If you do a google on the exact name of the school Boks said Prupas was the director (“Anthem College School of Veterinary Technology”) of, only one link comes up, and that is to an agreement between Maricopa County and the school. This is dated March 29, 2008:
43. MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT FOR PROVIDING HAND-ON ANIMAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES – APPROVED
Approve Memorandum of Agreement between Anthem College School of Veterinary Technology and Maricopa County Animal Care and Control, for the purpose of providing hand-on animal educational opportunities and related facilities needed for training while under the supervision of school faculty.
This is the ONLY mention of the school with that exact name on the Internet.
I already mentioned what come up when the name of the school without quotes. Then there are many indirect and direct references to www.anthem.com and nothing is mentioned there because it is not an operational program.
I called their phone # this AM. 602-279-9700
It has no classes, no instructor, no students. The first students are supposed to be enrolling in 2 months or so, apparently after they find an instructor.
Prupas is listed as the director, but apparently of a non-existent program.
Therefore, what is the worth of an AVMA provisional accreditation of a non-existence program? What does that say about AVMA’s accreditation process?
Remember Boks said Prupas had spent the last 2 years guiding the school through accreditation, but Prupas’ goodbye letter to his clients in San Diego is dated September 28, 2007, which is less than a year.
Look at the AVMA listing for Anthem.
Anthem College
1515 E. Indian School Road
Phoenix, AZ 85014
602-279-9700
www.anthem.edu
(Jeremy Prupas, DVM - Director)
Associate in Science
Initial Accreditation-March 3, 2008
PROVISIONAL ACCREDITATION
What is the value an an AVMA accreditation of a non-existent program? Since the MOA is dated March 29, 2008 and the provisional accreditation is dated March 3, 2008, it appears AVMA may have been influenced by MCACC agreement to provide educational opportunities for Anthem students once the program exists.
What kind of accrediting group would give accreditation to a non-existent program?
They have a provisional accreditation for a non-existent program.
I would like someone to interview Prupas. He may be the greatest cat vet in California, but I would like independent verification. I would love to sign onto his team. But my question remains, why did Boks lie about his appointment? Why did not Boks select one the 5-6 vets in-house as Chief vet as opposed to finding one associated with Boks’ old employer, the Maricopa County Animal Care and Control?
Sounds like this guy is less qualified than Feldman. Why hire him? Did the city personnel dept check out this guy? Doesn't anyone check resumes? Why do members of the public have to do these things? Who authorized that press release anyway?
ReplyDeleteAnyone remember Mary Herro? Boks promised her a job running the spay and neuter clinics here in LA. Problem was no one checked out her history until she got here. Then she was denied the job because of negative reports. This sounds like another Boks move.
ReplyDeleteThis whole thing smells funny. Why did the guy lie? Probably because the only thing the guy has ever done was operate a small private cat clinic in San Diego. Boks had to make him a "turn around king" or why hire him.
ReplyDeleteI just don't want to attack Prupas myself.
ReplyDeleteThat whole press release was Boks. Yoy can't hold Prupas responsible for Boks' statements.
Prupas might be perfeect for the job. I don't know. I have not met him. Even then, I would not be expert enough to judge his skills. Look, I thought Boks was terrific for the first year.
I just think there is a lot not being explained here including the ties between the school and Maricopa County Animal Care and Control, and why Boks said Prupas guided the Anthem College vet program through the accrediation process when there is no program yet.
Was this Ed building Prupas' resume to make his apointment seem reasonable? Did Prupas state this was one of his major accomplishments?
If we take a look at comments about Prupas on the web in his private practice down there, the reviews are mixed--very mixed.
Hi Ed,
ReplyDeleteThis will serve as my one and only comment to your wildly inaccurate accusations (I will answer any questions you might have).
I owned All Care Cat Hospital from 5/98-9/07. In about July of '06 we made the difficult decision to sell the practice due to personal family issues (absolutely nothing to do with the practice---also absolutely none of your business). We also decided to move to Phoenix, in part due to those issues as well as my finding a job at Anthem College (which at that time was called High Tech Institute). Unfortunately it took us an entire year to sell the hospital, during which time I was working in Phoenix part of the week and then at the hospital the rest of the week. At points during that year, I also had relief vets working for me...each worse than the next. After an extremely hard year, I managed to sell the practice. That is why the letter to the clients is dated 9/07.
From 9/07-9/08 I worked full-time at the school. I can assure you that there really is a school, with 4 CVT instructors, 53 students (as of 9/12/08) and a great facility. The first students enrolled in 3/06. To date we have had 20 graduates. I am not sure who you talked to (or if in fact you actually even called the school), but maybe the confusion is over the fact that the school is not presently enrolling new students and won't be until the new year.
The memorandum with Maricopa shelter was signed in order for us to be able to have them bring some animals to the school to be spayed/neutered and have their teeth cleaned. Dr. Rodrigo Silva is the director of the shelter and over the past two years he and I did become friends. Please note that Dr. Silva does NOT care for Ed Boks and actually tried to dissuade me from accepting the position here. I had NO prior knowledge of who Ed Boks was until I met him for the first time at my interview.
I have no idea why the other Dr's (and especially Dr. Feldman) were not chosen for the position. To be honest I don't care. I am here now. I know what my strengths are and I know that I can be a force for positive change here. I will do my utmost to help this community and this department have the finest municipal animal care system it possibly can.
Lastly, you note that there are decidedly mixed reviews of me. While I am sure that there are some people who may not think highly of me, I am willing to bet my house that many, many, more thought highly of me and my wife. Please make sure that those negative views were of us and not the prior vet (Dr. Doss) or the relief vets.
I look forward to a time when this community will be able to put away its pettiness, immaturity and callous nature and start working together to help those that we all care about...the animals.
As I said, I will try to answer any questions you might have.
Sincerely,
Jeremy Prupas, VMD