Author: Michael Lairmore

Linking the Past to Our Future

On October 8, 2015

“History is not a burden on the memory but an illumination of the soul.” – Lord Acton

This past weekend our school held its annual “Alumni Weekend,” welcoming back to campus selected veterinary classes from 1952 to 2005. Since the first graduates emerged from Haring Hall in 1952, our school has prepared more than 5,000 men and women for careers in clinical veterinary practice, research, public service and academia. Many of our alumni have become leaders in their community, teachers, researchers and scientists of international stature. The success of our alumni is one of the primary reasons that the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine is internationally recognized as a global leader in veterinary medicine, agricultural, public health, and biomedical research.

A new website has been created to highlight the history of the school and to remind our alumni that they are part of our collective history. This weekend solidified my belief that our alumni are a hidden strength to our current success—a vital link to our past and a foundation for our future.

In the Service of Others

By Michael Lairmore

On September 21, 2015

In Dean's Perspectives

“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” – Mahatma Gandhi

Dean Lairmore visits Aiden the cat, being cared for by Neurology/Neurosurgery technicians Robin Fischer and Brianna Holland.

The disastrous Valley and Butte fires have tested our communities and colleagues, bringing more dread with each new wave of bad news. The fourth year of an insidious drought and the subsequent explosive fires this season have brought devastation to our region, threatening people, property, and their animals. Our emergency response teams, led by Drs. Claudia Sonder, John Madigan, Eric Davis and many others, did not hesitate in their response, immediately offering their compassionate expertise to relieve animal and human suffering. They were quickly joined by a broad coalition of veterinarians from the communities affected by the fires and from the California Veterinary Medical Reserve Corps of the California Veterinary Medical Association.

Dean’s Perspective: Empathic Listening a Key to Success

By Michael Lairmore

On August 26, 2015

In Dean's Perspectives

“When you show deep empathy toward others, their defensive energy goes down, and positive energy replaces it. That’s when you can get more creative in solving problems.” – Stephen Covey

Last week we welcomed the Class of 2019 into our school, the 68th class to begin their careers as veterinarians with us. I had the privilege of greeting them across the stage at our White Coat Ceremony and then engaging with a group of our new students in facilitating a problem-based learning exercise focused on effective client communications. A common theme throughout the orientation week and in early classes offered for our new students is relationship-centered, empathic listening as a key to client communications and positive animal-patient outcomes. During this important introduction to our school, Dr. Jim Clark, staff teams, and faculty facilitators effectively encouraged, guided, and inspired the first year students throughout the Prologue week and into their first week of classes.

Dean’s Perspective: Collaboration to Solve Global Health Challenges

By Michael Lairmore

On August 3, 2015

In Dean's Perspectives

Dean Lairmore getting a few moments to chat with Nobel Laureate Peter Doherty.

“I get a lot of credit for work a whole group of people do. The collaborative research happening now is really being driven by young people.” – Peter Doherty, DVM, PhD, Nobel Laureate, at the Merial-NIH National Veterinary Scholar Symposium held at UC Davis, July 30-August 2, 2015

This past weekend, I could not have been more proud of our team in the Office of Research and Graduate Education and the many volunteer faculty, staff, and students from our school, who worked very hard to plan and execute the Merial-NIH National Veterinary Scholars Symposium.

Staff volunteers at the symposium.

The Symposium brought together over 600 veterinary students and their mentors from across the nation. The event was highly organized and provided an outstanding forum to allow students to network with fellow students and scientists from many different disciplines and fields of study. A palpable excitement permeated the conference held in the Mondavi Center for the Arts, the UC Davis Conference Center and the Walter A. Buehler Alumni Center.

Dean’s Perspective: Student Leadership

By Michael Lairmore

On July 22, 2015

In Dean's Perspectives

“Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.” – John F. Kennedy

Dean Lairmore with members of SCAVMA.

A primary goal in our strategic plan is to educate world leaders in veterinary medicine who will contribute to our society in multiple fields, from private practice to public health. During the most recent American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) meeting, I was able to observe the benefits of our leadership training for our veterinary students. The student leaders of our Student Chapter of the American Veterinary Medical Association (SCAVMA) came to the AVMA meeting to network with national leaders, meet students from other schools, and promote the values of professionalism and engagement.

While the concept of a national association of Student Chapters of the AVMA was first proposed in 1966, it was the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine SAVMA who elected a committee in 1969 that set the framework for the proposed national student association. Our current students have continued this tradition of involvement at the national level by addressing important issues facing students, such as student debt and mental health and wellness.

Dean’s Perspective: Follow Your Passion

By Michael Lairmore

On May 11, 2015

In Dean's Perspectives

“Follow what you are genuinely passionate about and let that guide you to your destination.” – Diane Sawyer

The class of 2015 UC Davis veterinary students have their White Coat Ceremony at the end of their first week of orientation where they're presented with their white coats and recite the veterinarian's oath.

Full of passion and excitement, the Class of 2015 finished the end of their first week of orientation and received their white coats during a ceremony four years ago.

As we approach the 64^th commencement ceremony of our school, it is appropriate to turn our thoughts to the graduates of the Class of 2015. They came to us with a strong desire to gain the knowledge and skills of a great profession, and a passion to advance the health of animals, people, and the environment. They will be graduating from the premier institution of its kind and will be entering a world of great promise and many challenges. From its beginnings, our school has made its mission to advance veterinary medicine, but also to tackle problems faced by our society. We have a rich history of accomplishments that have benefitted both human and animal health. Our school leads the nation in research funding among all veterinary schools and we have one of the largest endowments to help fund our growing scholarship program for our students and enhance the work of our world-class faculty. Our exceptional staff serves as our foundation and through their commitment and good work, demonstrate daily that they are the glue that supports our mission.

Dean’s Perspective: Value of Human-Animal Bond

By Michael Lairmore

On April 20, 2015

In Dean's Perspectives

“Until one has loved an animal a part of one’s soul remains unawakened”. – Anatole France

We have the privilege to observe the human-animal bond on a daily basis, within the school and throughout our programs beyond campus. The human-animal bond is defined in a number of ways, but revolves around the mutually beneficial relationship between people and animals. It has become increasingly recognized that these bonds have important health benefits essential to both. The veterinarian’s role in the human-animal bond is to maximize the potential of this unique relationship between people and animals.

$A six year old Belgian Malinois service dog from the major California police agency has his fractured upper right and left canine teeth examined by Dentistry Resident Dr. Peter Strom and veterinary student Vivian Kuei of the VMTH Dentistry Service at the William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital at the University of California Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. Photo by Don Preisler/UCDavis$

A six year old Belgian Malinois service dog from the major California police agency has his fractured upper right and left canine teeth examined by Dentistry Resident Dr. Peter Strom and veterinary student Vivian Kuei of the VMTH Dentistry Service at the William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital at the University of California Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.
Photo by Don Preisler/UCDavis

To enhance one aspect of the human-animal bond, our school has entered into a partnership with the UC Davis Police Department to establish the Faithful Partner Program, a fund to assist with the medical costs of treating canine officers, as well as search and rescue dogs that may be injured in the line of duty. Our hospital has an extensive history of caring for canine officers, having treated 65 police dogs in the past four years, and by offering free annual teeth and eye examinations for military and service dogs.

Dean’s Perspective: Remembering Whitney Joy Engler

By Michael Lairmore

On April 6, 2015

In Dean's Perspectives

“We should feel sorrow, but not sink under its oppression.” – Confucius

Whitney and her dog Rosie.

The tragic death of Whitney Joy Engler has profoundly traumatized our school and community. In our tributes to Whitney and her family, words alone cannot fully express our loss and pain. Her death was heartbreaking and beyond our worst nightmares, making us numb and confused with grief. We will never truly understand how this type of catastrophic event can happen to such a bright and talented person like Whitney. She will forever be part of our collective story.

Dean’s Perspective: Resident Training

By Michael Lairmore

On March 23, 2015

In Dean's Perspectives

“Never become so much of an expert that you stop gaining expertise. View life as a continuous learning experience.” – Denis Waitley

This past Friday, I had the privilege of providing opening remarks at the 37^th Annual House Officers Day, recently named in honor of Dr. Gerald V. Ling. Dr. Ling was a faculty member for 35 years before his retirement. He influenced the early development of training programs for veterinary students and veterinarians in several specialties. Dr. Ling also helped establish the Small Animal Emergency and Small Animal Outpatient services at the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. He would have been proud of the most recent House Officers Day.

Our residents contribute extensively to their education and expertise by conducting research and in doing so they also contribute to the reputation of our school. We host through the Veterinary Hospital the largest and most diverse residency program in the country. The faculty and staff of the VMTH train more than 100 house officers in 34 specialty services every year, each involved in raising the standard of care for our patients, seeking solutions in translating knowledge into helping their patients.

Dean’s Perspective: Protecting Our Food Supply

By Michael Lairmore

On March 9, 2015

In Dean's Perspectives

“Honor bespeaks worth. Confidence begets trust. Service brings satisfaction. Cooperation proves the quality of leadership.” – James Cash Penney

Central to all activities in the school is the advancement of the well-being of animals and the impact of animals on people. We see throughout our programs the evidence of our service to society. The California Animal Health and Food Safety (CAHFS) Laboratory System is one example of that service. CAHFS serves California and the nation as a warning system that helps to protect the health of California’s livestock and poultry.

The scientists and staff of CAHFS are currently working to understand and control the impact of a high pathogenic avian influenza outbreak. Avian influenza is an infectious viral disease of birds (especially wild waterfowl), which can spread to domestic poultry and cause devastating outbreaks of serious disease. Our dedicated CAHFS virologists, such as Dr. Beate Crossley, develop and provide accurate diagnostic tests to efficiently detect pathogens threatening our food supply and our economy. Dr. Crossley and her colleagues are partners with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), veterinarians, and livestock and poultry producers.