Welcome to 2013!

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

UC Denver Anschultz Medical Campus

DVM 2015 and 2016 have started their first PBL cases for the year.  DVM 2013 have arrived at their 3rd year course sites.  We have two new sites beginning:  Cheyenne Mountain Zoo for Zoo & Wildlife Medicine and UC Denver for Lab Animal Medicine & Research.  DVM 2013 on campus are enjoying a 9:00 am start.  DVM 2014 are still on the road, but many have successfully hurdled the National Boards (NAVLE).  Congrats to the DVM 2013 who have this milestone behind them!

  ~Veterinary Nomad journal 1-8-13

Stops along the Way - Portland Street Food Cart

After perusing the options we decided on the Portland Soup Company.
Paul's pickled beets, homemade mozzarella and arugula on a honey drizzled wheat roll was something he will try at home. My smoked pork butt had a distinct but not overwhelming smoked favor. The cabbage and apple salad was carefully composed to have a wonderful balance of sweet tang.

It will be hard to look at choices from other carts until the Portland Soup Company offerings have been fully explored.

Veterinary Nomad Journal Oct. 19, 2012
LAM 5 - OHSU Site Visit

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

I am Lennox

If you haven’t heard about Lennox, the dog who was euthanized in Ireland, you should be aware that this incident is becoming a rallying event.  The story was covered on CNN and here is an update:  http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/lennox-dog-put-sleep-belfast-145939624.html
There is a Facebook Online Group “I am Lennox” which is “Remembering Lennox, we are all Lennox. rallying people to post photos of dogs who could be at risk of breed specific legislation.”
It is a powerful site as it puts a face on the issue…pet faces.

Turn Your Phone into TV Remote in Your Hotel Room

I think many of us who no longer have cable or even a TV at home enjoy TV while on the road. Sometimes it just reminds us that we aren't missing that much. This week I enjoyed an huge (40 inch?) LG flat screen TV in my Best Western Plus hotel. Wow! The picture is amazing. There was a QR coded advert for the LodgeNet Interactive TV app. It allowed me to use my phone as a remote for the TV and to select stations by source (eg. NBC or HBO). This was faster than navigating the hotel TV menu. So even though a "Clean Remote" was provided as a sanitized TV remote, my Droid as Remote was faster and easier! Love it! What did I find to watch? NCIS (Mark Harmon!) and The Voice.

Veterinary Nomad - Foodie Alert Slaw Dogs, Pasadena, CA

Veterinary Nomad - Foodie Alert Slaw Dogs, Pasadena, CA
I first heard about Slaw Dogs on the Food Network's Guy Fieri's DDD (if you don't know what I mean by DDD, then go to the Food Network and look it up, as we say at WesternU, "PBL it."). I made a note on my To Do List: bomb dog - Pasadena. Later on, in my veterinarian mind set I read the note and wondered to myself, What bomb dog do I know in Pasadena? I know a bomb dog in Orange County and one in the Bay Area. I don't know one in Pasadena.". It took me a few to recall the signature hit dog at Slaw Dogs is the Bomb or the TNT! www.theslawdogs.com
I have enjoyed several Slaw Dogs now. The TNT Super Dog (AKA the "Good Timer") is the must try. It is enormous so bring your appetite. A 12 inch rippered dog with chili, cheese, bacon, pastrami, fries, grilled onions and a fried egg in a tortilla. Incredible. The Thai Slaw Dog is a fusion delight: chicken sausage, spicy peanut satay dressing, cilantro-carrot slaw with spicey sesame mayo. The Reuben Dog delivers the the classic doggie version - pastrami with Russian Dressing on rye & a spicy Polish to finish. Today's special, Mac-n-cheese Dog starts off as expected with great Mac-n-cheese on a dog, then you make it Slaw Dog Special by adding grilled onions, bacon and a thin layer of Dijon mustard. The Dijon is just the subtle kick that is unexpected. They don't over do the mustard, it is just enough to know it is there and to tilt the combination towards a new taste result. It's the same that is accomplished in the TNT and the thin layer of chili that is used. It is enough to tease the palette without overwhelming the overall taste. 

Great News - new locations are coming soon including a location on Buena Vista in Duarte! This is near the City of Hope and one of the regular Veterinary Nomad stops!
Diane McClure, Veterinary Nomad
Journal Entry. 3-7-2012

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