Pre-vet scholar Laurel Caldwell with Razer, a quarter horse in the teaching herd at the Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine.
Last week the college held its seventh annual Summer Veterinary Experience (SVE) for academically talented high school students. The program is one of several that Dean Susan Tornquist supports with a goal of increasing diversity in the veterinary student population, and ultimately in the veterinary profession.
The week-long experience features daily short courses taught by faculty and veterinary students. Many of the courses include hands-on learning in topics like surgery skills, necropsy, equine acupuncture, echocardiographs, and laboratory skills. The high-school students also work with a member of the faculty on a research project.
“Our faculty work hard to provide interesting, real-world classes that will engage the interest of these talented young people,” says Tornquist. “Many past participants came to the program with a vague interest in veterinary medicine, among other fields, but they left with a passion for the profession.”
The program has grown from the initial eight students to 26 this year. Admittance to the program is selective, based on academic performance, family income, ethnic background, and other factors. “Many of the attending students come from low-income families. This program gives them a glimpse into college life they may not have had otherwise,” says admissions coordinator Tess Collins. “Our goal is to provide a realistic understanding of the field of veterinary medicine, and to get participants excited about higher education.”
The high school students, also know as ‘campers’, come from across Oregon to live in the Callahan dormitory, eat in the West Dining Hall and get a taste of campus life. A team of OSU undergraduates serves as chaperones.
“The chaperones live in the dorms with the students and lead the evening activities,” says Sara Smith, event coordinator for the college. “It’s a big job and they were so great.”
Laurel Caldwell will be a senior in Animal Science this fall. She is a Pre-Vet Scholar enrolled in the OSU Honors College. She applied to be a chaperone after hearing about the experience from fellow scholars.
“They mentioned how enjoyable they found the labs to be, and they were absolutely correct!” she says. “I was learning just about as much as the campers were each day. The labs the vet student mentors put on were very thorough, encompassing a variety of veterinary specialties and providing hands-on opportunities that I would argue most undergraduates have never experienced.”
Chaperones have to apply for the job and are selected based on their experience with young people, maturity, and involvement at OSU. Caldwell’s fellow chaperones were Rylan John, Reyna Villanueva, and Alexandra Behnke.
“My favorite part of SVE was the student’s eagerness and passion to learn,” says Caldwell. “They would come running up to tell me about the ‘cool’ research experiment they were working on, or what their favorite lab was that day. It warmed my heart to see them so comfortable around the veterinarians and vet student mentors, asking a myriad of questions ranging from college admission to fairly advanced medical quandries. Their zeal for knowledge was very inspiring.”
Applicants for the Summer Veterinary Experience who meet specific criteria may apply for scholarships to cover the cost. The scholarships are sponsored by the college and by Banfield Pet Hospital.
For more information about the OSU Summer Veterinary Experience, visit the SVE website.
