At the Interface of Medicine and Agriculture: North Carolina's College of Veterinary Medicine

From its beginning 25 years ago, the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine has had a strong connection with NCSU's College of Agriculture and close ties with the state's agricultural industry

Otto Stader and One Health

Dr. Joseph Merenda talks about using the Stader Reduction Splint to stabilize long bone fractures in dogs when he practiced veterinary medicine in New York City

Stories of African-American Veterinary History

This is a summary list of all nine stories about African-American veterinarians and the history of their education that have appeared and been a major topic of Perspectives in Veterinary Medicine over the past year

Education of a Dean

Data and commentary are provided about United States veterinary college deans concerning their educational background and where they received their veterinary degrees

The Making of an AVMA President: Dr. Clark Fobian

An interview with incoming AVMA President Dr. Clark Fobian at the organization’s 150th annual meeting in Chicago provides insights in his background and preparation for the most visible position that represents the veterinary profession to the country and to the world

Middlesex Veterinary College: A Short-Lived Experiment in Meritocracy

In the last 85 years, the veterinary college at Middlesex University was the only U.S. veterinary institution that opened and then closed its doors, not surviving to the present. Established in 1938 in the Waltham suburb of Boston, Middlesex was a private venture of Dr. John Hall Smith, a Boston surgeon

A biography of and interview about Isidor I. Sprecker

Person interviewed: Mrs. Sylvia Sprecker, wife of Isidor I. Sprecker. Interviewer: Smith, Donald F. Interview date: January 22, 2008. Interview location: Delray Beach, FL. Date biography was written: June 15, 2009.The son of Russian Jews who had fled to the United States to avoid persecution, Isidor Sprecher (he later changed his name to Sprecker for ease of pronunciation) was one of 40 graduates in Cornell's veterinary class of 1939. He initially practiced in Derby, Connecticut, then was called into service in the US British West Indies during WWII. Returning to Connecticut following the war, he opened a small animal practice in Waterbury. His deep devotion to veterinary education and research led him and his wife, Sylvia, to bestow upon Cornell a series of gifts that culminated in their being named Foremost Benefactors of the university. The Spreckers retired in Boynton Beach, Florida, where Isidor died in 2004 at age 90.1_ywnruq3

The Road Less Traveled

New graduates and other veterinarians are encouraged to think broadly, follow the path even when it is outside their comfort zone, make the most of all their experiences, and do not be afraid to journey beyond traditional clinical medicine. For the author, Dr. Morris Povar, and many others, seizing the opportunities along the way and being willing to take the road less-traveled when coming to a fork in life’s journey, makes all the difference

A biography of and interview with Carleton W. Potter

Person interviewed: Carleton W. Potter. Interviewer: Smith, Donald F. Interview date: March 19, 2010. Interview location: Homer, New York. Date biography was written: April, 2010.The son of veterinarian, Carleton W. Potter graduated from Cornell University 22 years after his father, Wilburn H. Potter. However, unlike his father, who combined dairy farming and general practice, Carleton devoted his career to clinical practice. For almost 60 years, he practiced in Cortland County in central New York where 80% of his practice was large animals, and most of that involved dairy cattle. The Potter family abounds with Cornell graduates: three of Carleton’s siblings, and three of his children all graduated from Cornell. Dr. Megan Potter, Carleton’s granddaughter, is the third veterinarian in the family, having graduated from Purdue University in 2007. Dr. Potter and his wife, Esther, reside in the home that he built and which served as his practice

A biography of and interview about Marie Koenig Olson

Persons interviewed: Ann Marie Olson, daughter and James K. Olson, son. Interviewer: Smith, Donald F. Interview date: November 30, 2007. Interview location: Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. Date biography was written: June 2010.Marie Koenig was born in Ithaca, New York, when her father, Frederick F. Koenig (DVM 1909) was a faculty member at Cornell University. While Marie was a young girl, the family moved to nearby Jamestown and Dr. Koenig opened a general veterinary practice. Marie followed in her father’s footsteps and became the seventh woman veterinary graduate from Cornell in 1937. After a year working in a small animal practice in Rochester, Marie joined her father’s practice where she performed both small animal and large animal work. She took over the practice after her father’s retirement and simultaneously raised her two children while her husband, Raymond Olson, was stationed overseas during World War II. Ray returned to college after the war and graduated with a DVM in 1957, 20 years after his wife. Together, they build a modern small animal hospital in Jamestown and Dr. Koenig Olson continued to practice to the day she died in 1970, at age 57. Her son and granddaughter also became veterinarians in 1973 and 2009, respectively, bringing the family legacy to four generations over one hundred years