Fourth-year veterinary students volunteer at 53rd Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race

Friday, May 9, 2025

Media Contact: Kinsey Reed | Communications Specialist | 405-744-6740 | kinsey.reed@okstate.edu

For 12 fourth-year Oklahoma State University College of Veterinary Medicine students, a veterinary rotation in Alaska became the opportunity of a lifetime: volunteering at the 53rd Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, often called “The Last Great Race on Earth.”

The annual event is a 1,000+ mile journey across the icy Alaskan wilderness, testing the endurance and resilience of mushers and their teams of elite sled dogs. This year, the race route was extended to around 1,150 miles due to a relocated start in Fairbanks, a change prompted by poor snow conditions in Anchorage.

While the students originally traveled to Alaska for a canine exercise physiology rotation led by Dr. Michael Davis, OSU CVM professor and a specialist in sled dog medicine, their experience expanded significantly when they took the initiative to get involved with the Iditarod.

“I just thought, ‘Why not reach out and ask?’” student Ally Williams said. “We were sitting around and talking about how cool it would be to go to the start of the race, and so I emailed the head veterinarian.”

Although all official veterinary positions had been filled, the students were eventually connected with the veterinary technician and offered roles supporting the restart in Fairbanks. Davis gave the green light for their participation, and the students hit the road — literally — with a five-and-a-half-hour drive from Wasilla to Fairbanks.

Kammy Bene, another student, was instrumental in igniting the group's interest in volunteering.

“I just threw the idea out there during our first couple of days in Alaska," Bene said. "Next thing we knew, we were researching how to get involved.”

Their official role on race day was to scan and verify the microchips of each sled dog before the race began — a vital part of the Iditarod’s identification and health tracking system. Each dog’s microchip links to its medical record and helps prevent confusion throughout the race’s many remote checkpoints.

“Every team has 16 dogs, and with 33 teams, that’s over 500 dogs we helped process,” Williams said. “We split up, and each group took on a handful of teams. It was pretty incredible seeing it all come together.”

The students gained firsthand insight into the incredible physical capabilities of sled dogs — animals that thrive on the intense demands of long-distance racing.

“The Iditarod was especially interesting to me as a veterinary student because, throughout Dr. Davis’ lectures on our rotation, we learned about the vast array of physiological differences these canine athletes have compared to pet canine companions,” student Madie Petree said. “It was amazing to then be able to see those talented dogs working right in front of my eyes and to apply that knowledge as we were getting to meet them.”

Each checkpoint along the Iditarod trail has a team of veterinarians flown in via bush planes to assess the dogs' health. If a dog is injured or too fatigued to continue, they’re safely dropped from the race and cared for until they can be reunited with their handler.

“It was fascinating to learn how dedicated these teams and veterinarians were to ensuring quality medical care even in the face of harsh and isolated conditions,” Petree said.

The experience left a meaningful impact on each student. For Bene, what resonated most was the electric atmosphere surrounding the race.

“Watching the dogs jump with excitement at the starting line was my favorite,” she said. “It was a contagious energy — between the dogs, the mushers and the crowd, you could feel how special it was.”

For Williams, the experience has sparked a passion she hopes to continue. After graduation, she plans to pursue a residency in sports medicine and hopes to return to the Iditarod in a more official veterinary role.

While the students only volunteered for one day during the official restart, their impact — and the experience itself — was significant. As the first OSU DVM students to volunteer at the Iditarod, they’ve set a precedent for future rotations.

Story By: Bailey Horn | bailey.horn@okstate.edu