Introducing your SAVMA Global and Public Health Officer Elect: Andrew Stas

Name, Position on EB:   Andrew Stas, Global Public Health Officer-Elect

School and Year:  2^nd Year, 2013 at the University of Pennsylvania

Hometown: Latrobe, PA

Your area of interest within veterinary medicine: Food/Large Animal Medicine

Description of what your office entails: The Global and Public Health Officer position entails acting as a resource to all delegates and students undertaking the OneHealth Challenge. We help to facilitate awareness of the Vector-Borne Illness theme and provide the schools with the necessary knowledge and ideas to accomplish the task. As well as serving as a resource to all SAVMA public health activities and any members interested in important aspects of public health in our profession.

Your favorite thing about holding that office: The best thing about this office is having the privilege of working with all the wonderful other members of the executive board and serving to aid all members of SAVMA.

Something exciting that your office is doing/has done for vet students this past year: This year will be the start of a new One Health Challenge, Vector Borne Diseases! This is a new and wonderful challenge with a huge opportunity to get awareness out about severe public health risks that many of these vector borne diseases pose.

Your favorite SCAVMA related experience thus far (EB or not): My most memorable and favorite time involved with SAVMA would have to be AVMA Convention last year in Atlanta. It was my first time at convention as a Junior Delegate and it was one of hte best and most enjoyable weekends that I have experienced while in vet school. If you have not been able to attend AVMA Convention or SAVMA Symposium as a student, I strongly encorage that you make it before you graduate!

Something fun about yourself: One of my secret food indulgences is Stugelina (otherwise known as Pigs Feet) but only if my grandmother makes it. I enjoy nothing more than hunting, fishing and anything that gets me out of civilization and into nature. I am sometimes too competitive for my own good (maybe that has something to do with my 3 brothers and 39 first cousins I grew up with). I don't mind the smell of most manures and sometimes I get caught talking to cows, but let's  be real, any good vet student talks to animals like a crazy person.