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“The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew and act anew.” —Abraham Lincoln

This past week, we virtually welcomed the members of the veterinary Class of 2024, along with many of their family and friends in our annual White Coat Ceremony, symbolizing their transition into the profession of veterinary medicine and in recognition of the professional role they will be assuming. This year was unusual in format and atmosphere as we face an unprecedented challenge of a global pandemic. During the event, I told our students that our current COVID-19 pandemic has caused all of us to change our plans and adjust to a new reality. While enduring the pandemic, we have also have been reminded of the devastation of systemic racism this year and the work we all have to do to confront this scourge in our society.

I reminded the new class that they are now a member of our UC Davis family and we care about them and want them to have an exceptional educational experience. The academic journey is one of constant renewal as each new class of students comes to us to learn the knowledge and skills that will launch them into the world. Each of our new students has their own story to share with us.

Congratulations Class of 2019!

By Michael Lairmore

On June 4, 2019

In Dean's Perspectives

“We need to have a vision of the world we want to create so that we can see ourselves as collaborators with future generations in the project of shaping it.” David Grinspoon

As each academic year comes to a close, I reflect on how our school has shaped the future of the next generation of veterinarians and scientists that we have mentored, taught, and bonded with during their training with us. In our case, 181 graduates completed DVM studies, a graduate degree, or a residency at UC Davis. I am proud that they have received their education and training from the country’s premier veterinary school, a global leader in veterinary science.

The Class of 2019 is a particularly determined group. For instance, we celebrated Ferrin Peterson, a graduate who pursued a jockeying career while undergoing the rigors of the DVM program. Ferrin would rise at 4:15 a.m. to be on a horse at Golden Gate Fields in San Francisco by 6 a.m., and then head back to school at 7 a.m.

Ferrin won her first race on a steed named Lovely Lioness, which earned her an opportunity to race at Del Mar. In her first race, she took fourth place, riding Chocolate Goddess. She heads out in the world today as a jockey who can double as a track veterinarian.

UC Davis attracts students with that kind of passion—and who, as graduates, make an impact on medicine and the world.

Since the formation of the school in 1948, we have addressed societal needs by working to benefit the health of animals, people, and the environment in California and beyond. Our school, and its alumni, have shaped the field of veterinary medicine, from developing innovative education programs, to discovering mechanisms of diseases of animals and humans.

Making a Difference by Giving Back

By Michael Lairmore

On April 12, 2019

In Dean's Perspectives

“Philanthropy and social change work are at their best when they are driven by your values and connected to what you care about most.” –Charles Bronfman

This month we celebrate the impact of scholarships for our students at our annual “Evening of Gratitude” event. This special night brings together our generous donors and friends with those most impacted by their acts of giving, our students. It is often an emotional night measured in the many conversations and smiles when those that give get a chance to see how their resources have changed the lives of our students. In turn, our students tell their stories to our donors and express directly to them how much their scholarships have helped them in their journey.

Over the years, I am proud of our efforts to provide scholarships and grants to our students. We recently celebrated another successful Give Day and raised scholarship funds through events like the famous Doxie Derby. We lead the nation among all veterinary institutions in the amount of scholarships and grants provided to our students, this year approximately $7 million dollars. As a result of our efforts, our veterinary student’s debt load is well below the national average. Lower debt for our students means less stress for them to pay back their educational loans, but also allows them to consider careers based upon their passions versus altering their plans based on the need to pay back excessive student loans.

Celebrating Love and Compassion

By Michael Lairmore

On February 4, 2019

In Dean's Perspectives

“Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive.” –Dalai Lama

The month of February has special meaning to many of us because of the celebrations surrounding Valentine’s Day. It is a day that has evolved over time beyond romantic love to include expressions of love in many forms. For our School we have the great privilege of observing the love of animals on a daily basis, as we celebrate the human-animal bond.

I have found that a good way to open conversations is to ask people if they have pets or if they are a pet parent. Typically, this question leads to favorite stories of how animals have touched their emotions or influenced their lives. Animals can bring out the truest forms of love in people, evoking the best versions of our humanity. Our interactions with animals have demonstrable benefits in promoting healthy lifestyles and in supporting those with mental and physical disabilities. It is no surprise that our society has continued to embrace the human-animal bond in these turbulent and strident times. We seek from animals what at times seems unavailable from humans: unconditional love and boundless forgiveness.

Lighting the Way into the Future of Veterinary Medicine

By Michael Lairmore

On January 2, 2019

In Dean's Perspectives

“We are made wise not by the recollection of our past, but by the responsibility for our future.” — George Bernard Shaw

The holiday season marks not only a joyous time to celebrate the past year, but the beginning of a new year with all of its promise and hopes for the future. For UC Davis Veterinary Medicine, the past year has been a mixture of tremendous accomplishments and extreme sadness. We have opened new avenues to understand diseases that impact our society and battled disasters in our backyard. Our teachers inspired a new generation of students and learned from them in the process. The contrasts are striking between the extreme optimism of the next generation we are privileged to teach, and the problems we struggle with on a daily basis.

Our plans are made and then disrupted by the reality of the constantly changing world around us. While our beliefs are strong, we are shaken by the stark reality that our democracy faces unprecedented challenges from those who believe scientific facts are a matter of belief versus sound principles of inquiry. As we look to the future we are reminded how connected the world is and how events are part of an interwoven story that connects us to each other and the natural world.

Honoring Our Alumni—Foundation to Our Success

By Michael Lairmore

On October 17, 2018

In Dean's Perspectives

“The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams.” –Oprah Winfrey

We recently hosted the combined Fall Festival and Alumni Reunion allowing us to welcome back our alumni to celebrate their memories of their time with us, their life accomplishments since graduation, and their contributions to the legacy of our school. The gathering featured major milestones for our alumni highlighted by events focused on the 50th and 60th reunions of the Classes of 1968 and 1958, respectively. During our traditional Rose Ceremony, we took time to focus on the Class of 1968 celebrating their 50th anniversary, in a poignant and heartwarming affair in which classmates shared stories, both humorous and touching, about themselves and those that have been lost over the years.

I was particularly impressed by our Friday evening festivities, kicked off with special appearances by Gunrock (the UC Davis mascot) and an energetic performance by the UC Davis marching “Band-uh,” while alumni and current students enjoyed a BBQ dinner. After entertainment by the Uncovered band (comprised of several of our talented staff), current students took part in a talent show. Their singing, dancing, instrumental playing, and spirit overwhelmed many of our alumni who were impressed by our students’ energy, maturity, and talent.

New Beginnings for the Class of 2022

By Michael Lairmore

On September 5, 2018

In Dean's Perspectives

“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.” –Harriet Tubman

Our recent induction ceremony for the veterinary class of 2022 was a celebration of new beginnings and the fulfillment of dreams. The event represented an academic and career milestone for our new students. Their nervousness and joy was on full display as each walked across the stage to put on the white coat, a symbol of entrance into their professional lives and a first step toward their goal of becoming a veterinarian.

The academic cycle is one of constant renewal as each new class of students comes to us to learn the knowledge and skills that will launch them into the world. Our new class of veterinary students, like so many before them, comes to us with their own histories, talents, and dreams. Each of them has their own story to share with us. As we teach them, they will impact our lives, adding to our own tapestry of experiences.

Resiliency as a Critical Component of Success

By Michael Lairmore

On May 14, 2018

In Dean's Perspectives

“Man never made any material as resilient as the human spirit.”- Bernard Williams

Members of the Class of 2018 during their White Coat ceremony in 2014 at their induction into veterinary school.

As commencement season begins, my thoughts turn to our new graduates who will soon receive their DVM degree. Since the establishment of the school in 1948, we have been leaders in veterinary medicine by working to benefit the health of animals, people, and the environment in California and beyond. Our school, and its alumni, have shaped the field of veterinary medicine, from developing innovative education programs to discovering mechanisms of animal and human diseases. Our new graduates join this legacy.

The Class of 2018 came to us with an intense desire to gain the skills of this great profession and a passion to advance animal health. They are graduating into a world of great promise, and many challenges. Along the way, they have enriched the school’s history with their own unique characteristics that bonded them to each other and to those that trained them. The many hours of study and exams, along with the countless time spent with their animal patients, are the tip of the iceberg of the journey it took to get them to this moment. Each of them has their own unique story to tell. Each of them has overcome barriers, faced doubt from others and in themselves, or may have endured heartbreaking events that changed their path along this voyage.

Importantly, they would not be at this touchstone along their career unless they possessed a trait that is critical to anyone’s success in life—a characteristic as important as the knowledge learned in veterinary school. They had to be resilient in their own way. Resiliency is defined as the ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change.

Celebrating Diversity as a Source of Strength

By Michael Lairmore

On April 9, 2018

In Dean's Perspectives

“The moment we believe that success is determined by an ingrained level of ability as opposed to resilience and hard work, we will be brittle in the face of adversity.” -Joshua Waitzkin

As I watched our students celebrate our annual Diversity Day, I was impressed with their unity expressed through their voices, spirit, and talents. Our students’ energy reflected the strength that is exhibited when we celebrate our nation’s multicultural tapestry. We celebrate those that join us from various backgrounds and cultures, learning from each other as we come together with a common purpose to foster education, research, and service to society.

It is no surprise that in the business world, companies with top quartile diversity (defined as women and international representatives) on their executive boards, generated returns that were ~50% higher, on average, than the companies in the bottom diversity quartile. We should not be surprised that in our profession, when we harness the power of a diverse workforce, we better position ourselves to address society’s problems. Our school has consistently demonstrated our commitment to recruit a diverse workforce and student population. For example, we consistently rank in the top three institutions nationally in our numbers of under-represented groups for our veterinary professional students.

These statistics, while impressive, do not measure what empowers our students, faculty, and staff. Equally important to a successful and diverse workforce is resiliency. Diversity is synergistic with resiliency; mirror images of each other. When we open ourselves to learn from others and listen to their experiences, we draw strength from their ideas and history. The characteristic of a resilient person is not easy to quantify, as it is often only revealed after adversity is introduced to their lives, shattering their plans and perceptions of the future.

Excellence as a Result of Habit

By Michael Lairmore

On March 5, 2018

In Dean's Perspectives

“Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.” — Aristotle

The school has been recognized for the fourth year in a row as the #1 program in the world in veterinary science by QS World University Rankings. So how is excellence measured? It is my belief that the quality of any organization is built from the character, values, talent, and work ethics of its people. Without the habits of excellence brought to work each day by our faculty, staff, house officers, graduate students, and veterinary students, we would not be recognized as the global leader in veterinary medicine. While our buildings, laboratories, hospitals, and other resources are critical for us to do our work, we would be a far less effective organization if it were not for the quality of our people.

At the heart of what we do is the education of the next generation of veterinarians, research scientists, and veterinary specialists. Our educators work tirelessly to improve our curriculum, bringing outcome-driving, and adult-learning models to spark life-long learning as a habit in our trainees and students. The many hours our teachers and staff put into their lectures, teaching laboratories, notes, and course materials is paid back to them in the success of our graduates, who fill important jobs throughout the world in private practices, industry, and government. We seek to develop leaders in all facets of jobs that are filled by our alumni, and desire to reconnect with them as we delight in their successes.