PULLMAN, Wash. – Nine veterinary students and two faculty from the Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine were among some 300 veterinary students from colleges across North America who visited the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week to learn about educational, research and career opportunities there.
A highlight of the visit for WSU vet students, Jake Brandvold, Spencer Burnett, Gabby Eddings, Claire Jackson, Victoria Olsen-Mikitowicz, Jessica Poindexter, Marie Salazar, Matt Sammons, and Miriah Woodbury, was their participation in a mock outbreak investigation of rabies among attendees at the conference. They learned about rabies transmission, the role of the CDC and other governmental agencies in an outbreak, and specifics on conducting and analyzing results of an investigation.
Those who attended heard from CDC veterinarians about recent investigations of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Salmonella in Easter and backyard chicks, fatal infections from viruses like Ebola and Marburg, and Influenza. Other veterinarians came from FDA, USDA, state government and the Uniformed Services to describe the roles and responsibilities of veterinarians and career opportunities in their organizations.
Faculty from the participating veterinary college, (including Dale Moore and William Sischo from WSU, met with research scientists and epidemiologists at the CDC to discuss funding issues, opportunities for veterinary students, a SARS-like virus in the Middle East and veterinary medical occupational health research goals.