Ontario Veterinary College
The Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) is embarking on an exciting time, as it plans for the redevelopment of its physical structure. Last December, the federal gov ernment announced that the OVC would receive $37.27 million as part of its investment in the physical infrastructure of Canada's 4 veterinary colleges. The funds will be allocated in keeping with the federal mandate: research infrastructure and diagnostic laboratories, with some limited opportunity for improvements to the hospital. Along with funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), the Ontario Innovation Trust (OIT), and anticipated funding from the province, this support will allow the OVC to move forward with a redevelopment plan that will position its physical resources for the future and help to ensure ongoing international accreditation.
The new plan envisions a realignment of the College in closer proximity to the rest of the campus, with new buildings to replace those with significant maintenance or servicing issues. Plans also include more convenient client access to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, and physical separation of teaching, research, and client animals. The new arrangement will cluster facilities with shared themes and will bring increased efficiency and security.
The federal funding comes with a strict time line that requires plans and cost projections to be submitted by April 1, 2004. Construction will take place over the subsequent 4 years. Obtaining the funding was the result of a true team effort by Canada's veterinary colleges, including faculty, staff, and students, as well as numerous industry groups, politicians, and the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association.
In November 2002, the OVC received full accreditation for up to 7 years — subject to satisfactory annual progress with respect to issues raised — from the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). However, the AVMA identified several areas where the OVC must make improvements to ensure ongoing accreditation. The 2 main concerns related to physical facilities and equipment, and finance. The federal funding and current redevelopment plans will help to address many of these concerns.
In the accreditation report, the OVC was commended for its strengths in several areas, including the dedication of its faculty, strong research program, enthusiastic student leadership, DVM curriculum, strong biomedical sciences program, positive relationship between the Veterinary Teaching Hospital and academic departments, promotion of self-directed student learning, and strong development programs.
During this past year, the CFI recognized 3 OVC faculty members with New Opportunities funding: Dr. Scott Weese to establish a laboratory for the development and testing of veterinary probiotics; Dr. Dean Betts for research on somatic cell nuclear transfer (animal cloning), identifying genes that are important during mammalian embryonic development and those that are regulated improperly after cloning; and Dr. Shayan Sharif for work on genetically regulated resistance against infectious diseases in domestic animals.
In 2000, the OVC began implementing a new curriculum for DVM students to better prepare graduates to meet the needs of their profession and society. This fall, the 1st cohort of students in the new curriculum will begin Phase 4 of the new program. This 4th-year curriculum gives students more flexibility and streams students to allow them to focus on their career interests. Over 170 graduate students were registered at the OVC in the fall of 2002, up from about 135, 5 years ago. This year, the College recognized its graduate students at a Graduate Student Appreciation Day, where graduate students were invited to present posters and give oral presentations based on their work. Forty-six graduate students made presentations at the event, surpassing the expectations of event organizers.
In August 2002, Dr. Chris Brown joined the OVC as its new chair of Clinical Studies. Prior to arriving at the OVC, Dr. Brown was chair of the Department of Clinical Sciences and director of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital at the College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. The college continues to work to bring Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) technology to the OVC. Architects are currently drawing up blueprints for the facility and construction is expected to begin in the fall 2003.
The OVC continues to develop the Virtual Veterinary Medicine Learning Community, along with Canada's other veterinary colleges and industry partners, to give veterinary students and faculty, and, most recently, veterinary practitioners access to video-rich learning content and the opportunity to share educational and clinical resources. The project is funded by the Canadian Network for the Advancement of Research, Industry and Education (CANARIE), a private, nonprofit organization supported by Industry Canada. Current projects in development include virtual mentoring of DVM students by practising veterinarians, an on-line dermatology consulting service, and on-line resources to help clinicians manage their client records.
The University of Guelph and the Equine Research Centre have collaborated to create Equine Guelph, a portal that will deliver new knowledge to the horse industry through education, training, communications, and a proposed new performance service.
The University of Guelph is currently in the final stages of its capital campaign, which aims to raise $75 million by December 2003. The campaign aims to boost support for students, attract and retain outstanding talent, and provide the best teaching, learning, and research facilities. As of May 15, 2003, gifts to the University totaled almost $73 million. The College is currently contacting alumni to seek their support in helping the university to surpass its campaign goals.
The OVC looks forward to the year ahead as one that will help to shape the future of the College.
(by Alan Meek, DVM, Dean, Ontario Veterinary College)
Alan Meek