By Serenity Beaumont, Spiritual Life Junior Division Head. Photo by Max Xu.

This past Tuesday, March 26, 2019, a group LCA students were able to attend an exciting Career Exploration Trip hosted by LCA’s Academic Advisors, Ms. Noh and Mr. Xu with the assistance of Serenity Beaumont, a sophomore interested in the veterinary field. Students were able to visit the Main Street Animal Services (M.A.S.H) clinic where they all had the invaluable opportunity to observe the fascinating studies of the clinic’s founder, Dr. Margo Roman. What makes Dr. Roman’s practice so unique is that this practice does not specialize in conventional veterinary medicine which is the medicine, no doubt, the western population is familiar with. The originality of her practice lies in her holistic mindset and incorporation of Eastern medicine.

Most of the animal care treatments at M.A.S.H are dissimilar to traditional medicine, but are as equally as effective. They are even healthier for an animal’s well-being, Dr. Roman argues. Some treatments at M.A.S.H include Ozone therapy which treats bodily inflammation with oxygen that displaces the  CO2. M.A.S.H offers the Ultraviolet light therapy or Biophotonic blood therapy (UVBI) which is a way to increase the immune system of an animal by pushing their blood through and ultraviolet light. This photoluminescence stimulates healthy cells and weakens viruses and bacterias in the bloodstream. Dr. Roman’s practice also conducts intensive research and study on animals microbiome. When there is an imbalance of the microbiome due to antibiotics, pesticides, or any other chemical, it is treated with an MRBT which stands for Microbiome Restorative Therapy (or Fecal Transplant). MRBT’s are meant to reintroduce a healthy biome from a healthy dog or cat. This has been a very successful treatment at M.A.S.H for over 30 years. So successful that M.A.S.H now has their own Fecal Bank.

M.A.S.H has been servicing for the past 30 years with the help of other practicing veterinarians such as Dr. Ayse Washington, and the clinics most recent veterinarian Dr. Dianica Kirton. The CET students had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Kirton and Dr. Margo as they were both able to share their insightful research at the clinic, college guidance, and advise about potential veterinary medicine careers. Students were able to receive an exclusive tour of the clinic including the surgery room, M.A.S.H’s own hyperbaric oxygen chamber, and their newest edition, the Bemer machine. Students were also able to quickly get involved in observing a patient that Dr. Roman was seeing at the time. As hard as it was to watch at times, LCA’s young students were able to learn and see so much in the span of just half an hour.

Dr. Roman, a graduate of Tuskegee School of Veterinary Science and former Tufts professor, has done so much to spread the news and influence of this new kind of effective medicine all across the world. Her work is continuously spreading as she told the students that veterinary schools that teach more in Eastern medicine and integrative sections are opening at various schools all across the nation.

Visiting M.A.S.H was an honor and privilege for the students as they were able to observe the manifestation of rare science in one day, an opportunity other young students dream about. This trip also helped educate potential veterinarians interested in the holistic practice and a relatively new way to treat animals. We hope that this trip will be able to occur in the years to come as our science keeps on developing, and LCA’s students keep on discovering.
If you would like to learn more about the Main Street Animal Services clinic (M.A.S.H), check out their website here.