[ACVM] Vet micro education

Wed Dec 30 11:11:30 EST 2015

Dear all,

In veterinary parasitology we currently have a large number of very talented graduate students. This is very evident at our yearly meeting (AAVP), where high quality presentations are delivered by our students - the rest of us really have to work hard to keep up with their high level. I'd say that they all have significant elements of both classical and molecular parasitology in their training. My point is that I don't agree that people understanding both classical and molecular disciplines represent an 'endangered species'. Those of us working in academia all work with both classical and molecular aspects of our disciplines and all of our graduate students receive this kind of training, so I really don't see this being an issue at all.

What I see as a disturbing development is the lack of DVMs pursuing PhDs and diplomate degrees. We all understand why. The outrageous costs of education in the USA significantly discourage new graduates from pursuing further education. But I believe this is hurting all of our disciplines within the ACVM. We are representing core veterinary disciplines and the proportion of DVMs is decreasing across the board. I think it would be useful to discuss this issue further. The National Center for Veterinary Parasitology which has been mentioned a couple of times is a good initiative because it offers a more attractive stipend than what is typically offered for DVMS seeking a PhD and/or a residency. In my department (the Gluck Equine Research Center) we have established a sponsored graduate student stipend in equine infectious disease for DVMs that are board-eligible in a relevant discipline (so likely an ACVM discipline). Again, this stipend offers a more vet-salary level monthly pay. These two examples serve to illustrate that it is possible to work with corporate sponsors to create opportunities for DVMs seeking specialization within our disciplines.

Happy New Year!

Sincerely,

Martin K. Nielsen
DVM, PhD, DipEVPC, DipACVM (parasitology),
M.H. Gluck Equine Research Center,
Department of Veterinary Science,
University of Kentucky,
Lexington, Kentucky, USA

-----Original Message-----
From: Acvm_diplomates [mailto:acvm_diplomates-bounces+martin.nielsen=uky.edu at lists.osu.edu] On Behalf Of Daniels, Joshua
Sent: Wednesday, December 30, 2015 10:15 AM
To: ACVM - The American College of Veterinary Microbiologists Listserv
Subject: Re: [ACVM] Vet micro education

At OSU we have Dr. Antoinette Marsh, who is also a PhD non DVM, and has great clinical perspective and also brings classical and molecular to the table.  Endangered species is a good way to describe people like this.

-----Original Message-----
From: Acvm_diplomates [mailto:acvm_diplomates-bounces at lists.osu.edu] On Behalf Of WELLEHAN,JAMES FRANCIS JR
Sent: Tuesday, December 29, 2015 8:55 PM
To: ACVM - The American College of Veterinary Microbiologists Listserv
Subject: Re: [ACVM] Vet micro education

We have Heather Stockdale Walden here at UF.  She's a PhD without a DVM, but has a really great clinical perspective and a broad-range understanding of both molecular and classical parasitology, which makes her an endangered species.  She teaches the DVM course here.  I was on the search committee when she was hired, and it was a fight to get her hired over other candidates who had R01s but were basically doing human medicine, sometimes not even using animal models, and would give blank looks if asked about how to diagnose acanthocephalans or pentastomids.  Teaching students is a lower priority for university administrations than bringing in indirect costs.  Unless states return to funding universities, I'm not optimistic about the future of veterinary education.  The AVMA's decision to accredit the distributed model for veterinary education was the death knell for veterinary medicine as a profession- veterinarians will become technicians.

Jim

Jim Wellehan, DVM, MS, PhD, DACZM, DACVM(Virology, Bacteriology/Mycology), DECZM(Herpetology) Assistant Professor Zoological Medicine Service University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine http://www.vetmed.ufl.edu/about-the-college/faculty-directory/jim-wellehan/

________________________________________
From: Acvm_diplomates <acvm_diplomates-bounces+wellehanj=ufl.edu at lists.osu.edu> on behalf of White, David M - APHIS <David.M.White at aphis.usda.gov>
Sent: Tuesday, December 29, 2015 12:00 PM
To: ACVM - The American College of Veterinary Microbiologists Listserv
Subject: Re: [ACVM] Vet micro education

All -
        I once heard (with no data to back it up) that CSU was unusual in that they had a dedicated veterinary parasitologist who taught at the vet school.  I think that's probably not true, but I'd be interested to hear from our new parasitology members how distributed they are, and if they feel that the vet schools (in general) have specialized/dedicated parasitology faculty, and if the academic leadership uses them in teaching the vet students?
Thanks
Dave

-----Original Message-----
From: Acvm_diplomates [mailto:acvm_diplomates-bounces+david.m.white=aphis.usda.gov at lists.osu.edu] On Behalf Of Wilkes, Rebecca Penrose
Sent: Monday, December 28, 2015 5:45 PM
To: ACVM - The American College of Veterinary Microbiologists Listserv <acvm_diplomates at lists.osu.edu>
Subject: [ACVM] Vet micro education

Hi All,
Just thinking about a few things lately. We are always asking ourselves in the BOG meetings how we can make ourselves more relevant. I am concerned about what I am seeing in the vet schools. It seems we are seeing more education geared toward small animal specialties, even in general vet education, at the expense of some more basic vet micro training. Addition of more and more internal med specialties and residencies but no addition of vet micro residencies. Also, I have observed a shift in the focus of research at vet schools toward animal models for human diseases for NIH funding. So, I ask, where does this leave us? How are we going to replace ourselves with the current direction things are heading? How do we get US veterinarians interested in vet micro if we continue to reduce vet micro classes/lectures in U.S. Vet schools and don't offer Vet micro residency programs? If we don't continue to value research for veterinary diseases, who will? Is this the impression others a
   re getting too? Other than WSU and CSU, are any schools supporting vet micro training? Maybe I am wrong about all this? Does anyone have an opinion?

Thanks,
Becky Wilkes
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