June 2012
Principal Investigator: Rodney Getchell
Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Contact Information: Email: rgg4@cornell.edu; Phone: 607-253-3393
Sponsor: Wildlife Conservation & Shelter Medicine Program: John T. and Jane A. Wiederhold Foundation
Grant Number: N/A
Title: Scholarship Support for AQUAVET® Training Program
Annual Direct Cost: $6,000
Project Period: 05/01/2012-04/30/2014
DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Scholarship support is being sought for Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) students to attend AQUAVET®, the longest running aquatic veterinary training program for veterinary students and graduate veterinarians in North America. Veterinary students with a thirst for knowledge about aquatic animals have been attending AQUAVET® for over 35 years. I am asking for scholarships to assist these students financially while they pursue goals that align with the mission of this program. Program support is being requested for the following reasons:
- The AQUAVET® training program satisfies the mission of the Foundation by providing CVM students the opportunity to participate in a world-class immersion course in aquatic animal medicine.
- Challenges encountered by students are increasingly fiscal in nature. Support to train in fields outside the traditional paths of veterinary practitioners is very limited.
- Funds would help train Cornell veterinary students in improving the welfare of marine and freshwater animals and in protecting wildlife inhabiting the world's aquatic environments.
- The anticipated outcome of this support would be an increase in the number of the CVM students pursuing careers in conservation medicine, particularly in the area of aquatic animal medicine.
The opportunity is a four-week summer experience that immerses students in aquatic animal medicine. The training program below clearly fosters student awareness of issues related to animal welfare and wildlife conservation, and provides hands-on training and mentoring by highly skilled faculty.
To summarize, the $6,000 per year in scholarship money I am proposing be provided to Cornell’s veterinary students to attend AQUAVET® would significantly lessen their financial burden. The financial assistance to CVM’s students will add an exciting learning opportunity back into the mix for those expecting the best education possible.
