Alumnus and Oncology Specialist Dr. Christopher Fulkerson Appointed as Associate Dean for Purdue Veterinary Hospitals

portrait of a man wearing a blue tie, white shirt, and gray jacket

Purdue Veterinary Medicine Dean Bret D. Marsh, DVM, has named Dr. Christopher Fulkerson as Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs and Chief Veterinary Officer for the Purdue Veterinary Hospitals. The appointment was announced July 1, the same day that Dr. Fulkerson’s promotion to full Clinical Professor of Veterinary Medical Oncology took effect.

“Dr. Fulkerson has provided effective leadership as Interim Associate Dean of Hospital Operations since September 2025, and I am very pleased he agreed to move into his new role,” Dean Marsh said. “Please join me in congratulating Dr. Fulkerson on this significant achievement!”

Dr. Fulkerson earned his Purdue DVM degree in 2010 and then completed a small animal internship at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. Afterward, he returned to Purdue, completing an Oncology Residency in 2014 before joining the Purdue Veterinary Medicine faculty as clinical assistant professor of veterinary medical oncology in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences. In 2015, he became board certified by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) in the Specialty of Oncology. He was promoted to clinical associate professor in 2021 and the following year was appointed as the head of the Medical Oncology Section.

With 23 peer reviewed publications, Dr. Fulkerson has made significant contributions to the discovery mission of the Werling Comparative Oncology Research Center (WCORC) as a collaborator and a lead investigator. Additionally, he is a member of the Purdue University Institute for Cancer Research and has presented his research at ACVIM and Veterinary Cancer Society meetings.

Dr. Fulkerson also serves as the Chair of the ACVIM Certification Council and the oncology representative. He just recently received the ACVIM William R. Fenner Early Career Award for Outstanding Service, which is presented to a diplomate exemplifying exceptional service in the ACVIM and/or their specialty in a volunteer capacity within the first 15 years following board-certification.

Following the announcement of his appointment, Dr. Fulkerson shared, “Purdue is a great place to work, learn, and bring animals for care. Together, we have made significant progress on the financial health of our hospitals over the last fiscal year. I am looking forward to this opportunity to continue building on that success!”

Writer(s): Kevin Doerr | pvmnews@purdue.edu

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