MVMA Surgery Suite Committee Spotlight

By Jenn Stromberg, MVMA Marketing and Communications Manager

Each summer, more than 100 volunteers educate the public about veterinary medicine while performing a total of 48 live spay/neuter surgeries at MVMA’s Surgery Suite exhibit at the Minnesota State Fair. 

Many of you are likely aware that MVMA recruits DVMs, technicians, and students for surgery suite volunteer shifts each day of the fair, but did you know that it also takes a committee of dedicated volunteers to plan and prepare for a successful Surgery Suite each year?

Co-chaired by Drs. Travis Anderson and Krista Walkowiak, MVMA’s Surgery Suite Committee is currently made up of about a half dozen active members who meet four times per year. The committee’s springtime meeting kicks off planning for the summer ahead. They also meet to set up and take down the surgery suite, debrief after the fair is over, and correspond between meetings.

The committee’s job? To transform a building—unoccupied during the off season—into a mini surgery suite and vet clinic exhibit that allows the public a rare close-up view of surgery through glass walls and a camera feed as part of their Minnesota State Fair experience. 

A Meaningful & Impactful Fair Exhibit

When asked why they love volunteering on the Surgery Suite Committee, both Travis and Krista agreed that they enjoy the team that’s involved, which includes fellow committee members, MVMA staff, and lead CVT Shelley Cravens, who oversees operations onsite every day.

Dr. Krista said she enjoys being able to support the volunteers by ensuring that logistics are taken care of and that good systems are in place. “I like letting them come and have fun for the day versus having to worry about if they have enough supplies, etc.” 

The co-chairs said that their involvement is a fun way to educate the public about veterinary medicine and give back to the community. While the surgical team is working inside the suite, a moderator team narrates what is happening and answers audience questions. Moderators talk about the importance of spaying/neutering and routine veterinary checks—important messages for the public, especially given the surge in pet population in the wake of Covid-19. It’s also an opportunity to showcase the advances that have been made in veterinary medicine, the safety of surgical procedures, and how well animals are taken care of before, during, and after surgery. 

The State Fair setting lends itself to talking about more than just small animal veterinary medicine. “I always like to mention that if you’re eating a bratwurst at the fair, a veterinarian was involved in a lot of the steps along the way to get that to your plate,” Dr. Travis said. It’s an opportunity to share a broad overview of the profession and raise awareness of how important veterinarians are to our society. For example, many people don’t know about the work that public health veterinarians do, or how closely veterinarians are involved with animal agriculture.

In today’s age of information overload, being able to connect with the public directly is very impactful. The Surgery Suite is an opportunity to reach thousands of new and experienced pet owners alike, as well as future veterinarians and technicians.

The Committee’s Work

What does it take to make all of this happen? Members of the committee coordinate a number of things leading up to the fair. For starters, the surgery suite needs to be stocked with supplies. From anesthesia drugs to sutures and more, committee members reach out to sponsors and donors to secure all of the necessary supplies.

And of course, without patients, there would be no surgery suite! Outreach to Twin Cities area rescues to request their participation and set up a schedule is another thing committee members are responsible for. Rescues commit to bringing four dogs and cats in the morning and picking them up at the end of the day. The end result is a win-win-win: we have the patients we need to run a successful surgery suite, rescues benefit from free spay/neuter procedures for animals in their care, and the canine and feline patients get publicity that helps them find homes.

Committee members also spend time reviewing and updating protocols, writing an annual grant proposal to request funding from the Minnesota Veterinary Medical Foundation (MVMF), and planning improvements to the suite. Drs. Krista and Travis say that it’s been fun seeing the suite grow and change, and to have a hand in making improvements each year. This year, the plan is to get new surgery lights, replacing the original lights from more than 30 years ago. 

Last year, the big upgrade came in the form of a new surgery table. Prior to that, they added a scrolling LED sign to help attract fairgoers to the exhibit, which Dr. Travis credits for the increase in audience sizes last summer. They’ve also updated AV equipment, painted the exterior, and made other improvements throughout the years—even moving the building one year.

How to Get Involved

Drs. Krista and Travis would enthusiastically welcome new Surgery Suite Committee members. They encourage those who have volunteered in the surgery suite to join and bring their insights to the committee’s work, as well as those who have never volunteered but would prefer being involved behind the scenes.

If you are interested in joining the committee, email [email protected] and we’ll connect you with Drs. Travis and Krista. Info about how to sign up for a volunteer shift at the fair can be found here.

The committee’s co-chairs are very grateful for everyone who helps make the surgery suite happen each summer. Says Dr. Krista: “If you want a fabulous fair experience, it doesn’t get any better than this!”