The games resume at NAVC

St. Louis - Old school rivalries will reach fever pitch again this January when veterinary students from across North America go head-to-head in the annual Nestle Purina College Challenge at the North American Veterinary Conference (NAVC).

The competition, in its second year, is open to NAVC student delegates and has contestants match wits on topics ranging from anatomy to internal medicine.

"The competition was extremely tough in 2003," says Dan Christian, DVM, Nestle Purina director of professional communications. "But this year we're hoping for even higher standards of intellect, veterinary knowledge and, most of all, fun competition between representatives from all of the schools."

Veterinary students serving as their school's NAVC delegates are invited to participate in the competition, which is loosely based on popular TV game shows. Students amassing the greatest number of points during five rounds of competition will advance to the next level of the challenge until the field is narrowed to two finalists. NAVC attendees will be part of the "studio" audience and sessions will be telecast on the NAVC closed-circuit network broadcast to all hotels associated with the conference this year.

At stake is $13,000 in prize money.

The winner will be awarded a $3,000 educational grant from Nestle Purina plus a matching donation in the name of his or her school to the school's Student Chapter of the American Veterinary Medical Association (SCAVMA). The first, second and third runners-up will receive grants and donations of $2,000, $1,000 and $500 respectively, with matching donations to the schools' SCAVMA chapters and every contestant who completes the first round of the competition will receive a $100 American Express gift check.

"We created the College Challenge as a fun way to let students show their veterinary knowledge and showcase some of the best education in the veterinary community today," says Christian.