Making Teaching Matter...

       Most people have heard "publish or perish."  Professors are expected to publish research as a primary function and time spent on teaching only takes away time from research efforts.  Teaching is something a professor just does.  In one of my previous institutions, teaching is not even considered in promotion and tenure evaluations.   The Regional Teaching Academy which is a consortium of UC Davis, Western University of Health Sciences,  Colorado State University, Oregon State University and Washington State University veterinary educators with the goal of making teaching matter.

        Being a good teacher requires effort effort, skill and knowledge.  Recognizing the scholarly effort involved in developing better keep teaching methods and materials is the first step in matter teaching matter.  This past weekend about 30 faculty members from the five veterinary schools have been working diligently toward this goal.  I'm very proud and inspired to be part of this group of medical educators.  I'm encouraged that teaching may finally get the  recognition that it truly deserves.  

Balls and Dragons" Reptile Super Show 2014

Not many places where you can see a big banner stating, "Superior Balls and Dragons".  Ball pythons and bearded dragons were some of the most featured reptiles at the largest reptile show in the United States www.reptilesupershow.com). There is still plenty of pacman frogs,  king snakes and after the title critters.   My favorites: the adorable sulcatta tortoises, Eastern indigo snakes (if I had a $1000) and the Living Gems Reptiles rainbow boas (on Facebook & lgreptiles@yahoo.com). 

Oscar Reducindo, silver jewelry craftsman, does beautiful work AND he does custom pieces by request.  Visit his etsy store at biologicaljewels.etsy.com.

Exotic Animal Care Center of Pasadena was the only veterinary practice represented.   This practice is growing so quickly that they have recently added a third doctor to the staff.  Dr. Stephanie Lamb has recently joined doctors Tiffany Margolin and practice owner Dr. Sari Kanfer.  Way to go Sari!

There are good prices on reptile housing and husband the supplies abound.  The show continues at the Fairplex in Pomona til Sunday January 5th at 5 pm.

I posted this entire blog from my Samsung Galaxy Note 3.  I even took and edited photos and videos.  They'll be on my Facebook page: Diane McClure DVM

Here's to better success at regular blogging in 2014!

Veterinary Nomad Journal 1.4.14

DVM 2014 Block 1 of 16 ...

    The first course of the third year for DVM 2014 is winding down.  CVM faculty are reporting back from our many locations: Dr. Dawes from Nebraska, Dr. Kidd from Costa Rica,  Dr. Gordon-Ross from a plane on the tarmack of an airport preparing for take off and myself from Seattle.  Dr. Cole is at home base in Pomona.  We are having challenges with remote reporting software, getting ground transportation arranged, getting hotels accommodations worked out.  We are becoming well seasoned Veterinary Nomads.   

     We start a new course every two weeks all year with quarter (exam) breaks and holidays.  My lab animal medicine and research course students will spend 2 weeks in zoo medicine (eg Los Angeles Zoo), 2 weeks in surgery (Upland Animal Shelter)  and 2 weeks in pathology (Antech Diagnostics).  This is the Misc. block or Quarter and all students return to the Pomona campus for exams at the end of the quarter. Other quarters are Large Animal (Nebraska, etc.), small animal and Population/Public Health/Food Safety.

       This distributive model requires travel and technology.  I am working with the new Microsoft Web Access and SkyDrive for my course.  Being in Seattle, I can get assistance from the Microsoft Store at University Village with support staff who really understand what we need and are EXCITED about what we are doing.  WesternU CVM is truly leading from the edge.

      DVM 2014 is hanging in and doing amazing work.  The local feedback about our student's performance on their debut in the bigger veterinaryprofessional world makes it all worthwhile.  We are off to a great start to the year!   First course down and only 15 to go.

DMcClureDVM
Veterinary Nomad Journal 8-24-12

On the Road Again

       The DVM Class of 2016 has survived orientation and the first week of vet school.   The 2015s have arrived and are feeling like they never left.  The 2014s have been launched into full Nomad mode.

       I have my first third year site visits itineraries set and now I am reviewing my travel gear and preparing to get traveling.  First stop was the Eddie Bauer Outlet in Camarillo.  They have some great travel gear at a price that typically beats regular travel stores.  Magellan's and TravelSmith are other favorite travel gear shops.  The TravelSmith Packing Center is a useful site for resources for the world traveler.  Check out the printable packing list.

   Join me on Pinterest and for my Products I Love for Travel Pinterest board.  

   Happy travels!
  DMcClureDVM Veterinary Nomad  8-18-12

Last WesternU Site Visit Travel for 2011

My original plan had been to drive, but I admit I decided to fly because I wanted one more ticket that had PREMIER printed on it...and it would cost more to drive!  I am ending the year with a great bunch of enthusiastic students in my course.  The weather is bright and clear!  My fellow travelers have donned there gay apparel and are wearing it to the airport.  You gotta love the lady wearing her polyester synthetic red suit with the festive embroidery.  She resembles Bridget Jones' mother.   Her ensemble is adorned with bells in her ears and a jingle bell necklace.   Its topped off with a red hat with black faux fur trim.  You know this outfit has only left the closet during the holidays.   She has just the right jolliness to carry it off.      Flying in clear weather and daylight provided an amazing view of the foothills ringing the Los Angeles basin.  The enormity of the Station Fire destruction was shockingly evident!  Whoa!  It is impossible to perceive how much land was burned in that historic fire until you see it from the air...even two years later.    Safe Holiday Travels from the Veterinary Nomad    Journal Entry Dec. 8, 2011 at Emporio Ralli Gran Caffe at SFO Terminal 3.  Courtesy of free Wi-Fi from American Express.

The Veterinary Nomad and Road Scholarship

WesternU has the newest College of Veterinary Medicine in the United States. Five classes have successfully graduated as of May 2011. The WesternU curriculum is innovative, integrative and complex.  The basic sciences in the first two years of the curriculum are taught through problem based learning.  No lectures.  Inquiry based investigation of cases with associated activities, labs and discussions.  In years 3 and 4, the medical education and clinical instruction is taught in situ through a "distributive" model.  Students begin the life of a Veterinary Nomad when they are sent out into the real world in the third year.   In two week blocks a third year WesternU vet student is assigned to a new veterinary enterprise or disciplines.  The third year will include zoo medicine at the Los Angeles or other  Zoo, beef cattle medicine at the Hastings Center in Nebraska and pathology at Antech Diagnostics in Irvine, CA.  This continues for 32 weeks or 16 courses with four interruptions (exam weeks).  Understand, this is not "shadowing" veterinarians in the field.  Students work to achieve educational objectives through group study, preceptor and faculty guided work in place.  They have continuous assessments and examinations throughout the year.  In the 4th year, the College assigns two CORE rotations, Internal Medicine and Surgery and the veterinary student selects six rotations.  The 4th year could be spent entirely in Southern California or around the world.  I know it sounds complicated.  It is. The logistics are crazy.

I am Associate Professor Diane McClure, a course leader for the third year in Laboratory Animal Medicine and Research.  As students begin this nomadic life of a new place every 2 weeks, my role as Professor is to follow along via cyberspace (black board, e-mail, mobile phone calls, texts and Facebook). I also visit each location at least once during the two week rotation when students are present. Face to face meetings are where the subtle issues come to light so they can be addressed before they become catastrophes. Thus, I am a Veterinary Nomad too.

Beyond learning veterinary medicine in all it's diverse roles, veterinary nomads are learning another set of skills. How to fit into a new work environment every two weeks, how to communicate with a tremendous variety of people in vet med and on public transportation, how to live out of a suit case and still have the resources you need to write papers, create PowerPoint presentations and maintain personal health and hygiene. This is a powerful skill set that is difficult to name, but I call it Road Scholarship.

This blog will share joys and travails of a Veterinary Nomad.

Disclaimer:  This blog is of my own doing and does not represent any official position or opinion by WesternU.  ~ Diane McClure, DVM, PhD