Welcome to a new academic year at the Ontario Veterinary College! I hope everyone had an opportunity to enjoy a change of pace over the summer months and hopefully some time with family and friends.
I’m particularly pleased to welcome new students, interns and residents, staff and faculty who are joining us (or who have joined us over the summer) and look forward to meeting you over the coming year.
More than 120 graduate students are joining OVC in various graduate programs in Biomedical Sciences, Clinical Studies, Pathobiology, and Population Medicine. They’ll be welcomed at orientation sessions in each of OVC’s departments as well as with the U of G’s Office of Graduate Studies. As well, the number of students in the Bio-Medical Science Major is at an all-time high.
Orientation for the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Class of 2023 is also underway this week. This year’s orientation for DVM students offers a new approach to sharing information with online videos and documents that have been shared with students over the summer months. The videos include a welcome to OVC, an overview of the DVM curriculum, introductions to faculty who are teaching first year DVM courses as well as OVC staff who frequently interact with the Phase 1’s.
Throughout the week, students will participate in sessions focused on study skills, wellness, embracing diversity, exploring their personality and strengths assessments, and getting to know their classmates, as well as a lunch talk sponsored by OVC Pet Trust on the benefits of the human-animal bond.
The week culminates with an off-site leadership camp to help students connect and begin to build the relationships they will continue throughout their veterinary career. Sponsored by VCA Canada, the leadership camp will focus on community building and engagement - concepts introduced during the week.
There are also a few new faces on OVC’s leadership team. Mr. Ilya Bogorad joined us as Executive Director, Strategy and Planning on August 12, 2019 and Dr. Shayan Sharif began his term as Associate Dean, Research and Graduate Studies on September 1, 2019. I’m looking forward to working with Ilya, Shayan, Dr. Joanne Hewson, Associate Dean, Students and Academic, and Dr. Stephanie Nykamp, Associate Dean, Clinical Programs, to continue the many initiatives we have underway at OVC.
Please mark your calendars for an OVC Community Update meeting on Thursday, October 24, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., in PAHL 1800 where we will share updates on some of these areas.
I’m looking forward to another successful year at OVC and keeping connected with all of you!