Have you looked inside your local vet college lately? April is definitely “open house” month at most US veterinary colleges. The cloistered back halls and laboratories of several of America’s leading university equine hospitals will be open for public viewing, with all sorts of seminars, demonstrations, and fun events planned.
Here’s a quick rundown:
Colorado State University’s annual James L. Voss Veterinary Teaching Hospital Open House will be this weekend, on Friday, April 4, and Saturday, April 5.
Don’t miss: Equine back expert and chiropractor Kevin Haussler’s demonstration on saddle fit on Friday at 10 a.m. followed by a 1 p.m. lecture “Why does my horse do that? Thinking like a horse,” by Dr. Bruce Connally.
Also recommended is a Saturday lecture at 11 a.m.: “Can you tell me if your animal friend is in pain? Your integrative pain medicine options, including acupuncture and massage,” by Dr. Narda Robinson, Colorado State University veterinarian and complementary medicine expert.
The Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine will hold its annual “Open House” on Saturday, April 5 from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m at the large animal hospital complex in Blacksburg, Virginia. Visitors will have the opportunity to take guided tours of the 225,000 square foot complex, glimpse the inside of a dog’s stomach, witness equine acupuncture, and learn radiology, endoscopy, ultrasound, equine thermography and much more (!) throughout the day.
At the University of Georgia, the College of Veterinary Medicine will hold its annual open house April 4 (Friday) with veterinary hospital tours, a parade of dog breeds, and rodeo and farrier demonstrations. The open house will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with scientific exhibits showcasing every kind of animal from dogs to horses to exotics.
I think all of us would like to tour the new Leatherdale Equine Center at the University of Minnesota; their vet school open house is also this Saturday, as is the University of Illinois‘s and also Mississippi State’s.
Notes from other schools:
? Vet schools at Ohio State, Cornell, Iowa State, the University of Florida,Washington State, and Purdue will host annual open houses next Saturday, April 12.
? The University of California at Davis claims to host the largest vet school open house in the nation! Called “Picnic Day“, it will be on April 19 this year.
The Auburn University, , Kansas State and University of Missouri’s vet school open houses will also all be on April 19…Missouri will have special guest stars, the Budweiser Clydesdales!
Oregon State’s vet school open house will be on May 3rd.
? North Carolina State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine Open House will not be held this spring because of the construction of the 110,000 square-foot hospital. Last year, the NC State open house attracted 10,000 visitors!
? The vet schools at Texas A&M and Louisiana State held their open houses on March 29; the University of Tennessee’s was in January.
How much fun can a vet school open house be? Check out this great little video on the Iowa State web site.
Who’s left out? No information seems to be readily available from some of the vet schools, so please check with your local regional college of veterinary medicine.
