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 55th 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.