Veterinary Medicine celebrates 20 years

From taking care of Wisconsin’s dairy cows, or dogs that run the Iditarod at the top of the Earth, or elephants at the equator, alumni of UW–Madison’s veterinary school are practicing medicine all over the globe. On Friday, Sept. 26, they’ll be gathering back in Madison for the kickoff of the School of Veterinary Medicine’s 20-year anniversary celebration.

Coming back to campus will be grads such as Shirley Furmanski (Class of ’93), an Israeli citizen who came to Madison to earn her degree and is now a practicing veterinarian in Israel; Laura Richman (Class of ’93), who’ll talk about the elephants she cared for at the National Zoological Park in Washington D.C.; and Margaret Terhar (Class of ’93), who works with sled dogs who run in the Iditarod.

The school accepted its first veterinary class in fall 1983 and, although it is one of the youngest of 28 veterinary schools in the nation, has already gained a top reputation. The school blends innovative science and compassionate care to serve and advance animal health and human well-being in Wisconsin and beyond. It is recognized for the strength of its research programs, and combines that research with teaching and public service in its three-fold mission.

“It’s a real resource to the state of Wisconsin,” says Susan Hyland, the school’s associate dean of academic affairs.

“We have a strong reputation for leadership in serving Wisconsin’s production animal industry and for cutting-edge treatment and diagnosis of animal health problems,” says Daryl Buss, the school’s dean. “But many people in the state don’t realize that our expertise draws clients from all over the world, or that we are innovators in so many health issues that affect both animals and humans.”

He notes that those issues include such diverse areas as cancer, organ transplantation, infectious diseases ranging from influenza to malaria, orthopedic surgery, bone and cartilage repair, ophthalmology and many others.

The hospital treats more than 16,000 animals per year, has one of only six veterinary dentistry residencies in the nation, and has one of the nation’s few veterinary surgeons who perform feline kidney transplants. (See other facts about the school below.)

As the school celebrates its first 20 years, administrators, faculty and staff look forward to continued progress, most notably in developing new facilities to serve their teaching, research and service needs for the coming decades.

“We celebrate our graduates, both those with diverse careers and those who continue to serve the everyday needs of the animal-owning community,” Hyland says. “We also celebrate our history of accomplishment.”

While the celebration is a yearlong event, the kickoff week will culminate on Sunday, Sept. 28, with the 20th Annual Dog Jog, a two-mile race that benefits homeless animals and is a favorite Madison tradition.

To learn more about the school, or to order a special edition 20th anniversary 2004 calendar, visit the school’s web site.

Facts about the school

• The school developed its own dairy teaching herd to encourage student interests in careers in food animal medicine. A 52-cow milking herd gives students a chance to participate in the management of a dairy herd and to gain the experience they need to be successful in dairy practice.
• The Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital treats more than 16,000 patients per year – ranging from cats, dogs, cows and horses to lizards, llamas, bears and birds.
• UW veterinarians are respected leaders in research – not only in animal health, but in human health as well. They’re studying problems like cancer, multiple sclerosis, influenza and cartilage repair.
• Production medicine personnel consult with dairy producers around Wisconsin and surrounding states.
• Fifty-eight percent of the school’s graduates remain in Wisconsin.
• Wisconsin’s School of Veterinary Medicine is one of the elite facilities that provide arthroscopic surgeries for small animals.
• Faculty created and continue to run the Pet Pals therapy program, designed to comfort critically ill, hospitalized children.
• UW-Madison’s school is one of only 28 veterinary schools in the nation and Wisconsin’s only veterinary school.
• The school has one of only six veterinary dentistry residencies in the nation.
• The school is one of only five veterinary schools with a special species residency.
• Eighty students are accepted into the four-year veterinary professional degree program each year, and at least 60 of them are from Wisconsin.
• The first class was 53 percent female; today the figure is 74 percent.