see also
Junior/Senior · 3 weeks (July 13 - August 2) · 3 credits
This program, offered at Cornell's College of Veterinary Medicine, will help you gain realistic and exciting insights into modern veterinary medicine.
Through speakers, laboratories, and demonstrations, you'll:
- Discover what roles modern veterinarians play and what they find rewarding
- Explore the variety of disciplines and specialties within the field of veterinary medicine, including zoo animal medicine, marine mammal medicine, animal behavior, anatomy of domestic species, emergency medicine, pathology, and many more
- Experience hands-on opportunities to work with live animals such as production animals (cows, sheep, or goats), athletes (horses), companion animals (dogs and cats), raptors, and everything in between
- Meet with veterinary professors, practitioners, and students
- Prepare for acceptance to a vet college
You'll also be enrolled in one of two courses, either:
- Sustainable Animal Husbandry (ANSC 1120). In this course you'll learn about the many roles of domestic animals, how they became domesticated and how to take care of them in a safe, humane, sustainable and productive way. You'll discuss dogs, cats, rabbits, sheep cattle, goats, poultry, camels, llamas, alpaca, horses, fish, mollusks, crustaceans, feeds, genetics, grazing, and more. You'll also be seeing and working with live animals from many of those species during lab sessions and learn how to use computer systems to represent them so you can plan sustainable systems involving the animal(s) of your own choice.
Or
- Captive Raptor Management and Propagation (ANSC 2140, formerly Exotic Avian Husbandry and Propagation). In this course, you'll learn about the natural history, care, and management of raptors (birds of prey). You'll discuss approaches to captive care and maintenance, restraint, training, and captive breeding with potential for reducing pressures on wild populations of avian species. In addition, you'll focus on examining the scientific basis and merit of avian husbandry and breeding practices and have hands-on opportunities to learn basic raptor handling techniques.
Note: On your application, please indicate your first- and second-choice course. If your first-choice course is full, you will be placed if possible in your second-choice course. Enrollment in both courses is limited.
To be eligible for this program, you must have completed your junior or senior year of high school by June 2008.
Courses
You'll be enrolled in either:
- Sustainable Animal Husbandry (ANSC 1120)
This course meets Mondays through Fridays, 8:30-10:15 and 10:45-11:45, with labs Tuesdays through Fridays, 2:00-5:00
Or
- Captive Raptor Management and Propagation (ANSC 2140)
This course meets Mondays through Fridays, 8:00-10:30 and 10:45-11:45, and Mondays through Thursdays, 1:00-3:00
Program leader
Student leader Erica Burden says, "As a current first-year veterinary student at Cornell University, every day brings both new challenges and fantastic animal stories. Originally from New York, I recently graduated from the University of Chicago. While in Chicago, I received a degree in the History of Science and in Biology, as well as a greater appreciation for deep-dish pizza. I am excited to join you in your explorations of Veterinary Medicine as your student leader in Summer College's 'Introduction to Veterinary Medicine' program, and I can't wait to meet you."
Required Textbooks
| Title | Author | Cost |
| Contemporary Issues in Animal Agriculture for ANSC 1120 |
Peter R. Cheeke | To be determined |
| Raptor Research and Management Techniques for ANSC 2140 | David Bird and Keith Bildstein | To be determined |