The Zoetis Distinguished Teacher Award

The Zoetis Distinguished Teacher Award is the most prestigious teaching award in veterinary medicine. It is presented annually to a faculty member at each college of veterinary medicine in the United States. Its purpose is “to improve veterinary medicine education by recognizing outstanding instructors, who, through their ability, dedication, character and leadership contribute significantly to the advancement of the profession.” The entire Penn Vet student body votes and this year’s recipient is  James “Sparky” Lok.

Dr. Lok received a PhD in medical entomology from Cornell University in 1981 and did postdoctoral training in parasitology at Penn. He joined the faculty of Penn Vet in 1983, where he now holds the rank of professor of parasitology. In addition to his commitment to teaching second- and third-year veterinary students, Dr. Lok is also an active member of the Microbiology/Virology/Parasitology component of the Cell and Molecular Biology Graduate Group at Penn. Dr. Lok was a 1999 winner of a Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching (Almanac April 13, 1999). His research interests are in the molecular and neuronal control of the infective process in parasitic nematodes.

“Dr. Lok is no stranger to receiving teaching awards and winning this year only further exemplifies his passion for teaching. His devotion to his subject matter is apparent and he truly knows how to ignite that spirit in his students. We are so excited to present this wonderful award to Dr. Lok this year.”

The Boucher Award

The Boucher Award honors a house officer at New Bolton Center for excellent teaching, as was exemplified by Dr. William Boucher for over four decades at Penn Vet.

This year’s winner is Holly Stewart. Dr. Stewart graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in 2012. She is currently a surgery resident at Penn Vet’s New Bolton Center.

“Dr. Stewart’s intelligence, enthusiasm and compassion are infectious, and she remembers what it was like to be a student, and works hard every day to make sure their experience is the best possible.”

Class of 2014 Philadelphia Campus Teaching Award

Dana Clarke graduated from Penn Vet in 2006. After graduation, she completed a one-year rotating internship at Michigan State University, followed by a residency in emergency/critical care at Penn Vet.  Upon completion of her residency in 2010, she did a one-year fellowship at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in interventional radiology and worked as a lecturer in emergency/critical care at Penn Vet.  In 2011, she joined Penn Vet’s section of surgery as a combined lecturer in interventional radiology and critical care.  Her interests include stenting for tracheal collapse and interventional treatment for intra-hepatic portosystemic shunts and other vascular diseases.

“When students write about Dr. Dana Clarke, they invariably mention her willingness to go out of her way to help students. One student wrote that this clinician even went so far as to create an independent study rotation in interventional radiology for her. She always offers feedback to her students, sometimes even mailing students’ paperwork to them with her comments on post-it notes.”

One story sums it up particularly well:

“Dr. Clarke literally got out the packet of students’ pictures posted on the wall by the ICU to look me up and get in touch with me because she remembered me mentioning I needed to witness a tracheal wash in passing … over one month ago. I wasn’t even on her rotation with her, and she went out of her way to find me.”

Class of 2014 New Bolton Center Teaching Award

Mary Utter received her veterinary degree from Michigan State University, followed by an internship in equine medicine and surgery at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky, and a residency in comparative ophthalmology at University of Florida in Gainesville.  She is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists. She worked in private veterinary ophthalmology practice in Texas and Connecticut prior to joining the faculty at University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center.  She has a PhD in cognitive psychology from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.  Her research interest is equine corneal disease.

“She is one of the most friendly and approachable clinicians out at NBC. She always goes out of her way to make sure you are learning and always takes the time to get to know each of us.”
“Dr. Mary Utter is famous for many things. Her hands-on teaching style where we are allowed to touch expensive equipment. Treating students as people rather than subordinates, or perhaps most notable is her propensity to draw on projector and computer screens in her zeal for describing all things visually.”

“More importantly, Dr. Utter is known for her ability to foster independent decision making in students. One student wrote, ‘to learn from her is to learn how to be a better educator, diagnostician and communicator.’ And many students noted that this extends across species barriers and that she used equine ophthalmology to teach all students about techniques relevant to us regardless of our intended career path.”

Class of 2015 Philadelphia Campus Teaching Award

Jeffrey J. Runge graduated from Dickinson College and then received his DVM from Ross University. Following his internship at the Animal Medical Center in New York, Dr. Runge went on to do his surgical training at Penn Vet, which included a one-year fellowship and a three-year small animal surgical residency. Dr. Runge is currently a lecturer of small animal surgery at Penn Vet. He focuses primarily on laparoscopic and thoracoscopic minimally invasive surgery, and has lectured on single port and multiport laparoscopic surgery alike. Through ongoing collaboration with leading human laparoscopic surgeons, Dr. Runge and Penn Vet have become leaders in veterinary reduced port surgery.

“Dr. Runge has a remarkable ability to light the classroom with his energy and enthusiasm. Through his dynamic and engaging lecture style, he is able to connect with students and create a fun and interactive learning environment. He has a true passion for surgery and constantly looks for ways to innovate and improve his lectures and the Small Animal Surgery lab course. Dr. Runge also makes a point to treat each student as a colleague, a level of respect that he maintains both inside and outside of the classroom.”

Class of 2015 New Bolton Center Teaching Award

Rose Nolen-Walston grew up on a farm in England and dropped out of high school at 15 to become a professional dressage rider. She spent several years working at many top international dressage facilities in Germany, Holland and the US, but was hampered by a lack of talent in that sport. At 18, she moved to the US, and after a two-year stint of teaching riding to severely emotionally disturbed children at a residential treatment center in rural Georgia, she went back to school. In 2001, Dr. Nolen-Walston graduated with her DVM from University of Georgia, and then did an internship and residency in large animal internal medicine at Tufts University. She spent a subsequent year at Tufts doing research in adult stem cell biology in mice, then joined the faculty at University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine, where she has been teaching and practicing internal medicine for the last seven years.

“Dr. Nolen-Walston consistently finds a way to shatter the monotony of classroom learning. She utilizes her charm and wit to draw students out of their shells and engages them to think and contribute during lecture. She is able to convey challenging concepts in a straightforward, intuitive manner and in a way that students actually enjoy. Dr. Nolen-Walston recently received the University’s Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching (Almanac April 15, 2014), an honor that is further testament to her abilities as an extraordinary educator.”

Class of 2016 Philadelphia Campus Teaching Award

Roberta Di Terlizzi received her DVM in Italy in 1999 and had a residency at Kansas State University in veterinary clinical pathology ending in 2007. As a clinical instructor at Iowa State University, she worked in educational research as well as developing and implementing new tools in the classroom to improve student learning abilities. She is the clinical pathology course director who has implemented new approaches with the integration of team-based learning, turning point clickers response and case-based learning. Having taught at Penn Vet since 2009, she finds teaching very rewarding; it makes her feel accomplished in participating in those students’ lives and as they grow toward becoming great doctors. She also enjoys working in the clinical lab, and in this role as diagnostician she is also able to teach residents and fourth-year veterinary students.

“Dr. Di Terlizzi consistently goes above and beyond her responsibilities as a teacher. She has put so much work into the planning and organization of our clinical pathology course. She has set out to learn all of her students’ names and does her best to make learning fun and interactive every day. Her extensive efforts are very greatly appreciated and highly worthy of this award.”

Class of 2016 New Bolton Center Teaching Award

This year, there are two recipients of the Class of 2016 New Bolton Center Teaching Award.

Ray Sweeney earned his undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College and graduated from Penn Vet in 1982, followed by an internship and residency at Penn Vet’s New Bolton Center. He has spent his entire 30-year career at New Bolton Center, where he is currently professor of medicine and chief of the section of medicine and ophthalmology. Dr. Sweeney’s clinical specialty is internal medicine of large animals, and his research work is focused on paratuberculosis and other infectious diseases of cattle. He teaches in all four years of the veterinary curriculum, including lectures, hands-on laboratories and clinical instruction of fourth-year students. Dr. Sweeney has been a four-time winner of the Carl Norden-Pfizer Distinguished Teacher Award, was a recipient of the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching (Almanac April 16, 1991) and in 1992 was awarded the North American Outstanding Teacher Award by the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges.

“Now that I have been in his class, I finally understand all of the fuss that was made over Dr. Sweeney at the teaching awards last year. Dr. Sweeney’s introductory jokes and anecdotes alone make attending class worthwhile, but on top of that, he is somehow able to stimulate student interest in just about any topic. His simplistic teaching style and ability to engage the students in conversation is not only refreshing, but also effective. It is truly a pleasure and an honor to learn from Dr. Sweeney.”

Nate Harvey graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in 2003. He is currently an adjunct professor at Penn Vet and a large animal veterinarian at Quakertown Veterinary Clinic.

“Having Dr. Harvey as a lecturer has been a highlight of second year. His positive attitude and sense of humor are greatly appreciated. Dr. Harvey’s teaching style and ability to relate pop culture back to veterinary medicine make learning both entertaining and effortless. His words of encouragement to us struggling vet students are always appreciated.”

Class of 2017 Lecture Teaching Award

Patricia L. Sertich is an associate professor-clinician educator in reproduction and behavior based at the Georgia and Philip Hofmann Research Center for Animal Reproduction at New Bolton Center since 1983. Dr. Sertich evaluates large animals for breeding soundness and develops treatment plans to optimize their fertility. Dr. Sertich provides consultation on reproductive issues of patients in the George Widener Large Animal Hospital and is a critical member of the High Risk Pregnancy Management Team at the Graham French Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. As a Diplomate in the American College of Theriogenologists (ACT), she currently serves on the ACT Examination Committee, which determines board certification for veterinarians specializing in animal reproduction. Dr. Sertich has mentored many ACT Diplomates and received numerous teaching awards, including three Carl Norden-Pfizer Distinguished Teaching Awards and the Lindback Award (Almanac April 17, 2001).
“Dr. Pat Sertich has taught the first years in four courses this year. Though her topic initially scared students off, she quickly had all of the students hooked and interested with her tremendous passion. It is an amazing thing to see the excitement on students’ faces when they are told Dr. Sertich is giving the next lecture.”

Class of 2017 Laboratory Teaching Award

Peter Hand received his undergraduate degree from Cornell University and graduated from Penn Vet in 1961. He earned his PhD from the University of Pennsylvania in 1964. Dr. Hand is an emeritus professor of anatomy after a 35-year career at Penn Vet and continues to help out during anatomy labs.

“Dr. Peter Hand has taught the first years in every lab course this year, as well as in lectures. Students know to go out of their way to find him because he is known for giving the most knowledgeable answers while offering his personal hints and tips that make it easy to remember. What students love most about Dr. Hand, though, is his unmatched ability to forge relationships with seemingly every student outside of the classroom.”