hormone levels and we hope that this can tell us more about how the vaccine works, as the mode of action of the vaccine is not well understood,” she says.
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WALKING THE PATH ONE ALUMNUS’ JOURNEY THROUGH RUSVM’S PATHOLOGY TRAINING PROGRAM.
By Melissa Kvidahl-Reilly
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CLINICAL SERVICE Because RUSVM houses the only veterinary pathology service in St. Kitts and Nevis, Mau was able to gain invaluable real-world experience while enrolled in the program. He examined blood, tissue, and urine samples, diagnosed diseases, and discussed cases with pathologists and clinicians. “We would receive samples from veterinary patients as well as from research facilities,” he says. “We’d also perform necropsies on marine wildlife that washed up on shore, examining turtles and even dolphins to try to understand why they died.”
the project would allow him to develop new skills in molecular biology (as a pathologist, most of his experience thus far had been surrounding biopsy and tissue samples). Plus, the topic has real-world implications for the island. “Bartonella is an infectious bacteria and the main infectious agent of what we call cat scratch disease in cats,” he explains. “A lot of people didn’t initially care about cat scratch disease because the human body does a good job of recovering from it, but more research is coming out that it can cause rare but serious secondary effects like heart disease and brain disease.” On St. Kitts, Bartonella is mainly found in cats and mongooses. The problem? Scientists already know that cats can pass the bacteria to humans, and given what is currently known about the disease, it is feasible that mongooses could play a role in transmission to cats through their common parasite, the flea. As a result, Mau set out to identify the prevalence of Bartonella in St. Kitts’ mongoose population and what he found was shocking: about half of the island’s mongooses carry Bartonella. “This is significant, and the next steps are to raise awareness that the mongooses on the island are reservoirs for Bartonella and encourage further research to determine the risk of their ability to transmit it to cats and humans,” he says. “For me personally, this research enabled me to be in the lab and do work that most pathologists wouldn’t typically have the opportunity to do in their career.”
REAL-WORLD RESEARCH A large portion of the Pathology Training Program entails earning a Master of Science by Research degree, which required Mau to conduct a research project that would improve his skills as a scientist and investigator. While not directly related to pathology, Mau decided to study the prevalence of Bartonella in St. Kitts’ mongoose population since
TEACHING THE FUTURE Perhaps the most impactful part of Mau’s RUSVM experience, however, was the opportunity to teach a new generation of veterinary students. “I loved teaching at RUSVM, and that was one of the best experiences,” he says, noting that the experience opened his eyes to his passion for teaching, and set the tone for a career trajectory in academia. “That’s been the key for me.”
he decision to focus on pathology was a fairly obvious one for Alex Mau ’21, DVM. “The challenge of solving puzzles and diagnosing diseases was always something I enjoyed,” he says. So after he completed veterinary school and spent some time in clinical practice, he headed to RUSVM to complete the two-year Pathology Training Program, which includes robust clinical and anatomic pathology training as well as earning a Master of Science by Research degree. “The training program at RUSVM was a very insightful experience,” he says, “and offers three distinct components: service, research, and teaching.”
ALEX MAU ’21
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OUT OF OFFICE Most people go to veterinary school to become a practicing veterinarian and treat animals. But Mau decided early in his career that this path wasn’t for him. “Throughout veterinary school, I always had an interest in pathology, but I didn’t want to miss out on practice,” he says. “So, I practiced as a veterinarian for 18 months to make sure I wanted to leave it all behind before I pursued pathology.” He worked for 12 months as a rotating intern, and an additional six months as an internal medicine intern before deciding to pursue the Pathology Training Program at RUSVM. During that year and a half of practicing medicine, Mau made some important discoveries about himself. While he had a lifelong interest in healthcare and animals, he realized that he didn’t like the pressure of holding a life in his hands. “Being a veterinarian is not easy and it can be quite emotionally stressful, so I decided to detach myself from treating animals,” he says. “At the end of the day, as a pathologist, I play a crucial role in diagnosing diseases and helping clinicians come up with ways to treat animals but, at the same time, I’m not facing firsthand that emotional strain.” Having recently completed his pathology training and Master of Science by Research degree at RUSVM, Mau landed a residency at the University of California, Davis to finish the rest of his training. His ultimate goal? Returning to academia to teach.
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ROSSIES GIVE BACK WE SPOKE WITH A FEW ALUMNI ABOUT HOW THEY GIVE BACK. HERE ARE THEIR STORIES.
JENICE BELL ’17
KATY RAYNOR ’12
I’ve been doing wildlife care with a local rehab facility and for the public since graduation in Valparaiso, Indiana—anything from shell repairs on turtles to owl chick eye medications, to fracture repair on several animals including a Coopers hawk and a Canada goose. I do it because they need help too, and they have no one advocating for them like domesticated pets.
I grew up with four older brothers. Two are twins along with my twin. The older twins both were diagnosed at a young age (10ish) with lupus which targeted their kidneys. The treatment at that time was chemotherapy which ended up damaging the kidneys as well as the disease itself. Since then, they’ve been managing with medications; however, the disease took its toll eventually and put my brother Jay into end-stage renal failure. It was a no-brainer at that time to start the process to be tested as a potential kidney donor, as I’m a sibling (which improves my chance of matching), as well as active and healthy. During the process I did consider how my lifestyle would be affected significantly by this decision, but watching my brothers go through lupus starting at age 10 and struggling for normalcy their whole lives, it was a small token of what I could do to help alleviate the challenges life gave them. We matched, and I was then scheduled to donate my kidney to Jay in July of 2021. After the surgery, my brother was running around the hospital with his new lease on life. So far in my life, this has been the hardest decision I’ve ever made and the easiest decision I’ve ever made.
By Colleen Glenney
MARK SALEMI ’87
VANESSA (PADILLA) ALLIDAP ’18
I sit on the New York City Veterinary Medical Association, my local board of health, local Office of Emergency Management, and the New York City Veterinary Emergency Response team. I also lecture about zoonotic diseases and conduct an animal handling course for the New York City Board of Health. Lastly, I speak to children from pre-kindergarten to high school about veterinary medicine and how to be a responsible pet owner.
With the help of my techs, I have been able to volunteer time and donate medications/supplies to families affected by California wildfires and evacuations. I also set up a donation for evacuees and their pets, so that when needed, they could come to our clinic and we would be able to provide treatment without them worrying about the cost. Our clinic has also started to help out the community by volunteering our time, alongside the local shelter, to help those with financial hardship/homelessness. We have been able to provide hundreds of pets with vaccines, vouchers for spay/ neuter, and provide preventatives.
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ALIDA SANABRIA ’17 AND CAMILLE BARNES ’17 We both work at Veterinary Care Group—Maspeth (Queens, NY). We currently have a clothing, food, and toys drive (both human and pets) which we have extended to the other hospitals in our network, and we have been letting our community know as well. Food will be donated to the Landing Family Shelter, pet supplies are going to Bobbi and the Strays, and donated clothes are going to St. Mary’s Church on November 21. We also plan to serve at a soup kitchen as a group as well.
STEPHANYE QUINN ’18 My clinic just did our first One Health Event. We collected donations — clothes, toiletries, food, pet food, and supplies — to hand out to our local community. We had lowcost preventative care packages for dogs and cats, and our local health department came out to the clinic with their mobile unit to give free COVID vaccines and addiction resources. It was really heartwarming, and we plan to do a similar event quarterly!
SHANNON (FITZGERALD) DAWKINS ’06 Compassion Copper Canyon began with Dr. Dawkins and her husband Alan traveling to Mexico for the 16th annual Caballo Blanco Ultramarathon in March of 2018. The region of the Copper Canyons within the Sierra Madre Occidental is brutally beautiful, difficult to reach, and hard on its inhabitants. They fell in love with the area and were inspired to help. They returned in December 2018, this time with their two small children, driving 30 hours to get there. They filled the back of their old Ford pickup truck with clothes they and friends donated, children’s toys for a Christmas toy drive, and, of course, veterinary supplies. They spent a few days in the mountain area and a few in the canyon. Each place they went, they spread the word so people would know that they had free medications to treat people’s pets or street dogs. With the help of some wonderful local friends and supporters, they even reached some remote towns that only a four-wheel-drive vehicle could get to, and one town that required a strenuous 3-hour hike up a mountain with a guide, Prospero, to reach. When they left the Copper Canyon Region this time, they felt that they wanted to do even more and decided to start the process to become a nonprofit. They returned in March 2019 and did a very small spay and neuter trial clinic in the town of Cerocahui, and just recently in November 2021 returned once again to conduct spays and neuters and help these wonderful animals in need of support.
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ROSSIES PAST & PRESENT COME TO SAVE AN TOGETHER ISLAND PUP
BEFORE
AFTER
By D an Ciaglia
Y
ou are a Rossie forever. That is the connection between all Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine (RUSVM) students past, present, and future. There are alumni that come back as faculty members or administrators, and many other alumni that frequently stay connected to campus and current students through speaking or club engagement opportunities. When Dr. Meredith Berger ’08 was contacted by a group of students on St. Kitts, a much more urgent connection between Rossies turned vital to saving the life of Calypso. It’s common for students to rescue or adopt pets on the island to have a loving companion along with them on their veterinary journey. Stephanie Dawes, Class of ’23, had been caring for Calypso, a local coconut retriever. Jenny Roberts, Class of ’23, had been coordinating Calypso’s foster care with Ponds Adoption when it was discovered she had a heart murmur. Stephanie took Calypso to Ross University Veterinary Clinic (RUVC) to confirm diagnosis of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), a heart defect that results in excess blood flow to the lungs. PDA can lead to enlargement of the left side of the heart and leakage of fluid into the lungs, a syndrome known as congestive heart failure (CHF). Closure of a PDA is the definitive, and curative, treatment. The diagnosis was just the
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start of Calypso’s journey, which presented a difficult challenge — the procedure to close the PDA is unable to be performed on St. Kitts. Stephanie continued to care for Calypso while Noreen and Kelle Keyles, Class of ’22, began helping with Calypso’s medical needs and research into how to get Calypso the procedure she needed. Noreen contacted Dr. Berger, who volunteers with Outcast Rescue. “Noreen wanted to know if Outcast Rescue would be willing to take on such an intense medical case with a large price tag. Outcast Rescue could not turn away this sweet little girl. Without blinking, Beth Hucke of Outcast Rescue promised to not only ensure that Calypso would get the medical care she needed but would also ensure that Calypso finds her forever home,” Dr. Berger recalled.
HOPE NICYPER-MERYMAN ’23 & GEORGE KRACKE
KELLY KEYLES ’22
Many weeks of perseverance and dedication by the group led to an opportunity to bring Calypso to the United States and Crown Veterinary Specialists in Lebanon, New Jersey, where Dr. Berger practices. Though one more challenge in Calypso’s journey presented itself — none of the students could miss class time to safely transport Calypso to New Jersey. Hope Nicyper-Meryman, Class of ’23, and her boyfriend, George Kracke, stepped up for Calypso and George volunteered to bring Calypso on her flight. An incredible, collaborative effort by these students and their loved ones brought Calypso safely to New Jersey and a successful procedure to close her PDA on October 20, 2021.
“Working with the students and their partners from Ross Vet was an amazing experience. Their dedication and perseverance in this mission was incredibly admirable. Everyone banded together, raised money, made all kinds of arrangements, and never gave up when there were obstacles encountered,” said Dr. Berger. “They truly went above and beyond to help save Calypso’s life. These students are the types of individuals we desperately need more of in the veterinary field. While I am already extremely proud to be an Ross Vet alumna, this experience made me extra proud of where I started my career and exceptionally proud of the future doctors Ross Vet is cultivating.”
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FE AT U R E . REMOTE SUPPORT RUSVM’s MSc in One Health degree program is entirely online, allowing professionals the flexibility they need to complete their studies while maintaining a full-time work schedule. Initially, Melville-Edwin found it quite convenient to complete her coursework after traditional work hours. But once she had a child and took on more responsibilities at the office, it became a bit more challenging. “I had to leave work early to pick my son up from daycare, and parenting took up my at-home attention,” she says. “It became difficult to find the time to do what I needed to do at home, manage my work responsibilities, and also work on my master’s program.” Melville-Edwin credits the faculty and, in particular, her advisors at RUSVM with helping her find the motivation to complete the program. “I almost gave up at one point, because I was so frustrated with finding the time, and my interest began to wane,” she says. “My advisor reminded me that I had come too far to stop. In the end, I am so happy I did it and that is, in part, a testament to the supportive faculty and staff at RUSVM.”
ONE HEALTH, COUNTLESS IMPLICATIONS SHARMINE MELVILLE-EDWIN, DVM RECENTLY EARNED A MASTER OF SCIENCE IN ONE HEALTH FROM RUSVM, AND IS PUTTING IT TO WORK IN HER HOME COUNTRY OF ST. LUCIA.
By Melissa Kvidahl-Reilly
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W
hat if doctors, veterinarians, conservationists, and other experts all worked together to promote the health of our world and the wellbeing of everyone and everything in it? That’s the idea behind One Health, a collaborative approach to health that recognizes the interconnectivity between people, animals, and the planet, and promotes policies and practices that enhance the health of all three. And, it’s a concept that is very familiar to Sharmine Melville-Edwin, DVM, the acting chief veterinary officer in St. Lucia’s federal Agricultural Division, since her role requires her to consider the wellbeing of local animals and people, the economy of the country, and the vitality of the natural environment. On paper, the division’s function is to develop St. Lucia’s agricultural sector and increase the production of quality food and other commodities through environmentally sustainable practices. In practice, Melville-Edwin’s job description is extensive, spanning local, nationwide, and even international initiatives ranging from public health functions like meat inspections, animal disease control, and overseeing farm activities, to regulating the import and export of live animals and animal products. If that wasn’t enough, the Agricultural Division also provides veterinary laboratory resources, including diagnostic services. So, when Melville-Edwin started looking for master’s programs that would
support her work, RUSVM’s One Health program was a natural fit, since it touches on the wide breadth of animal, human, and environmental health issues she encounters at work on a daily basis. “Yes, I’m a veterinarian, but veterinary medicine is very broad, and One Health allowed me to develop my skills in other areas,” Melville-Edwin says. “We covered topics like food safety, zoonotic diseases, foodborne diseases, disease surveillance, and epidemiology, to name a few. I was able to use my practical experience throughout the courses. Everything I did applied to my job and vice versa.” The research component of the MSc in One Health degree program also supported Melville-Edwin in achieving her ultimate goal: to make an impact. Her research project, which examined dewormer resistance in St. Lucia’s sheep and goat populations, yielded real-world findings that have the potential to change the way veterinarians practice on the island. “As a veterinarian myself, I saw the way veterinarians and others were using dewormers indiscriminately,” she explains. “What my research found was that, after decades of using the same product, the parasites did in fact become resistant.” Now, her plan is to present these findings to government and corporate entities, and encourage a change in policy, practices, and even product development. In particular, Melville-Edwin is well placed
to promote new ways of using existing dewormers, since her department regulates veterinary pharmaceuticals. But her plans don’t end there. Going forward, Melville-Edwin also hopes to leverage her One Health degree to address some of the complicated and interconnected challenges plaguing St. Lucia’s livestock sector, which currently impacts farmers and consumers alike. “We consume a lot of chicken, but we import a great deal of it,” she explains. “My goal is to grow our local production and meet market demands.” The main challenge standing in farmers’ way at the moment is that the cost of producing chicken locally is very high, and local farmers cannot offer prices that compete with cheap imported chicken. “The cost of production here is so high because everything has to be imported, from the chicks themselves to the raw materials needed to produce feed,” Melville-Edwin explains. Economies of scale also work against farmers in St. Lucia. In the US, medium-large factory poultry farmers can easily have over one hundred thousand chickens on hand at a given time. On the island, a typical poultry farmer may only have about five thousand birds. The same challenges exist for beef, swine, and other livestock — buying materials in bulk for large US factory farms will always be more economical than importing those same materials for a farmer in St. Lucia.
The Agricultural Division is a department housed in the St. Lucia government’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Physical Planning, Natural Resources, and Co-operatives. The goal of the Ministry is to support and enhance the island’s rural livelihood systems, whether it’s agriculture and fisheries or forestry and water resources. It aims to optimize the efficiency, competitive production, and marketing of the resulting goods and services across the island.
However, St. Lucia’s poultry and livestock sector has the potential to flourish if farmers can optimize their productivity, and the result could be positive outcomes for all: farming in St. Lucia would become more lucrative, local food products would become more affordable for consumers, and the nation’s GDP would benefit as some imported products become replaced with locally produced alternatives. “I want to be able to address some of these problems that have been festering for decades, and make a positive change,” Melville-Edwin says. “If we can have a flourishing livestock and poultry sector, that would impact our entire economy.”
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FE AT U R E .
Students participate in all aspects of patient intake, physical examinations, surgical prep, surgery, anesthesia monitoring, recovery, and patient discharge.
RUSVM EXPANDS SHELTER MEDICINE PROGRAM
PETSMART CHARITIES GRANT UPDATE: 1 YEAR LATER
By Becky Holton
I
n January 2021, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine (RUSVM) officially launched its expanded shelter medicine program with the support of grant funding through the One Health Research Foundation (OHRF) and PetSmart Charities® that will enhance teaching and learning opportunities for our students and low-cost support for animal patients. The grant provides students with opportunities for increased exposure to shelter and community medicine experiences through our partnership with the Basseterre Animal Rescue Center (BARC). Another aim of the project is help control the pet free roaming and
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overpopulation issue on St. St. Kitts by offering a supplemental spay/neuter program as an extracurricular outreach volunteer opportunity for students. Says Dr. Andrea Peda, RUSVM Assistant Professor and Director of the Shelter Medicine program, “We’ve doubled the wellness program contact hours for the students coming through the shelter medicine rotation. The wellness program runs four days a week throughout the entire semester. Students attend two labs per semester which equates to 4 hours over 2 afternoons for a total contact time of approximately 8 hours.” The wellness program is an important part of the hands-on experience for students. “They have the opportunity to
take charge of each case and take on the primary doctor role. They participate in all aspects of the wellness clinic inclusive of client communication, providing education, performing the physical exams, administering vaccines, implanting microchips, and performing blood draws for routine screening. It’s a real-life, practical situation where they get to work with numerous patients,” says Peda. During the January to September 2021 reporting period, RUSVM was able to see 766 dogs and 94 cats. This does not include walk-in appointments which accounted for nearly another 15% of the patients seen. In March 2021, courtesy of the PetSmart Charities grant, RUSVM purchased a transport van that has helped
766 DOGS
94 CATS
increase the number of clients seen through the wellness program as well as through spay and neuter events. The program has hosted three spay/neuter events through August 2021. Since September, RUSVM hosted two additional spay and neuter days care of the RUSVM Volunteers for Intercultural and Definitive Adventure club
From January to September 2021, RUSVM was able to see 766 dogs and 94 cats. This does not include walk-in appointments which accounted for nearly another 15% of the patients seen.
(VIDA) and this is slated to continue twice per semester as an ongoing future project. On average, 25 upper-semester students are involved in each spay and neuter event. They participate in all aspects of patient intake, physical examinations, surgical prep, surgery, anesthesia monitoring, recovery, and patient discharge.
Local clients have expressed their sincere gratitude for the program. Says Peda, “We are seeing huge increases in the numbers of owners that are returning to inquire about purchasing additional doses of monthly flea/tick/heartworm preventatives. Likewise, we have seen an increase in owners interested in pursuing spay and neuter for their pets and we have been able to provide spay/neuter services for animals who otherwise would be having additional litters and contributing to pet over-population on St. Kitts. All of these positive outcomes are directly related to the ongoing community outreach and education provided to the St. Kitts community pet owners by our students during these curricular and extracurricular programs.”
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COCONUT RETRIEVERS, ISLAND KITTIES, AND TORTOISES,
OH MY!
We asked you to share photos of your island pets and you didn’t disappoint!
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DR. ERIKA LITTLE NAMED ASSOCIATE DEAN OF CLINICAL AFFAIRS AND PROFESSIONAL OPPORTUNITIES Erika Little, DVM, MBA, MS, DACVS has been named
“I am excited for the challenges of this new role and look forward to supporting our clinical year students as they work to complete their Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree and become part of our amazing RUSVM family of alumni.”
Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs and Professional Opportunities and will oversee and develop our clinical programs and professional training for RUSVM students in their clinical semesters. Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Dr. Little completed her degree in Equine Science at Colorado State University before starting the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program at RUSVM. She would finish the DVM program at Kansas State University and move to Wyoming to join a mixed animal practice until returning to Kansas State University to complete a rotating equine internship, followed by a large animal surgical residency completed at Auburn University. During residency training, Dr. Little also completed a Master of Science degree in Biomedical Sciences evaluating the effects of intravenous hyaluronic acid supplementation in horses. She is a board-certified equine surgeon and practiced in Nevada from 2007 until 2013, returning to RUSVM to teach large animal surgery lecture and laboratories. Since her arrival eight years ago, she has been an Associate Professor and Course Director in the Large Animal Surgery courses and served as the Assistant Dean of Admissions.
DR. SAMSON MUKARATIRWA NAMED ASSOCIATE DEAN OF RESEARCH AND GRADUATE STUDIES
“My research interest came naturally and was mainly inspired by the opportunity to generate new knowledge that advances the field and does not always conform to the known. There is plenty to be discovered in the field of veterinary parasitology through basic or applied research and I’m happy to be part of the brilliantly curious minds in the field.”
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Samson Mukaratirwa, DVM, MVSC, PhD has been named Associate Dean of Research and sits at the helm of the 2020–2023 RUSVM research strategy. He brings years of international experience in research and a deep love for veterinary medicine to his role. Dr. Mukaratirwa is from Zimbabwe and graduated from ISCA-Bayamo, Cuba, now the University of Granma, in 1988. Prior to coming to RUSVM, Dr. Mukaratirwa served in several leadership capacities including the Dean and Head of the School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal and the Dean of Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Zimbabwe. He is a member of various professional organizations and has previously served as a World Health Organization, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, OIE—World Organization for Animal Health temporary expert on neglected zoonotic diseases and Coordinator of the PanAfrican One Health Platform on Neglected Zoonotic Diseases. Dr. Mukaratirwa is a strong advocate for a One Health approach in finding solutions to prevent and control parasitic zoonoses endemic in southern Africa and the Caribbeans. His main research interest is in tropical parasitic diseases of economic and public health importance, and he has a passion for neglected parasitic zoonoses affecting the resource-poor communities in sub-Saharan Africa. In his new role as Associate Dean of Research, Dr. Mukaratirwa will drive RUSVM’s research strategy initiatives and graduate programs.
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ONE HEALTH: FOOD FOR THOUGHT RUSVM was more than happy to welcome back Research Week and the celebration of One Health Day to the campus, after a hiatus in 2020 due to global pandemic conditions. A number of students and faculty participated in the weeklong events that ran from November 1 through November 5, 2021. This year’s theme, One Health: Food for Thought addressed the global challenge to feed, house, and provide a healthy life for the growing human population while preserving the environment and resources. Showcasing research from faculty, students, and guest presenters, the event celebrated how the One Health approach could address food safety, sustainable food production, and environmental stewardship.
SHORT-TERM AMINO ACID, CLINICOPATHOLOGIC, AND ECHOCARDIOGRAPHIC FINDINGS IN HEALTHY DOGS FED A COMMERCIAL PLANT-BASED DIET RUSVM Assistant Professor and Cardiologist, Dr. Sarah Cavanaugh, received the honor of having her manuscript published by the Public Library of Science (PLOS). The research article, titled Short-term amino acid, clinicopathologic, and echocardiographic findings in healthy dogs fed a commercial plant-based diet, was the culmination of three years of research and analysis conducted by Dr. Cavanaugh and her team—RUSVM colleagues Dr. Ryan Cavanaugh, Dr. Jennifer Ketzis, Dr. Aline Vieira, former student Dr. Elena Leavitt, now completing her residency in nutrition, and former Adtalem employee Dr. Gregory Gilbert. According to the manuscript and verified by PLOS, this is the first study of its kind to evaluate the effects of a plant-based diet on several health parameters in client-owned dogs. “Dogs in the United States, like most people, consume a lot of animal products. Animal agriculture is beneficial from a food production standpoint, but we can’t ignore that it has some downfalls, like the negative impact on the environment. Also, some dogs cannot tolerate animal products in their diet. For these reasons, it’s important that we work to discover viable non-animal nutrient sources for dogs,” said Dr. Cavanaugh. The study was funded by Ross Vet intramural grant 42001-2019.
PREVENTING COSTS OF INVASIVE ALIEN SPECIES (IAS) IN BARBADOS AND THE OECS COUNTRIES RUSVM faculty, Dr. Souvik Ghosh, Dr. Patrick Butaye, and Dr. Samson Mukaratirwa have been selected to be Principal Investigators in the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) and Global Environment Facility (GEF) regional project: Preventing COSTS of Invasive Alien Species (IAS) in Barbados and the OECS Countries. In partnership with the St. Kitts Ministry of Environment and Cooperatives (MOE), our colleagues will be studying green monkeys and their impact on households in St. Kitts and Nevis, with unique opportunities for DVM students to participate at certain stages of the research study. The National Coordinator of the IAS Initiative, Dr. Kerry M. Dore, explains, “The Ministry of Environment and Cooperatives is extremely pleased to be collaborating with RUSVM on this incredibly important issue. Understanding the monkeys’ impact on human health in the Federation is a critical component in the development of a scientifically informed and sustainable monkey management strategy.”
SUCCESSFUL DONKEY EMBRYO TRANSFER TECHNIQUE DEVELOPED Two healthy miniature donkey foals have recently been born to surrogate mother jennies of a different breed following the development of an embryo transfer new technique. The primary motivation for this study arose from a desire to help make a native Brazilian donkey breed more useful again. The new technique designed by RUSVM postdoctoral fellow Dr. Lorenzo Segabinazzi and his fellow researchers gives hope that donkey-to-donkey embryo transfer can lead to more success in modern donkey breeding efforts. Dr. Segabinazzi is a postdoctoral fellow who completed his research at the Department of Veterinary Surgery and Animal Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, São Paulo State University, UNESP, Botucatu, Brazil.
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VHS HEART SOUNDS APP LAUNCH After observing students struggling over time with cardiac auscultation in their upper semesters, RUSVM Professor and Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Large Animal) Dr. Kathy Yvorchuk St. Jean began to suspect traditional teaching methods were not connecting with today’s students. The key to this observation, though, wasn’t the students’ abilities or dedication to coursework, but rather how newer generations utilize technology in daily life. To create a modern solution to test if this observation was accurate, Dr. Yvorchuk-St. Jean recruited her former student and now colleague, Dr. Sarah Cavanaugh, assistant professor, and board-certified cardiologist to collaborate on a project to develop Vet Heart Sounds (VHS). “We want our students to be able to practice cardiac auscultation anytime and anywhere. That’s why we developed Vet Heart Sounds for the iPad® and with no requirement for internet,” said Dr. Cavanaugh. “We hope that Vet Heart Sounds will help students develop competence and confidence in cardiac auscultation before beginning live animal labs. This will support RUSVM’s mission to grow learners of today into outstanding veterinarians and leaders of tomorrow.” VHS is an introductory level cardiac auscultation application for first-year veterinary students. Vet Heart Sounds represent what we believe to be one of
the first tablet-based veterinary cardiac auscultation tools developed to be a foundation from which students can grow their cardiac auscultation skills from novice to competent, help veterinary students learn how to perform the sequences of cardiac auscultation, study normal heart sounds, and conduct assessments of a student’s skills over time. Initially, the app features one canine and one equine patient with plans to expand content through future app updates.
The VHS app is now being implemented in Ross Vet’s Essential Veterinary Skills (EVS) course and the “Introduction to Auscultation” lab as a supplemental learning tool for students enrolled in the EVS 2 course. VHS was developed over two years in collaboration with Filament Games and RUSVM colleagues Antoine Laws, and Drs. Charles Hutchison, Elpida Artemiou, and Robert Gilbert, all certified Apple® Teachers.
3-MINUTE THESIS: MONTHS OF RESEARCH, ONLY THREE MINUTES The concept of 3-Minute Thesis is straightforward—you have one topic, one static slide, the stage to yourself, and just three minutes on the clock to present months of your own research in an engaging and easy digestible manner that captivates the live audience. Simple enough, right? The 3-Minute Thesis Competition (3MT®) is one of the main events of Research Week. On Wednesday, November 3,2021, ten Ross Vet DVM, MSc, and Ph.D. candidates took the stage in the Auditorium in front of their peers and faculty ready to wow them with the research they dedicated themselves to. Each student works with a faculty mentor on their presentation, attends various workshops to fine-tune their three-minute window, and rehearses with the other presenters to learn from each other and get a sneak peek of what the competition has prepared. In the end, the final product is as pressure-packed and competitive as can be thanks to the hard work and dedication of all ten participants— Brittany Berger (MSc by Research), Ninian Cameron-Blake (MSc by Research), Sara Cote (DVM Class of ’24), Daniel Guevara (DVM Class of ’23), Alexis Hall (DVM Class of ’23), Ailbhe King (MSc by Research), Maurice Matthew (PhD candidate), Maria Chardon Suarez (DVM Class of ’24), Samantha Valdes (DVM Class of ’24), and Sophie Yang (PhD candidate).
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N E W BA BI E S .
N E W BEGI N N I NG S .
A BIG WELCOME TO OUR NEW “FUTURE ROSSIES”
Congrats to DR. KIMBERLY FOCA ’19, the primary
Congratulations to DR. EMILY ZUR LINDEN ’12 on her recent win at the 11th annual North American Regional Powerlifting Championships as part of Team Canada! For her weight class, she won gold, as well as the “best overall female lifter.” All this while being a veterinarian, wife, and mom!
Congrats to DR. BRIAN HUSBANDS ’98, one of our Alumni Action Council members, who recently graduated from the Faculty Leadership Institute offered through the Ohio State University College of Medicine.
veterinarian for the brandnew Wendell Animal Hospital (part of Vets Pets, a North Carolina cooperative group of veterinary hospitals). Congratulations to new practice owner DR. LAURA ABRAMOV ’13 who recently started Happy Paws Mobile Veterinarian, a house call veterinary service that covers the five boroughs of New York City as well as Long Island.
Congratulations to alumnus DR. CARLA RODRIGUES ’13 on your interview for
the Portuguese-American newspaper LusoAmericano. Dr. Rodrigues is the founder and veterinarian at Pawsitive Healing in Jacksonville, FL.
Becket Lee, son of
Aidan, son of
DR. ERIN BAYSINGER ’07
DR. FELICIA HELLEN ’19
I N M E MOR I A M . Congratulations to DR. BETSY POWERS ’12 who was recently featured on the cover of Huntersville Living! Dr. Betsy Powers is the owner of Powers Veterinary Hospital and epitomizes the saying, “She believed she could, so she did.”
LIRIA T. RIERA-SEIVANE ’00, 48 years old, left this
world on August 10, 2021. For the last two years she battled breast cancer fiercely and courageously. She is survived by her parents, Alberto Riera-Ferro and Maria Teresa SeivaneEchevarria, her two brothers, Alejandro and Jaime Riera-Seivane, and sisters-inlaw, Puri Garcia-Serrablo and Olga E. Feliciano.
Congratulations to alumnus DR. BOB SILCOX ’98 on receiving
Congratulations DR. APRIL GESSNER DEDDENS ’13! Following the review of more than 300 nominations from animal lovers across the country, Dr. Deddens was nominated as a finalist for American Humane’s Hero Veterinarian and Hero Veterinary Nurse Awards™, sponsored by Zoetis Petcare.
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a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Maryland Veterinary Medical Association! “The award is given to a Maryland veterinarian for demonstrating a lifetime of significant contribution and selfless dedication to veterinary medicine, the health and welfare of animals, and the betterment of the profession through outstanding leadership in the building of strong local and state associations.”
CHASIDY (THOMPSON) MAYLE ’13, 36 years old,
passed away unexpectedly following a brief illness Friday November 26, 2021, in University Hospital, Cleveland. She is survived by her husband Chris L. Mayle to whom she was married 11 years; one daughter, Meredith Jean Mayle; her parents, Keith and Betty Thompson; two sisters, Veronica Thompson and Karre (Steven) Butler; one brother, Kyle (Samantha) Thompson; and extended family.
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BE A RUSVM ALUMNI
EVENT ROUNDUP
NEW YORK CITY
LAS VEGAS
We were so excited to visit in-person with Rossies across the country at our recent alumni receptions! Whether it was at VMX in Orlando in June, Western Vet in Las Vegas in September, or in New York City, a good time was had by all. Be sure to register for our upcoming 2022 alumni receptions at VMX in January, Midwestern Vet in February, and Western Vet in March!
AMBASSADOR
Do you have some free time to give to your alma mater? Would you like to share the value of your education with prospective students and their families? Are you looking for a meaningful way to volunteer? Become a RUSVM Alumni Ambassador today!
ORLANDO
If you are interested in the Alumni Ambassador program and would like more information, please email us at rusvmalumni@rossu.edu. 40 / ROSS VET ALUMNI MAGAZINE / WINTER 2022
Alumni activities include, but are not limited to, the following: • White Coat Ceremony Speaker • Enrollment Webinar • Prospective Student Outreach • Speaker at College Fairs • Profile in Marketing Material • Alumni Association Council Member • Scholarship Donation • WIVC Speaker And much, much more…
Office of Institutional Advancement & Alumni Relations 630 US Highway One, Suite 2031 North Brunswick, NJ 08902
732-898-0002 rusvmalumni@rossu.edu WEBSITE: veterinary.rossu.edu TELEPHONE: EMAIL:
@RossVetSchool
SAVE THE DATE: NOVEMBER 6-11, 2022 Mark your calendars for Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine’s 2022 West Indies Veterinary Conference. We are grateful for your support over the years and thrilled that the 2022 conference will coincide with the university’s 40th anniversary! Looking forward to having you all join us for this historical celebration.
© 2022 Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine. All rights reserved.
Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine’s DVM degree program is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education (AVMA COE) 1931 N. Meacham Road, Suite 100, Schaumburg, IL 60173 Tel: 800.248.2862 | Email: MMaresh@avma.org