Saturday, April 14, 2012 at 11:01AM Elise Ackley
Hometown: Shreveport, Louisiana
Position: President-elect
Description of duties: To become familiar with all duties and responsibilities of the office of the SAVMA President.
Goals for this term: Basically learn everything I can from Bridget in the next year!
Fun Fact: I was a competitive fencer back in the day
Contact info: elise [dot] ackley [at] gmail [dot] com
Wednesday, April 11, 2012 at 06:00AM Becky Lee
UC Davis
Life as a Vet Student, Future Plans
For a long time, I’ve known that I’ve wanted to be a veterinarian. The secret that none of my classmates know is that I was supposed to be a painter. Not a painter of fine art. No, a house painter. As a high school senior, I remember taking a career placement test to see how a series of multiple choice questions would determine my fate. Not to mention that it was a chance to be excused from P.E.
I stared at the computer screen and read the first question: ‘Do you like the outdoors?’ ‘Yes, definitely’, I thought to myself as I clicked the electronic bubble. ‘Do you find satisfaction in completing detailed tasks?’ Sure, I guess so. Fifty questions later, it was determined that my life calling was that of a house painter. Interesting. Very interesting. I’ve never painted a house in my life, I melt if I’m in the hot sun for more than an hour, and if you ask my friends to describe me, physical endurance is unlikely to be mentioned at the top of their lists.
Sunday, April 8, 2012 at 06:01AM Alexander Robb, V’13
Tufts University
Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine
Experiences
I never would have guessed that scrambling eggs would be an important moment in the course my veterinary education. This summer, such a seemingly mundane act took on a much larger significance. For a week in July, I traveled to San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua with WorldVets to participate in a small animal spay/neuter campaign. San Juan del Sur is a beautiful coastal town with many nice shops and restaurants lining the beach,remarkably friendly people, and an unfortunately limited supply of regular veterinary care. Our group of veterinarians, veterinary students, technicians, and volunteers spent a week in town, with three days totally dedicated to clinical procedures. We spayed, neutered, enucleated, drained abscesses, repaired wounds, did healthy consultations, and administered medication for over 400 animals in that short period of time. For some in our group, the highlight of the trip was their first spay, for others it was treating a crocodile with a wound or a monkey with a urinary tract infection. For me, it was one dog in particular. 
Laica in her body suit Her name is Laica, and the fact that I can still use “is” to describe her, is amazing.
Laica came into our clinic on the second day for a routine spay. I wasn’t involved in her surgery, but there weren’t any complications that we were aware of while she was under our supervision and care. Once ready to go home, she was discharged to her owners with instructions to keep her inside for the next day and keep a close eye on her as she recovered.
Nicaragua, Tufts, WorldVets in Experiences Thursday, April 5, 2012 at 06:00AM Chad Clancy
Iowa State
Hometown: Spencer, Iowa
Postion: SAVMA Secretary
Duties: The keeper of the minutes, policies and procedures... and candies
Goals for this term: Know every SAVMA delegate's name by AVMA Convention
Email: csclancy at iastate dot edu
SAVMA Secretary in SAVMA News Wednesday, April 4, 2012 at 06:00AM Chase Crawford
Texas A&M University
Life As A Vet Student – Mentors
To me, a mentor is someone in your life who freely shares their experiences with you for no other reason than to help you realize your full potential. When we begin veterinary school (or life even), many of us are assigned arbitrary mentors who may or may not fit the above description. I have had several people in my life who would call themselves my mentors and then several people who deserve such a designation. I do not believe it is an effective use of time or words to describe what makes a mentor insufficient. Instead, one could measure themselves against the standard of a worthwhile mentor and make their own assessment.
Mentors, Texas A&M in Life as a Vet Student