College of Veterinary Medicine

February 2007

Welcome to the latest edition of Connect to Veterinary Medicine, the latest news and information about the College of Veterinary Medicine at The Ohio State University.

Director, Professional Development Education & Alumni Services

On February 19, the College of Veterinary Medicine welcomed Dr. Michelle Harcha as the new Director of Professional Development Education and Alumni Services. She received a BS in Agriculture in 1981 and DVM in 1985 from Ohio State. She completed a Master of Arts in Business Management from Antioch University, McGregor in 2001. Michelle practiced for 10 years in Cincinnati in an emergency clinic and several small animal hospitals, before joining Hill’s Pet Nutrition in 1995. She has served on the Board of the College of Veterinary Medicine Alumni Society for 8 years, including one year as president. She has also been active on numerous committees. In addition to her duties as Director of Alumni Affairs, she will also be coordinating professional development courses for our DVM students. Michelle will be re-locating to Columbus with her cat, "Snow White" and her black lab, "Mattie."

Steps pet owners take when locating lost animals

Two Ohio State studies (featured) in January 15 JAVMA

Linda Lord, the lead author of both studies and an assistant professor of veterinary preventive medicine, reports on research conducted in Montgomery County on the methods by which owners recover lost pets. The research was featured by Ohio State as well as highlighted by JAVMA. In addition to a feature in the Columbus Dispatch, the story has also been covered by ABC News, UPI International and nearly a dozen other media outlets.

Read the Ohio State news release.

Oncology Newsletter

The Oncology Section of the College of Veterinary Medicine Teaching Hospital has posted the Winter Quarter edition of their newsletter.

You can read "Oncology Quarterly" on the web site (PDF).

MPH Program in Veterinary Public Health is taking applications

The Master of Public Health, Veterinary Public Health program, (run in conjunction with the College of Public Health) is currently taking applications for the Fall 2007 class. The deadline for completed applications is May 30th. Students in the program receive specialized training in the epidemiology of zoonotic diseases, food safety, biosecurity, and environmental health.

More: MPH web page

Dues reminder

Watch for your 2007 dues statement around the end of February. Remember that your dues go to support important projects that benefit the students at the college such as orientation, the White Coat Ceremony, Oath and Hooding, equipment purchases, and educational programs, as well as alumni receptions held at all national meetings.

Ohio Department of Health Reunion!

Starting in 1965, the Ohio Department of Health hired veterinary students for summer field work. A great deal of comaraderie developed between the field staff and the lab and administrative staff. A reunion of all the employees who worked in the office between 1965 and 1990 is being planned for this summer: June 23, 2007. If you belong to this elite group, please contact Peg Parsons ASAP. (They want a head count for the event by March 1, 2007.) She can be reached: via USPS at 2710 State Route 39, Lucas, OH 44843, e-mail: pegspets [at] aol [dot] com or phone: 419-892-2705.

Congratulations to Veterinary Biosciences

Grants to support student research and a unique nasal vaccine have recently been awarded to faculty in the Department of Veterinary Biosciences.

Check Bios, the monthly newsletter of Veterinary Biosciences.

Vet Med in the News

Veterinary student research featured on Ohio State home page

After winning grants from the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation and the Morris Animal Foundation, Laura Stokes-Green, a third-year veterinary student, spent her summer conducting research on the parasites of rhinos and cattle in and around the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary, part of the Way Kambas National Park on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia.

More about her adventures as featured on the Ohio State home page.

Blood Hounds
Doggy donors (and some cats) open veins to save other animals

Columbus Dispatch, December 31, 2006
This story featured an interview with Dr. Guillermo Couto, professor, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, as well as veterinarians Liliana M. Marin, Greyhound Program Coordinator, and Maria Cristina Iazbik, Blood Bank Supervisor, and the blood bank in the College of Veterinary Medicine.

The full story (with pictures!) can be read at the Dispatch site. Login may be required.

Upcoming events

See you at Midwest!

The Alumni Society is hosting its annual receptions at the Midwest Veterinary Conference:

• Saturday, February 24, at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Columbus sponsored by Bayer Animal Health. Look for the Ohio State Veterinary Medicine Alumni Society reception in Delaware Ballroom on the second floor of the Hyatt Regency from 6-7:30 p.m.

We hope to see you there!