Prestigious Veterinary Teaching Award Presented to PVM Alumnus

March 13, 2020

Purdue Veterinary Medicine graduate Jerome Masty (PU DVM ’78), a member of the Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine faculty, recently was honored as the recipient of the 2019 AAVMC Distinguished Veterinary Teacher Award. Considered as one of the most prestigious teaching awards in international academic veterinary medicine, the award recognizes excellence in professional veterinary medical education.

Dr. Masty is presented with his award plaque on stage at AAVMC — PVM alumnus Jerome Masty (far right), a faculty member at the Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine, received the prestigious AAVMC Distinguished Veterinary Teacher Award at the 2020 AAVMC Annual Conference earlier this month in Washington, D.C.

Sponsored by Zoetis, the AAVMC Distinguished Veterinary Teacher Award is presented to an educator whose sustained record of teaching excellence and ability, dedication, character, and leadership has contributed significantly to the advancement of the veterinary medical profession. After graduating in the Purdue DVM Class of 1978, Dr. Masty went on to earn both his master’s and PhD degrees in veterinary anatomy at Purdue. Currently an associate professor in the Department of Veterinary Biosciences at Ohio State University (OSU), Dr. Masty primarily teaches first-year gross anatomy, second-year neuroanatomy of the nervous system, and three second-year elective classes in surgical anatomy, feline anatomy, and neuroanatomy.

Dr. Masty has received numerous teaching awards during his tenure on the OSU faculty. He describes his teaching approach as one that goes beyond passive listening to engage students through interactive notes and illustrative diagrams that help students to visualize and remember how different parts of the body work together. He also continuously solicits and responds to student feedback.

Dr. Masty also has fulfilled the role of mentor to numerous other instructors throughout various disciplines at OSU. Assistant Vice Provost Alan Kalish, who has worked with Dr. Masty on numerous teaching enhancement projects for nearly two decades, wrote that he is “one of the most popular and innovative instructors at Ohio State.”

“Zoetis is proud to sponsor the prestigious AAVMC Distinguished Veterinary Teacher Award,” said Dr. Christine C. Jenkins, Zoetis U.S. Chief Medical Officer and Vice President of Veterinary Medical Services and Outcomes Research. “Recipients like Dr. Masty represent the very best of veterinary medical education, and we are honored to celebrate his achievement and dedication to excellence in preparing future generations of veterinary professionals.”

The award was presented during the AAVMC 2020 Annual Conference in Washington, D.C. March 6-8.

Writer(s): Maya Sanaba, PVM Communications Intern, and Kevin Doerr | pvmnews@purdue.edu

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.