Spring/Summer Issue 2014

by Marcia Hill Gossard ’99, ’04 Ph.D. | Photo by Henry Moore, Jr.

After earning a DVM from the University of Montreal, Marie-Lou Gauthier was thrilled to be accepted as an intern at the WSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital to further her education and gain more hands-on experience. So she felt very fortunate when she and other WSU interns were given the opportunity to spend two weeks at Animal Critical Care and Emergency Services (ACCES) in Seattle.

“Getting a chance to be in a private practice and speak with a criticalist and learn as much as I could was a great experience,” said Gauthier. “It really increased our confidence.”

While at ACCES, the interns were able to work on a wide range of cases with the critical care medical team and the other veterinarians. They were also encouraged to be involved in the patient cases and go on rounds with the critical care veterinarian.

The opportunity was possible thanks to the Dean H. Smith Excellence Fund. The fund was established by Dr. Dean Smith (’49 DVM) to support his alma mater.

Marie-Lou is now completing a specialized neurology internship in Texas and after that she will apply for a neurology residency. Her hope is to become board certified and work as a neurologist at a university.

She is grateful for the experience she’s had at WSU and believes her time at ACCES will help her succeed in her career.

“It was really important see how emergency care worked in a private practice,” said Gauthier. “It gave me a new perspective about what emergency medicine is.”