On Call - Spring 2023

SPRING 2023

On Call A MAGAZINE FOR FRIENDS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN SCHOOL OF VETERINARY MEDICINE

A Work of Art SVM community paints vibrant depiction of veterinary medicine

Tomorrow’s Veterinarians Members of the Class of 2026 share their perspectives

Join the Circle The Dean’s Circle recognizes donors who have shown an exceptional commitment to the school and our lifesaving mission — whether through leadership-level gifts, including the school in their estate plans, or as loyal supporters over a significant number of years.

Benefits include: • Special updates about the School of Veterinary Medicine • An invitation to join Dean Mark D. Markel for a virtual town hall each spring • An invitation to attend the annual Dean’s Luncheon on campus each fall • The joy of helping the school advance animal and human health with science and compassion For more information about current giving priorities and to learn how you can be part of the Dean’s Circle, visit go.wisc.edu/deans-circle or contact Pat Bowdish at 608-332-4750 or pat.bowdish@supportuw.org.

SPRING 2023

Features In Each Issue 4 Message from the Dean Welcome to Spring 5 Menagerie A diverse collection of news and information from the SVM

Imagining a Brighter Future

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In October, the UW School of Veterinary Medicine unveiled a new mural designed by Milwaukee artist Tia Richardson. The mural was a collaborative effort, with veterinary medical students, faculty, and staff contributing ideas and paint strokes across its 24-foot expanse. The work vibrantly depicts a student’s journey and imagines the future and hopes of the veterinary medical profession — that of a more inclusive, diverse, and welcoming field.

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18 Comparatively Speaking A special section for alumni of the Veterinary Science and Comparative Biomedical Sciences graduate programs 20 DVM Badger Den News for and about graduates of the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program

More 5 Ask a UW Veterinarian 5 Socializing with the SVM 22 Patient Profile

On the Cover

Meet Our Newest Class

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A portion of the community mural installed in the UW School of Veterinary Medicine’s Renk Learning Center in fall 2022, titled “Leading, Learning, and Loving.”

The mural was designed

by Milwaukee artist Tia Richardson with input and communal painting from SVM faculty, staff, and students and the broader veterinary medical community. (Photo: Seth Moffitt/UW School of Veterinary Medicine) ©2023 Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System

From a record pool of nearly 2,000 applicants (a number surpassed in the most recent application cycle), the UW School of Veterinary Medicine welcomed 96 students to its Class of 2026. After completing a semester of their studies in the fall of 2022, we asked members of the class to share what drew them to the profession and describe the experience of a veterinary medical student.

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Message from the Dean BRYCE RICHTER

Welcome to Spring

Welcome to the spring issue of On Call. It’s an exciting time at the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine. We are in the midst of our building expansion project, with the completion of the new north building slated for this coming fall/winter. Continued remodeling of our current south building and the addition of a covered equine arena will follow, to be completed by the end of 2024. You can view the progress of our new building construction on the Animals Need Heroes Too website at animalsneedheroestoo.com.

Mark D. Markel If you watched this year’s Super Bowl, you perhaps saw the beloved golden retriever Scout in WeatherTech’s most recent commercial.

Before he passed due to cancer, Scout’s life (and quality of life) was extended by the care provided at the UW School of Veterinary Medicine. Scout’s story, spotlighted in WeatherTech’s 2020 Super Bowl ad, inspired animal lovers worldwide to support efforts to advance cancer treatments and technology at the school. Those gifts are pushing forward new cancer research and therapies, which you can read more about at go.wisc.edu/scoutlegacy.

In this issue of On Call, we highlight the school’s community mural project, launched last spring during the Iverson Bell Midwest Regional Diversity Summit held in Madison. We engaged an immensely talented artist, Tia Richardson, to guide the school’s faculty, staff, students, and those in attendance at the summit through the mural’s creation and painting. In addition to its prominent location in the school, we look forward to the mural being displayed on the cover of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association this coming summer.

Also in this issue is a story about our DVM Class of 2026. It has been an interesting time for our profession, with a more than 25 percent increase in applicants to veterinary medical schools in the U.S. over the past three years.

At the UW School of Veterinary Medicine, the number of applicants more than doubled over the same time frame. As you may have noticed in your own community, there’s a nationwide shortage of both veterinarians and veterinary technicians. Many schools and colleges around the country are expanding their class size, and several new schools of veterinary medicine have launched over the last five years. Here at UW-Madison, we increased our DVM class size from 80 to 96 nearly six years ago to help address these shortages.

I hope each of you has a great spring. If you have a chance, drive by our new building to see its progress!

SPRING 2023

Administration Mark D. Markel, Dean Richard Barajas, Assistant Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Lynn Maki, Associate Dean for Student Academic Affairs Nancy Parkinson, Assistant Dean for Human Resources Ed Rodriguez, Associate Dean for Budget and Finance Peggy Schmidt, Associate Dean for Professional Programs Chris Snyder, Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs and Director, UW Veterinary Care M. Suresh, Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Training Kristi V. Thorson, Associate Dean for Advancement and Administration Lauren Trepanier, Assistant Dean for Clinical and Translational Research

Editorial Editor/Writer: Meghan Lepisto Contributing Writers: Chris Barncard, Will Cushman, Britta Wellenstein Photography: Meghan Lepisto, Elise Mahon, Jeff Miller, Seth Moffitt, Bryce Richter, Britta Wellenstein Design: Christine Knorr, University Marketing

Connect with Us Please send your feedback and comments to oncall@vetmed.wisc.edu, 608-263-6914, or On Call Editor, 2015 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706. www.vetmed.wisc.edu www.uwveterinarycare.wisc.edu facebook.com/uwvetmed facebook.com/uwveterinarycare twitter.com/uwvetmed

Mark D. Markel, Dean

Share Your Thoughts The UW School of Veterinary Medicine is asking for a few minutes of your time to complete an anonymous reader survey about the school’s communications efforts. Your participation will help us understand your engagement with the school and our communications, along with what information you would like to receive and how, so we can best serve your interests.

To complete the survey, please visit go.wisc.edu/SVMsurvey.

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On Call | Spring 2023

twitter.com/uwvetmeddean youtube.com/uwvetmed instagram.com/uwvetmed

On Call is also available online at: www.vetmed.wisc.edu/on-call The printing and distribution of this magazine were funded by donations to the school. To make a gift, contact Pat Bowdish at 608-332-4750 or pat.bowdish@supportuw.org or Heidi Kramer at 608-327-9136 or heidi.kramer@supportuw.org.

Menagerie

Ask a UW Veterinarian IST OC K

PH OT O :J O SS

Socializing with the SVM

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Friends of the school sharing their thoughts (and pets) on social media.

Tips for Choosing Tick Protection This expert response comes from Amy Nichelason and Maria Verbrugge, clinical assistant professor and clinical instructor, respectively, of primary care services at the UW School of Veterinary Medicine.

Question: Many types of tick prevention products are available. Is one type better or more effective than another?

Answer: As the weather begins to warm, it’s important to protect your pet against ticks. There are many tick preventatives to choose from, including oral chews, collars, and topicals, so it can be confusing for pet owners to know what to use.

All flea and tick products available from a veterinarian are around 98 to 99 percent effective. These prevention methods kill fleas and ticks by targeting chemical receptors only present on fleas and ticks, making them generally safe for mammals. Which one you choose depends on your dog or cat’s lifestyle.

A topical tick guard, for instance, isn’t as desirable if your pet gets baths or swims often. A collar is simple and easy.

Tick prevention chews can be paired with heartworm protection, which you should also give to your pets, making this a convenient option.

Talk to your veterinarian about the safest option for your pet, and use

whatever works best for you and your animal. One crucial point is to ensure the preventative you buy is designated for the animal you have, as the dose and type of chemical vary between dogs and cats and could be ineffective or even dangerous if used incorrectly.

No matter what approach you choose, tick prevention methods don’t last forever. Depending on the type and brand, they need to be repeated every month or every few months.

Ticks are present year-round, but it is especially crucial to remember to administer tick preventatives in the spring, summer, and fall months when people and pets spend more time outside.

Likewise, even though tick preventatives are highly effective, it is still essential to routinely check your pet for ticks, especially if your pet is outdoors often. Collectively, these prevention methods protect not only your pet but you and your family from ticks.

Have a question for our veterinary medical experts?

Please send it to the On Call editor at oncall@vetmed.wisc.edu. We cannot guarantee responses to all submissions. For any urgent pet health issue, please contact your veterinarian directly.

So thankful Trevor’s been doing great since his emergency pacemaker surgery in July. He’s gained weight back and is just as fluffy as ever. Huge shout out to @uwveterinarycare for saving his life.

–@aware.wolf Via UW School of Veterinary Medicine Instagram (@uwvetmed)

Mitch the otter had his routine exam a few weeks ago.

Thanks to University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine Special Species for taking such great care of our animals!

–Ochsner Park Zoo Via UW School of Veterinary Medicine Facebook (@uwvetmed)

Miss Poppy the Wonder Dog completed her final day of chemo today.

Twenty long weeks, but the staff at University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine have been outstanding.

–Nancy Johnson-Rauen Via UW School of Veterinary Medicine Facebook (@uwvetmed)

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Menagerie Study: Flea-Borne Bacteria Can Infect Cats and People

The Eyes Have It: Leandro Teixeira, left, the Richard R. Dubielzig Professor for Comparative Ocular Pathology in the UW School of Veterinary Medicine, describes his research to UW–Madison Science Journalist in Residence Latif Nasser. The pair is looking at a blue whale eye while visiting the Comparative Ocular Pathology Laboratory of Wisconsin in the SVM. The lab provides diagnoses for veterinarians worldwide and studies ocular disease in animals.

Nasser, co-host of the public radio show Radiolab, toured research labs and brought his science journalism expertise to campus in October.

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On Call | Spring 2023

The researchers collected and examined fleas on free-roaming cats brought in for spaying or neutering at community Trap-Neuter-Release programs. The cats were then returned to their original location.

The team found three different bacterial genera, or categories, common in all the fleas: Bartonella, Rickettsia, and Wolbachia. Many species of Bartonella and Rickettsia cause disease in people but also can cause disease in cats.

“Fortunately, there are good and easy ways to prevent fleas,” Lashnits emphasizes. “Flea preventatives are effective and not very expensive, and help prevent flea infestation in the first place.”

Next, the researchers will compare the pathogens found in these fleas to pathogens found in free-roaming

cats, then explore ways to break the transmission cycle before cats and people get infected.

“My big takeaway is that fleas can carry pathogens and are not just a nuisance or something to overlook.”

“Ultimately, of course, we want cats to be healthy. We don’t want them to get these diseases,” Lashnits explains. “But in a lot of ways, it matters for people. Because if people are exposed to diseases from the fleas on free-roaming cats, that is a big impact on human health.”

Britta Wellenstein

ELISE MAHON/UW-MADISON

Fleas are a bother. All pet owners, particularly cat owners, know the annoyance they present. But fleas pose more of a risk than just an itchy pet.

“Fleas aren’t just a nuisance; they actually carry disease,” says Erin Lashnits, assistant professor of small animal internal medicine at the UW School of Veterinary Medicine. “It’s a really understudied type of vectorborne disease in the U.S.” Lashnits and colleagues at North Carolina State University recently published research in the journal Parasites & Vectors, revealing exactly what disease-causing bacteria cat fleas carry and their implications on cats and people. The study was supported by the UW School of Veterinary Medicine’s Companion Animal Fund grant program.

Helping the Medicine Go Down Cats are cats. Any cat lover knows they can transition from sweet and cuddly to stubborn and sassy with a mind of their own. That is especially the case when cats need to take medicine orally.

“Cats are incredibly difficult to medicate and there are just not a lot of good options,” says Amy Nichelason, a board-certified canine and feline practitioner and clinical assistant professor at the UW School of Veterinary Medicine.

Because of these challenges, pills sometimes must be forced into a cat’s mouth and throat — a method called dry swallowing. This approach can negatively affect the humananimal bond, increase inflammation of the esophagus, and make cats more apprehensive about future treatment.

Liquid medication is typically easier to administer to cats, but acceptance of these formulations also depends on the flavor and type.

Hoping to contribute scientific evidence to this everyday predicament, Nichelason and colleagues recently compared flavor acceptance in liquid medications among cats. They published their findings in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association.

Although general cat flavor preferences are known, this was the first study to examine the acceptance of differently compounded flavors for cat medications.

In the study, healthy pet cats received a variety of flavorings, like chicken, beef, and fish, in unmedicated oil- and waterbased liquid formulas. Owners gave the cats different flavors at home and observed which their cats ate. However, no flavor stuck out as the favorite.

One interesting finding was that cats didn’t like sweet flavors in water-based formulations. This surprised Nichelason and her peers because cats lack the gene to taste sweetness, so it was intriguing that they actively disliked the sweet flavor.

“Cats will be cats.

They want what they want; they’ll do what they want. They’re hard to predict.”

Another standout finding was that owners struggled to accurately predict which compounding flavor their cat would like; owners’ perceptions of their cats’ preferences were only moderately associated with flavor acceptance.

Although no individual flavor was an overall winner, the cats favored oil-based flavorings over water-based flavorings.

There were some trends toward flavor preferences (specifically, chicken and fish), but these findings were not statistically significant.

That said, cats remain picky. Sixty percent of cats didn’t like any of the oilbased flavors, compared to 85 percent that disliked the water-based flavors.

“It matches what we see in clinical practice: cats are just really hard to medicate,” Nichelason says.

Still, the study provides a stepping stone for improving cats’ compliance with medicine and guides what veterinarians should prescribe.

“The moral of the story is to try something that has the best odds of working,” Nichelason says. “What I took home from this as a veterinarian is that I should avoid sweet flavors and use oilbased flavorings when possible.”

Britta Wellenstein

Nichelason offers a few general recommendations to lessen the stress of medicating finicky felines: •T ry different formulations — chews, liquid, or tablets — based on what your cat likes. If you aren’t sure of their preference, many compounding pharmacies can provide unmedicated samples for your cat to try before adding a medication.

•R eward your cat with a treat or extra affection after any medication to reinforce a positive outcome.

• Be honest with your veterinarian.

If the medication formulation isn’t working and it is creating stress, let your veterinarian know so you can work together to create a better medication plan.

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Menagerie

In a world still reeling from COVID-19, infectious disease researchers are eager to head off the next pandemic before it has the chance to spill over from animals to humans. But the scientific reality of pandemic prevention isn’t straightforward, and researchers have generally avoided making specific predictions about the potential of individual viruses to cause global disease.

Sometimes, though, a signal is so compelling it can’t be ignored. One such signal has prompted a group of scientists to sound the alarm about an obscure virus in wild African primates — despite the fact that neither the virus nor any of its close relatives have ever been documented in humans.

“It’s a pretty controversial prediction,” concedes Tony Goldberg, a professor of pathobiological sciences at the UW School of Veterinary Medicine.

Goldberg is part of the group warning that simian hemorrhagic fever virus and its family of simian arteriviruses could pose a significant health risk to humanity should the right conditions allow it to leap from wild primates to people.

The group has demonstrated the virus’s ability to infect human cells and deftly evade the human immune system’s typical responses. They published their findings in the scientific journal Cell.

The researchers say there is no known risk to people now, and there is no guarantee the virus will make the jump from wild primates. But Goldberg and his colleagues say it’s important to understand these viruses and the risks they could pose.

Goldberg and collaborators on other campuses carried out sophisticated laboratory analyses that inform the group’s assertions. Their most recent lab work stems from a decades-long effort by Goldberg and colleagues to hunt down and describe potentially dangerous viruses lurking in wild places.

In fact, Goldberg’s field work in the forests of Uganda first identified wild strains of simian arteriviruses — strains used to understand the virus’s infectious potential in this latest research. Read more: go.wisc.edu/wild-primate-virus Will Cushman

Overheard

Recent commentary by and about those at the SVM “It’s like bringing the kids to daycare from different suburbs. As they commingle, that’s where the virus moves around on a global scale.”

– Keith Poulsen DVM’04, PhD’12, clinical associate professor, in a New York Times story about avian influenza and bird migration.

“If your dog is showing any clinical signs of respiratory disease, they shouldn’t go to the party and you should get in touch with your vet.”

– UW Shelter Medicine Program Director Sandra Newbury DVM’03 discussing canine influenza.

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On Call | Spring 2023

“Cross-disciplinary work can be enormously challenging, but we know that bringing creative researchers together across disciplines to work on critical problems can spark extraordinary discovery and innovation.

There’s a serious interest in thinking across here, and that’s a great thing.”

– UW–Madison Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin in On Wisconsin magazine, praising UW School of Veterinary Medicine collaborations with implications for animal and human health.

TONY GOLDBERG

Obscure Virus Could Pose Significant Health Risk

Red colobus monkeys in Kibale National Park, Uganda. The species are natural hosts of arteriviruses related to simian hemorrhagic fever virus.

“Make sure your animals are getting their vaccines on time and boosting appropriately.”

– Amy Nichelason, clinical assistant professor, on Wisconsin Public Radio discussing a 2022 outbreak of canine parvovirus infection and vaccination remaining the best prevention.

“Because dogs don’t have occupational exposures and they don’t actively smoke, they would be a good model to study other environmental risks for bladder cancer.”

– Professor Lauren Trepanier in Nature Medicine, describing research to analyze dogs’ chemical exposures and then assess that exposure’s impact on cancer incidence in dogs and people.

C.D. SMITH CONSTRUCTION

Construction on the UW School of Veterinary Medicine building expansion began in the summer of 2021 and has progressed steadily, as seen in this drone photo from January 2023. This new three-story facility will enhance students’ learning opportunities, update and expand UW Veterinary Care facilities and equipment, and create new laboratories for researchers to make more life-saving discoveries. As the school moves into its new building later this year, the project will simultaneously continue into late 2024 with additional significant renovations in the school’s existing building and the construction of a covered large animal arena.

Bits of news from around the school Elizabeth Alvarez, clinical assistant professor of primary care, was presented with the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges’ 2023 Distinguished Veterinary Teacher Award in March. The honor recognizes an educator whose sustained record of teaching excellence and ability, dedication, character, and leadership has contributed significantly to the advancement of the profession.

This winter, the active learning classroom in the UW School of Veterinary Medicine’s Renk Learning Center was named in honor of Linda Sullivan DVM’87 in recognition of her profound impact on the school, UW-Madison, the Madison community, and her philanthropic generosity to the SVM. A member of the school’s charter class and a treasured professor with the school from 1990-2019, Sullivan passed away from cancer in February 2022.

FluGen, a company founded by UW School of Veterinary Medicine faculty members Yoshihiro Kawaoka and Gabriele Neumann, announced an experimental intranasal flu vaccine that achieved a broad immune response, publishing the findings in the Journal of Infectious Diseases in November.

FluGen is also working on a new way of protecting against flu and COVID-19 in one vaccine and is studying the same approach for respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV. This fall, UW–Madison was designated an Innovation and Economic Prosperity University by the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities and ranked eighth in national research rankings for public and private universities in the National Science Foundation’s 2021 fiscal year Higher Education Research and Development data, reporting more than $1.38 billion in annual research expenditures.

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Leading, Learning, and Loving Mural promotes diversity and community in veterinary medicine Written by Britta Wellenstein, photography by Seth Moffitt and Craig Wild

T

he Renk Learning Center in the UW School of Veterinary Medicine looks a little different these days and a lot more colorful. In October, the school unveiled a new mural from Milwaukee muralist Tia Richardson. The mural was a collaborative effort, with veterinary medical students, faculty, and staff contributing paint strokes across its 24-foot expanse.

The mural, titled “Leading, Learning, and Loving,” vibrantly depicts a veterinary medical student’s journey from a nervous student, seen in the first panel on the far left, to their role in imagining the future and hope of the profession — that of a more inclusive, diverse, and welcoming field. In between, books and peers guide students, animals offer comfort, and collaboration abounds.

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On Call | Spring 2023

“The mural shows what we want as a community. It shows what we want to get better, what better can look like, and how we can get there together,” Richardson says.

The initial inspiration for a mural came a few years prior when students and other members of the SVM community highlighted the lack of diverse representation among imagery and artwork in the school. They emphasized the need for a stronger sense of belonging for those from marginalized communities, with imagery throughout the school just one component of this.

“Students brought up that they wanted to see more representation on the walls and halls of the school. One of the ideas they had was a mural,” says Richard Barajas, assistant dean for diversity, equity, and inclusion at the SVM.

UW SCHOOL OF VETERINARY MEDICINE

“The painting represents our hopes for the UW–Madison School of Veterinary Medicine to be a diverse and welcoming environment for all.”

Fostering an Inclusive Community Improving diversity, equity, and inclusion is of high priority at the SVM and in the veterinary profession.

Efforts are underway locally and globally to reveal and remove barriers for those from historically underrepresented communities and improve the sense of belonging for all.

Veterinary medical students, faculty, and staff discussed such barriers at the most recent Iverson Bell Midwest Regional Diversity Summit, hosted in spring 2022 at the UW School of Veterinary Medicine. Over 140 students, faculty, and staff from more than 13 universities across the country attended the three-day conference.

Ideas generated at the biennial summit play a significant role in efforts to increase diversity and inclusiveness in veterinary medicine.

In preparation for the summit, Barajas, who led the program planning, returned to the idea of a mural. He saw such a project as a way to foster community building and stimulate conversations around inclusion and community in the veterinary profession.

Browsing muralists online, Barajas came across pictures of Richardson’s past works and thought her style and approach would fit perfectly. Richardson aims to create community and ensure a sense of belonging through her art. Barajas invited her to design the mural and serve as a keynote speaker for the summit.

Before the summit, Richardson toured the SVM to better understand the school’s history, future, and culture.

She explored the learning center and anatomy labs, taking notice of the myriad animal skeletal models that later inspired components of her mural design. She also toured the teaching hospital and was struck by the care and dedication of all involved.

“I saw all the people working very closely together. The rooms are small and lent themselves to building a tight atmosphere and camaraderie,” Richardson says. “The impression I got was just the sheer amount of care that goes into maintaining and caring for animals on a daily basis.”

Left: Initial sketches for the UW School of Veterinary Medicine community mural by Tia Richardson. Above: A portion of the final mural representing themes of community, belonging, One Health, and more, and the world-class research, teaching, and clinical care advanced at the school in close proximity to Wisconsin’s capitol.

Imagining a Brighter Future As a next step in the artistic process, Richardson held workshops at the school in early 2022 to help guide the mural design before painting began at the summit.

“Through the design workshops, the veterinary school community — students, faculty, and staff — were given a chance to acknowledge challenges in their community, think of what others can do to help make those challenges better, and then imagine a brighter future as a direct result of those choices,” says Richardson.

Workshop members reflected on changes needed in the veterinary medical school and profession, like having more opportunities to discuss diversity, equity, and inclusion, and making the environment more welcoming.

“Tia guided us on brainstorming about our expectations on the academic environment, mental health, diversity and inclusion, and what changes we would like to see as a community,” says Isabela Fraga de Andrade, a 2022 PhD graduate of the Comparative Biomedical Sciences program who participated as a then-graduate student. “It was great to hear other people’s voices as well as my own.”

Workshop participants discussed and sketched these ideas and other important aspects of veterinary medicine. Students drew books acting like a bridge, the role of faculty in guiding students, and the bond veterinarians and clients share through their animals. Richardson brought up cow uteruses, which she had learned about during her tour of the school as a memorable element of first-year DVM classes. Others discussed and drew the therapeutic benefits of hugging cows and the importance of street medicine in providing veterinary medical care to those lacking access.

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Richardson combined these ideas and sketches to create the final design. She also added key elements she saw on her tour of the school and city, like the skeleton of Sally the giraffe in the school’s foyer and the state capitol building.

“The mural represents a collective mindset of the community, integrating all these different perspectives,” Richardson says. “Everybody has something different that they care about. The purpose behind community workshops is to bring all those perspectives together in a way where everybody who wants to can be included.”

Collective Effort This collaborative aspect became ever present at the Iverson Bell Midwest Regional Diversity Summit when painting took full force. Richardson gave a keynote address at the conference titled “Healing Through Art.” During an hour-long break in the summit program, all attendees were invited to paint portions of the mural.

“Many of us were moved by Richardson’s ability to bring people together in a way where all are equal,” Liz Jacka DVM’10, a lecturer at the school, said after attending the summit and helping to paint. “Through her art, she creates a space for all members of a community to come together to work toward the same goal.”

“The mural is a great step towards opening space to art and collective activities, which are essential to give a sense of belonging and nourish our humanity.”

More than 30 participants from multiple universities helped paint sections of the community mural as part of the Iverson Bell Midwest Regional Diversity Summit hosted by the UW School of Veterinary Medicine in May 2022. Richardson and members of the SVM community continued to paint the mural following the summit.

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On Call | Spring 2023

Richardson herself was struck by the community and camaraderie in painting at the conference, saying, “Everybody was so eager to get involved. We all have an inner kid. We all want to express ourselves as part of something bigger. That was beautiful to me.”

The mural itself also showcases such collaboration.

From left to right, veterinarians work together with patients and students, all in an effort to care for animals, each other, and the planet. As the mural progresses, veterinarians and clients connect in the clinic and community, and clinicians work together with a shared commitment.

On the far right, a group around a stethoscope highlights the idea of One Health, with everyone at the table, including animals. The SVM and the field of veterinary

medicine embody this collaborative approach, recognizing that human health is connected to the health of animals and the environment.

“The community expressed in the mural interpersonal relationships and, as a school community, bringing everybody closer through a shared commitment of caring for animals, the planet, and the environment — it is all intertwined,” Richardson reflects.

The Beauty of Art Richardson continued to paint the mural following the summit and invited members of the SVM community to join. Fraga de Andrade, who had participated in a mural workshop, was glad to see the effort come full circle. They helped paint the mural as they concluded their graduate studies, contributing a chameleon on the mural’s right side.

“It was great to take a break and focus on something beautiful during the final months prior to my graduation,” Fraga de Andrade says. “Painting is a great meditative activity as you get to focus on colors and details rather than being involved in our usual worries.”

The finished painting was unveiled in October 2022 in the student study space within the Renk Learning Center.

It serves as a marker for creating a welcoming and inclusive environment both at the SVM and, more broadly, across the field of veterinary medicine.

“The painting represents our hopes for the UW–Madison School of Veterinary Medicine to be a diverse and welcoming

“The mural shows what we want as a community. It shows what we want to get better, what better can look like, and how we can get there together.”

Top: A panoramic of the final mural installed in the school. Above: Artist Tia Richardson, at far right, encourages Rylie VanderPlaats, center, from Iowa State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. At left Jessica Wild, a radiology resident with the UW School of Veterinary Medicine, paints.

environment for all those who love animals and want to learn and give care,” Fraga de Andrade reflects. “It is a great step towards opening space to art and collective activities, which are essential to give a sense of belonging and nourish our humanity. Hopefully, actions like this can inspire future projects that benefit those within and outside the university.”

Richardson encourages all who visit and are part of the school to view the mural and take their own perspective.

“There are different pieces that are going to mean different things to different people,” she says. “I think that’s the beauty of community art. It doesn’t have to mean one thing for everybody.”

Meet Tomorrow’s

Perspectives from the School of Veterinary Medicine’s newest class Written by Britta Wellenstein, photography by Seth Moffitt

R

ead or watch the news these days, and you’ll likely hear of a veterinarian shortage.

Throughout America, the number of pet owners is growing. However, there are not enough clinicians to meet this increased demand. Those with livestock and other large animals, particularly horses, have also felt the impacts.

In a 2022 statement on the U.S. veterinary workforce, the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) reported significant shortages of veterinarians among all sectors and specialties. They highlight ways to increase the number of veterinarians, including bolstering pay and support. They also call attention to increasing enrollment and interest in veterinary medicine, particularly by creating a more inclusive environment and workforce.

In response to a need for more veterinarians, the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine increased its Doctor of Veterinary Medicine class size to 96 with the 2017 incoming class. This increase was gradual, from 80 students in the 2011 and 2012 incoming classes to between 87 and 90 students in the 2013-16 classes of first-year DVM students.

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On Call | Spring 2023

“There is at least some light at the end of the tunnel in the sense that there are many more veterinarians being trained now than there were even five years ago, but it’s a four-year program,” says Mark Markel, the school’s dean. “It’s not an instant solution, but it is a pathway where more veterinarians are going to be trained and come into the workforce.”

Efforts to increase interest in the profession also seem to be having an impact. For the 2021-22 veterinary college admissions cycle nationally, there was a 5.5 percent increase in qualified applications, with a total of 10,834 nationwide.

The UW School of Veterinary Medicine saw record applicants — 1,942 total — for its Class of 2026. This represents a 93 percent increase in applications compared to the year prior. Most recently, applicants for the school’s Class of 2027 set another record, with a total of 2,179.

With so much attention on the veterinary workforce of today and tomorrow, we thought you might want to know, who is the Class of 2026? We queried our students after they completed their first semester of studies in fall 2022 and share some of their perspectives across the following pages.

Veterinarians What drew you to veterinary medicine?

“From a young age, I enjoyed spending time and working with animals. Growing up around several small dairy farms, I was able to see firsthand how veterinarians impacted the lives of animals around me. As I grew older, my love for animals continued to grow, as well as my desire to help them when they were in distress. Veterinary medicine is a way for me to keep animals happy and healthy, while also improving the lives of people who are affected by these animals.” — Lillian Ledvina, Luxemburg,WI “When I was little, I learned English watching National Geographic documentaries and knew that I had an interest in working with animals in the future. However, my dad was not on the same page as me and wanted me to go into human medicine. We ended up compromising back when I was in elementary school and have been focused on veterinary medicine since then!” —Deborah Liu, Carmel, IN “I appreciate the variety in vet med. The variety in career choices, specialties, and species.” — Karina Porfirio,Vernon Hills, IL “I wanted to combine my love of animals and my interest in science with a career in which I could make a difference in the lives of my clients and patients.” — Hannah Lillesand, Sheboygan Falls,WI “I grew up with a menagerie of animals and ever since I can remember, being a vet was all I ever wanted. As time went on, I volunteered at a wildlife rehab center and the pull toward a career in veterinary medicine became stronger with the realization that vet med could be more than fixing puppies and kittens. I wanted to be an integral part of animals’ care – both domestic and wild – and be able to truly make a difference.”— Rachel Burns, Minocqua, WI “I grew up on a family farm in South Georgia and loved spending time with animals with my grandfather.

I worked at the University of Georgia Meat Science lab in undergrad, and I was on the fence about going to vet school. The USDA veterinarians working in our facility encouraged me to go to vet school because of the various opportunities in veterinary medicine.” — Eddie Henderson, Swainsboro, GA

Class of 2026 At-A-Glance 1,942

APPLICANTS Wisconsin resident applicants (226) Non-resident applicants (1,716)

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STUDENTS ACCEPTED Wisconsin residents (63) Non-residents (33) Women (84), Men (12)

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UNDERGRADUATE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES REPRESENTED

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DIFFERENT UNDERGRADUATE MAJORS REPRESENTED Agriculture, Animal Science, Anthropology, Art, Biochemistry, Biological Sciences, Biology, Biomedical Engineering, Communication Science & Disorders, Communication Studies, Computer Science, Dairy Science, English, Marine Biology, Molecular Biology, Psychology, Zoology

PRIMARY AREAS OF CAREER INTEREST AT TIME OF APPLICATION: Small animal (37), Food animal (17), Wildlife/ Zoo (12), Equine (9), Other* (8), Mixed (6), Avian/Exotics (4), Research/Industry (3) *includes lab animal medicine, shelter animal medicine, pathology, public health, and undecided areas of interest

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Why did you choose to attend the UW School of Veterinary Medicine?

“The reputation of the school was great, and the opportunities in the area of large animal reproduction were in line with my career goals.” — Eddie Henderson “I chose to attend UW–Madison SVM because of its reputation and location. Growing up in Wisconsin, attending UW–Madison for veterinary school seemed the logical choice, and that choice became a dream once I realized what an amazing veterinary medicine program it had to offer.” — Rachel Burns

“The most exciting part of my SVM experience so far was my first week of class. Realizing that all my hard work had paid off and I was one step closer to becoming a veterinarian was a very surreal experience.” — Lillian Ledvina “So far, the most exciting part of my SVM experience is making new friends and discovering the vast array of options available to someone in the veterinary field. I always knew there were different paths you could take, but I never realized just how many!” — Rachel Burns

“I chose UW–Madison SVM because of how welcoming the SVM community is. Additionally, it is a rigorous program that would challenge me to be the best doctor I can be.” — Brianna Clifton, Romeoville, IL

“The most exciting part of my SVM experience so far has been the out-of-classroom experiences I’ve attended.

Getting to learn about and see medicine in action is what keeps me going to class every day. The International Crane Foundation health checks and the Midwest Horse Welfare Foundation fall vet day were major highlights!”

— Allyssah Lanzo

What’s been the most exciting part of your SVM experience so far?

What’s been unexpected or difficult about your first year?

“The most exciting part of my SVM experience so far is seeing how topics in class relate to my work at a private clinic. In anatomy, we recently learned about cranial nerves and covered the infraorbital nerve on the maxilla (jaw). I had a lightbulb moment when I pieced together why the veterinarian I work for called many dental blocks infraorbital blocks!” — Deborah Liu

“I fully expected the first year to be difficult. I did not expect to have to completely revamp the way I study, and not really get to see my family. I’ve been going to school pretty much my entire adult life, been to nine different colleges, and I thought I had studying down to a science.

This year, I learned different ways of studying from my classmates and some faculty. I also went from being the primary caregiver in my family to just going to school and studying. It’s been a major adjustment for us all.”

— Jessica Dean

“The staff and students are so friendly and welcoming, and each day we are learning something new or having a new experience. Every day here is one more step towards becoming a veterinarian.” — Jessica Dean, Slinger,WI

“It’s been difficult to balance academics with work, hobbies, and my personal life. I think that too much of anything can lead to burnout, including studying. So, I’ve tried my best to prioritize my mental health by continuing to work out consistently, work a few hours throughout the week, and get involved in extracurriculars.”

— Karina Porfirio “One of the most challenging things for me this first year was learning to live in a city environment. Having grown up in a rural area my entire life, the transition to city life has been an eye-opening experience.” — Lillian Ledvina “The most difficult part of first year was realizing that every class you take is equally as important and you have to study a little bit every night. Cramming does not work in vet med school.” — Brianna Clifton “The biggest difficulties I’ve experienced this first year have been reworking my study habits to fit the veterinary school curriculum and truly just how busy we are as students — school is definitely a full-time job now!” — Allyssah Lanzo

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What is your favorite class or experience so far?

“Small Animal Anatomy has been my favorite class, especially the comparative anatomy sessions. Additionally, shadowing in the clinic in the Special Species department was a highlight, as well as attending a talk from Dr. Izzy Hirji and learning that being a vet can be any kind of experience that you want it to be — you just have to be willing to take that jump into the unknown.” — Rachel Burns

“I really love the Lunch-N-Learn talks during the midday class break. They have helped show me the variety of fields available for veterinarians to work in (and a free meal never hurts)!” — Allyssah Lanzo

“My favorite class so far has been the Fundamentals of Veterinary Anatomy. I’ll never forget us jumping right in with dissections on the first day of school.” — Deborah Liu “Participating in the equine castration lab was my favorite experience so far. Our horse was just purchased at an auction a week before the lab, so we got to name him!

(We chose to name him Samson.)” — Hannah Lillesand “My favorite class has been physiology because it has opened my eyes to how complex the body system is to keep the animal alive.” — Brianna Clifton “The American Association of Equine Practitioners, Bovine, and Theriogenology (animal reproduction) clubs are my favorite.” — Eddie Henderson “The suture lab through the Surgery Club and attending spay day have been my favorite experiences.” — Karina Porfirio

Above and left: Members of the Class of 2026 take part in laboratory activities as part of new student orientation in the summer of 2022.

Holistic Admissions In the process of narrowing down nearly 2,000 applicants to the next class of DVM students, the UW School of Veterinary Medicine Office of Academic Affairs takes a holistic approach to applications.

This approach acknowledges each student’s individual journey to veterinary medicine and multiple aspects of their application.

“We look at academic preparation and how the student did from a grade perspective, but we are also interested in work experiences, community and volunteer roles, and student organizations or clubs, where students can demonstrate leadership, communication skills, curiosity, passion for learning, and teamwork,” says Lynn Maki, associate dean for student academic affairs.

The School of Veterinary Medicine has worked to create a school and professional environment more reflective of society as a whole, aiming to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion and create a more welcoming environment for all interested in veterinary medicine. Holistic approaches to student applications help decrease barriers, biases, and inequalities in the application process to create a more inclusive admitted class.

In December 2020, the SVM took another step in removing unnecessary barriers by eliminating the Graduate Record

Examination (GRE) general test for admittance into the school. This decision came as universities throughout the U.S. removed this requirement for many graduate and professional health sciences programs, including human and veterinary medicine. This action is one factor contributing to the increased applications seen in 2021.

In one interesting trend, both in Wisconsin and nationally, veterinary medical schools have become female-dominated across both students and applicants. Since the late 1980s, the number of enrolled women has steadily increased while the number of enrolled men has steadily decreased. In the 2022 application cycle, for example, less than 20 percent of applicants identified as male.

Two high-profile cases currently before the U.S. Supreme Court related to affirmative action and college admissions could have wide-ranging impacts for admissions processes throughout the country. The SVM will ensure its policies align with any resulting decisions or changes while continuing to pursue a holistic approach.

“The SVM believes diversity in students, faculty, and staff has a positive impact on the educational process, improves the academic experience, and results in a veterinary profession better equipped to respond to the changing needs of society,” says Maki.

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COURTESY GAMM LABORATORY

Comparatively Speaking

Proof of synapses connecting pairs of retinal cells derived from human pluripotent stem cells comes from the red coloring of infection by a modified rabies virus passed from one cell with a yellow nucleus across the synapse to a cell that glows only red.

Lab-Grown Retinal Eye Cells Make Successful Connections, Open Door for Clinical Trials to Treat Blindness Retinal cells grown from stem cells can reach out and connect with neighbors, according to a new study, completing a “handshake” that may show the cells are ready for trials in humans with degenerative eye disorders.

Over a decade ago, University of Wisconsin–Madison researchers developed a way to grow organized clusters of cells, called organoids, that resemble the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. They coaxed human skin cells reprogrammed to act as stem cells to develop into layers of several types of retinal cells that sense light and ultimately transmit what we see to the brain.

“We wanted to use the cells from those organoids as replacement parts for the same types of cells that have been lost in the course of retinal diseases,” says David Gamm, the UW–Madison ophthalmology professor 18

On Call | Spring 2023

and director of the McPherson Eye Research Institute whose lab developed the organoids. “But after being grown in a laboratory dish for months as compact clusters, the question remained — will the cells behave appropriately after we tease them apart? Because that is key to introducing them into a patient’s eye.”

During 2022, Gamm and UW–Madison collaborators published studies showing that dish-grown retinal cells called photoreceptors respond like those in a healthy retina to different wavelengths and intensities of light, and that once they are separated from adjacent cells in their organoid, they can reach out toward new neighbors with characteristic biological cords called axons.

“The last piece of the puzzle was to see if these cords had the ability to plug into, or shake hands with, other retinal cell types in order to communi-

cate,” says Gamm, whose new results on successful connections between the cells was published in January in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Graduate students Allison Ludwig, a dual degree DVM/PhD trainee with the School of Veterinary Medicine’s Comparative Biomedical Sciences program, and Steven Mayerl

“We’ve been quilting this story together in the lab, one piece at a time, to build confidence that we’re headed in the right direction.”

COURTESY LUDWIG

“I am eternally grateful for the support the DVM/ PhD program provided while this research was underway. The dual degree program has done an incredible job of helping us to not only become competent clinicians, but also versatile scientists.”

– Allison Ludwig

from the Cellular and Molecular Pathology program were co-firstauthors of the work.

Cells in the retina and brain communicate across synapses, tiny gaps at the tips of their cords. To confirm that their lab-grown retinal cells have the capacity to replace diseased cells and carry sensory information like healthy ones, the researchers needed to show that they could make synapses.

Xinyu Zhao, UW–Madison professor of neuroscience and co-author of the new study, worked with the Gamm lab’s cells to help study their ability to form synaptic connections. They did this using a modified rabies virus to identify pairs of cells that could form the means to communicate with one another.

The research team broke apart the retinal organoids into individual cells, gave them a week to extend their axons and make new connections, exposed them to the virus, and then took a peek. What they saw were many retinal cells marked by a fluorescent color indicating a rabies infection had infected one across a synapse successfully formed between neighbors.

“We’ve been quilting this story together in the lab, one piece at a time, to build confidence that we’re headed in the right direction,” says Gamm, who patented the organoids and co-founded Madison-based Opsis Therapeutics, which is adapting the technology to treat human eye disorders based on the UW–Madison discoveries. “It’s all leading, ultimately, to human clinical trials, which are the clear next step.”

After they confirmed the presence of synaptic connections, the researchers, which also included co-author Yu Gao of the university’s Waisman Center, analyzed the cells involved and found that the most common retinal cell types forming synapses were photoreceptors — rods and cones — which are lost in diseases like retinitis pigmentosa and age-related macular degeneration, as well as in certain eye injuries. The next most common cell type, retinal ganglion cells, are degenerate in optic nerve disorders like glaucoma.

“That was an important revelation for us,” says Gamm. “It really shows the potentially broad impact these retinal organoids could have.”

Gamm serves as Ludwig’s graduate advisor in her DVM/PhD training.

Ludwig recently completed her dissertation research in Gamm’s laboratory, focused on developing retinal patches to organize stem cell-derived photoreceptors for cell replacement therapy in diseases like macular degeneration.

As Ludwig works toward completing her veterinary medical degree, she hopes to continue to find new ways to accelerate the development of safe, effective cell therapies for retinal degenerative disease.

“I am eternally grateful for the support the DVM/PhD program provided while this research was underway,” she says. “The dual degree program has done an incredible job of helping us to not only become competent clinicians, but also versatile scientists.”

Chris Barncard

A Legacy of Dedication For 35 years, Narayana Rao Kosuri PhD’69 supported patients as a psychiatrist in Missouri. Following his passing from cancer in 2020, Kosuri’s positive impact continues. At the UW School of Veterinary Medicine, where Narayana Rao earned a doctorate, he and his wife Lalitha’s generosity supports the school’s building expansion.

Born in India in 1936, Kosuri immigrated to the United States in 1962 as a graduate student, having already earned a doctor of veterinary medicine degree. Kosuri added a PhD in pharmacology with the UW–Madison Department of Veterinary Science. For his dissertation, he studied the toxicity of the fungal plant pathogen Fusarium tricinctum.

He ultimately earned a medical degree and practiced as a psychiatrist with the Missouri State and BJC health systems in St. Louis.

Kosuri credited UW–Madison professors’ support for his academic successes, and he supported the university and SVM, including the school’s building expansion and renovation, throughout his lifetime.

Following Kosuri’s passing, his wife Lalitha made an additional gift to the building project to name one of the school’s two large lecture halls in his honor.

With courage, determination, and a focus on well-being and camaraderie, Kosuri prospered in the U.S. — values that resonate with students who enter the newly named Kosuri Family Lecture Hall.

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DVM Badger Den

Enacting Positive Change in Veterinary Medicine Like most veterinarians, Ruthanne Chun DVM’91 knew she wanted to be a veterinarian from childhood.

“You know the cliche of ‘I’ve always loved animals.’ As a kid, I wanted to be a veterinarian, and when I grew, I realized that I could do just that,” she says.

Chun has gone above and beyond in her dream. At the UW School of Veterinary Medicine, she serves as chief of large animal services, section head and clinical professor of medical oncology, and co-chair of the professional development curriculum working group. Chun is also president of the American Association of Veterinary Clinicians and, last December, finished a three-year term as president of the oncology specialty within the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.

Despite her early convictions, Chun almost went down a different professional path. She attended UW–Madison for her undergraduate degree, first pursuing preschool and kindergarten education.

“I didn’t think I could do the science and math for veterinary medicine,” she says. After an advisor pushed her to follow her passion and take pre-veterinary classes, she made the jump. “I took chemistry and I passed,” she recalls, and she then switched her major to meat and animal sciences.

Chun continued her education at UW–Madison, earning a DVM degree.

After graduation, an internship at Cornell University and a residency at Purdue University cemented an interest in oncology, the study and treatment of cancer.

Reflecting on her chosen specialty, Chun says, “You get to work with clients who want to do what they can for their animals and want to be educated.

They recognize that sometimes you can’t cure their animal. It’s a whole reframe of what success is. There’s also the comparative aspect, where what we

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Ruthanne Chun, clinical professor of medical oncology at the UW School of Veterinary Medicine, embraces Scout, a previous patient of UW Veterinary Care, in the hospital’s oncology waiting room.

“...it’s really about recognizing what that animal means to this person and how you can help.” learn about cancer care in animals can be translated back into people, and what we learn in people can be translated into animals.”

A subsequent role at Kansas State University developing a new veterinary oncology program showed Chun the impact veterinarians can have outside of directly helping animals. “I started to realize there were ways you could affect positive change that would impact an organization. There’s a lot you can do at a system level to try and make things better,” she says.

When Chun joined the UW School of Veterinary Medicine faculty in 2005, she used her passion and experience to help build the school’s oncology

service. Then, in 2010, she became associate dean for clinical affairs, a position she held for 11 years.

Over the years, Chun has become more involved in local and national veterinary medicine administrative affairs. Most recently, she led an American Association of Veterinary Clinicians Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity (DEI) working group.

Chun convened veterinarians from throughout the nation, plus American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges staff, to explore the limited diversity of the veterinary medical profession. The working group published their findings and recommendations in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association this past December.

The team outlined ways to improve the representation of historically marginalized communities within post-DVM clinical training programs and veterinary academic faculty, noting that improved diversity in human healthcare is known to improve patient health outcomes, patient-to-provider communication, and patient satisfaction.

Few people of color in DVM programs currently go on to academic careers or advanced clinical training internships. The team led by Chun identified opportunities for progress in recruiting and retaining students of color into academic veterinary medical careers and creating more inclusive and welcoming environments. The group also analyzed barriers in this transition, including in the application and interview process. And they provided suggestions to improve diversity and decrease implicit bias (the unconscious stereotypes or assumptions made about others) in intern and resident selection.

Locally, one aspect of Chun’s work that she finds most rewarding is her co-founding of Wisconsin Companion Animal Resources, Education, and Social Services, or WisCARES, and her continued leadership with the clinic. WisCARES provides subsidized veterinary medical care, housing support and advocacy, and other social services to Dane County pet owners who are low-income or experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity.

Chun, who in March received a UW–Madison Outstanding Women of Color Award, notes that understanding others’ perspectives is at the heart of this access-to-care initiative. “What we teach and model at WisCARES is selfreflection and the understanding that this is how I see the world, but somebody’s coming to me with their animal because they want help,” she says. “What is their world like? How can we help them in the best way that honors and respects where that person’s coming from?”

Chun remains a veterinarian and professor at heart. She coordinates or coleads three courses across all four years of the curriculum, providing students an introduction to the teaching hospital and instruction in clinical communication.

She also sees patients through UW Veterinary Care’s Oncology service.

“When you work with a client one-on-one with their animal, it’s really about recognizing what that animal means to this person and how you can help,” she says. “What I love is teaching others to be able to do that. And trying to help enact systemic positive change.”

Chun hopes to continue to build trainees’ clinical experience, professional communication skills, compassion, and understanding. “There’s always going to be something else that needs to be done,” she says. “I like to look at it as a glass half full. Your job is never done.”

Britta Wellenstein

In Memoriam The UW School of Veterinary Medicine regrets to announce the loss of an alumna.

Jennifer Berg DVM’97 passed away in November 2022. Berg was a veterinarian in Manhattan, New York, eventually founding her own practice, Tribeca Veterinary Wellness. Veterinary medicine was not just a job for Berg. It was her passion and she excelled at it with a mission to care for her patients and teach owners how to appreciate and care for their beloved pets.

A Message to DVM Alumni Each year accredited schools of veterinary medicine submit an interim report documenting activity since the school’s most recent self-study and site visit relative to the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Council on Education accreditation standards.

As I reviewed our recent submission, I was struck by the significant investments the school has made in our students over the last five years.

Since 2018, our expenditures on instruction, academic support, and student services have increased by 46 percent. This number did not surprise me as I considered the strategic decisions the school has made to invest in education and student support.

We have more instructors, more support to adapt instructional content to today’s learners, and we continue expanding our offerings in the clinical skills lab. We have staff dedicated to student services and career development and two full-time student counselors at the school.

As we note in our strategic plan, the “academic, professional, and personal success of our students defines our success as a school of veterinary medicine.”

While the accreditation standards certainly guide many decisions for our DVM program, feedback from you is also critical.

Every year we survey graduates one, three, and five years out from graduation to understand how well our program prepared students for veterinary practice. We seek out feedback from the employers of our graduates. And we have an open invitation for you to reach out and share your insights and perspectives.

Investing in our students — your future colleagues — is critical to their success. Whether it be instructional staff, career advising, scholarship support, networking opportunities, or mentorship, we are committed to training and preparing exceptional graduates who are ready to join your amazing profession.

Kristi V. Thorson Associate Dean for Advancement and Administration

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MEGHAN LEPISTO/UW SCHOOL OF VETERINARY MEDICINE

Patient Profile

Jet, a 4-year-old labradoodle, received a transpulmonic stent in December at UW Veterinary Care to correct a heart defect.

Support from Jet’s family has made training in this specialized procedure possible for UW School of Veterinary Medicine clinicians.

A Stent for Jet Brings New Knowledge for Vets

U

W School of Veterinary Medicine cardiologists are learning a new, lifesaving technique thanks to support from UW Veterinary Care client Jerry Falci.

Falci found out his labradoodle, Jet, had severe pulmonic stenosis after he got him as a puppy in 2018. This common heart defect among dogs is caused by a narrowing of the pulmonary valve, which impedes blood flow from the heart to the lungs.

Following the diagnosis, Falci brought Jet to the school’s teaching hospital, UW Veterinary Care, where Jet had two procedures to improve blood flow and decrease stress on his heart. From these operations in 2019 and 2020, Jet saw some improvements.

“He is very active,” Falci says. “He’s a beautiful dog, family-oriented.”

However, in August 2022, Jet collapsed at home due to his heart defect. “He was panting and all of a sudden, he’s lying on his side and lets out a howl. It was terrible,” Falci recalls.

After this collapse, Jet’s veterinarians suggested more advanced care, specifically a transpulmonic stent. In this procedure, a stent is placed across the pulmonary valve to improve blood flow. Transpulmonic stents have been performed in human medicine for some time but are just starting to be completed in dogs, so limited veterinary medical institutions specialize in the procedure.

Because of this limited availability, Falci was told he may have to travel elsewhere for Jet to receive such a stent.

Learning this, Falci was inspired to share a gift to the UW 22

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School of Veterinary Medicine that allowed the school to bring a veterinarian with expertise in transpulmonic stents to UW Veterinary Care to perform the procedure and teach others at the school.

In December of 2022, Lauren Markovic, a veterinary cardiologist from the University of Georgia and former UW Veterinary Care Cardiology resident, traveled to UW to lead the procedure alongside Sonja Tjostheim, clinical assistant professor of cardiology at the UW School of Veterinary Medicine. Current Cardiology residents Kelly Flynn and Graham Rossi were also part of the surgical team.

The procedure proved immensely beneficial for Jet, with the stent allowing for improved blood flow across his pulmonary valve. Although it will be a long road to recovery, Jet has been improving since the operation.

“He is getting better as we go along,” Falci says. “I consider the staff at the SVM his second parents almost.

They’ve gotten to know him quite well. I am thankful for everything.”

With Falci’s support, Tjostheim also attended a course on the procedure this winter and will work with Colorado State University’s cardiology team to learn more about it.

She will bring her new expertise back to the UW School of Veterinary Medicine and share and apply the knowledge to help more dogs like Jet in the Midwest and beyond.

“There are other pets who will need this procedure,” Falci says. “I really thought it was something they should learn.”

Britta Wellenstein

YOUR LEGACY. OUR FUTURE. Higher gift annuity rates and other changes due to recent legislation make it a great time to consider a life income gift.

Benefits of establishing a life income gift, such as a gift annuity: • Obtain relief from taxes. You receive a charitable deduction, and each payment you receive is partly tax-free for your life expectancy.

• Secure higher income payments for you and/or another individual.

• Achieve the satisfaction of making a meaningful difference in the lives of animals and people for generations to come.

To learn more about how both you and the School

of Veterinary Medicine can benefit from a life income gift, contact Heidi Kramer at 608-327-9136 or heidi.kramer@supportuw.org.

2015 Linden Drive

JAMIE HIBBERT

Madison, WI 53706-1102

Beauty in Science Jamie Hibbert, a postdoctoral fellow in the lab of UW School of Veterinary Medicine professor Troy Hornberger, submitted this winning entry in the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s annual Cool Science Image Contest.

In this microscope image, tissue from a damaged muscle in the leg of a mouse includes healthy, uninjured cells appearing empty and outlined in red. Researchers in the Hornberger lab study the way aging and disease disrupt muscle growth and regeneration. They are interested in the difference between those red healthy cells and the unhealthy green cells. The muscle stem cells in the green cells are missing a protein necessary for the healing process.

“The pursuit of science is about more than abstract ideas,” says Kelly Tyrrell, a contest judge, molecular biologist, and UW–Madison director of media relations and strategic communications. “Science can allow us to see the unseeable and uncover the unknown.”