AASV Recognizes Purdue Veterinary Graduate as 2024 Young Swine Veterinarian of the Year

March 1, 2024

A Purdue Veterinary Medicine graduate in the DVM Class of 2018 is the recipient of the American Association of Swine Veterinarians’ (AASV) Young Swine Veterinarian of the Year award. Dr. Dylan Lape, of Greenfield, Indiana, received the award during the 55^th AASV Annual Meeting, which was held February 24-27 in Nashville, Tennessee. The annual award is given to AASV members within five years of veterinary school graduation who demonstrate the ideals of exemplary service and proficiency early in their careers.

Dr. Lape grew up in the small town of Lebanon, Pennsylvania and raised exhibition poultry along with his brother and father. After earning a Bachelor of Science degree at Pennsylvania State University in 2014, he enrolled in the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine and received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 2018.

After developing an interest in swine at the Penn State swine farm and pursuing those interests through his Purdue veterinary education, Dr. Lape joined Pork Veterinary Solutions in July of 2018. He works with independent swine producers, contract growers, and large integrators, overseeing the production of approximately one million pigs per year. Dr. Lape also has participated in multiple foreign animal disease planning and preparedness exercises and has completed the Swine Veterinarians Public Policy Advocacy Program through the National Pork Producers Council and AASV.

All of Dr. Lape’s many nominations for the award described his infectiously positive personality as an ideal of exemplary service. Even in challenging, difficult, or stressful situations, Dr. Lape is known for continuously choosing to be happy, enabling him to consistently be a valuable team member and a joy to colleagues and clients.

Upon accepting the award, Dr. Lape said, “I am shocked and honored to be selected for this award! I 100% wouldn’t be the veterinarian I am today without the mentorship I’ve received from many members of AASV, but especially my boss, Dr. Matt Ackerman!”

Dr. Lape still raises exhibition poultry locally and enjoys showing across the Midwest in his spare time.

Writer(s): Purdue Veterinary Medicine News

Source: AASV

Recent Stories

Annual Purdue Veterinary Conference draws veterinary professionals from across the country for learning and fun

The 2026 edition of the annual Purdue Veterinary Conference attracted attendees from around the U.S. for three days of educational sessions covering an array of topics. With the overall theme of “One Health: Modern Veterinary Medicine,” the conference September 23-26 on the Purdue University campus drew more than 450 veterinarians and veterinary technicians, plus faculty, staff and students. Sessions taught by a total of 65 speakers, including many Purdue Veterinary Medicine clinicians and veterinary technicians/technologists, enabled conference-goers to earn up to 23 continuing education credit hours.

Significant Gift from Jordan Smelski Foundation will fuel Purdue Veterinary Medicine research on deadly brain eating amoeba

A researcher in the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine’s Department of Comparative Pathobiology has received a generous gift of more than $100,000 from the Jordan Smelski Foundation for Amoeba Awareness and Mr. Steve Smelski to support research of the deadly amoeba Naegleria fowleri. Christopher Rice, PhD, assistant professor of parasitology and principal investigator of the Rice Research Group, leads a research team seeking to discover and repurpose drugs against primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), a rare but typically fatal infection caused by Naegleria fowleri.

Purdue veterinary student receives Sir John D. Spurling Scholarship awarded by AKC Humane Fund

The AKC® Humane Fund, Inc.℠ has announced the 2026 recipients of the Sir John D. Spurling Scholarship, celebrating the human-canine bond, and one of the recipients is Purdue veterinary student Tiffany Chang of the Class of 2027. Chang is one of only five students chosen for the scholarships.

Purdue Veterinary Medicine Unites with Purdue United Way Campaign

With the goal of raising $700,000 by November 4 to support local nonprofit organizations that help individuals and families in Greater Lafayette, the Purdue United Way campaign took off September 23 with an official campaign launch on the front lawn of the Purdue Memorial Union. Purdue Veterinary Medicine, along with the university’s other colleges and units, will participate with the help of PVM faculty and staff ambassadors working to make it easy for people in the college to respond, whether by giving, or by indicating that they do not wish to give. As part of the PVM drive to support the campaign, Dean Bret Marsh and his wife, Polly, are contributing a match for campaign contributions from college faculty and staff. Additionally, a drawing will be held to select winners from those who contribute.

“Paws Up” – for Dr. Yasumasa Iimori – brought to you by the PVM Wellness Committee

This week we commend Yasumasa Iimori, DVM, PhD, who is a resident in Emergency and Critical Care in the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital.