2012-2013 Externship Recipients
Past Externship Recipients
2013-2014 | 2012-2013 | 2011-2012 | 2010-2011 | 2009-2010
University of Illinois
I met my first alpaca at a farm in the green state of Oregon over 7 years ago. My family has had an interest in starting their own flock and until that visit, we had never come into contact with the animals. My first impression of the animals, besides the fact that they were my height and had amazing fiber, was that they have some fascinating behaviors, such as humming to communicate and spitting when they are upset. At that point in time, I knew I wanted to learn more about these animals.
A few years later, I was accepted into veterinary school and learned the seven main body systems. However, the curriculum did not include camelids, which I would later learn have distinct anatomical features from those commonly included in standard courses, such as a three compartment stomach and padded toes. In fact, when I learned that camelids were not included in the curriculum I realized that I would have to look elsewhere for my education.
During my third year of veterinary school, I found my opportunity during the off campus elective rotation - I knew one of the first externships that I would apply to would be the Camelid Medicine and Surgery rotation at Oregon State University. I had multiple students in the class ahead of me recommend the course to me. This externship provides the basics of camelid medicine and surgery, as the title implies, from basic anatomy to practicing routine procedures, such as nail trims, removing fighting teeth, and castrations.
Krystal Woo.
Iowa State University, College of Veterinary Medicine
MOPACA Externship:
Dear Mid-America Alpaca Foundation,
I was recently informed that I received the alpaca externship scholarship from the MAAF and I am writing to let you know howvery thankful I amto be given this opportunity. Camelids, and alpacas specifically, have been an interest of mine since I started veterinary school, but with so few in our immediate area, I have found it difficult to get hands on experience working with these animals. I am confident that the externship experience I have planned will provide the foundation I need to pursue a career in camelid medicine. The externship I have planned is in Rectortown, Virginia, and I am planning on being there in September, during the breeding season, when the caseload is the highest. The veterinarian, at this practice, began seeing alpacas in 2006 and has a terrific reputation in the area. I look forward to learning from his experience. I want to thank your association for this generous scholarship. Without your gracious support, this externship opportunity would not be possible for me. I look forward strengthening and increasingmy knowledge of camelids and thus being able to serve producers in the future.
Sincerely,
Bailey L. Goos
Iowa State University, College of Veterinary Medicine
DVM Candidate, Class of 2014
blgoos@iastate.edu
Kansas State University
Oh wow! Thank you so much! This is such a generous scholarship and is enough to cover my expenses to attend the 2013 International Camelid Health Conference at Oregon State University in July. My current plan is to fly into Portland, OR the day before and check in, attend the conference Thurs- Sun and fly out Monday. There are several reasons for my strong interest to attend this conference. One, I wanted to visit OSU for a while now. I know they have a very strong camelid medicine program and would love to personally meet Dr. Chris Cebra. Secondly, this conference will be discussing various topics. I have been to several camelid conferences in Kansas but this upcoming conference in Oregon has some super exciting lectures! Its such a well-rounded agenda about everything and anything relating to camelid medicine. I hope to gain valuable knowledge to expand my current understanding of camelid medicine. I will be listening to lectures from speakers who are the experts in their field. Lastly, I hope to meet people that share the same passion I do for camelid medicine. I want to represent KSU CVM at this conference and I hope to gain some contacts that can be used after I graduate in getting a job where I can practice camelid medicine.
Thank you again!!!!!!!!!!!!
Izabela Ragan
Kansas State University
College of Veterinary Medicine
Class of 2014
Oklahoma State University
I am currently in my fourth year of veterinary school at Oklahoma State University. I grew up on a beef cattle and dairy cattle farm in north central Kansas. My family also owned llamas and that is how I became interested in learning about camelids. In vet school, I became active in the small ruminant club and served as the treasurer for two years. I also served as a representative of my class on the SCAVMA Executive Board, the secretary of the bovine practitioners club, and was involved in the public health and policy club and society for theriogenologists club.
I am currently in the process of setting up an externship with a veterinarian who treats alpacas as a part of their practice. I am also talking to an alpaca breeder in the area to see if I would be able to spend time at her farm to learn about alpaca management on a day to day basis and to learn more about the alpaca industry. I plan to use the scholarship to help with travel to the externship and also with lodging and food costs once there.
After graduation, I would like to work at a mixed animal practice in a small community in the Midwest or Great Plains area.
Roxanne Wallace
Oklahoma State University
Center for Veterinary Health Sciences
Class of 2014
Texas A&M
Like many little girls when someone asked me what I was going to be when I grew up, I would proudly answer "I'm going to be a vet!" However, unlike many little girls I received a reality check early in life. At the stable where I took riding lessons one of the assistantsoverheard my declaration one day and off handedly replied "Are you sure? It is REALLY hard to get into veterinary school." This made me think long and hard about the profession that I had chosen for myself. By the time I graduated from Trinity High School in 2006 the decision to be a veterinarian was no longer a childhood whim but a goal that drove my decision making. One of these major decision was where to go to college.
After much internal turmoil I accepted an offer from the University of Findlay because of theirstellar pre-veterinary program. This is were I was first introduced to camelids. For teaching purposes the university owned two llamas which became three with the birth of a cria. I was hooked. During my four years at the University of Findlay I tutored fellow students, was president of the Sign Language Club for two years, and aided Dr. Wooten with a published research project on salamanders. In March of 2010 I received the wonderful news that I had been accepted at Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine. A few short month later I graduated Cum Laude from the University of Findlay with a Bachelor of Science in Pre-Veterinary Medicine, Biology, Animal Science, and Equine Business Management.
While attending A&M I have been an active member in BP and SVRT. When I learned of the camelid elective offered during our third year I couldn't wait to participate in the class. Now a decade later I am a little under a year away from making that dream of becoming veterinarian a reality. Thank you so much for your support.
Caitlin Corbet, 4VM Texas A&M Veterinary College
To receive externships in 2014
To receive externships in 2014
To receive externships in 2014
To receive externships in 2014