Athens, Ga. – Some 280 people, including 160 high school students from throughout Georgia, visited the University of Georgia campus on Wednesday to attend the sixth annual Vet School for a Day, held at the College of Veterinary Medicine.
The day began with a keynote address from Dr. Nina Marano (DVM ’84), who is chief of the Quarantine and Border Health Services Branch for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Preparedness, Detection, and Control of Infectious Diseases. The division is charged with preventing and controlling the introduction of communicable diseases into U.S. borders. Marano, who also practices companion animal medicine, told students about the wide variety of careers available to people who attain a veterinary degree, and emphasized the important role veterinarians play in protecting public health by helping to maintain a healthy food supply and by monitoring diseases in wildlife.
In addition, the students toured the college’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital, lunched with a panel of veterinary students to learn about their interests in veterinary medicine, and heard from a panel of faculty and staff who represented the many specialties in veterinary medicine. Students also learned about the high standards for admission to the college, and what they should study to be prepared for veterinary school.
“This event has grown exponentially since we first started it, from a group of 30 students and high school counselors to almost 300,” said Dr. K. Paige Carmichael, the college’s associate dean for academic affairs. “There were many great questions asked and the overwhelming feedback was that this had been a wonderful experience. The college welcomes the opportunity to showcase our profession to interested high school students and looks forward to seeing many of these bright young minds come through our doors in four years time.”
“Vet School for a Day” is sponsored by the David Forehand Foundation, created in memory of alumnus Dr. David Forehand (DVM ’76). Next year’s event will be held in September; the date will be announced in the spring.
The UGA College of Veterinary Medicine, founded in 1946, is dedicated to training future veterinarians, to conducting research related to animal diseases, and to providing veterinary services for animals and their owners. Research efforts are aimed at enhancing the quality of life for animals and people, improving the productivity of poultry and livestock, and preserving a healthy interface between wildlife and people in the environment they share. The college enrolls 102 students each fall out of more than 550 who apply. For more information, see http://www.vet.uga.edu/.
The current UGA College of Veterinary Medicine Teaching Hospital, built in 1979, serves more than 18,000 patients per year in one of the smallest teaching hospitals in the United States. The college is currently working to raise $15 million toward building a new Veterinary Medical Learning Center, which will include a new teaching hospital as well as classrooms and laboratories that will allow for the education of more veterinarians. The goal is to increase enrollment to 150 when the Veterinary Medical Learning Center is built. http://www.vet.uga.edu/giving/campaign.php.