AVMA Podcast Features Purdue Veterinary Oncologist and AVMA Journal Award Winner Marejka Shaevitz

May 17, 2024

Dr. Marejka Shaevitz, clinical assistant professor of oncology in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences

When the AVMA wanted to share insights from a former resident turned award-winning published researcher, they called on a Purdue Veterinary Medicine faculty member, Dr. Marejka Shaevitz, clinical assistant professor of oncology in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences. Dr. Shaevitz completed a three-year residency program in medical oncology at Purdue in 2020 and last year was selected as the Outstanding JAVMA Resident for her published manuscript, which she co-authored with Dr. Chris Fulkerson, clinical associate professor of veterinary medical oncology and Dr. George Moore, professor of epidemiology.

In the podcast, called “Veterinary Vertex,” Dr. Shaevitz is interviewed by AVMA Editor in Chief Lisa Fortier and Associate Editor Sarah Wright, and explains the affirmation she sensed as a result of receiving the award. She also stresses the importance of mentorship in the lives of young veterinary professionals and talks about how the recognition that comes with receiving such an award can impact career paths. She also shares advice about how to successfully dedicate time to completing a manuscript and how to navigate the road to publication.

The manuscript for which Dr. Shaevitz received the award is entitled, “A prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded clinical trial comparing the incidence and severity of gastrointestinal adverse events in dogs with cancer treated with piroxicam alone or in combination with omeprazole or famotidine.” In addition to crediting her co-authors, Dr. Shaevitz also gave a shout out to Dr. Mike Childress, professor of comparative oncology, and Dr. Deborah Knapp, Distinguished Professor of Comparative Oncology and director of the Evan and Sue Ann Werling Comparative Oncology Research Center, as valued mentors who supported her during her residency and who she now values deeply as colleagues.

Dr. Shaevitz earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biological sciences at Stanford University followed by a Master of Science degree in clinical psychology from the University of Utah. She then earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree at Oregon State University and completed a small animal medicine and surgery internship at the University of Illinois before coming to Purdue for her medical oncology residency. A diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Oncology), Dr. Shaevitz went into private practice as a veterinary medical oncologist with MedVet in Columbus, Ohio, before returning to Purdue just recently, to join the Purdue Veterinary Medicine faculty and serve as a member of the Werling Comparative Oncology Research Center.

The Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA) Awards and American Journal of Veterinary Research (AJVR) Awards were established in 2022 to recognize student, intern, and resident authors of manuscripts whose work was judged as exceptional by the Associate Editor Board’s Awards Committee based on potential impact and clinical relevance. The winners received a certificate of achievement as well as a cash prize. The awards are given at the annual AVMA convention, which this year will be held June 21-25 in Austin, Texas.

Click here to listen to Dr. Shaevitz’ interview on the Veterinary Vertex podcast.

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

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