CVMBS’ PEER Program Hosts Virtual State FFA Veterinary Science Competition
The Texas A&M Partnership for Environmental Education and Rural Health (PEER) program, in cooperation with the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (CVMBS), hosted a virtual FFA Veterinary Science Career Development Event (CDE) on April 26.
This contest is part of the larger FFA state contests hosted by Texas A&M University, but specifically showcases the knowledge and skills of the highest achieving high school students enrolled in the Veterinary Medical Applications course.
This year, 276 FFA high school students from across the state competed in the virtual contest consisting of a written exam, math practicum, skills practicum, and identification of breeds, parasites, and anatomy. To ensure contest integrity and rigor, high-quality images for the identification portions of the contests were provided by Agrilife Extension (livestock breeds), Veterinary Pathobiology (parasites), and the Veterinary Anatomy lab.
Competitors were required to submit their skills practicum in video format and technicians from the Small Animal Teaching Hospital (SATH) scored each video and provided feedback to students. Sandra Nunn, technical supervisor from the Large Animal Teaching Hospital (LATH), was instrumental in recruiting and organizing technicians to participate in this event.
In spite of COVID restrictions, aspiring high school students were provided an opportunity to receive feedback from outstanding veterinary technicians Caroline Cristina Blair, Jamie Burden, Jessica Lynn Gregorzewski, Samantha Grosse, Callie Rae Jabin, Shannon Jackson, Linda Knight, Cynthia Schocke, and Stephanie Wertman, in addition to access to resources beyond those found through a generic internet search engine.
This virtual FFA Veterinary Science CDE would not have been possible without the selfless service of our Aggie, and especially our CVMBS, family. The commitment to provide such excellent educational opportunities ensures a highly qualified next generation of veterinary professionals.
