Dr. Sandor Gal has organized an international veterinary conference in Budapest, Hungary between September 28-October 18, 2006. This was the 3rd annual conference Dr. Gal has organized for the Hungarian veterinarians through his veterinary educational website called HUNGAROVET (www.hungarovet.com) which has almost two thousands veterinarian and veterinary student members. Dr. Martin Langhofer, -owner of a small animal & specialty horse dentistry clinic in South Bend, Indiana- was one of the visiting lecturers in this year's veterinary conference.

LETTER FROM DR. LANGHOFER TO THE DEAN OF THE HUNGARIAN VETERINARY SCHOOL

Dear Professor Fodor:

I want to write to thank you for the hospitality that you and your staff showed me, while visiting Hungary and participating in the veterinary conference. I have reported your kindness to Dr. Aseem, the interim Dean of the Purdue Veterinary School. Dr. Aseem completed some of his veterinary training at Budapest. I also spoke with Dr. Nour, the University Director of International Affairs at Purdue University about my visit to Hungary.Both Dr. Nour and Dr. Aseem seemed pleased with my report. Dr. Nour and I spoke about future collaborations between the faculty of Istvan and Purdue.

Today I meet with Dr. Lynett Freeman at Purdue University. Dr. Freeman is the Laparoscopic Surgeon for small animals. She shows an interest in the possibility to come to Hungary next year for the Hungarovet Symposium. Dr. Nour and I are wondering if we could organize a program (seminar/workshop) for Dr. Freeman in your faculty to further the collaboration between the School of Veterinary Medicine at Purdue and San Istvan University. Dr. Freeman can share ideas and experiences in laparoscopic surgery with your academic staff and students. Dr. Freeeman is well known as a experienced laparoscopic surgeon. She pioneered a book in the late 90's on laparoscopic surgery. Dr. Freeman also was instrumental in the design of several disposable laparoscopic instruments.

Dr. Steve Adams, a Internationally known Equine Surgeon from Purdue University gave indications that he too may like to come and present a program at St. Istvan. Dr. Adams and Dr. Freeman, if invited, would be coming as representatives of Purdue. Their work with CVM (Christian Veterinary Missions, http://www.cvmusa.org/NETCOMMUNITY/Page.aspx?&pid=226&srcid=183) would be outside of the University Program. Dr. Nour and I have worked together and separately with different programs in Eastern Europe. Neither Dr. Nour or I want to impose ourselves on you or your university.

However, if there is a possibility of collaboration, we are interested in speaking more with you about this possibility. Today, I have invited several of your students to come to the United State for a Summer Externship. This externship is provided by veterinarians and interested people that are associated with Christian Veterinary Missions. Since 1999, we have hosted close to 40 students and veterinary doctors, including provost, deans, professors, and students to the US to develop understandings in differences in culture and medicine. Funding includes air-fare, room and board, as well as $500.00 per month for miscellaneous spending money for each student. Each students is matched up with a Christian Veterinary family, in the US. We also coordinate efforts with Purdue University so the students can see a US. teaching institute and observe institutionalized training. We have hosted students from Romania, Africa ( Sudan), Jordan, Germany, Korea, Taiwan, Moldova, Columbia, Japan, Belgium, and many students from the US with this program.

Veterinarians from universities, private practices, and veterinary technicians have paid their own ways to many countries outside of the US to assist with veterinary procedures, disaster relief for animals and people, veterinary training in animal and human hygiene, as well as collaborations with other veterinary colleges through out the world. Medical equipment, books, and knowledge has been sent to aid veterinarians and universities that are in countries of great need. Different students from veterinary universities have also participated in invitations to other veterinary schools outside of the US to nurture further cultural understandings and the sharing of new techniques. CVM participants, to other countries, have been allowed to meet with students to give encouragement and to distribute Bibles to those that desire them.

Two veterinary students from Hungary have been invited for a summer externship program to the United States. We hope that they can participate in this program next summer.

Two weeks ago, when I was in Hungary, we (CVM) sent a team of veterinarians to Cluj, Romania. Two of them were from veterinary universities in the US. and one was a veterinary anesthetists. Their job was to assemble a new large animal gas anesthetic machine in Cluj ( which was donated by a veterinary school in the US) and to give instructions on the use of gas anesthesia. An evening program was developed at a local restaurant for interested students to discuss Christain Principles and to be an encouragement to students in their Christian faith. Over 100 Bibles were given to students that were interested. Two of the doctors then left for Moldova to give training seminars on Equine/Bovine Reproduction and Anesthesia to the students and professors at Chisineau.

On Tuesday of this week, a veterinarian from Wisconsin is traveling to Moldova to participate in swine fertility clinics. Several hundred doses of swine semen has been donated from US swine producers to Moldova to help improve the swine genetics. At the end of this week another previous Christian Veterinary Missions team member is going to Moldova to teach on Swine Management and Work/Team leadership at the university in Chisineau. Various teams have gone to Romania in the last eight years as well as other countries developing relationships with people and educational opportunities.
Of all the Eastern European countries that I have traveled, Hungary is in a much better economical postition. As well, they appear to have more professional knowledge, education, and greater business opportunities than any other countries that I have experienced. I do not know if the educational seminars that I gave were of a professional nature contributing to the success of the conference. I hope that some new ideas were passed on. I do hope that I might be able to visit again, participate in future educational programs, and also introduce Christian Veterinary Missions to the country of Hungary. I have had several partitioners from Hungary invite me back to explain more about Christian Veterinary Missions and it involvement in various countries. There are many highly trained veterinarians that participate in this program.

I am open to any suggestions, sir. Thanks again for your kindness. I really like the Istvan Veterinary School Tie and the book about your University.

Sincerely,
Martin ( Marty) Langhofer DVM

Western Veterinary Clinic
25190 St. Rd. #2
South Bend, In 46619 USA
001-574-234-6581 (office)

LETTER FROM THE DEAN OF THE HUNGARIAN VETERINARY SCHOOL TO DR. LANGHOFER

Dear Dr. Langhofer,

Thank you very much for your recent e-mail, I feel terribly sorry that I can reply it with some delay. It was a pleasure for me to meet you, I was really impressed by the world wide activity of the Christian Veterinary Mission.

I was pleased to read that you were in contact with Dr. Aseem who graduated a few years after me and with Dr. Nour, who is a very nice man as well.

Thank you for your suggestions, we will be happy to see Dr. Lynett Freeman and Dr. Steve Adams. I think it would be practical if they could come in connection with the Hungarovet Conference. After giving a lecture at the conference a closer seminar could be organised within the faculty, I am sure that my colleagues at the clinical departments and the clinics would be pleased to attend it. Such kind of a seminar would be extremely useful for PhD students at the clinical field. Even some student swould be interested as well.

I like your Summer Externship Program, I think it is very useful for students to learn the everyday practice of a profession in an other country, meet people and widen their horizon. Your financial help to the students is very important since in the present budgetary situation of the higher education the school is not in the position to help students financially in study or having summer externship abroad.

Dear Dr. Langhofer, I hope that we will remain in contact personally or through Dr. Gal. I do hope that our recent meeting was a startpoint of a longer cooperation of your Mission and our school.

Kindest regards,

Laszlo

L. Fodor
Dean
Szent Istvan University,
Faculty of Veterinary Science Budapest
H-1400 Budapest P.O.Box 2
Phone: +36-1-478.4103
Fax: +36-1-478.4105
E-mail: Fodor.Laszlo@aotk.szie.hu