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Faculty/Staff Focus
Davidson named diplomate of the ACVSMR
Dr. Jackie Davidson, clinical
professor in the Department of
Veterinary Small Animal Clinical
Sciences at Texas A&M College of
Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical
Sciences (CVM), recently became one
of the first diplomates of the American
College of Veterinary Sports Medicine
and Rehabilitation (ACVSMR) through
successful completion of a subject
matter examination.
The ACVSMR is the newest
veterinary specialty college approved
by the American Veterinary Medical
Association (AVMA), having been
recognized by the AVMA two years ago.
According to the ACVSMR website,
the mission of the college is to advance
the art and science of veterinary
medicine “by promoting expertise in
the structural, physiological, medical,
and surgical needs of athletic animals
and the restoration of normal form
and function after injury or illness.”
Diplomates can become specialists
in either canine or equine sports
medicine or rehabilitation. Davidson
received her certification in canine.
For candidates to become diplomates
of the ACVSMR, they must complete a
three-year residency, be published in
the field, submit five case reports, and
pass a two-day examination. Since the
specialty is only two years old, there are
only a few veterinarians in residencies
now. Davidson, however, was one of the
few individuals who qualified to take
the exam without doing a residency.
To be exempt from the residency
portion of the process, applicants were
required to submit their credentials
continued from page 43
Texas Veterinary Medical Association
Teaching Award: Dr. Glennon Mays
Texas Veterinary Medical Foundation
Earl Waddell Memorial Award: Dr. Medora
Pashmakova
VMTH Clinical Service Award: Dr.
Adam Patterson
Bridges Teaching and Service Award: Dr.
Lynn Ruoff
Bridges Teaching Award: Dr. Ashley
Saunders
Richard H. Davis Teaching Award: Dr.
Kathy Scott
Texas Veterinary Medical Association
Teaching Award: Dr. Phillipa Sprake
for approval. Criteria that the board
considered included having at least
10 years of work experience, having
publications in the field, and being
a faculty member actively involved
in clinical and research aspects
of veterinary sports medicine and
rehabilitation. Once the credentials
were approved, the selected applicants
were allowed to go straight to the exam
portion of the process. This residency
exemption option will be available
for only the next two years. This was
the first year the certifying exam was
offered.
Davidson said the exam was one of
the hardest she has ever taken.
“I’m board-certified by the American
College of Veterinary Surgeons and
the difficulty level was comparable to
that. You leave the exam and think,
‘There is no way I passed that.’ But I
did pass,” Davidson said.
Davidson prepared for the exam
by reading and taking continuing
education courses in the field. While
reading a book or article related to the
topic, Davidson would take notes which
she later used to study for the exam.
“Then, the last six weeks before the
exam, I had time off clinicals and all
I did was sit and study for 12 hours a
day,” she added.
Davidson said she took the exams
because she felt prepared by her
experiences from working in postoperative
rehabilitation for 10 years
and her dedication to continuing
education.
“I was working in this area, so I
wanted to have the certification that
Speaker-Elect Faculty Senate: Dr. John
Stallone
Pfizer Animal Health Award for Research
Excellence: Dr. Jörg Steiner
Texas Veterinary Medical Association
Research Award: Dr. Dickson Varner
Women’s Faculty Network (WFN)
Outstanding Mentoring Award: Dr. Jane
Welsh
Second author on paper in Genome
Research: Dr. James Cai
Visiting Professor Scholarship from the
German Cancer Center Institute (DKFZ):
Dr. Gloria Conover
Charter Diplomate, American College of
Veterinary Microbiologists: Dr. Tom Craig
Dr. Jackie Davidson and Amadeus
represented this other special skill
set and knowledge area that sets me
apart,” she said.
Davidson explained that her dream
is to have a residency program at the
CVM where residents of the program
can receive training and become
specialists in the field.
Davidson is currently a surgeon for
the Small Animal Hospital, but also
oversees the physical rehabilitation
service.
“My job here is primarily as a
surgeon, but I would like to build up
the rehab portion of [the hospital].
That’s kind of what I do now. Most of
my time is spent actually in the surgery
service, but I help oversee the rehab
service at the same time,” she said.
Davidson is the second member
of the CVM family to become a
diplomate. Dr. William Moyer,
professor and special assistant to the
dean, is a founding diplomate of the
college.
TAMU Environmental Health & Safety’s
Safe Laboratory: Dr. Maris Esteve-Gassent
Upcoming Paper in Science: Drs.
Bill Murphy, Jan Janecka, and Emma
Teeling
Paper selected for the cover of the April
2011 issue of Molecular Endocrinology:
Dr. Weston Porter
Newly Elected Chair, Institutional Animal
Care Use Committee: Dr. John Stallone
Newly Elected Chair, Committee on Academic
Freedom, Responsibility, and Tenure:
Dr. Mark Westhusin
Contributed to the “Teaching for Tomorrow”
series showcasing award-winning Texas
A&M faculty members: Dr. Deb Zoran
CVM Today • Winter 2012 • 45