Dr. John Rossmeisl, of Blacksburg, Va., an assistant professor in the Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences in the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech, was recently presented the 2008 Student American Veterinary Medical Association Teaching Excellence Award-Clinical Sciences during the national symposium hosted by Auburn and Tuskegee Universities' Colleges of Veterinary Medicine.

"Dr. Rossmeisl's award speaks well of the quality of our teaching," said the college’s dean, Gerhardt Schurig, noting the college has won this national award four times in the past four years. Dr. Scott Pleasant, associate professor, Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, won in the clinical sciences category in 2005 and Drs. Marion Ehrich, professor, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, and Kevin Pelzer, associate professor, Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, won both the basic science and clinical science categories respectively in 2006.

The national honorees are selected on the basis of nominations presented by students at each of the nation's 28 colleges of veterinary medicine.

The clinical sciences award recognizes excellence, innovation, and enthusiasm in the field of clinical veterinary science and education.

"Just as a person can be fluent in a foreign language, Dr. Rossmeisl is fluent in veterinary medicine," wrote fourth-year student Michael Hickey in his letter nominating Rossmeisl.

"Since his lectures are so well organized and complete, it often requires students to seek new information rather than a recitation of already addressed facts. He recognizes that we are developing our abilities to think clinically, and he expects us to show this growing ability on his exams," wrote Hickey, who also won "best submission" for his letter of nomination.

In total, approximately 25 students from the college attended this year's symposium where they attended numerous lectures and labs and participated in a variety of challenges against students from the nation's other colleges of veterinary medicine.

Aaron Lucas, a third-year student, placed first in the individual Parasitology Challenge and Stacie Boswell, a fourth-year student, placed third in the individual Bovine Palpation Challenge.

In addition, teams from the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine took first place honors in the symposium’s Jeopardy Challenge and placed second and third in five other events including

  • the Student American Veterinary Medical Association Challenge,
  • Name that Breed,
  • Equine Aging,
  • Parasitology Challenge, and
  • Bovine Palpitation.

Participating students were Jennifer Crain, Brooke Ridinger , Brooke Hoffman, Michele Farrar, Julie Sanders, Theresa Williams, Stacie Boswell, Jennifer Crain, who are all are fourth-year students; Sarah Krall, Amy Doernte, Weston Mims, Tiffany Borjeson, Aaron Lucas, who are all third-year students; and Jennifer Sutton, Brian Kopec, Megan Buchanan, and Molly Conca, who are all second-year students.

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