Arizona Faculty Innovate to Enrich Student Learning

As the University of Arizona College of Veterinary Medicine reaches 2023’s conclusion, our faculty continues working hard to create and support a vibrant learning environment for students. As they apply their efforts in their areas of specialty, our faculty has exciting news to share.  We spoke with Dr. Megan P.T. Owen and Dr. Ryane Englar about their recent contributions to our college and to veterinary medicine. 

Megan P.T. Owen, M.S., Ph.D. 

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Dr. Owen, an Assistant Professor of Practice at CVM, came to our College from the Texas A&M University College of Agricultural Science and Natural Resources (CASNR). She taught a variety of undergraduate and graduate level courses there as well as acting as an advisor to the Livestock Show Team, helping restart the Equine Breeding Program, and establishing a Sheep and Goat center and flock. In August 2022, Dr. Owen began her journey as an Assistant Professor of Practice in the Anatomy Department at the University of Arizona. 

When asked why she chose to come to the Arizona College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Owen responded,  

“I was excited to be a part of a "young" veterinary school [and by t]he ability to help this school establish a top-notch anatomy program and to be a part of this new way of teaching veterinary students. I love to see that "lightbulb" moment in students when they have been given the background knowledge on a topic, but I have guided their thinking to the correct answer. It is very rewarding to see students gain the confidence in their knowledge and ability to apply that knowledge.” 

Recently, Dr. Owen has published a scholarly article in Theriogenology, titled “Evaluation of two beef cow fixed-time AI protocols that utilize presynchronization.” It explores estrus response in bovines given two different protocols. 

In addition, Dr. Owen reports, the Anatomy team is working on freeze-drying specimens more efficiently and effectively and will be assessing the educational value and significance of this method of specimen preservation with the assistance of Michael Holm, a Team Based Learning Facilitator. 

Dr. Owen’s passion for Anatomy research and education enriches our students’ learning experiences and advances our College’s goal of promoting collaboration and creating a culture of discovery. 

Ryane Englar, DVM, DABVP (Canine and Feline Practice) 

Dr. Englar, Executive Director of Clinical and Professional Skills and Associate Professor, is passionate about companion animal medicine and about enhancing the future of the veterinary profession through her work. Some of her primary focuses include clinical skills and client communication, skills which are vital for veterinarians’ daily work. 

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Dr. Englar came to us from Kansas State University, where she launched their Clinical Skills curriculum. In February 2020, she became one of our founding faculty members, helping prepare the way for our VetCats. She shared,  

“As a dual appointment Associate Professor of Practice and the Executive Director of Clinical and Professional Skills, I am in prime position to advance education for generalists by thinking outside of the box to develop new course materials for the hands-on learner. I love to develop and create resources for students that didn’t exist when I went to vet school. All of my students inspire me to write so that they have the resources that they need to not just survive but thrive in clinical practice.” 

As part of her goal of creating learning resources for students, Dr. Englar and Eric Beasley, Multimedia Specialist, have worked to fill a gap that will aid many veterinary students. Together, they developed a tool to aid students in hands-on experiences involving urinalysis. An article regarding this invention was recently accepted for publication by the Journal of Veterinary Medical Education (JVME). 

Dr. Englar shared some details about this exciting development, saying, 

“All accredited colleges of veterinary medicine are required by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Council on Education (COE) to provide learners with hands-on experiences involving diagnostic methods, including urinalysis. Although university teaching hospitals and affiliations with clinical partners are expected to provide learners with opportunities to sample, test, and interpret urine, caseload is unpredictable. Textbook images and peer-reviewed, published case reports offer substitutes for experiential learning in the absence of key clinical presentations among live patients. However, these read-only modalities lack hands-on experiences in which learners manually evaluate slides via light microscopy to identify crystalluria. This teaching tip describes the development of three-dimensional (3-D) printed struvite and calcium oxalate models for skills training in veterinary curricula.” 

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Since veterinary schools cannot control which animals may have urinary crystals, Englar and Beasley’s work will help to ensure that each student has similar hands-on access to vital urinalysis knowledge. Pre-clinical students will be able to gain experience identifying various 3D printed crystals, aiding students in understanding and differentiating between the various types. 

Englar and Beasley were awarded a provisional patent for their work in September of this year. 

Their collaboration and innovation are examples of Arizona’s commitment to embracing ideas and the determination it takes to bring them into reality.