By Breanna Kjoll (Advisor: Dr. John Wenz)
Summary: This study surveyed veterinary students at nine U.S. veterinary schools between August and October 2024 to explore their interest in livestock medicine and career preferences. The survey, which received 703 responses, aimed to assess factors influencing students’ intent to practice in mixed animal, livestock-exclusive, or small animal medicine. The largest group of respondents were from Washington State University (36%) and represented all four veterinary school years. Regarding career intent, 43% of students were undecided about serving livestock species, 30% definitely did not plan to serve livestock clients, and 27% intended to do so. Interest in mixed-animal practice was the highest (39%), with the next largest group of students preferring small animal practice. Interest in livestock species, particularly goats and cattle, was notable among those with potential interest in mixed practice. Confidence in mixed animal students was relatively low compared to small animal students. Work and veterinary experience outside school were the most influential factors in career choice, particularly for those interested in livestock practice, where 4H/FFA experiences were also crucial. Despite a high level of interest in mixed and livestock practice early in veterinary education, fewer fourth-year students intended to pursue livestock medicine, suggesting a shift in focus toward small animal care as students progress. The study suggests that while lifestyle factors positively influence interest in livestock medicine, issues such as work-life balance, debt, and income negatively impact the decision to enter the field. Systemic changes in veterinary curricula and enhanced exposure to livestock experiences are essential to addressing the growing shortage of livestock veterinarians, particularly in rural areas.
Conclusions: Although many suburban and urban students show interest in livestock medicine, they appear to be lost during the course of veterinary school. Mixed animal students lack confidence and animal experiences compared to their small animal counterparts. The most influential experiences for livestock students do not appear to be taking place during the course of veterinary school, and concerns around finances and workload abound. It is clear that while short-term solutions, like loan repayment programs and recruitment of students from farming backgrounds, have had some success, broader systemic changes are needed to tackle the root causes of the livestock veterinary shortage. For veterinary institutions, this includes rethinking curricula to better integrate food animal medicine and farm-level practices, especially for students from urban backgrounds who may be interested in livestock work but have limited exposure to livestock. Due to the impact of undergraduate programs on livestock students described in this survey, there may also be opportunities to strengthen animal science programs in order to increase student interest in livestock medicine prior to veterinary school. Although financial programs like the VMLRP focus on alleviating individual debt, it does not reduce the overall debt load that veterinary students face, or provide assistance to livestock veterinarians who may not fit eligibility criteria. Federal funds aimed at increasing the amount of rural and livestock veterinarians may be better used to fund formative experiences for interested students. These include youth experiences including FFA and 4H, as well as undergraduate programming. However, it is also critically important to fund more opportunities for veterinary students to explore herd medicine and large animal handling to sustain interested students throughout veterinary school and beyond. Fostering a more inclusive and supportive work environment for underrepresented groups in the veterinary profession, particularly women and people of color, will be crucial in diversifying and retaining the workforce. These topics may be best included in continuing education opportunities for rural and livestock practitioners, alongside information supporting work/life balance. In terms of concerns about workload and scheduling, ways to deliver client value that are not directly correlated with number of hours worked must be emphasized. As the agricultural sector continues to face complex challenges—ranging from novel disease outbreaks to concerns regarding environmental sustainability and consumer interests—the role of livestock veterinarians will only grow in importance. Addressing the shortage is not only a matter of meeting the demand for veterinary services but also of ensuring the health of the food system, animal populations, and the broader public health infrastructure. Moving forward, a comprehensive and coordinated effort between educational bodies, government agencies, and industry stakeholders will be necessary to ensure a steady pipeline of qualified and committed livestock veterinarians.
By Alysha Schwartz (Advisor: Dr. Patricia Talcott)
Summary: Ergot alkaloid toxicosis is a historical and ongoing concern in cattle production systems. Classified as a fungal disease, ergot affects many cereal and domestic grass plants that are fed to finishing cattle. Ergot fungi, within the genus Claviceps, produce sclerotia or dark bodies that resemble grain. These sclerotia possess alkaloid toxins, that when consumed, can affect several bodily systems resulting in high morbidity and mortality. Management of fungi, like ergot, is targeted at preharvest and postharvest to minimize its presence in cattle feed. This paper will review the updated knowledge of ergot alkaloid toxicosis while focusing on toxin regulation and disease management.
Conclusions: With time, a better understanding of the various ergot alkaloid toxins has been achieved allowing for the potential for more involved regulation of their presence in livestock feed. However, disease surveillance remains critical for continuing to understand the pathogenesis of the alkaloid toxins as well as for emerging toxins. Disease surveillance is also critical to aid the development of programs to minimize ergot alkaloid toxins in livestock feed.
Minimizing the risks of ergot can be done through management protocols in pre-harvest and post-harvest stages but these focuses have hindered research in individual alkaloid toxins and their associating pathologies in addition to development of more involved regulatory protocols. As technology advances our knowledge of ergotism can expand and allow us to integrate data and predict the occurrence of disease.
By Natalie Drozdowdkit (Advisor: Dr. Laura Williams)
Summary: Honey bees, vital to global agriculture and biodiversity, face numerous health challenges that necessitate the involvement of veterinary professionals in their care. As food-producing livestock, honey bees play an essential role in pollination, contributing to the production of a major portion of the world’s food supply. This paper examines veterinary approaches to enhancing honey bee colony health through hive inspections, disease management, and education of beekeepers. Key focus areas include the identification and management of diseases such as varroosis, caused by Varroa destructor mites, and associated viral infections like Deformed Wing Virus (DWV) and Slow Bee Paralysis Virus (SBPV). The paper highlights the importance of proper hive inspection techniques, emphasizing equipment use, record review, and visual assessments of both adult bees and brood to diagnose diseases, assess nutritional reserves, and ensure hive health. Methods for managing varroa mites, including chemical and non-chemical interventions, are discussed, emphasizing the need for integrated pest management to prevent resistance. The evolving role of veterinarians, driven by regulatory changes like the Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD), underscores the necessity of specialized education in honey bee medicine. Through collaborations with organizations such as the Honey Bee Veterinary Consortium (HBVC) and utilization of resources from institutions like the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), veterinarians are equipped to safeguard bee health, ensuring sustainable pollination services and the safety of hive products. This paper advocates for continued research and education to address emerging challenges, strengthen veterinary involvement, and support the interconnected health of humans, animals, and ecosystems.
Conclusions: Veterinary involvement in honey bee health is increasingly vital as these pollinators face growing threats from diseases, pests, and environmental stressors. By employing comprehensive hive inspection techniques, advancing disease management practices, and promoting integrated pest management, veterinarians play a pivotal role in safeguarding colony health and productivity. Regulatory changes, such as the Veterinary Feed Directive, have expanded the scope of veterinary responsibilities, highlighting the need for specialized education and collaboration. Continued research and innovation are essential to address emerging challenges, ensuring the sustainability of honey bee populations and the ecosystems they support. By fostering interdisciplinary approaches and leveraging available resources, veterinarians can contribute significantly to global food security and ecological balance
By Ana Tompkins-Wynakos (Advisor: Dr. Julie Cary)
Summary: Bovine palpation is a crucial skill in large animal veterinary medicine, playing a vital role in diagnosing pregnancy and reproductive disorders. Despite its importance, learning rectal palpation can be extremely challenging due to its blind, tactile nature and the physical strain it places on practitioners. Understanding the underlying neurologic pathways involved in touch, like mechanoreceptors and proprioceptors, is key to improving the accuracy and efficiency of this skill. This paper discusses various training methods, including traditional live practice, palpation boxes, haptic devices, and virtual reality (VR) systems, and how they help students overcome the steep learning curve. Research shows that grip strength, targeted exercises, and simulator-based training improve diagnostic accuracy and confidence. Advancements in VR and haptic technology offer exciting potential to modernize palpation training, providing students with more accessible, humane, and effective ways to build their skills. By strengthening foundational techniques and communication, veterinarians can better serve their clients and ensure the success of bovine production systems.
Conclusions: In conclusion, mastering bovine palpation is both an art and a science, requiring a deep understanding of anatomy, sensory processing, and practical application. While the challenges of learning this skill are significant, advancements in training methods, such as simulators, haptic devices, and VR technology, provide promising solutions for overcoming these barriers. Incorporating exercises to build strength, confidence, and tactile precision can help students bridge the gap between theory and practice. Ultimately, the ability to perform accurate pregnancy diagnoses and assess reproductive health is a cornerstone of large animal veterinary medicine, directly impacting herd productivity and client trust. As technology and teaching methods evolve, they will continue to play a critical role in shaping competent veterinarians capable of navigating the complexities of bovine reproduction with skill and confidence.
By Emily Zavorka (Advisor: Dr. Laura Williams)
Summary: Eimeria species are found in nearly every mammalian species, and they play a large role in ruminant species including cattle, sheep, and goats. Though Eimeria sp. Are highly host specific, the majority of the species follow a very similar, 3 phase lifecycle. Replication of Eimeria sp. takes place within the gastrointestinal tract and leads to intestinal damage creating the hallmark hemorrhagic diarrhea seen with an Eimeria infestation. Diagnosis of Eimeria infections prove to be quite challenging. Eimeria sp. seen on fecal flotation are not always an indication of a clinical infection with coccidiosis. Treatment should be considered only when clinical signs are paired with Eimeria oocysts in feces, but the ideal scenario would include identification of the exact Eimeria sp. found within the fecal examination. Prevention of Eimeria infection should always be the first step, but when no longer possible, different treatment methods are available for different situations. Both prevention and treatment come with an associated cost to the producer, but the treatment, losses of production, and potential mortalities are a significant loss in comparison. Eimeria infections in small and large ruminant species pose a large financial risk and affect a vast majority of herds and flocks worldwide.
Conclusions: Though little research exists at this point in time on the exact financial losses attributed to Eimeria sp. in large and small ruminants, the overall impact is expected to be high and prevalent in nearly every herd. Marked by diarrhea—often hemorrhagic, loss of weight gain, loss of fertility and even the potential of central nervous system signs, coccidiosis in all ruminant species is a large, underexplored area with the potential to have a substantial impact on ruminant species. Prevention remains the key factor in control of coccidiosis for both large and small ruminant species. Treatment is often on a herd level, as Eimeria should be classified as a herd disease. Ultimately more research should be done to both evaluate the costs associated with clinical and subclinical coccidiosis, and to evaluate how to adequately treat in a metaphylactic manor to prevent potentially creating drug resistance.
By Anila Tynan (Advisor: Dr. Richard DeBowes)
Summary: Personal financial wellness has been a major concern across the veterinary wellbeing field for many years. For veterinary students, finances rank as the top one or two sources of stress, and veterinarians are known to experience high rates of depression, in part due to financial stress. Improving and increasing financial education for veterinary students is crucial to provide the tools, knowledge, and empowerment for students to take control of their finances and manage their financial stress. The Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine (WSU CVM) Practice Management rotation (PMR, VM698.13) is an elective clinical rotation for fourth-year veterinary professional students that claims to provide real-life, hands-on experience in what it takes to be a successful veterinary practitioner and the various elements and aspects of personnel and systems that are involved in the successful operation of a veterinary practice business. The purpose of this study is to better understand how the PMR has impacted course alumni now that they are veterinarians engaged in practice. In particular, we assessed how they believe their training has impacted their lives, careers, and perceived financial success and stress levels. A survey was conducted with participants who completed the rotation prior to the year 2024 and who are now graduated. It was found that the PMR enhanced early career confidence and ability to contribute value, improved workplace evaluation and communication skills, increased financial literacy, and fostered leadership abilities. Participants reported enhanced career trajectories, comparative financial success, and greater alignment of their careers with their personal goals. This rotation appears to be highly efficacious in providing experience that empowers early career veterinarians to be financially secure, experience less financial stress, and supports additional efforts to provide opportunities for financial education.
Conclusions: The Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine’s Practice Management Rotation (PMR) has demonstrated a profound and lasting impact on its participants, equipping them with critical skills in practice operations, management, communication, and leadership. This survey study confirms that alumni of the PMR feel more confident in their careers and attribute their financial and professional successes, in part, to the education they received during the rotation. By providing an immersive, hands-on approach to real-world veterinary business operations, the PMR fills a crucial gap in traditional veterinary curricula, where financial, leadership, and business training opportunities are often limited or entirely absent. Financial stress remains one of the most significant challenges facing veterinary students and veterinarians today, contributing to high levels of burnout, job dissatisfaction, and psychological distress. The findings of this survey study underscore the importance of structured financial education in empowering veterinary students to navigate the economic realities of their profession. Whether graduates become associate veterinarians or practice owners, the PMR has given them tools to enhance their careers, finances, and take an active role in shaping their workplaces and personal trajectories. The overwhelmingly positive feedback from survey participants highlights the program’s efficacy, with a vast majority reporting increased confidence in evaluating and creating ideal workplace cultures, improving practice financials, and securing their own financial wellbeing. Despite its success, the PMR and similar financial education initiatives face substantial challenges related to funding and faculty expertise. The intensive nature of these programs makes it imperative that veterinary institutions and industry stakeholders recognize their value and invest in their sustainability and expansion. Continued financial and administrative support would not only ensure the longevity of the PMR at WSU but also facilitate the development of comparable programs at other veterinary schools. Expanding access to structured financial education and practice management training will benefit individual veterinary students as well as the profession as a whole, leading to stronger, more financially healthy veterinary practices and improved overall wellbeing for veterinarians and their teams. As the veterinary field continues to grapple with poor mental health, workforce challenges, and inefficient practices, educational initiatives like the PMR are a necessary component of veterinary training. This survey study provides compelling evidence that integrating financial, leadership, and business management training into veterinary curricula can enhance career satisfaction, financial stability, and professional success. Ensuring the continued growth and accessibility of such programs is critical for shaping a more sustainable and prosperous future for veterinarians, their clients, and the communities they serve.