Final Photo Update!
Here is a recap in photos of my last two weeks at the GRD. It has been a great time, and only a small fraction of the amazing things I was able to see and do were able to fit in the blog!
Our meeting with my Congressman, Keith Ellison, in his office
Emily doing the obligatory ‘holding up the Washington Monument’ pose while we played tourist one evening after work
The Pentagon Memorial for September 11th
Arlington National Cemetery
Emily and myself standing with Senator Klobuchar at her Minnesota Mornings event
A crowded Sunday afternoon at the waterfront boardwalk along the Potomac in Georgetown
The Capitol Dome on a beautiful sunny day in DC
Tian Tian at the National Zoo, getting his enrichment for the day- a milk crate covered in honey
Whole Lotta (Hand)shakin’ Goin’ On
Since some people seem to be scared that H1N1 is lurking around the corner, you would think a lot of folks would second guess shaking strangers’ hands. Not so here in DC. The art of the handshake is well perfected in this city, and this externship has certainly been the best chance for me to refine my style and develop my very own shake.
Over the past couple of weeks I have had the pleasure of attending numerous social functions, as well as meetings with Congressional staffers, lawmakers and federal Veterinarians. I quickly learned that each of these situations requires a slightly different shake to match the mood.
Last week, I met with my Congressman Keith Ellison (D-MN-5). As you can see in the photo, my handshake was not so adequate and, much to my dismay, when captured in print it is much easier to notice! Ellison was phenomenally nice and quite funny and, most importantly, forgiving of my lack of handshake perfection. I talked with his staff about issues current to the veterinary profession such as a new bill that was introduced on June 23—H.R. 2999, the Veterinary Public Health Workforce and Education Act. Being a DVM/MPH student, it was great to emphasize the opportunities available to students with the training from both programs.
I also had the opportunity to meet with my Senator (yes, that is singular as I am from Minnesota where apparently we like to make things complicated), Amy Klobuchar. Emily and I attended her Minnesota Mornings session and got a chance to hear about issues she is working on. The handshake here was a little better, but the delivery was a bit rushed as I tried to think of something clever to say at the same time. I think it was something like, “Wow, you must be busy these days!” Amazingly creative, I know.
Another social event I attended was a function for Congressman Darrell Issa (R-CA-49), where they had “Issa-cream” bars and champagne, along with a remarkable turn-out of his fellow Congress people. There was much more handshaking there, much more practice to be gained. It was hot out, and we had ice cream and champagne so I got to practice the art of shuffling lots of things to one hand, making sure the shaking hand wasn’t sweaty from the DC heat, and getting a good solid shake in while seeming effortless. By the end of the reception, I think I may have hit my handshake groove.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee Policy Board meeting was my chance to prove I had the handshake down, and that I had officially developed my own take on the shake. There were a number of top Republican Senators present, among them the incredibly funny Senators Saxby Chambliss (GA) and Kit Bond (MO). The food was great, and no matter what your political persuasion may be, funny folks are funny, so there were great laughs as well.
As I finish out my time in DC I hope that the handshake is just one tangible symbol of all of the things I have learned and been introduced to here. It has been a great time, shared with great people- the GRD staff is wonderful, my co-extern Emily was a blast, AVMA Fellow Dr. Whitney Miller is incredible, and all of the people I had the pleasure of meeting through this office have been tremendous. I will try to maintain my newly minted shake throughout the rest of clinics (although the animals might not quite understand what I am up to) until I can get back here after graduation!
To step or not to step
In the crypt of the Capitol Building is a marker for the geographical center of Washington, D.C. It is the point which all of the streets were mapped around. It is said that if you step on the mark it will bring you good luck. But, politicians believe that if you step on the mark, it will cause you to lose your next election! Yesterday, I discovered the spot. The question was to step or not to step.
Washington is such a diverse and busy city with so many things going on I don’t think any two students get the same experience while they are here. The issues are always moving and changing, different congress people are fundraising, and every student’s interests are so different; it all shapes the weeks spent in Washington D.C.
I wanted to take some time in my last blog on my last day to recap the way I shaped my time here. The issues I focused on were food safety and antibiotic use and there was lots of activity! I listened in on several conference calls and meetings of coalitions and committees involved with both issues. These coalitions and groups were made up of many different organizations, ranging from rice growers to grocery manufacturers. I accompanied Dr. Ashley Shelton on visits to congress offices to talk about the issues. I went to a hearing and a bill markup in full committee on the Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009. I met with my Senator’s office and went to Shannon’s congress peoples offices to talk about the issues. As for fundraisers - I enjoyed these. There were always interesting people to meet and learn about their careers here in Washington while also getting to meet the congressmen and learn about there positions and outlook on the issues.
As for more general activities: Shannon and I met with veterinarians in the federal workforce in many different areas from NIH to APHIS. We also attended a One Health Biosecurity Dinner and Discussion on developing supportive veterinary care in other countries and an open discussion on planning for an outbreak of H1N1.
On a more extra-curricular note: I went shopping in Georgetown, well window shopping, I guess! We went on a tour of the Capitol Building and sat in the House gallery during a vote. Like every trip to DC I visited most of the monuments. This is my favorite part of DC and it amazes me that every time I visit (which is almost once a year since I can remember) I notice something new or learn something different. And I ate some really awesome meals and some really interesting places.
When I was younger- friends and family said I should be involved in politics, and over the years I have gone back and forth. I would dabble here and there with the issues and make some phone calls. This externship has been a springboard in what I see as a lifelong involvement in legislative issues facing my profession.
I must say- deciding to step on the mark and bring me luck- which may be needed in the rest of my clinical rotations- or to wait incase I run for office one day was hard. So I don’t know if I will ever be Representative or Senator, but I will be Doctor Olson- and you will see me on the Hill!
Two week photo update
It’s Complicated…
The veterinary profession is one of great diversity of interests and the potential for vast differences in opinion. As the primary professional organization of veterinarians, the AVMA has the task of representing all veterinarians, from poultry producers to zoo vets to biomedical researchers to shelter medicine doctors. And with this task comes the tremendous opportunity for some great explorations of differing view points on a wide variety of issues, some quite controversial. Never has this been made more apparent than being here in DC with the GRD that is in charge of representing all of these interests on a legislative level; trying to incorporate the range of our profession with politics and legislation. It is even apparent in our relationship as externs. We thought we would offer you a little insight into how that has helped shape our externship…
From Shannon:
I have been fortunate that my fellow extern, Emily, and I couldn’t think more differently about many (if not ALL) issues, sort of an ‘extern odd couple’ if you will. In the past two weeks we have been involved with legislative issues pertaining to food safety and animal welfare among other things. We also had the opportunity to attend an advanced preview of a new potentially controversial movie coming out about the Nation’s food supply system. These are the types of issues that often conjure somewhat emotional responses and can create division among the ranks. However, through exploring these issues with a true intention to listen and reexamine previous notions I have gotten a chance to ‘reach across the isle’ as they like to say here. The most interesting points have come when discussing the rationale behind our viewpoints, the AVMA’s stance on these issues and our hopes for the future of our profession.
I would second Emily’s call to action in her last blog and encourage vet students and family and friends to start having discussions with each other. Those who haven’t been stuck in a classroom for the last seven years often have some great information to share! I have learned a tremendous amount about views far from my own in the past two weeks. And Emily assures me she is learning too (wink wink). Maybe it is the bipartisan efforts in the air from the new administration, or maybe it is just the extreme humidity wearing us down, but for two opinionated, informed and over-analytical vet students to that is no small accomplishment. This will ultimately be one of the things that I take with me from this externship that will last me far beyond this session of Congress and extend past my veterinary career.
From Emily:
I have always been known to be loud. At meetings with classmates, some tense up when I raise my hand because they know I have an opinion and I always make it herd. I like it when everyone agrees with me, I mean- who doesn’t? But Shannon doesn’t just let that happen… and I surprisingly enjoy that dynamic mostly because it has not happened very much in my life. It gives us an opportunity to really hash out the ins and outs and the varying opinion on many different issues and it makes me get out of my tunnel of thought.
It seems to really fit the atmosphere here in Washington as Shannon alluded to… we are the poster children of the term bipartisan!! The best part and most important reason this dynamic works without us hurting each other, is that we each bring an open mind to the discussion (at least most of the time). This really allows us to hear what the other side has to say and take it into consideration when we are making up our own minds on an issue. I think I have used the term “I am so surprised we get along!” more often than I ever thought. We met on our first day in the SAVMA House of Delegates and were on the same committee, and that is about where our commonalities stop- except our open minds. We differ on our approach mostly because we have very different backgrounds. So it keeps things interesting but with out an open mind we would have stopped talking when we left the meeting room. Overall- I have really enjoyed being forced to look at the issue from a different direction and realize that although my opinion makes a lot of sense to me, the opposing or differing side makes sense as well. This is what seems to make government, politics and Washington such dynamic things. It is easy to get so caught in one track. The only way to forge out of that track is to use an open mind.
So as you are staying on top of the issues and getting involved, please remember to keep an open mind. You don’t have to agree all the time and not everyone will always agree with you, but consider the options and the insights. And on the contrary- remember to always challenge your opponent and raise questions to open theirs. You will be amazed at the things you discover about the issues and yourself; I know I have been- Thanks Shannon!!
Out from under a rock…
Vet School = Rock. Did you know? Over this first weekend I really realized how much I have been living in my little world of multiple choice exams and study groups and eight hours of lecture a day. In my first week here in Washington D.C., I have watched more news and read more newspapers and looked at the issues more than over the entire past three years! This is not acceptable for me. The issues are real! They change fast and I have been reminded that I need to stay informed and involved.
I have experienced first hand that we as veterinarians need to be a resource and get our knowledge out for policy makers to see and understand. We are a small group in comparison to other players but we have a lot to offer in our experiences and knowledge.
I challenge every vet student to take a break from the study session for twenty minutes and look at the issues. Spend time to understand how they will effect our profession and our communities. The issues are complicated and not clear cut so education is our tool in figuring them out.
The next step to becoming an expert on the issue is taking action. The AVMA Congressional Advocacy Network can provide you all the tools to do that! Become a member so you can stay up to date on the issues. Visit the website at http://avamcan.avma.org.
Get out from under your ROCK. Get informed. Get involved. Make a difference.
June in the Nation’s Capital
The month of June is always an exciting one in D.C. with both the House of Representatives and Senate in session, so we are thrilled at the chance to be here in the midst of all the action! Emily and I are familiar with D.C as well as the Governmental Relations Division office through our interactions as a part of the Student AVMA’s Governmental Affairs Committee. Emily was a student representative to the AVMA’s Political Action Committee as well as the main organizer of the first ever Student AVMA Legislative Day in D.C. this past March. I have been lucky enough to serve as the student representative for the AVMA’s Legislative Advisory Committee as well as help Emily organize and participate in the Student Day in D.C. We were both anxious to arrive and roll up our sleeves for a more in depth experience in an area we have great interest in.
Our first day we got right to it, we hopped on the Metro to Union Station and headed to the Hill to deliver letters on behalf of the AVMA. This experience was especially meaningful for me as the letters were stating the AVMA’s support of the University of Minnesota’s funding requests for its brand new Dairy Center of Excellence. I am a fourth year at Minnesota and am fortunate to be scheduled for the first rotation offered at the new center when I return home in July. I have gotten a tour and it is phenomenal! The hope for this Dairy Center of Excellence is that students from all vet schools will be able to come for intensive training in Dairy Medicine during their clinical years. This Center of Excellence is the first of its kind in the vet school community and the hope is that other vet schools will be able to create their own Centers of Excellence to highlight their very own areas of expertise.
For our second day as AVMA Externs we focused on our issue areas and worked with our Associate Directors. Emily will be working with Dr. Ashley Shelton on issues such as food safety, pharmaceuticals, and homeland security. I will be working with Dr. Angela Demaree on animal welfare issues like horse transport and the issue of invasive species. I will also be working part of the time with Gina Luke on the issue of equity for federal veterinarians. After a day working hard on issues we headed out to play tourist and visited the Bureau of Engraving and Printing to see where all that loan money we borrow comes from! It was a beautiful summer night in D.C. and a great opportunity to do some walking around the area.
Day three was our first real experience with life on the hill. We sat in on a House of Representatives hearing covering the discussion draft of the Food Safety Enhancement Act. The hearing featured testimony from newly appointed FDA director Dr. Hamburg and was focused on how to better our nation’s efforts in prevention of food borne disease outbreaks and how to trace them once they have occurred. Each of the congress people on the Health Subcommittee had a chance to state their opinions about the proposed legislation as well as ask questions of Dr. Hamburg to help clarify some issues. For more about the hearing read the NY Times article: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/04/health/policy/04fda.html?ref=global-home.
The evening of day three I had the opportunity to attend a reception for Representative Boswell from Iowa. The reception was held at the DNC Club and was a chance for people to meet Mr. Boswell and gave Gina Luke and myself a chance to thank him for all of his support on our veterinary issues, especially equity for federal veterinarians. The flat where the event was held was beautiful and a quite historic ‘who’s who’ of the Democratic Party, having signed photos of party members lining the walls.
After just 3 days in D.C. we are getting accustomed to the ways of the city and can’t wait to see what’s in store for the rest of our time here, keep checking back for our blog updates!
Veterinary Medicine: The Future Is Now
It’s easy to criticize those who are responsible for making the decisions that shape America’s future. I find myself doing this on occasion. But it turns out that the challenges facing our nation’s leaders are much more complex than we often make them out to be. Sometimes proposed policies that most rational Americans would support require a deeper understanding of the subject than those that can be answered with a simple yes or no vote. I have learned this after attending multiple hearings and testimonies given to members of Congress. The following series will take an in-depth look at some of these issues as we get down to the “Nitty Gritty”.
The National Animal Identification System (NAIS) is a program designed to, “Protect the health of U.S. livestock and poultry as well as enhance the economic well-being of those industries. For these dual purposes we must be able to quickly and effectively trace an animal disease to its source.” (http://animalid.aphis.usda.gov/nais/) With the ever increasing threat of bio-terrorism and new and emerging zoonotic disease,s this idea seems like a slam dunk, and it is. But, as I’ve learned this week, the devil is in the details.
The program works through farmers tagging every head of livestock in the country with ID chips. Should a pandemic or even an isolated case of a potentially transmissible disease to humans be identified, that animal can be traced back to its original farm within several hours. Other animals originating from that farm can be easily identified and prevented from entering our food supply. Those animals that came in contact with an affected animal can be tested, quarantined, or culled in an effort to prevent a potentially catastrophic disease outbreak. Such an outbreak could endanger the health of millions of Americans and significantly harm our export of food products. Sounds like a good idea, right?
Opponents to NAIS claim that the expenses involved with implementing the system are too high. But the truth is that the cost of a disease outbreak is much greater than the minimal costs associated with implementing an effective national ID system. The stakes are too high and the risks are too great to fail in this initiative. The AVMA, therefore, supports the National Animal Identification System and cites the reasons listed below:
- The AVMA believes the U.S. cannot afford to wait for a devastating animal disease outbreak to make the NAIS a reality – the NAIS needs to be a mandatory program to ensure timely implementation.
- The information needed for identifying livestock production premises to make the NAIS fully functional is not much more than what is already in publicly accessible sources, such as phone books, and individual animals’ identification systems are used daily by livestock producers for other purposes. In short, the privacy concerns raised by the opponents of NAIS are unwarranted.\
- Compared to the costs associated with a widespread outbreak of a potentially devastating disease that is not contained due to lack of an identification system, the cost of implementing the NAIS is minimal.
- An effective NAIS would help the U.S. livestock industry and state and federal government agencies track and more quickly contain/eradicate a disease outbreak, minimizing the number of animals affected thereby reducing the amount of animal pain, suffering and destruction.
- International standards that directly affect animal trade are moving toward the direction of traceability “from farm to fork” – if the United States is to remain competitive and grow export markets, an effective NAIS will be required.
- An effective NAIS will significantly enhance the ability to rapidly track, control and eradicate endemic livestock diseases, thereby increasing overall productivity for livestock owners and associated industries.
To learn more about the AVMA’s position on the National Animal Identification System go to http://www.avma.org/press/testimonies/dehaven_testimony_090311.asp. To support our cause and mission, please join the AVMA Congressional Advocacy Network (AVMA-CAN) at http://avmacan.avma.org. By becoming a member of AVMA-CAN, you will receive periodic updates on current legislation affecting the veterinary profession, and with that information you’ll be able to contact federal officials to make a difference.
Only with your support can we mobilize our base and impact the decisions Congress makes. Only with your support can we insure that our voices will be heard in Congress. Join AVMA-CAN today.
Why this matters
When you’re running late for work, your kids are sick, and your car is still making that funny sound, you probably don’t have time to worry about the impact of the H1N1 virus on U.S. jobs and trade affecting our nation’s multi-billion dollar pork industry, that’s why you have us.
If you are an everyday American like me you probably don’t have time to consider the merits of a National Animal Identification Program and its necessity to rapidly control new and emerging zoonotic pandemics, that’s why you have us.
If your daily regimen is consumed by making sure your children are learning and growing and striving towards a brighter tomorrow, you have probably only recently begun to think about food safety issues and what should be done to strengthen and improve our existing systems, that’s why you have us.
If you’re working more than 40 hours a week like so many fellow Americans, you probably haven’t had time to consider the increasing demand for veterinarians in under-served areas of America or what is being done about puppy mills, that’s why you have us.
When your dog needs life saving medical treatment you’re probably not aware of the culmination of research, education, and training required, making sure your beloved pet receives the highest level of veterinary care, that’s why you have us.
Behind so many issues critical to maintaining the American way of life, the AVMA Governmental Relations Division is there for you. To support our cause and mission, please join the AVMA Congressional Advocacy Network (AVMA-CAN) at http://avmacan.avma.org. By becoming a member of AVMA-CAN, you will receive periodic updates on current legislation affecting the veterinary profession, and you’ll be able to easily contact federal officials to make a difference.
With your help, we’ll be able to mobilize our base to impact the decisions that Congress makes. We need your help to insure that our voices are heard by Congress. Join AVMA-CAN today.
Back to Washington, D.C.
You can have your New York state of mind. Ain’t nothing wrong with those jazzy beats on the train they call the city of New Orleans. I don’t even mind that LA sun shining down every single day of the year.
But there’s a feeling you get on the DC metro heading into the city designed by that famous Frenchman L’enfant. There’s something about the rich diversity of culture aboard this inbound train. Who is this well dressed man sitting to my left in his fancy Armani suit? Is that a congressional pin on that woman’s lapel? And that long haired teenager standing too close to the doors with his traveling backpack standing almost as tall as himself. I wonder what part of Europe he traveled from to see this grand epicenter of Democracy.
I ain’t sayin there aren’t other parts of this great country that I would love to spend a day. But there’s something about this special city, a symbol or a statue, a beacon or a banner that just seems to be calling me towards it. So I guess there’s nothing else to say but, “Baby won’t you carry me, back to Washington D.C!”