Specialty Lifetime Achievement Award

ACVIM Specialty Lifetime Achievement Award

The ACVIM Specialty Lifetime Achievement Award is presented by specialty. These awards recognize to the most prominent leaders in each specialty and provide the opportunity to celebrate those who have made significant contributions in each of the six ACVIM specialties.

Eligible Diplomates can be nominated by members of their respective specialty. Each recipient will be invited to give a one-hour presentation to the specialty at the ACVIM Forum on a topic of his or her choice. Included in this invitation will be airfare, one night hotel stay, ACVIM Forum registration, a commemorative plaque and one-hour speaker honorarium (travel subject to change based on ACVIM Forum delivery).

The awards may be given up to once annually but need not be awarded if a meritorious nomination is not provided during a given year. If you have questions, please contact Awards@ACVIM.org.

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PREVIOUS RECIPIENTS

Congratulations to our 2022 ACVIM Specialty Lifetime Achievement Award Recipients

Philip Fox, DVM, MS, DACVIM (Cardiology)

Dr. Fox received his DVM degree at The Ohio State University. He is a well-recognized international speaker and has won many honors, including the North American Veterinary Conference (NAVC) Speaker of the Year, Distinguished Alumnus Award from Ohio State University, Daniels Award, Award of Merit from the NYPD, City of New York (for research to identify health risks in police dogs at and following the World Trade Center 9/11 terrorist attacks). He has published extensively, including two cardiology textbooks, and is one of the founding editors of the Journal of Veterinary Cardiology.

Philip Johnson, BVSc (Hons), MS, DACVIM (LAIM)

Dr. Johnson is a graduate of The University of Bristol (BVSc[Hons], MRCVS/veterinary degrees) and the University of Illinois (MS), Philip Johnson completed specialty training at the University of Illinois. He joined the MU faculty in 1991. Throughout his career, Dr. Johnson contributed to our collective understanding regarding the disease processes that lead to laminitis, an obviously important disease for horses, ponies and the horse industry overall.

Congratulations to our inaugural 2021 ACVIM Specialty Lifetime Achievement Award Recipients

Stephen Ettinger, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM & Cardiology)

Dr. Ettinger was one of ACVIM’s charter Diplomates, charter board members and its first Cardiology Specialty President. He has left his mark on the specialty of cardiology at every possible level – from his beginnings as a co-founder of the first US group of veterinary specialty practice; to his publication of the first canine cardiology textbook, which set a course for veterinary cardiology; to a lifetime spent pouring his expertise and wisdom generously into countless students, veterinarians and cardiologists.

Congratulate Dr. Ettinger

Alexander de Lahunta, DVM, PhD, DACVIM (Neurology)

We were extremely honored to recognize Dr. Alex deLahunta's extraordinary accomplishments in neurology and veterinary medicine before his passing in August, 2021. He earned his PhD in anatomy and DVM from Cornell University and worked in general practice for two years before joining the Cornell faculty in 1960. He established a program in clinical neurology and was in the original group of neurologists who established the Neurology Specialty of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine. He has led an exemplary 42-year career as a Professor of Anatomy, Department Chair as well as the Hospital Director at Cornell University.

Congratulate Dr. de Lahunta

Honor Dr. de Lahunta