Virginia Reef, director of large animal cardiology and diagnostic ultrasonography at Penn’s School of Veterinary Medicine, received the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) 2015 Distinguished Educator—Academic Award. Dr. Reef was honored last December during the President’s Luncheon at the AAEP’s 61st Annual Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Dr. Reef is also the Mark Whittier and Lila Griswold Allam Professor of Medicine and section chief of sports medicine and imaging at Penn Vet’s New Bolton Center. A pioneer in the diagnostic use of ultrasonographic technology, she perfected the technology in her clinical use and then set out to teach the technology to students and practitioners alike. In the ensuing 30-plus years, ultrasonography has contributed to early diagnosis of musculoskeletal injury in the horse, significantly reducing catastrophic athletic-use tendon and ligament injuries.