Sue Alexander has over twenty years experience training and handling dogs, both her own and those of her clients. Sue has also been teaching dog obedience lessons since 1993. Along with her dogs Bear, Crow and D'fer Sue participates in a variety of dog sports including obedience, tracking, retrieving and agility. Sue is particularly interested in the rehabilitation of aggressive dogs and the resolution of behavioural problems with dogs in family homes. In 2003, Sue wrote and passed the Certificate of Pet Dog Training and in the fall of 2004, she was accepted into the International Association of Animal Behaviour Consultants as a clinical member.

The OVC Behaviour Club presents a hands-on Canine behaviour lab. Using teaching dogs, Dr. Alexander will demonstrate the basics of clicker training and behaviour modification.  In addition, differences between skills training using operant theory and behaviour modification using classical conditioning will be discussed, with opportunities for students to participate.  Students will group into twos or threes to work with one dog. The lab would start with “mock” clicker training between human partners, then move into simple concepts (such as behaviour capturing) with the dogs. Students will have the opportunity to use all four quadrants of the learning model as well as a turn at trying classical conditioning for desensitization.  The partner(s) will take turns interacting with the dogs while the other(s) can watch for subtle differences between successful and unsuccessful methods.  Please bring a Labcoat.

Dr. Millman joined the faculty of the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) in July 2002 as Assistant Professor (now Associate) of Applied Animal Behaviour & Welfare in the Department of Population Medicine. She completed her undergraduate degree in the Department of Animal & Poultry Science at the University of Guelph, and worked in Europe for several years, as a shepherd in Scotland and a groom for showing jumping horses in Greece, before returning to Guelph to complete her doctorate in applied ethology with Prof. Ian Duncan. Prior to joining the faculty at OVC, Dr. Millman spent two years in Washington, DC as Director of Scientific Programs in the Farm Animals & Sustainable Agriculture Section at the Humane Society of the United States, the largest animal protection organization in North America. At OVC, Dr. Millman is responsible for teaching concepts of animal behaviour and welfare in the veterinary curriculum, and provides expertise about behaviour problems and welfare concerns for food animals and horses. Her research program focuses on techniques for assessing animal welfare in clinical and farm environments, behaviour needs of animals during states of illness and injury, and behaviour problems in livestock and horses.

This lab will include a brief discussion of behaviour modification theory and techniques for horses.  Following the discussion, small groups of students will work with individual horses to practice behaviour modification techniques and training methods.  If the circumstances allows, observation of a clinical horse behaviour case will be included with discussion of treatment strategies. Please bring coveralls and steel-toed boots.

Animal Welfare Club & Laboratory Animal Medicine Club

Dr. Turner is an Associate Professor in the Department of Pathobiology and Program Leader of graduate studies in Laboratory Animal Science at the University of Guelph. She also manages the university laboratory animal diagnostic pathology core and provides consultative laboratory animal pathology services (diagnostic, phenotyping, modeling, and toxicology). Her research interests include genetic variations in innate immunity of mice and effect of environment on rodent behaviour. Dr. Turner teaches comparative medicine and pathology and toxicologic pathology at the University of Guelph and is a Diplomate of the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine.

Join the Animal welfare Club for a wetlab on laboratory animal handling and anesthesia. Participants will have opportunities to practice common handling, restraint, anesthesia, and therapeutic techniques with rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, and mice as well as discussing basic welfare issues related to the use of these species in laboratory animal environments.
Please bring a labcoat.

Pathology Club

Dr. Andrew Vince

Andy is currently the senior Doctor of Veterinary Science graduate student in Anatomic Pathology in the Department of Pathobiology, and is looking to defend his thesis and rejoin the world sometime in February or March.  He completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Sciences in 1998 at the University of Guelph, followed by his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree at the Ontario Veterinary College in 2002.  He then worked in a rural community small animal practice for 2 years before returning to complete his DVSc.  His thesis is entitled 'Characterization of Liver Injury and Repair in Canine Chronic Liver Disease', which has taken far longer than he might have hoped, but has otherwise been quite satisfying.  Aside from liver disease, he has diverse professional interests, particularly oncology and dermatopathology.  He has no particular career path ahead of him, and spends his time editing his thesis, looking at diverse job prospects, studying for the ACVP certification board examination in September, and playing with his son Tristan.

Dr. Dorothee Bienzle
            She grew up in Germany and obtained her DVM at the University of Guelph. She then spent 2 years in veterinary practice, after which she returned to the U of G for a MSc in Pathology. She added to this by attending McMaster for her PhD in Immunology. She is board-certified in veterinary pathology. She was then on the faculty at the University of Georgia for 2 years, followed by the faculty of the University of Guelph for 8 years. Dorothee states, “I would be happy to answer any questions about graduate studies, juggling career with family and life, pathology and research”. Her research interests concern the Feline Immunodeficiency Virus and Heaves in horses.

Join renowned pathologists in the post-mortem viewing room!  If it’s your first time, we’ll show you the ins and outs of a necropsy. If you’ve done it before, practice your skills and perfect the art of tissue sampling for histology. There may also be fresh tissue to practice cytology-sampling techniques. Species involved are to be determined. MUST have protective rabies titre. Lab coats and gloves will be provided by OVC. Please bring a labcoat.

Equine Club

Dr. Chenier graduated from OVC in 1992 and spent two and a half years in mixed practice. She became board-certified in therio in 1996 and got her DVSc in Theriogenology in 1997. From 1997-2002 Dr. Chenier returned to private equine repro specialty practice.  In the fall of 2002 she joined the OVC theriogenology faculty. Her interests include high-risk mare pregnancies, embryo transfer and semen freezing.

Get your hands dirty with the experience of mare palpation, visualizing tracts, feeling for follicles and using ultrasound. Witness a live stallion collection and practice semen evaluation.
Please bring coveralls and steel-toed boots.

Bovine Club

Dr. Rob Swackhammer
            Dr. Swackhammer was born and raised in Guelph. Growing up he spent a lot of time on dairy and beef farms. He graduated from OVC in 1996 and worked in Listowel for 2 years. Dr. Swackhammer joined ruminant field services at the OVC in 1998 and currently is helping teach the final year vet students. He has a special interest in bovine lameness.

Dr. Jocelyn Dubuc
            Dr. Dubuc received his DVM from the Faculté de médecine vétérinaire from the Université de Montréal in 2005. He attended the Summer Dairy Institute at Cornell University in 2005. He completed a masters program in clinical sciences and worked in bovine field services at the Faculté de médecine vétérinaire of the Université de Montréal from 2005 to 2007. He started his doctoral program in population medicine at the Ontario Veterinary College of the University of Guelph in July 2007. Dr. Dubuc has been invited as a speaker for many international conferences and continuing education sessions for bovine practitioners since 2005. His focus is mostly on nutrition, uterine health and population medicine of dairy cows.  
             
This lab will be a mixture of common and advanced techniques suitable for the naïve or more experienced hoof trimmer.  The lab will began with a review of hoof anatomy and the Dutch method of hoof trimming followed by the opportunity to practice these techniques. Dr.Swackhammer will then demonstrate and help students with practicing proper bandaging techniques and applying wooden blocks.  Finally, the lab will conclude with the more advanced techniques of claw amputation and facilitated ankylosis. Please bring coveralls and steel-toed boots.

SCACVIM

After completing his DVM at the Ontario Veterinary College in 1976 he then went on into small animal private practice in Winnipeg for 3 years, before heading off to the University of Minnesota for an internship. He followed this up with a 3-year residency at Ohio State University, and returned home to a faculty position at the OVC in 1983, where he has been stuck ever since!  Dr. O’Grady can rarely be found in his office for he is often busy and roaming the halls of the Teaching Hospital, where he is one of two clinicians specializing in cardiology.  His research interests include the natural history of dilated cardiomyopathy in Doberman Pinschers, and the management of DCM.  In addition to his clinical work, he is a professor and a member of the graduate faculty. 
He has trained 5 cardiology specialists and has 2 in queue. He has also been working part time at the CARE Animal Hospital in Calgary for the last year.  Well loved by students, his approachable nature and ‘Be all that you can be’ attitude has encouraged generations of students to further their education beyond the classroom and become more involved within the OVC.

 All veterinarians should have a heart – it’s what keeps our patients ticking! That’s why you should come and hone your skills in cardiology during your visits to the OVC. Fine tune your auscultation skills and gain a keen eye for ECGs while working through a case with our very own Dr. O’Grady. Then, once you’ve made a diagnosis, try your hand at placing a pacemaker in a post mortem specimen! This is an opportunity you do not want to miss out on, and space is limited to allow maximum participation! Please bring a lab coat.

Small Animal Club

Dr. Nykamp graduated from OVC in 1997, after which she worked in small animal practice for 2 years. In 1999 she returned to OVC as a small animal intern. Dr, Nykamp completed  her residency in diagnostic imaging at Cornell University in 2003 and returned to OVC as an assistant professor.

Students will be provided with the opportunity to practice common ultrasound techniques used in small animal practice (primarily dogs) as they relate to both routine and emergency situations. Join Dr. Nykamp in this interactive lab which will provide you the opportunity to ultrasound individual dogs as well as learn how to interpret the ultrasound that you have performed. Please bring a lab coat.

SVECC Club

Mike Ethier, DVM.
After attending the University of Guelph, Dr. Mike Ethier continued on at the school to complete his DVM degree at the Ontario Veterinary College in 2004.  He then went to work in a private emergency and referral practice at Alta Vista Animal Hospital in Ottawa before returning to the Ontario Veterinary College for a residency/DVSc in emergency and critical care medicine.  His area of interest is mechanical ventilation and trauma surgery.

Judy Brown, DVM.
Dr. Judy Brown entered the DVM program at the Ontario Veterinary College after studying one year of Biological Science at the University of Guelph. She received her DVM degree in 2003. After graduation, she completed an internship at the Animal Medical Center in New York City, and worked as an emergency clinician at the Veterinary Emergency Clinic in Toronto.  She is currently an Emergency and Critical Care resident at the Ontario Veterinary College.  Her area of interest is emergency and critical care, and her research focuses on non-invasive ventilation in cats.

Melanie Ammersbach, DVM.
After two years in the BSc. of Molecular Biology and Genetics program at the University of Guelph, Dr. Melanie Ammersbach was accepted into the DVM program at the Ontario Veterinary College.  She completed her DVM degree in 2007, and is currently working as an intern in the Small Animal Clinic at the Ontario Veterinary College.

The wetlab will take approximately 3 hours, and will be broken down into the following sections:  Basic CPR, Intravenous Facilitative Maneuver (venous cut-down), Placing a thoracostomy tube (chest drain) and tracheostomy. Please bring a lab coat.

ZEW Club

Dr. Hugues Beaufrere, Mark Guincho, Jeff Hathaway, Geri Higginson, Dr. Raj Raghav, Dr. Michael Taylor, Dr. Darren Wood

Dr. Hugues Beaufrere
Currently the OVC Avian/Exotic Services intern, Dr. Hugues Beaufrere graduated from National Veterinary School of Lyon, France in 2006. He speaks French fluently and is happy to answer any French questions.

Mark Guincho
Currently the OVC Avian/Exotic Services Registered Veterinary Technician, Mark graduated from University of Guelph Ridgetown College in 2005. He has a tremendous amount of experience with reptiles, including working at St. Auguson alligator farm in Florida, managing a reptile company, working at Earth Rangers as a wildlife RVT, and at the Toronto Zoo.

Jeff Hathaway
Co-president of ‘Sciensational Sssnakes!!!’, a reptile educational company, Jeff is a 1994 graduate from University of Guelph. Jeff, as part of Sciensational Sssnakes, presents about 250 hands-on educational programs about reptiles and amphibians every year at venues throughout Ontario.

Geri Higginson
Geri has been with OVC Avian/Exotic Services as a Registered Veterinary Technician since 2004. She has a lot of experience with reptiles and has published articles on topics such as handling and anesthesia of avian and exotic species.

Dr. Raj Raghav
Currently the OVC Avian/Exotic Services DVSc candidate, Dr. Raghav graduated from Kerala Agricultural University in India in 2001. He has lots of experience working with avian and exotic species including 4 years at Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital in United Arab Emirates.

Dr. Michael Taylor
Currently the chief veterinarian of OVC Veterinary Teaching Hospital Avian/Exotic services, Dr. Taylor graduated from OVC in 1980. Dr. Taylor founded the first exclusively avian exotic practice in Ontario in 1986 and joined OVC VTH Avian Exotic Services in 1994. Dr. Taylor has extensive experience with reptiles and wrote the chapter on reptile endoscopy in the newly published ‘Reptile Medicine and Surgery’ textbook.

Dr. Darren Wood
A board certified clinical pathologist at OVC Department of Pathobiology, Dr. Wood graduated from Atlantic Veterinary College in 1994. After completing a DVSc in clinical pathology at OVC, he worked at University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine as a clinical instructor. He joined OVC Department of Pathobiology in 2002 and has extensive experience in clinical pathology including avian and exotic hematology and hemostasis.

Ever wonder how to auscultate a turtle or perform venipuncture on a leopard gecko? Here’s a great opportunity to learn how! This lab will begin with an introduction to common pet and wild reptile species. Following the introduction, Dr. Michael Taylor, the chief veterinarian of OVC Avian/Exotic Services, will give an overview of physical exam on reptiles. After that, Dr. Darren Wood, a board certified clinical pathologist at the U of G Department of Pathobiology, will give a presentation on reptile hematology. Venipuncture demonstrations will be given following the talk. Students will have the last one and a half hours to practice physical exam skills on the turtles, snakes and lizards provided and examining reptile blood smears under the microscope.

            Dr. Rickey got her DVM at the University of Pennsylvania in 2005 and went on to do an internship at Littleton Large Animal Clinic’s Equine hospital from 2005-2006. After spending a year researching in the Comparative Orthopaedics laboratory at Cornell University, she came to OVC to do her residency in large animal surgery, which started July 2007.

Dr. Ameet Singh
Dr. Singh graduated from the Atlantic Veterinary College (AVC) in 2006 and completed a rotating internship in small animal medicine and surgery at the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) in 2007.  He remained at the OVC following his internship and is now a first year resident in small animal surgery.

Want to be able to suture up a laceration in the field but aren’t sure how to do it? If so, you’ll want to attend this basic suturing techniques lab which will allow you to learn and practice different suture patterns, knots and ligatures and their indications. Please bring a lab coat.

              After graduating with a BVSc from Bristol, UK in 1972, Dr. Physick-Sheard he completed an MSc in Guelph, 1982; and then this by FRCVS in London, 1994.  He is an associate professor of Large Animal Internal Medicine at the University of Guelph. Cardiology and equine health management are Dr. Physick-Sheard's areas of special interest.  His research focuses are horse industry demographics and wastage, performance related problems in horses especially diseases of the cardiovascular system including cardiac arrhythmias and heart rate variability.

Learn how to work up an equine cardiology case and diagnose various abnormalities using auscultation as well as an ECG. Dr. Physick-Sheard is an expert in equine cardiology and has helped develop the world’s first transvenous electrical cardioversion defibrillator. Why not learn from the best? Please bring your coveralls and steel-toed boots for this lab.

Dr. Henry Staempfli
Dr Stämpfli got his DVM at the University of Bern, Switzerland in 1976 and got his Diplomat of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine in Large Animals in 1990. He is now the large animal medicine professor with the department of Clinical Studies. Dr. Stämpfli specializes in Large Animal Internal Medicine with emphasis on diseases of the gastro intestinal system of horses and special interest in acid base and electrolyte balance in animals and humans. His research focuses on the aetiologies of acute undifferentiated diarrhea in horses and foals, C difficile in different species, and acid base balance and underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms. Outside of veterinary medicine Dr. Stämpfli enjoys reading and a variety of sports (x country skiing, canoeing, hiking, soccer.)

Dr. John Baird
Dr. Baird graduated with his BVSc from the University of Sydney in 1965. He worked in mixed animal private practice from 1965-68. While working as a Clinical Instructor-Lecturer-Senior Lecturer at the Department of Veterinary Medicine for the University of Sydney from 1968-80 he got his PhD University of Sydney 1978. He began working as Associate Professor in the Department of Clinical Studies at OVC in 1980, in 1988 became Professor until 2005 and Professor Emeritus in 2007.

Learn how to work up a GI case in bovine medicine. This lab will teach you how to tube bovine, obtain and analyze rumen contents with various techniques including the microscope for diagnosing abnormalities. You will also be shown a cow with a displaced abomasum and taught how to scope the GI and Respiratory systems, as well as complete bronchoalveolar lavage. Please bring your coveralls and steel-toed boots for this lab.

IVMC

Dr. Peregrine is a favorite professor among students and has been awarded numerous times for his teaching excellence. He will be discussing Giant Kidney Worm infections in dogs, tick-borne diseases in dogs in Canada, and drug resistance in parasites of horses and sheep.
Dr. Peregrine graduated in 1984 from the University of Glasgow Veterinary School, Scotland. In 1987 he was awarded a PhD by the University of Glasgow for work on a parasitic disease of cattle in Africa. From 1987 to 1997 he worked at the International Laboratory for Research on Animal Diseases, Kenya, carrying out research on drug resistance in blood parasites of cattle. In 1997 he received a higher-doctoral degree for this work from the University of Glasgow. Since 1997 he has worked as an Associate Professor in the Department of Pathobiology at the Ontario Veterinary College. In addition to teaching clinical parasitology, he is currently carrying out research to
determine the zoonotic importance of parasites in dogs and cats. He is also conducting
work to improve control of parasitic infections in horses, pigs and sheep.

ZEW Club

Dr. Smith graduated from OVC in 1980 with her DVM. She then pursued a Diploma in Pathology at OVC, which transferred into a DVSc in Zoo Animal Medicine and Pathology along with the Toronto Zoo. She earned her DVSc in 1984. After moving to Zimbabwe and working as a lecturer in Veterinary Pathology at the University of Zimbabwe for two years, she traveled all over Africa in a landrover for a year. In 1988 she returned to OVC as a faculty member in the Department of Pathology. She is currently a professor in the Pathobiology Department, and teaches many DVM and graduate students about avian/exotic/zoo/wildlife medicine. She also is the honorary pathologist for the Toronto Zoo. For the past few years she has been an instructor for the Canadian Association of Zoo and Wildlife Veterinarians in Ontario and the Zimbabwe Veterinary Association, teaching wildlife immobilization courses.
This lab will provide students with an overview of the use of chemical immobilization in free-ranging wildlife. An initial lecture will review the major characteristics of immobilizing drugs and compare remote delivery systems, and will be followed by a practical session where students will be able to assemble and load darts, use a blowpipe, and shoot a dart from a dart pistol or rifle.

Health & Balance Club

Ms. Jessica Watts

Jessica has been practicing yoga on and off for about 10 years. Through developing personal practices, working with an experienced teacher who became her mentor and through official school study, she has discovered her love for yoga has turned into not only a way to keep in shape but also a way of living life. Yoga represents a path in which Jessica has chosen to follow that helps her develop personally and spiritually. She recently began studying at the School of Yoga Therapy and Natural Medicine in Toronto and is developing techniques in both Kundalini and Hatha Yoga. She hopes to train more in pre-and post-natal yoga and work with pregnant and new mothers to help them experience healthy and natural childbirths. She is also planning on developing a series to bring to children in school environments. Jessica loves helping others experience the tremendous benefits that yoga has to offer physically, mentally and spiritually.

Ever feel like you need to relax? Don’t think you have the time to de-stress yourself? Learn how to perform yoga movements that can help you manage your stress and keep you in shape! Please dress comfortably.

Dr. Barbara Leslie
Barbara Leslie is president of Leslie and Associates Inc, a Guelph based consulting company.  With an extensive and diverse background including academia, teaching, research, complaints and discipline involving veterinarians, and policy development and analysis, it offers assistance in these areas to veterinarians, academic institutions and others.  Through her 17 years of experience as Deputy Registrar and Registrar/CEO at the College of Veterinarians of Ontario, Dr. Leslie has attained considerable experience with regulatory matters, policy analysis, strategic planning and board governance.  She is a Certified Association Executive, has a Masters degree in Epidemiology and holds an advanced certificate in Alternate Dispute Resolution.  In addition to her consulting work, Dr. Leslie currently serves on the Board of Directors for Hospice Wellington and Guelph Hydro Electric Systems Inc.

Dr. Scott Mathison
            Dr. Scott Mathison joins Queen West Animal Hospital after being employed at Derrydale Animal Hospital in Brampton. Scott received his Bachelors of Science at McGill University and a Masters of Forest Science in wildlife ecology at Yale University. He completed his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine at the Ontario Veterinary College as the class co-valedictorian. His professional interests include surgery, dentistry, radiology, practice management and e-business. When not at Queen West Animal Hospital, Scott enjoys skiing, soccer, hiking, cooking and home renovation. He currently lives in the neighbourhood with his wife Kelly son Jasper and daughter Ella.

Dr. Ken Bridge
Dr. Ken Bridge graduated from OVC in 1980 and began practicing at the Port Elgin Veterinary Clinic. Two years later, he began his partner practice at the Ripley-Huron Veterinary Clinic in Ripley. Today, he also runs the Lucknow-Huron Veterinary Services practice in Lucknow and the Huron Shores Veterinary Services practice in Port Elgin. Dr. Bridge has been a member of the OVMA's Executive Committee since 1991. He is the Director of the Veterinary Practice Owner's Association Steering Committee and Founding Director of the Grey-Bruce Humane Society. He has been an Executive Member of the Ontario Association of Swine Practitioners, member of the Agricultural research Institute of Ontario, and an Executive Member of the Ontario Association of Bovine Practitioners (OABP). Dr. Bridge has owned and operated a farm in Kincardine for almost 30 years.

Dr.Walt Ingwerson
Dr. Ingwersen is a 1982 graduate of the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) where he returned to complete an internship and residency in small animal internal medicine resulting in his post-graduate Doctor of Veterinary Science degree and certification by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine as a specialist in the area of veterinary internal medicine. From 1987 to 1998, he was chief of veterinary internal medicine at a multi-person, general/specialty veterinary clinic on the east side of Toronto becoming its hospital director in 1993. Beginning in September of 1998, he changed career directions by becoming the first Canadian to act as editor of the Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association. Dr. Ingwersen also provides consulting services to the pet health industry, including the areas of microchipping, pet health insurance, and clinical pathology laboratory medicine. Since June 2002, he has been a consultant to the Boehringer Ingelheim Canada Ltd., Vetmedica Companion Animal team joining them in a full-time capacity as of January 2004. He continues to provide internal medicine consultative advice, assisting veterinarians across Canada in making health care decisions and recommendations for the patients they treat.

Dr. David Kerr
Dr. David Kerr, along with his wife Lisa, is the Owner of North Hill Animal Hospital. Dr. Kerr graduated in 1984 from the Ontario Veterinary College and has worked in two other veterinary clinics before becoming the owner of N.H.A.H in 1989. Dr. Kerr is active in the veterinary community and is a member of Council of the College of Veterinarians, as well as being on the Learning and Development committee of the American Animal Hospital Association. Dr. Kerr strives to strengthen the bond people have with their pets by providing and educating clients on the best medical and preventive care for their pets.

Learn from the business gurus! This interactive lab will give you an opportunity to learn about enhancing business skills applicable to the veterinary profession. A variety of professionals from diverse backgrounds will share their secrets with you and be available to answer any burning questions you have. This lab will give you the tools to be a better leader as you prepare to enter the working veterinary profession.

Dr. Peter Conlon

Dr. Peter Conlon graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College in 1980 and entered mixed animal practice for two years. He returned to OVC in 1982 and completed his PhD in Pharmacology in 1986. He then joined the College’s faculty and is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences. Since 1995 he has also been the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs with responsibility for the DVM admissions process, OVC Awards, and student life at the College. In 2004 he completed an MED degree in Post-Secondary Studies from Memorial University. He is one of the original developers of the Art of Veterinary Medicine stream in the DVM curriculum and coordinates the first year AVM course in which he teaches communication skills. Dr. Conlon is a member of the Council on Education of the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Council of the College of Veterinarians of Ontario and the Canadian and Ontario Veterinary Medical Associations.
Join Dr. Peter Conlon, Assistant Dean of Student Affairs at OVC, as he guides you through common and difficult clinical situations using the basis of the Calgary Cambridge Guide to Clinical Skills. You will get the opportunity to use OVC’s client interview rooms to conduct an interview with a simulated client and receive feedback from your client, peers and mentors on your performance. Use this as a tool to continually and critically reflect on your personal performance in the future.

Dr. Elizabeth Stone

              Elizabeth A. Stone is the Dean of the Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph and Professor of Surgery.  Before her current appointment, she served as head of the Department of Clinical Sciences and Professor at North Carolina State University, where she received the Norden Award for outstanding teaching.  She received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of California, Davis and completed an internship, surgical residency, and MSc in Physiology at the University of Georgia. Dr. Stone is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons, with an emphasis in veterinary urology.  Her current focus is on educational and policy issues in veterinary medicine. 

Beginning the conversation: Using literature to enhance understanding and empathy towards clients, and between veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and other staff
              In this workshop, using poems and excerpts from short stories, participants will explore ways that reading and discussing literature can help engender empathy for clients, encourage moral reflection, increase understanding of the connection between the client, the animal, and the veterinarian, and remind us why we wanted to be veterinarians.  Veterinary medicine and literature is such a rich field for exploration, not only by veterinarians and veterinarians-in-training, but by anyone who cares about the connection between “the animals” and us.  Through readings and discussions, veterinary professionals and students can encounter new situations and issues that cannot be replicated in a veterinary teaching hospital.  {For further info – check out the website for the Society for Veterinary Medicine and Literature (http://www.vetmedandlit.org).