Dr. Rene’ Carlson of Chetek - 1995

Dr. Rene’ Carlson of Chetek - WVMA President 1995

  Photo:  Courtesy from Dr. Rene’ Carlson

Personal information

         I was born in St. Paul, MN, and raised in Bloomington and Lakeville, MN, with four years in between in Wabash, IN. I had a love for pets, and in high school, enrolled in a job-shadowing course during which I spent a week with a veterinarian in a pet clinic. As a result of that experience, I continued to work at that clinic for two years doing kennel cleaning, mopping, etc. Upon graduation from high school, I enrolled at Normandale Community College in a pre-veterinary curriculum. I applied and was accepted into the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine in September 1974. I married a classmate, Mark Carlson in 1977 between the junior and senior years.

          Upon graduation, I accepted an internship in small animal medicine and surgery at Rowley Memorial Animal Hospital in Springfield, MA. I spent fourteen months there gaining experience in small animal practice. In 1979, we moved to Spring Valley, WI, where Mark had accepted a position in a dairy practice. I did the small animal work in the predominantly dairy practice.

         Those years were valuable in learning emergency medicine before the days of referral practices and specialists. You were able to try to do just about anything without worrying about whether it should be referred. I also worked with Dr. Mark Anderson at Veterinary Concepts, Inc. as a veterinary consultant. I credit those years with Veterinary Concepts for teaching me about the sales industry and the supplier side of our profession.

         In 1984, Mark accepted a position with the Wisconsin Animal Health Laboratory in Madison. I worked at the Spring Harbor Animal Hospital in small animal private practice. At the time, this practice acted as a referral practice in the area before the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine was established. I learned a different type of medicine in that area, where money was rarely an object and several people bred dogs for show or field trial. It was another valuable experience.

         In 1990, we moved to Chetek, WI, where Mark had taken a transfer to the Wisconsin Animal Health Laboratory-Barron.

WVMA

        While in Madison, I became a member of the Dane County Veterinary Medical Association and served as secretary-treasurer for two years. I also served on the WVMA Veterinary Technicians Advisory Committee and the Public Education and Marketing Committee. After moving to Chetek, I continued my interest in association responsibilities and served as president-elect and president of the Northwestern Wisconsin Veterinary Medical Association in 1992 and 1993. Dr. Bud Cadman of Ridgeland, WI, (a past WVMA president) was a role model for me since I met him as a relatively new graduate in 1979 and then again when I returned 'to northwestern Wisconsin in 1990. When challenged with the invitation of running for the 1995 WVMA presidency, I accepted and was elected.

During my presidency

         I did not allow the 200 miles between Chetek and Madison to be an obstacle. Most months I made two trips to Madison for committee meetings or events. My term in office was eventful. I was disappointed when necropsy service was discontinued at the state diagnostic lab in Madison.

        During that year, an office audit was conducted to evaluate the needs of the current WVMA office in terms of staffing and future services to be offered to members. After that audit, a full-time communications coordinator was hired by the WVMA. To support this new position, the computer systems were upgraded to be able to have e-mail capabilities and desktop publishing.

          I formed the Food Safety and Public Health Committee. My intention was to have a committee in place to handle a potential public relations problems, such as questions concerning a connection between Johne’s disease and Crohn's disease. One of the first duties of the committee was to handle the media questions regarding the discovery of a tuberculosis positive cow in Wisconsin that very summer. The Public Education and Marketing Committee held its first annual Wisconsin Pet Hall of Fame, which continues to be a big draw to the annual Winter Retreat meeting. The Legislative committee was again fighting the lay pregnancy bill and trying to get over-the-counter rabies vaccine off the market.