In My Huntsman’s Forgotten Left Pocket

Entry, Creative Corner
Blair Snively, Mississippi State University

It is so bitter even the sun

can’t melt the frost on the sod fields or flats

of ice in the depressions below the frozen

hills. I long for a taste of tawny port to burn

the chilled air from my lungs.

Reynard is here.

I know he is, because I can hear him

laughing. Laughing at those silly hounds

who work the line of four buck deer instead

of the scent woven by his musky red tail.

Blaze, taut under my oiled saddle, awaits my cue

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Views of Luisiana

Entry, Creative Corner
Amy Ramos, Auburn University

Pelicans at the lake at the state capital, Baton Rouge

Muskrat at the lake a the state capital, Baton Rouge

Update on your SAVMA membership!

Exciting news- all members of the Student AVMA are now members of the AVMA's Political Action Committee (PAC). Why is this exciting?

AVMA PAC makes contributions to candidates on both sides of the aisle who understand and support the veterinary profession. Students are now able to become part of this process and can now legally donate to the PAC. Click here to learn more.

Ithaca's Nightlife

Entry, Creative Corner
Grace Stearns, Cornell

Jungle Fever: The Summer I Spent Wrangling Coatis

Entry, Experiences
Lea Mehrkens, UC Davis

My field assistant in her make-shift mosquito netting

I spent the summer of 2011 in Monteverde, Costa Rica thanks to two research grants I received through UC Davis. I had lived there in 2007, when I studied abroad as an undergraduate, and had always wanted to return. I maintained contact with my professors in Costa Rica, and began brainstorming new research ideas after being accepted into veterinary school. It was with their help, along with my advisors in the Wildlife Health Center here at UCD, that I designed a research project investigating the prevalence of a zoonotic blood parasite, Trypanosoma cruzi, in the white-nosed coati population of Monteverde.

My living experience this summer was something I’ll always remember. I stayed with a homestay family for two weeks and then was able to rent a “house” in the jungle from one of my professors.  I use the term “house” loosely, because she called it the “Casa de Higueron”, or house of the fig tree. The house was located underneath a giant fig tree, so when it rained or there was a breeze, stone-like figs pelted the tin roof, making it impossible to make phone calls, watch movies, or even talk to my research assistant. One of the many, many giant bugs around our houseWe also had several scorpions, tarantulas, wolf-spiders, cockroaches, and rats as roommates.  The fruit from this tree enticed countless butterflies and even some monkeys to pay us visits, so we couldn’t complain too much.

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