McLean Gunderson, BS, DVM

mclean.gunderson@wisc.edu

Department of Comparative Biosciences
Office: 2009G

McLean Gunderson, BS, DVM

Titles and Education

  1. University of Wisconsin- Madison B.S. Wildlife Ecology, 1997
  2. Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, DVM, 2002
  3. UW Madison Extension- Master Gardener 2014
  4. Fundamentals of Online Teaching Certificate 2020
  5. Teaching 21st Century Skills Certificate 2020
  6. Blend@UW Certificate 2020
  7. Plain Language Certificate 2021
  8. Fully Prepared to Lead Certificate (2023)
  9. Enhancing Online Education: Planning Your Online Course (2023)
  10. Enhancing Online Education: Course Management (Feb. 2024)

Responsibilities

Assistant teaching professor for the comparative biosciences department (CBS)

Course Director and instructor for Anatomy of the Large Domestic Animals

Instructor for or Fundamental Principles of Veterinary Anatomy

Instructor for Fundamentals of Clinical Skills Elective

Clinical Skills Course Design Working Group active member for curricular revision

Movement & Support Module Co-lead for curricular revision

 

Clinical Interests

Teaching philosophy: I focus on fully engaging students with veterinary content, where they are able to immerse themselves in the content, language, skills, and concepts of the materials they are studying. This is accomplished through the use of a community-based learning model. The content is at the core of this community. Faculty and staff act as mentors & coaches while facilitating interaction with the central content. Students are an integral part of the community, and are encouraged to experiment with their learning of that content based on their needs and previous experiences.

The agency created in this educational process shifts the responsibility of learning to the student and allows them to individualize their learning and set and reach their personal goals while meeting the learning objectives crafted by their instructors. In this process, curiosity is essential. In order to satisfy curiosity, students must be vulnerable and fail occasionally. Teachers and learners within our community understand that deep learning occurs during these challenging moments, resulting in personal growth and improved resilience. Assessment in this process mirrors learning, and focuses on students' ability to communicate in the language of a veterinary medical professional, demonstrate veterinary clinical skills, define their veterinary knowledge, and apply that knowledge and experience to solve clinical problems. 

Innovative Models: Creativity & innovation in education is where my passion lies. I love to learn new ways to teach students, and I am always pushing the limits of change to improve outcomes for my students. I often accomplish this through the creation of interactive, anatomically correct, 3D teaching models and supportive active learning content that allows students across phases to individualize their learning and work as a team to master veterinary terms and concepts, simulate/solve problems, perform and practice clinical skills, and communicate as veterinary professionals. These activities are designed to facilitate small and large group discussions in a low-stakes, low-stress environment. 

Personal Interests: Every chance I get I am off traveling the world, snowboarding, cross country skiing, playing or coaching hockey, swimming, diving, hiking, geocaching, SUP'ing, kayaking, climbing, or gardening.  I am a citizen scientist for Xerces Society, and I raise and release hundreds of Monarch butterflies annually (eggs collected from milkweed in my yard).

Experience: I am an assistant teaching professor, course coordinator & instructor for anatomy of large domestic animals and an instructor for fundamental principles of anatomy and the clinical skills courses. Previously, I was a lecturer for small and large animal anatomy and taught in the clinical skills course from the fall of 2021 till fall of 2023. From 2014- 2021, I was a senior instructional specialist for the Department of Surgical Sciences.

Prior to my work at the UW SVM, I taught veterinary technician students, and worked with a team of researchers for the Department of Otolaryngology at the School of Medicine and Public Health developing novel surgical repairs for vocal fold defects in hope of restoring voice in people diagnosed with dysphonia due to laryngeal disorders. Immediately after graduation from veterinary school I was a large and small animal veterinary practitioner at local clinics.

Recent Publications

  1. Tian L, Henningsen J, Salick MR, Crone WC, Gunderson M, Dailey SH, Chesler NC. Stretch calculated from grip distance accurately approximates mid-specimen stretch in large elastic arteries in uniaxial tensile tests. J Mech Behav Biomed Mat. 2015 Jul;47:107-13. PMID:25881308
  2. Hoffman M, Glab R, Gunderson M, Maytag AL, Yang D, Jiang JJ, Dailey SH. Functional and histological evaluation following canine vocal fold reconstruction using composite thyroid ala perichondrium flaps. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2015 Jul;153(1):79-87 PMID: 25883099
  3. Glab R, Gunderson M, Torrealba J, Bauer B, Dailey SH. Elucidation of Soft Tissue Flap Histologic Margins within a Canine Vocal Fold. Histol Histopathol. 2015 Jan:30(1):95-103. PMID: 25045966
  4. Tian L, Kellihan HB, Henningsen J, Bellofiore A, Forouzan O, Roldan-Alzate A, Consigny DW, Gunderson M, Dailey SH, Francois CJ, Chesler NC. Pulmonary artery relative area change is inversely related to ex-vivo measured arterial elastic modulus in the canine model of acute pulmonary embolization. J biomech. 2014 Sep22:47(12):2904-10 PMID: 25128393
  5. Gunderson M, Dailey SH, Bauer B, Glab R. Technical Refinements to the Minithyrotomy Procedure. J Voice. 2014 Feb; PMID: 24495420
  6. Dailey SH, Ng K, Gunderson M, Petty B. Vocal Fold Reconstruction: A Novel Flap. Laryngoscope. 2013 Nov:123(11):2793-7. Doi:10.1002/lary.24074. Epub 2013 Apr 24. PMID: 23616137
  7. Dailey SH, Gunderson M, Chan R, Torrealba J, Kimura M, Welham NV. Local vascularized flaps for augmentation of Reinke's space. Laryngoscope. 2011 Feb; 121 Suppl 3:S37-60. PMID: 21271606
  8. Goodyer E, Gunderson M, Dailey SH. Gradation of stiffness of the mucosa inferior to the vocal fold. J Voice. 2010 May; 24(3):359-62. Epub 2009 Mar 20. PMID: 19303741