Marianne Martinson '87, DVM '92

Veterinary Medical Officer at the U.S. Public Health Service

How VMCVM equipped me for the 'real world'...

I felt equipped for the real world in terms of communication, collaboration and resourcefulness. As an added bonus, the all-nighters also prepared me for motherhood!

Best part of being a VMCVM alum...

Forever friends, an amazing network, and pride in being an alum.

Best advice I've gotten....

Make sure your boots are clean enough to kiss.

How would you capture the essence of your work in a newspaper headline...

I make regulatory decisions regarding animal drugs and devices in order to protect human, animal and environmental health.

My hidden talent...

Water skiing.

A person who has inspired me...

Dr. Jack Casper has been an inspiration to me since he taught me in veterinary technician school. I still visit with him and always remind him of how he has been such a wonderful mentor and inspiration to me after ALL of these years.

What did you learn at the college that you never thought you would benefit from?

Dr. Pelzer's epidemiology class. Due to sleep and/or coffee deprivation, I honestly didn't know what he was talking about on the first day. I thought the class was dermatology [epidermis, get it?]. I asked Sarah Link when we would be talking about skin. She almost fell off her chair. Who would have ever predicted that I'd end up being an epidemiologist??!!

Biggest misconception about my job or industry...

The biggest misconception is that government jobs are cushy and are only for those who couldn't make it elsewhere. This is soooo far from the truth. On any given day I work with dedicated veterinarians in the areas of toxicology, pathology, nutrition, epidemiology, lab animal medicine, and internal medicine. FDA is a robust and progressive workplace.

Words of encouragement to a current veterinary college student...

Dear gosh, if I can make it you'll be just fine.

Fondest college memory or tradition...

There are so many wonderful memories. One of my fondest is being volunteered by Susan Brown to be a dancer at Alex Wakefield's bachelor party. He couldn't afford dancing girls in skimpy lingerie, so he got us instead. We wore tons of makeup, stuffed our clothes with pillows and wore lingerie on the outside. It was all fun and games until the campus police arrived. They were probably scarred for life.

A cause I'm most passionate about... The most formative experience I've had...

I am passionate about autism awareness and am an active member of the Autism Society of America.

Top of my bucket list...

Travel the world.

My favorite quote...

A winner never quits and a quitter never wins.

Being a VMCVM alumnus means...

Having a built-in network of amazing friends and colleagues. It means being able to realize your dreams.

Anything else to add?

VMCVM holds some of my best memories and was a crucial part of my life. Thank you.

Contact:

Andrew Mann
Director of Communications and Marketing