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UF small animal orthopedic students win big at meeting

Dr. Stephen Jones prepares to present his award-winning talk at the World Veterinary Orthopaedic Congress , held March 1-8 in Breckenridge, Colo. (Photo courtesy of Mike Karlin)

A University of Florida small animal surgery resident who also is pursuing a graduate degree and a D.V.M. student who participated in the Merial Veterinary Scholars Program were honored for their research during the World Veterinary Orthopaedic Congress, held March 1-8 in Breckenridge, Colo.

The Congress is the combined meeting of the Veterinary Orthopedic Society and the European Society of Veterinary Orthopaedics and Traumatology, and is held once every four years.

Dr. Stephen Jones, a second-year surgery resident at UF, received the best podium presentation for his research on stifle kinematics. He already had received the Mark S. Bloomberg Memorial Resident Research Award for his abstract. One or more Bloomberg awards are given each year to residents submitting abstracts for presentation at the Veterinary Orthopedic Society’s annual conference. The award, which covers travel and expenses to the meeting, was created in honor of the late Dr. Mark Bloomberg, a former UF faculty member and small animal surgeon who also chaired the department of small animal clinical sciences prior to his death in 1996.

“Dr. Jones gave a flawless presentation,” said Dr. Stanley Kim, an assistant professor of small animal surgery at UF.

Second-year veterinary student Erica Moore won the top prize for best clinical research poster for work accomplished during the Merial Veterinary Scholars Program, which allows qualified first or second-year veterinary students to spend 10-12 weeks in the summer pursuing areas of specific research interest in an established research laboratory. The program allows these students to receive a supportive, mentored research experience aimed at offering insights on career opportunities in biomedical research.

Erica Moore, a sophomore UF veterinary student, is shown in a photo taken during the recent World Veterinary Orthopaedic Congress in Breckenridge. (Photo courtesy of Erica Moore)

“She was competing among more than 60 other poster submissions by students, interns, residents and faculty from more than 25 countries,”  Kim said. “We are very proud of her achievements and are glad to see her recognized with such a prestigious award.”

Heading up this year’s scientific program was Dr. Antonio Pozzi, an associate professor of small animal surgery at UF. Pozzi and Kim both gave invited talks in scientific sessions and panel discussions throughout the meeting. Kim also served as moderator for the “state-of-the-art in stifle surgery” session.

Kim noted that Dr. Scott Banks, a professor in the UF College of Engineering’s department of mechanical and aerospace engineering, gave two invited talks.

“He completely won over the veterinary crowd, and we are very fortunate to have him in our corner,” Kim said. “His contributions were essential for most of the research that we presented at this meeting.”

Kim said Pozzi had been the driving force in organizing what he described as “one of the best veterinary meetings in recent memory.”

“As the scientific chair, Dr. Pozzi put in countless hours into helping construct the program over two years,” he said.