Many enterprises utilize customer surveys to measure how they are doing. When it comes to teaching, perhaps the toughest critics are the students. The Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine annually utilizes student balloting to guide the selection of recipients for several excellence in teaching awards. Four of those awards were given Thursday, April 28, at a special presentation in Lynn 1136.
Each year the college surveys the DVM students to evaluate the teaching effectiveness of the faculty based on this standard: “An outstanding teacher is one who demonstrates superior ability in communicating the chosen material to students and stimulates their desire to master the material. This teacher will also recognize their teaching responsibility does not stop at the classroom door, and therefore, will be ready to aid and motivate students in a counseling and advisory capacity, either formally or informally.”
The students provide their input by means of a student ballot. The results of the balloting guide the selection of recipients for several awards. Two of those awards, the PVM Alumni Outstanding Teacher Award and the Zoetis Distinguished Teacher Award, are given in the fall. The others, given in the spring, were presented by Dean Reed in recognition of the top teachers in each year of the DVM program.
The recipient of the PVM Award for Excellence in Teaching First Year DVM Students, as selected by the Class of 2025, is Dr. Kellie McGrady, lecturer in the Department of Veterinary Administration, and the Instructor of Record for Veterinary Skills and Competencies (VSAC) I and II. She also teaches in the other VSAC courses and in Applications and Integrations I, II, and III, as well as in the Veterinary Nursing Program.
The PVM Award for Excellence in Teaching Second Year DVM Students, as selected by the Class of 2024, was presented to Dr. Mindy Anderson, clinical assistant professor of basic medical sciences. Dr. Anderson is the Instructor of Record for Veterinary Pharmacology Principles and Applications and Applied Pharmacology II.
The recipient of the PVM Award for Excellence in Teaching Third Year DVM Students, as selected by the Class of 2023, is Dr. Andrew Woolcock, associate professor of small animal internal medicine. Dr. Woolcock is the Instructor of Record for Small Animal Medicine II and teaches in other Small Animal Medicine courses as well as the Small Animal Medicine clinical rotation.
And, the PVM Award for Excellence in Teaching Fourth Year DVM Students, as selected by the Class of 2022, was presented to Dr. Sarah Steinbach, clinical assistant professor of small animal internal medicine. Dr. Steinbach is the Instructor of Record for Small Animal Medicine III and teaches in other Small Animal Medicine courses and the Small Animal Medicine clinical rotation. In addition to her teaching responsibilities, she also leads the dialysis service in the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital.
“These individuals are wonderful examples of outstanding teachers,” said Dead Reed after presenting the awards. “We thank you for your dedication to excellence in teaching.”
This year marks the second time these awards have been presented. Last year’s inaugural recipients were Dr. Marxa Figueiredo, associate professor of basic medical sciences, for the first year; Dr. Sanjeev Narayanan, head of the Department of Comparative Pathobiology and professor of diagnostic medicine and pathobiology, for the second year; Dr. Chris Fulkerson, clinical associate professor of veterinary medical oncology, for the third year; and, for the fourth year, Dr. Aimee Brooks, clinical associate professor of small animal emergency and critical care, and Dr. Emily Curry, clinical assistant professor of mobile surgery/shelter medicine. Once selected, award recipients are ineligible to receive the award again for a period of three years.