EPDC Grant Winner

SAVMA's Education and Professional Development Committee offers a grant to veterinary student organizations to provide funding for wet labs or lectures supplementing their college’s curriculum.  The vision for this grant is for student organizations or clubs to design either a lecture and/or wet lab for a topic to which students would not otherwise be exposed. For a full list of award money SAVMA offers, click here. Read below for how one school used this resource:

Dr. Karen Overall

On April 16th, with the help of a SAVMA EPDC grant, Iowa State's Chapter of Animal Behavior was pleased to welcome Dr. Karen Overall, a leading veterinary behaviorist and author of Clinical Behavioral Medicine for Small Animals.  Dr. Karen Overall spoke to our student and faculty/staff population (over 130 in attendance!) about the importance of behavior in veterinary medicine, and our role as veterinarians in patient behavior.  Dr. Overall is an engaging, well-known speaker and our college population was provided the unique opportunity to learn more about veterinary behavior.  Thank you for SAVMA EPDC grant for this amazing seminar!

2013 AVMA Student Legislative Fly-In

The SAVMA Governmental Affairs Committee and Education and Professional Development Committee are offering a grant to veterinary students and veterinary student organizations to provide funding for awareness of the current financial concerns for veterinary students. Read to see how this grant helped send students to the fifth annual student fly-in, hosted by the AVMA’s Governmental Relations Division:

Sarah Fry, Tayler Foshee, and Stef Bolas
Oklahoma State University
Class of 2015 & 2014

On March 4^th & 5^th, 2013 we had the opportunity to attend the AVMA Student Legislative Fly-In in Washington D.C. This event occurs annually and allows students to learn about the legislative process. It shows the impact constituents can have on the legislative process and how to communicate with your congressmen to make a positive impact on your community and profession. As well as the alternative governmental career paths that veterinarians can pursue.

On the first day of the event, we learned about current legislation impacting veterinary medicine and what role the AVMA’s Governmental Relations Division plays in representing the veterinary profession on Capitol Hill. Two pieces of legislation were our focus for the Fly-in, the Horse Protection Act Amendment and the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program Enhancement Act Amendment. Most of the day was spent preparing for our meetings with our congressmen about these amendments. We also had the opportunity to learn about the AVMA Congressional Fellowship by speaking with a current and past fellow. They answered many of our questions about what it is like to work on Capitol Hill.

On the second day of the Student Legislative Fly-In, we each met with our respective congressional members. Walking through the legislative buildings and the Capitol building was an amazing experience. Before our meetings, we spoke with Representative Kurt Schrader (D-OR) and Representative Ted Yoho (R-FL). They are veterinarians who are currently serving in Congress. They offered their guidance for young people entering the veterinary profession and also shared their thoughts on the legislative process.

Click to read more ...

EPDC Grant at work at UC Davis

Editor's note: The SAVMA Education and Professional Development offers a grant every spring to a veterinary school looking to fund an extracurricular activity, such as a wet lab or a lecture.  Last year's winner was UC Davis. Please read on to hear their summary of the event, and if you would like to know more information about funding an event at your own school, email the committee at savma.epdc@gmail.com

UC Davis Students at the Veterinary Pathology Club lab sponsored by SAVMA's EPDC Committee

On May 11th, 2011 the Veteinary Pathology Club at UC Davis held its first cow necropsy lab. The lab started with a small talk about safety during necropsies, common findings during necropsies and incidental lesions found during necropsies. The latter portion of the lab involved students necropsying cows with guidance from residents and a facultly member. Each cadaver was assigned an organ system to be focused on. For UC Davis Students at the cow necropsy labexample, one cow had the reproductive tract removed and the students were debriefed on normal structure, possible abnormalities seen in these organs, and possible findings you are looking for in these organs. The Veterinary Pathology Club will be using the EPDC grant from SAVMA to cover food for the pre-laboratory discussion and lab related expenses for the cow necropsy lab in this May 2012. Thank you SAVMA for your support!

Education and Professional Development Spring Grant

Are you interested in an aspect of veterinary medicine not addressed in your school’s veterinary curriculum?Are you looking for funding for a unique wet lab or lecture topic?

The Education and Professional Development Committee from SAVMA is offering a grant to veterinary student organizations to provide funding for wet labs or lectures supplementing their college’s curriculum.  Our vision for this grant is for student organizations or clubs to design either a lecture and/or wet lab for a topic to which students would not otherwise be exposed. It's time to get creative and finally host that amazing topic you've been thinking of!

Three $250 dollar grants will be offered, and winners will be chosen by the committee by the end of March. All submissions can be for an upcoming event or for reimbursement of a recently past event, depending on the date of the proposed event. 

If you're thinking about applying, check with your SAVMA delegate for an application. Don't forget to apply by March 1st! Questions can be directed to savma.epdc@gmail.com

"Tubology" Wetlab

By: Alli Biddick

Oklahoma State University, Class of 2012

This Spring, the Oklahoma State University SVECCS Chapter was awarded a grant by SAVMA Education and Professional Development Committee to hold a wetlab for the students entitled "Tubology". We believe that SVECCS provides students with an invaluable opportunity to get practice with hands-on techniques. We strive to teach students how to do practical things in a clinic setting (that they won't get to do in class), with an emphasis on emergency techniques! The wetlab was held on Saturday, November 13, 2010. Thirteen students attended, with the majority being first and second year veterinary students. We had four instructors present: three clinicians in our teaching hospital (Boren Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital) and the head RVT at the teaching hospital.

We had cadavers set up at four different stations. At one station, the students learned how to properly place and suture chest tubes. This is vitally important for animals who present with pneumothorax and are in need of emergency chest evacuation! The next station was set up to allow students to practice inserting urinary catheters into male and female dogs (a technique every veterinarian will learn to love). The third station was all about esophagostomy tubes! This is a very important procedure in critically ill animals who cannot eat on their own. The final station, led by our head RVT, taught the students how to place central lines in the jugular vein of dogs. The students had so much fun learning about the various "tubes" and when they are indicated. The lab was a great hit for all who attended! The students feel they now possess extra knowledge that will help them when they are working this summer, when they are fourth year students, and of course throughout their career! OKSTATE SVECCS would like to thank SAVMA EPDC for helping make this lab possible!!