Texas A&M Pathology Team Earns National Awards
Story by Megan Bennett, VMBS Communications
Faculty, students, and residents from the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences’ (VMBS) Department of Veterinary Pathobiology (VTPB) brought home several awards from two national veterinary meetings this fall.
VTPB was well-represented at both the American College of Veterinary Pathologists (ACVP) annual meeting, held in New Orleans from Oct. 25-28, and the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians (AAVLD) annual meeting, held in Aurora, Colorado, from Oct. 30 to Nov. 5.
“Texas A&M is known for having a collegial and supportive environment,” said Dr. Candice Chu, an assistant professor. “Our anatomic pathology residents are always present to cheer for the clinical pathology talks and vice versa, which is not always the case at other institutions. The fact that our faculty and trainees consistently receive awards reflects both our active participation in our professional societies and the strong mentoring culture that elevates the quality of residency training.”
At the ACVP meeting, Chu received the Wendy Coe Leadership Award for her service on the ACVP Website Redesign Working Group and Dr. Raquel Rech, a clinical associate professor, received the Mid-Career Excellence Award for her reputation as a wonderful and inspiring educator and her expertise in pathology.
Three veterinary residents were also recognized at the ACVP meeting:
- Dr. Tajh Boston, a clinical pathology resident, received the Davis-Thompson Foundation’s Pathology Trainee and Scholarship Award for her outstanding achievements in veterinary pathology.
- Dr. Sarah Jacobson, a clinical pathology resident, received third place in the ACVP Young Investigator Award competition’s clinical pathology focused area.
- Jacobson and Dr. Yumi Chang, a Ph.D. student, received $500 Share the Future Presentation Travel Grants.
At the AAVLD conference, anatomic pathology resident Dr. Margaret Odom received a joint AAVLD and ACVP Diagnostic Pathology Travel Award for her original and creative oral presentation on parasitic nematodes in capybaras.
Finally, a team of Texas A&M students won first place in the gross pathology “Pathletes” competition held during the Student Engagement Committee’s networking breakfast.
“I was a Ph.D. student when I first attended ACVP in 2016 in New Orleans, and I still remember the excitement of receiving the Young Investigator Award at that time,” Chu said. “Nine years later, returning as faculty feels like a full circle moment. Now I have the privilege of watching my own residents and students present on stage. I truly could not be prouder of them.”
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Contact Information: Jennifer Gauntt, Director of VMBS Communications, Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, jgauntt@cvm.tamu.edu, 979-862-4216
