The Summer Dairy Institute

Advanced training for young dairy veterinarians

Abstract

Food supply veterinarians who intend to enter dairy cattle practice or other related career activities are in need of upgraded skills to better serve the dairy industry as it continues to evolve. As knowledge in all phases of veterinary medicine increases, the time available for students to increase their specific abilities within the conventional professional curriculum becomes more difficult, especially for those with food supply interests, as they are a minority of students competing for time and resources. The dairy industry has need of skilled veterinarians well-versed not only in their traditional capabilities, but also with an understanding of the complete picture of that industry as a "farm-to-fork" experience. Society at large also stands to benefit from a presence of skilled dairy veterinarians contributing to the production of safe, affordable dairy foodstuffs in a manner deemed sustainable and humane. Veterinarians in practice can and do acquire the necessary skills to make themselves relevant to their clients and consumers; however, better preparation of entry-level veterinarians can increase their value to their employers, their clients, themselves, and society in a more timely manner. Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine developed the Summer Dairy Institute (SDI) to provide an avenue for advancing skills of new veterinarians as a means to address the current and future needs of the dairy industry. The SDI has accumulated, from its nine years of existence with 183 participants from 38 veterinary colleges, valuable insights to aid in constant improvement of its offerings. This article describes the need, concept, and experience with the program.