EXTERNS ON THE HILL

Submitted by Meg Knox, Washington State University

"The unsaid changing etiquette in congressional hearings

My name is Meg, and I am the June 2023 American Veterinary Medicine Association (AVMA) Government Relations Division (GRD) Extern in Washington, D.C. Coming from Washington State University (the OTHER Washington…), the East Coast has been a big and exciting change. This externship offers me the special opportunity to meet a multitude of veterinarians that work for governmental agencies in the D.C. area and experience the legislative work the AVMA does to aid the veterinary community. Some of this legislative work takes form in congressional hearings on Capitol Hill. Here’s the story of my clumsy attempt to blend in at some of those hearings.

Before I came to D.C., I had no idea what a hearing was aside from court hearings I’d seen on television and in movies - think Elle Woods or Judge Judy. Let me tell you, that is NOT what a congressional hearing is like. To prepare for my first hearing visit, I did a bit of research in hopes of not looking like a newbie. I knew that hearings are open to the public and that there is no dress code; however, blogs I found and coworkers at the AVMA GRD advised me to dress professionally and show up early to secure a seat. 

The first hearing I attended was a subcommittee Senate meeting about a provision in the latest Farm Bill (a huge piece of legislation passed every five years that pertains to many facets of American agriculture). I showed up an hour and 15 minutes early and was afraid to open the door. It’s daunting in the buildings of Congress! People walk around like they belong there; I barely found my way to the right room. When I did muster up the courage to walk in, I told them I was there for the hearing and eventually explained I was a public member. They gave me a number (#1) and told me I could sit down. Clearly, I was aggressively early. So, I sat down for over an hour, keeping myself busy with emails and my book. The hearing itself was more intimate than I was expecting, and very interesting to be a part of. The room was grand, but the senators were seated at a large table near the witnesses, reporters, staff members, and the public. There was no grand theater or throne. The senators moved in and out of the room, leaving for other meetings and returning later, all while bumping into other chairs and people in the crowded space. It brought these leaders down to Earth for me, and I was glad that I went. 

I attended a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee hearing as my round two on Capitol Hill. I felt confident I wouldn’t make the same fledgling mistakes (except showing up an hour and 15 minutes early, which I could not help but do again). I planned how I would introduce myself when I walked into the room: “I’m a public member hoping for a seat at the 10 am hearing.” It was vague and concise: introductory gold. But of course, this hearing was entirely different. I walked into the room and instead of a holding area or lobby, the doors lead to the hearing room itself. There was only one other woman in there who didn’t give any guidance past pleasantries. With no clue as to where I belonged, I sat in an unmarked seat for the next 15 minutes. Eventually, a different staff member told me the public was supposed to wait outside until 9:45 – at this point it was 9 am. So, I bashfully walked out of the room, knocking down a sign at the door as I left (which did NOT say I wasn’t supposed to come in). I waited with some other confused interns and externs, explained to newcomers the state of the union, and eventually was seated in the hearing. This hearing was much more high-profile, with an overflow room and individuals waiting in line even once the hearing had begun. I was embarrassed, and honestly frustrated, that I hadn’t learned anything from my first hearing.

Looking back at it now, I’m proud of myself! I put myself out there and made some friends in the line along the way. Additionally, I got to sit in person with many senators and distinguished witnesses as they talked about some of the important issues impacting our community on a national scale. 

If you ever get the chance to visit D.C., I advise you to embarrass yourself at a congressional hearing. For all the grief it gave me to find the correct door, wear the right shoes, and not sit in the wrong seat, I learned so much about lawmaking in our nation by attending these hearings. I got to see the emotions of lawmakers, as I sat in the room with them and listened to compelling witness testimonies. I got to observe a sliver of the decisions Congress makes for us every day. And you know what? I would sit and wait for an hour and 15 minutes all over again."

STUDENT EXPERIENCE: HAWAII

Sofia A Zayas Randel, University of Pennsylvania

 "In January 2023, I traveled to the Big Island of Hawaii to participate in an externship at the Hawaii Wildlife Center. My first week I took as vacation to explore the island and learn more about the culture of Hawaii. I visited volcanoes, saw petroglyphs, was on top of the world at Mauna Loa, walked on black sand beaches and lava fields, visited waterfalls and lava tubes, swam with the fish, and learned to surf. Each new adventure brought me to feel a closer connection to nature. I had revelations not only of the external world but also of my interior as the island humbled me and made me reflect about how we are all interconnected and the role I play in the world. 

Everyone on the island was incredibly friendly and treated me as if I were a local. They would share with me their stories, recommendations of places to visit on the island, and even food (from pizza to backyard picked oranges). I learned a lot about the history of the island and discovered that my own Puerto Rican heritage was interconnected with Hawaii’s history. In the early 1900s, Puerto Ricans traveled to Hawaii to work at the sugar cane plantations as they were promised a decent salary and living accommodations. Many Puerto Ricans emigrated to the island, and the influence that my culture has had in Hawaii’s is evident by the signs of food vendors selling arroz con gandules, lechón, and pasteles; Puerto Rican flag stickers on some of the cars, and my own native coquí filling up the night with its sweet songs. I even met a Puerto Rican woman who worked at a goat farm, and she was so overjoyed when she discovered I was Puerto Rican and we began speaking in English. From that conversation I got free samples of the different goat products they produced, and with my purchase of goat cheese she added some fudge free of charge because that’s what kindred spirits do for each other.

For the two weeks that I was at my externship, I stayed in a small town Honokaa. This was one of the original towns that was established because of the sugar cane plantations. Here is where I learned about the history of my people and how integrated it is with Hawaii’s. The Hawaii Wildlife Center was located in Kapauu, and I had to drive everyday from Honokaa to Kapauu. Every day the drive was peaceful and beautiful. I’d pass by ranches filled with beef cows and horses, and climb up hills from which I could get a clear view of the ocean and the expansive greenness of the island. The Big Island of Hawaii is not as densely populated as other islands like Oahu. In between each city or town there was just nature.

From day one the externships was very hands-on. I am incredibly grateful of the immense trust Dr. Guerra had with me and the patience and dedication he had to teach me. While I was there I was responsible of so many tasks, some of the most notable being placing an oral esophageal tube in a Nene (Hawaiian Goose) daily, performing physical therapy exercises with the birds, assisting with anesthesia during surgical procedures, releasing birds back into the wild, and performing two necropsies on White Terns. I learned so much about avian medicine, anatomy and physiology. I really do believe this experience has shaped me to be not only to be a better veterinarian in the future but also holistically as a person."

PDF Scholarship Experience: Nicole DiLevo

VCA University Animal Hospital - PDF scholarship

During the last two weeks of my clinical year I had the amazing opportunity to complete an externship at VCA University Animal Hospital on Oahu, Hawaii. I was awarded a Professional Development Fund scholarship through SAVMA which really helped me be able to afford externing in Hawaii. VCA University Animal Hospital is a five-doctor general practice in the heart of Honolulu. Two veterinarians work a day, one performs dentals and surgeries while the other sees appointments. I had the opportunity to work with all 5 doctors and they were honestly all amazing. The staff overall was so welcoming and made me so comfortable my entire stay! I was able to assist in several dental procedures, ranging from prophylactic cleanings to extractions, and got to practice taking dental radiographs. It was helpful to see cases in a different region of the United States and discuss how diseases and treatment options change from place to place. For example, Hawaii is a rabies free island. Therefore, it is not one of their core vaccines, and pet owners only vaccinate for rabies if they are traveling to the mainland. The doctors at this hospital also do a lot of the hands-on work, so I was able to take their place and practice many technical skills, like blood draws, catheter placements for surgeries and dentals, and monitor anesthesia, which was great practice. I was assigned to one doctor each day I was there and performed my own physical exams, and then discussed the cases and treatment options with the doctor after each patient’s appointment. The pace at the hospital provided just enough time to do so which was super helpful. I also had a few days off during my two week stay and was able to explore the entire island. The staff gave me great recommendations for food to try and places to explore. This externship was seriously the best way to end my clinical year and final year of veterinary school.

AVMA Government Relations Externship

This is an incredible opportunity for 4th year students! Application information can be found here.

Getting Prepped for Clinical Year

Cassandra Hoy from Ross University speaking about her recent externship experience.

Over the semester break I had the opportunity to extern in a private practice with the help of a Professional Development Fund scholarship from the RUSVM SAVMA board. This was my second time working with them to gain hands-on experience. Overall, it was a wonderful opportunity to see the kinds of cases I would expect to see in a general practice setting. Morning appointments were covered by one veterinarian while the other veterinarian handled the surgeries of the day. Both were very welcoming and happy to explain their methods of diagnostics and patient work-ups. A typical surgical caseload included a couple of neuters, spays, mass removals and 6-7 complete dentals with or without tooth extractions. Most of the room appointments related to gastrointestinal upset, itchy skin, wound lacerations, tumors, or wellness exams. I acted as the technician by assisting in restraining pets for their physical exams and got to see how each vet established a strong rapport with their clients. 

Some of the more interesting cases involved a HBC Labrador showing neurological signs, an older dachshund who needed a canine tooth extraction, a geriatric shepherd mix with colorectal neoplasia and a rabbit neuter. Client communication was integral to ensuring everyone understood the plan going forward.  Throughout my externship, I was given the opportunity to perform blood draws, insert intravenous catheters and place endotracheal tubes. As I get closer to 7th semester, I feel much better prepared for surgeries and moving on to clinical year!