October 28, 2008 Stillwater, OK) – The Oklahoma State University (OSU) Center for Veterinary Health Sciences is set to host its annual Fall Veterinary Conference on Thursday and Friday, Oct. 30 and 31, 2008, at the Wes Watkins Center located on the Stillwater campus.

“This is an exciting year for us,” explains Dr. Michael Lorenz, professor and dean of the veterinary center. “We are celebrating our 60th Anniversary and we have seen record pre-registration numbers with 370 veterinarians and veterinary technicians pre-registered to attend.”

Veterinarians can earn up to 15 hours of continuing education credits while veterinary technicians can receive up to 7 hours. Presenters include OSU veterinary center faculty and alumni from across the country as well as area practitioners. Topics include small animal, food animal, equine and zoo, exotic and wildlife medicine and surgery. Technicians will learn about blood films, beef quality assurance, equine lameness evaluation, zoonotic diseases and more (see a complete list of topics and presenters here).

The conference keynote address will be given by Dr. Lawrence Barrett, Director of the Homeland Department of Security Plum Island Animal Disease Center, at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 30, in the Wes Watkins Center auditorium. Dr. Barrett is a 1981 graduate of OSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine and will present “Plum Island Animal Disease Center: Protecting the Nation’s Livestock.”

Later Thursday evening, Oct. 30, a special “Cowboy Roundup” will be hosted by the OSU Center for Veterinary Health Sciences and Merial at the Payne County Expo Center. OSU Cowboy Veterinarians will gather to culminate a year-long celebration of the College of Veterinary Medicine’s 60th Anniversary. In March 1948, the then Oklahoma A&M College School of Veterinary Medicine opened its doors to 31 men. In 1951, the first class of 26 men graduated with their DVM degree. The incoming class of 2012 has 82 students—18 males and 64 females. Since its beginning, the now OSU College of Veterinary Medicine has graduated 3,165 competent, confident, practice-ready veterinarians.

On Friday, Oct. 31, during the conference lunch break, the college will host the 2008 Distinguished Alumni Award Luncheon at the ConocoPhillips OSU Alumni Center. This year’s honorees are Drs. John King (1955), posthumously G. Pat Mayer (1954), Charles Montgomery (1963) and Louie Stratton (1955).

While the accomplishments of the four alumni are too numerous to list, these veterinarians have several things in common. Although King is often heard saying that he might hold the record for the shortest career in private veterinary practice (79 days), each worked in a private practice at one point in his career. As involved as they were in their personal careers, they made time to participate in professional veterinary organizations as well as community activities. Each of these men made significant but different contributions to the veterinary medicine profession bringing great pride to Oklahoma State University and its Center for Veterinary Health Sciences.

The Oklahoma State University Center for Veterinary Health Sciences is one of 28 veterinary colleges in the United States and is fully accredited by the Council on Education of the American Veterinary Medical Association. The center’s Veterinary Medial Teaching Hospital is open to the public and provides routine and specialized care for small and large animals. It also offers 24 hour emergency care and is certified by the American Animal Hospital Association. For more information, visit www.cvhs.okstate.edu or call (405) 744-7000.

###