Development & External Relations

Your Gifts Tell the Story

Behind every gift to WSU's College of Veterinary Medicine is a story. The detection of a new disease helps save lives. A scholarship makes veterinary or graduate school more affordable. A beloved animal's life is saved from cancer. From everyone at the college, you have our sincere gratitude for your generous support.

Gifts in Action 2013

Marie-Lou Gauthier,
WSU Small Animal Intern

After earning a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (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 the 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 along 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 WSU DVM) to support his alma mater.
 
After she finishes the WSU internship, Marie-Lou plans to do 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."