Wellbeing at the College of Veterinary Medicine
Veterinary Social Work Support
Tanja Philhower
Tanja (she/her) is located in the small animal hospital, between the client comfort room and ECC. The social work interns are located in the back hallway of VMC-N across from ICU. Email Tanja at [email protected], the interns at [email protected], or stop by their offices.
Tanja and social work interns are available to assist providers and staff in the clinic including 4th year veterinary students, interns, residents, faculty, technicians, and other support staff. Appointments can take place over the phone, via Zoom, or in person.
Services offered to clinic providers and staff include:
- Preparing for or debriefing difficult client conversations or situations
- Discussions regarding practice related issues such as ethical conflicts, moral injury, professional sustainability, and burnout
- Discussion of life issues and stressors outside of work
- Crisis intervention
- Referral to other needed resources such as campus-based mental health services, employee assistance, community mental health resources, or other needed support resources.
Wellbeing and Student Success
Amy Brandt is the embedded counselor with the College of Veterinary Medicine in collaboration with Boynton Mental Health and Counseling. Amy offers individual and confidential counseling to students in the College of Veterinary Medicine. For more information, please visit the Boynton Mental Health and Counseling website or email Amy at [email protected].
Academic Success
Academic Advisor and Student Success
Christina Owen (she/her), MA
Academic Advisor and Mental Health Advocate
In her role, Christina provides comprehensive academic advising, student support services, and career coaching to veterinary students. Christina also oversees the student peer tutoring program (VetPAC), ensuring effective tutoring strategies and support mechanisms are in place to foster academic success. Students often reach out to Christina for questions related to disability accommodations, policy related questions or concerns, support resources, and general academic questions. Christina works closely with Academic and Student Affairs staff to promote the professional and academic development of veterinary students.
Jump Start! ([email protected])
Jump Start! Is a student organization in the College of Veterinary Medicine that helps first year students acclimate to the academic demands of veterinary school. Jump Start! holds study sessions and helps to foster a sense of community between the class years in the College of Veterinary Medicine. These second year vet students can also help pair students in peer study groups based on a student’s learning style.
Vet Peer Assisted Coaching (VetPAC)
Vet Peer Assisted Coaching, often referred to as VetPAC is a free service provided by the College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM), in order to help students who are struggling academically. Designed to enhance student learning, VetPAC provides specific academic assistance for students by arranging small groups of 2-3 individuals or one-on-one tutoring, pairing a struggling student with another CVM student who is currently excelling or has excelled in the course in the past. VetPAC is designed to improve CVM content comprehension as well as study and time management skills. Tutoring schedule and number of sessions are based on the coach and tutee availability.
Campus/Community Resources
Campus and community resources
The University offers many resources to support you as a professional student. This interactive tool helps identify a wide range of resources on campus, with options to narrow down which resources are best for you!
The University’s Office of Student Affairs offers a comprehensive list of resources available to students, including support for basic needs, counseling, crisis support, financial aid, finding community, mental health and wellbeing, off campus community resources, student support offices and resources for students with children.
Community Resources
UMN Student organizations and resources are open to all UMN Twin Cities & Duluth graduate students, and may center the intersectional experiences of students whose identities have been historically excluded in research-based graduate education. Visit the Graduate School’s Diversity Office (GSDO) for a list of diverse organizations and resources within the university and Twin Cities communities.
- Delivers free and confidential services to victims/survivors/concerned people of sexual assault, relationship violence, stalking, and sexual harassment at the University of Minnesota.e basic needs directory is a comprehensive guide to resources on campus and in the Twin Cities area related to food, finances, housing and transportation, course materials and technology, and health and personal care.
The basic needs directory is a comprehensive guide to resources on campus and in the Twin Cities area related to food, finances, housing and transportation, course materials and technology, and health and personal care.
- Provides primary care, mental health, transgender health, eye, dental, pharmacy, nutrition, and many other health services
- Has a St. Paul campus location
Care Corners & Nutritious U Food Pantry
A Care Corner is a unique space that offers health professional students access to non-perishable foods provide access to healthy, fresh and shelf-stable foods/snacks and personal hygiene products in a discreet manner. These Care Corners take form in cabinets, tables with baskets, and in some places, even refrigerators. They are located in high traffic areas for students, thereby increasing accessibility. The Care Corners create an additional opportunity to provide students with information about the Nutritious U Food Pantry and other wellbeing resources available through the University of Minnesota and state. The College of Veterinary Medicine has three Care Corner items, available to all students and learners at our College.
Locations:
- Veterinary Medicine Center (VMC), 4th floor,
- Ben Pomeroy, 4th Floor, Room 204;
- Animal Science Veterinary Medicine (ASVM) building, near Room 104
- Food resources offered in St. Paul include the Nutritious U Food Pantry in the St. Paul Student Center and Keystone's Foodmobile.
- Provides brief case management, student support, and referrals to community resources
Family Resources
Learn to Live
Learn to live offers free, 100% confidential online programs for stress, anxiety and worry, depression and social anxiety. Visit the Learn to Live website and enter the code UMN for access
YOU at the UMN
Find tips and tools for everything from your mental and physical health, to friendships and finding balance. It’s all here at UMN.
The Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing
Since 1995, the Bakken Center has been committed to advancing the health and wellbeing of individuals, organizations, and communities.
The Center for Health Interprofessional Programs (CHIP)
The Center for Health Interprofessional Programs (CHIP) is a student-driven, co-curricular, interprofessional community that fosters connectedness and belonging among health science students at the University of Minnesota through collaborative initiatives that enhance health professional education. We provide a platform for emerging leaders to develop the relationships and skills they need to thrive and become agents of change in healthcare. All health professional students at the University of Minnesota are part of CHIP. To get involved, visit our website, or email us at [email protected]!
BeWELL
BeWELL creates intentional space in health professional education to foster connection, belonging, and community among health professional students. Through student-centered leadership and engagement opportunities, BeWELL empowers students to take an active role in shaping your wellbeing. This is done in collaboration with student leaders to curate wellbeing programming specific to the needs of health professional students. BeWELL also provides a list of wellness spaces available to students on the UMN Twin Cities campus.
National resources
- Serves anyone in any type of crisis & access to free, 24/7 emotional support and counseling via text
- Text: text HOME to 741-741
- Phone: 988 or 1-800-273-8255 (TALK)
- Also offered in spanish and for deaf/hard of hearing callers
- The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals
National Sexual Assault Online Hotline
National Eating Disorder Association
- Phone: 1-800-931-2237
- Non-profit US organization advocating on behalf of and supporting individuals and families affected by eating disorders.
AVMA Wellness and Peer Assistance
American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) Wellbeing Resources
- Email: [email protected]
- Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/VINFoundationVets4Vets/