Four WCVM students recently received scholarships during two of the most popular livestock events in Western Canada. As part of the Canadian Finals Rodeo in Edmonton, veterinary students Tyler Corbiell of Cluny, Alta., Angela Oakley of Edmonton, Alta., and Terence Goslin of Saskatoon, Sask., were recipients of the 2008 Bill Kehler Memorial Scholarships.

LEFT: First-year veterinary student Angela Oakley of Edmonton, Alta., was one of the Bill Kehler Memorial Scholarship recipients for 2008.

Kehler was a longtime broadcaster, rodeo announcer and an enthusiastic supporter of Western Canada’s agriculture industry. The $2,500 scholarships are annually awarded to students with academic interests in broadcasting or agriculture, or to post-secondary students who are involved in professional rodeo.

During the Canadian Western Agribition in Regina, Sask., veterinary student Karen Wagner was among the 2008 recipients of the Canadian Western Agribition’s $1,000 post-secondary scholarships. Wagner has been a participant in Agribition livestock and other agricultural competitions for the past five years.

| Permalink

Want to read the latest news from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine? Make sure you don't miss our next issue by joining The Ark mailing list. To join, please click on the "Join Now" link (at left), fill in all of the required information and then submit your completed form.

Once you've joined our mailing list, you will receive regular updates about the latest achievements of WCVM students, faculty and staff, upcoming events, new research funding and alumni news. We hope you enjoy The Ark!

| Permalink

Dr. Baljit Singh of the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) is among 10 Canadian professors who have been selected as 3M National Teaching Fellows for 2009.

"This is a great honour for Dr. Singh as well as for the WCVM and the University of Saskatchewan," says WCVM Dean Dr. Charles Rhodes. "I want to congratulate him for the hard work and commitment to teaching that has earned him this prestigious award."

The Fellowship, which was established in 1986 by 3M Canada and the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (STLHE), is the highest recognition of university-level teaching excellence in Canada. It celebrates exceptional achievements and contributions by teacher-scholars across Canada.

Continue reading "Dr. Baljit Singh: 3M National Teaching Fellow" »

| Permalink

As the veterinary college enters the fifth year of its major expansion and renovation initiative, the final stages of the multi-phase construction project are nearing completion. Exterior work on the WCVM’s diagnostic expansion wrapped up in late 2008 and construction crews are focusing their efforts on completing interior work in the office and laboratory spaces. Occupation of the new diagnostic areas is scheduled for the spring of 2009.

As well, renovations continue in the Veterinary Teaching Hospital’s large animal clinical services area. That project includes the modernization of the surgical and ward facilities, the creation of common areas between two large animal surgical suites, and a new induction and recovery area for large animal patients. A nuclear scintigraphy suite is also being developed as part of the renovation. Construction will be completed during the first few months in 2009.

| Permalink

Last month, WCVM graduate student Orleigh Bogle returned from the International Embryo Transfer Society's annual meeting in San Diego, Calif., with a well-earned first prize for her research paper.

Bogle's paper, "Evidence for the presence of ovulation inducing factor in porcine and equine seminal plasma,"* was judged to be the best over 30 papers in the student competition at the meeting which took place from January 3 to 7. Besides giving an oral presentation of her findings, Bogle's research poster was displayed along with the rest of the entrants' work.

Bogle (centre) is a Master of Science (MSc) student under Dr. Gregg Adams' (at right) supervision in WCVM's Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences. The research work was done within the trans-disciplinary context of the University of Saskatchewan's Reproductive Science and Medicine Research Group. One of the group's committee members, Dr. Reuben Mapletoft (at left), also attended the IETS meeting in San Diego.

* Bogle OA, Ambati D, Davis RP, Adams GP. 2009. "Evidence for the presence of ovulation inducing factor in porcine and equine seminal plasma." Reproduction, Fertility and Development. 21: 101.

| Permalink

Dr. Bruce Grahn officially took on the role of WCVM’s associate dean (academic) for a four-and-half-year term on January 1. Grahn replaces Dr. Jeremy Bailey who retired in December 2008 after 27 years of outstanding service at the veterinary college.

Born and raised near Marwayne, Alta., Grahn graduated from the WCVM in 1977 and spent 13 years in private practice at Camrose, Alta. After completing a two-year residency in veterinary ophthalmology at the Ontario Veterinary College, Grahn joined the WCVM’s faculty in 1992.

For the past 17 years, Grahn has operated the WCVM veterinary ophthalmology service. At the same time, he has been involved in undergraduate and graduate teaching as well as research in areas such as inherited retinal disorders, glaucoma and ocular pathology. Grahn’s clinical, research and teaching activities have led to 50-plus peer-reviewed manuscripts, more than a dozen book chapters, a book and several CD-ROMs.

Continue reading "Dr. Bruce Grahn: new associate dean (academic)" »

| Permalink

A WCVM project called “Integrative teaching and learning to bridge basic and clinical sciences in veterinary medicine” received the 2008 Provost’s Prize for Innovative Practice in Teaching and Learning at the University of Saskatchewan. The veterinary college is the first recipient of this new award at the university.

The collaborative, unit-wide effort uses a biomedical rounds course to provide experiential learning for students. The teaching initiative integrates traditional classroom learning with realistic case studies and practical learning experiences.

Members of the selection committee unanimously selected the WCVM project for the $5,000 award because of its strong and balanced commitment to teaching as well as to learning. That was emphasized by comments from veterinary students who agreed that the project’s approach has led to a significant improvement in their learning experience at the veterinary college.

| Permalink