“This was a breathtaking experience and will be unforgettable throughout my life.” That’s the kind of impact the OSU Summer Veterinary Experience can have on a high school student.
Last week, twelve academically talented Oregon students, with an interest in veterinary medicine, spent a whirlwind week at OSU living in dorms, attending workshops, doing research, and learning about college life. The students were selected from a pool of applicants based on their grades, the recommendation of a teacher, and an essay written by them about their interest in veterinary medicine.
CVM faculty from all departments helped deliver a wide variety of challenging laboratory and clinical experiences including diagnostic imaging demonstrations, a surgery skills lab, an osteology class, large and small animal exams, rehab demonstrations, and a necropsy lab.
One of the goals of the new program is to introduce students who are interested in veterinary careers to the many facets of the profession. To that end, every afternoon was spent in a laboratory working closely with a faculty partner on a week-long research project. Many of the students worked on creating polymerase chain reactions to isolate DNA and identify bacteria and viruses. Others worked in immunology identifying white blood cell antigens.
Those are challenging topics for fifteen and sixteen-year -olds but these high-achievers were up to the task. “We had such a great group of high school students this year. They asked really smart questions and put a lot of time and thought into their research projects,” says Dr. Sue Tornquist, Interim Dean of CVM.
Guiding a group of high school students for an entire week would not have been possible without the help of five current vet med students who provided everything from skill instruction to after-hours activities like bowling and volleyball, to sharing personal perspectives on college. This year’s mentors were Shelby Johnson, Stephanie Lutz, Jared Sharp, Sierra LaBrecque, and Jonathon Sago. “They were exceptional,” says Tornquist. “They really went the extra mile to make this a great experience for the students.”
Aarika Guerrero, Administrative Program Assistant in the Dean’s office, organized the many details of recruiting students and mentors, and scheduling all the workshops. Chaperones Katie Larsen and Evan Oglevie provided critical support and guidance to the newbies on campus.
A quote from one of this year’s students, illustrates why everyone involved is so committed to the project: “The influence of this experience has changed my goals, assumptions, and dreams. Veterinary medicine is awesome! I love it!”
View the Summer Veterinary Experience photo album on CVM Facebook.
