getting warmer . . . hot!

Perhaps inspired by the extreme heat and humidity, your HPSS student coordinators are off to a HOT start! We all got together for an HPSS pow-wow at a great little coffee house in Stockbridge, Michigan. Christina (who has an awful sense of direction) got lost in Hamburg on the way to the meeting, but finally she made it just in time! Ironically, as she was passing a sign for Hell, Michigan on the way home, she was pulled over by a policeman who claimed she hadn't paid for the gasoline she had just pumped. Not to worry though; there was simply a mistake made by the gas station attendant as to which pump she had used, and they quickly let her carry on her way after straightening out the mix-up.

Erin, Christina, Ryan, and Dr. Rode in Stockbridge

After a very productive meeting, everyone did eventually arrive back in East Lansing safely and we once again set to work! We met with Dr. Stickle in the veterinary hospital's clinical pathology laboratory, and she was very excited to help us teach you about blood! Dr. Stickle also helped us find a new microscope to call our own this summer, which was much needed! Now you will be able to take a look at fleas, ticks, and microfilaria up close and personal!

Christina checking out the great posterboard Dr. Stickle made in the clinical pathology laboratory.

We were also able to get you the newest issue of Perspectives Magazine, and we will be passing those out at the HPSS very soon (along with a very cool veterinary coloring page)! Ryan has been building up his biceps this summer taking care of nine Bernese Mountain Dog puppies (in between all of our HPSS adventures), and he was therefore so ready to pack up the magazines into our HPSS vehicle!

Ryan loading up the very heavy Perspectives Magazines!

Until next time, we will continue gathering anything and everything veterinary to bring your way this summer!

just around the corner

Phewee! Your veterinary student coordinators have been working extra hard this week! We are gathering what we think are some really awesome specimens for us to bring your way this summer (starting July 9th in Croswell)! We first visited Dr. Patterson at the Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health (a really cool place to visit!), where he let the HPSS borrow a few excellent examples of veterinary pathology. Having just finished our pathology courses, we recognized a lot of the specimens from pathology lab (and from our tests) and can't wait to teach you all about them!

Dr. Patterson and Ryan with a model of the equine airways and a horse cyclops.

After DCPAH, we made our way over to the College of Veterinary Medicine, which felt a little strange at first since we are technically on our last summer break. We quickly remembered where everything was though (which wasn't difficult, considering we've spent the last two years there) and bumped into a few of our favorite professors who were more than happy to help with the HPSS!

Now we don't want to spoil the fun, but we will tell you that some of your old favorites are back from last year, as well as a lot of brand new models and surprises! I hope you've all brushed up on your parasitology and especially anatomy this past year . . . because we've certainly come up with a few fun challenges for any future veterinarians out there!

Christina looking very strong carrying a box of anatomy models headed to the HPSS!


Ryan having fun with one of our largest new additions!

Lastly, we wanted to introduce all of you to our new Flickr page where we will be posting all of the photographs we take on our adventures with the HPSS. On the right hand side of this blog, there is a link to the HPSS Flickr site where you can view every photograph we take this summer (even the ones we take on bad hair days . . . that don't make it to the blog)!

We have many more places to visit in the next few weeks (including radiology!) where we will continue to gather the best of the best veterinary demonstrations for the HPSS fans out there! Let us know if you have any requests, and we will keep you posted as usual!

ready, set, go!

Good afternoon fair-goers, friends, and veterinary enthusiasts!

As the Michigan fair season is just around the corner, you'll be very excited to hear that the Healthy Pet Surgical Suite team is once again busy preparing the exhibit for its 2009 debut! Your 2009 student coordinators (Christina and "the other Ryan") will be testing out the waters at the Croswell Agricultural Society Fair, July 9-11 (that's only one month and six days away, not that we're counting)!

Christina (light blue bandana) and Ryan (white bandana) with their vet-school dodgeball teammates!

Ryan, Marcia (a fellow veterinary student), and Christina enjoying Sonic ice cream at the Veterinary Symposium

We (Ryan and Christina: see our pictures above!) have been working very hard to get the exhibit ready for you, and we've added a few improvements and new demonstrations that you'll certainly want to check out! We have recieved a plethora of resources and advice from the MVMA and the 2008 student coordinators (thank you!), and we think we have everything we need to make the 2009 HPSS the greatest show on earth!
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As you are reading this, we are collecting and assembling all sorts of creatures, instruments, and awesome veterinary displays. We would like to thank our many friends at the College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) for letting us use their amazingly fun learning materials! We think its awesome that our professors are just as excited as we are to bring the very best and most interesting specimens to all of you (who don't get to see them every day like we do)!

We would like to keep you posted on our progress as we travel throughout the wonderful state of Michigan this summer (and as we get ready to do so). Be sure to check back for more exciting updates here, and also to check out the HPSS website! We can't wait to meet you!