Teaching Excellence Award Winner

Congratulations to Dr. Linda Mizer, Anatomy Professor at Cornell University, chosen as the 2011 SAVMA Teaching Excellence Award Winner!

Hear what some of Dr. Mizer's students had to say about her above and beyond commitment to her students and teaching:

"One of Dr. Mizer’s most notable quotes during this past year has been “Life goes on!”  She understands that veterinary students have high expectations for themselves and have been used to mastering concepts in their undergraduate education.  It can become frustrating when students enter their first year of vet school and have to make the realization that they indeed cannot know everything.  Dr. Mizer encourages us to not sweat the small stuff, and even tells us how difficult some of the concepts were for her when she was in vet school.  Another example of this methodology is during our anatomy labs.  Our group would be on a journey to find an obscure artery, nerve or other structure.  After we had pretty much dissected away any evidence that the structure we were looking for had ever existed, we would call her over in exasperation. “Well, there’s always the other side!” she would say, and would point us to the matching bilateral structure, instead of chastising us for poor dissection techniques like some might have done.  "

"Part of Dr. Mizer’s success as a great instructor and mentor is her wonderful personality. As a first-year student, I was extremely relieved to have such an approachable and personable faculty as Dr. Mizer to encourage me along the way. She always welcomes questions and is always willing to meet with students outside of classrooms in order to clarify any confusion. The small group discussion setting also allowed us the chance to develop a relationship on a more personal level. As part of her didactic strategy and great personality, she often shared with us anecdotes from her previous experiences to help relate to our problems. I felt a great deal more relatable to her after hearing her stories, and subsequently I was able to learn very efficiently in a more comfortable environment.

Outside of the classroom, Dr. Mizer strengthens her bond with students and faculty by participating in extracurricular events.  She is the SCAVMA faculty advisor, frequently attends and donates to student fundraising events, and has been known to dress up like a trucker to be a judge for our “Misster Cornell” pageant, a cross-dressing talent show fundraiser for breast cancer research."

"During our very last anatomy lecture, Dr. Mizer delivered a talk on the equine stay apparatus. Knowing that not every student was familiar with the general equine anatomy, Dr. Mizer had prepared a fresh specimen of an equine pelvic limb. She was dressed in scrubs and stood on top of the first row of lecture table with a pelvic limb in her arm, nearly as tall as her. Aside from the levity that has ensued upon seeing this, her use of this teaching aid had a tremendous impact on how my colleagues and I have learned the equine stay apparatus. We could all remember Dr. Mizer holding the limb, simulating the scenario of a horse during some basic slow gaits while physically manipulating the joints. Seeing is believing, and on that day we all believed that the stay apparatus actually does work in the horse, and we learned this material while having fun."

Congratulations again to Dr. Mizer and remember, as this year is coming to a close, take the time to thank the exception faculty who have been part of your educational experience!

That's so Punny!

By: Stephanie Silberstang

Cornell University, Class of 2013

And now, for an immunology joke:

What does a pathogen do when it meets another pathogen?

It takes off its PAMPs!

"2+2" Programs to Boost Enrollment

By: Stephanie Silberstang

Cornell University, Class of 2013

The “2+2” programs are being considered by universities in the hopes that they will allow more students to enroll per year, increasing the number of veterinarians graduating every year. These programs can be one way of addressing the shortage of veterinarians nationwide. The “2+2” programs have obvious advantages but also have a few hurdles to overcome before these programs can be successful.

Advantages of the “2+2” program include a larger number of graduating veterinarians without having to build new facilities or larger class rooms. These programs also allow students to take advantage of any state-of-the-art facilities that exist at either or both of the universities they attend during the program in addition to allowing them the ability to experience two different teaching faculties. These programs can theoretically be taught at any college with veterinary professors on staff and the space for this group of students for 2 years.

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Christmas Karma

By: Scott Dudis

Cornell University, Class of 2014

Remembering perspective is, perhaps, the best way to deal with stress. As exams were wrapping up this December, I was thinking about wrapping up presents and packing a suitcase as I bragged to “less fortunate” classmates whom I knew were scheduled in the clinic on the holiday. I boasted that I would be home, with my family, enjoying my time off. Instead of surprises in the form of many glorious gifts, I was visited by the Ghost of Christmas Irony as I, too, spent several hours at the emergency animal hospital with my own dog, all night on December 25^th. In short, she apparently decided it was Santa who had left her a small box of Dove Dark Chocolate Truffles under the tree, not one of my relatives who had, in fact, accidentally left it unattended while we were all away.

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Finals and Stress

By: Stephanie Silberstang

Cornell University, Class of 2013

(Editor's note: I know the holidays are long past us, but finals never are. Just remember to take time for yourself!)

In order to deal with finals and holiday stress, I have realized that I must focus on the little things. This idea took many years to come to me, I realized it halfway through my 4-year undergraduate education. I have never been one to go home for the four week break and relax, although I always want that. Instead, I somehow manage to overbook myself with too many plans that overlap and must be executed perfectly in order to work. For example, this winter break I went skiing, visited my friend for Christmas, went to New York City for a week and took a two week trip to Honduras to learn and improve my wildlife handling skills. These activities all took place within days of each other, and although they were all relaxing as separate activities, I was continuously  thinking of the next step and planning ahead. Not to mention this whirlwind of a winter break directly followed the stress that comes with the end of every semester: finals. They require hour after hour of studying, long nights in the library, and neglect of other areas in my life that would keep me happier and healthier.

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