Clinical pathologist named UF veterinary school鈥檚 teacher of the year
Heather Wamsley, D.V.M., Ph.D., an assistant professor of clinical pathology in the department of physiological sciences, has been named the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine鈥檚 2011 College Council Teacher of the Year.
Heather Wamsley, D.V.M., Ph.D., an assistant professor of clinical pathology in the department of physiological sciences, has been named the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine鈥檚 2011 College Council Teacher of the Year.
The council annually selects an outstanding teacher to receive the designation, based on criteria including knowledge of subject matter, clarity of presentation, concern for students鈥� mastery of subject, fairness, enthusiasm for teaching and overall interest in student welfare. The winner receives $2,000 and a plaque.
A board-certified clinical pathologist, Wamsley received her undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1995 and her D.V.M. degree with honors from the same institution in 2000. She performed an internship in small animal medicine and surgery at the Animal Medical Center in New York, N.Y., from 2000 to 2001, followed by a residency in clinical pathology at UF鈥檚 College of Veterinary Medicine, which she completed in 2004. Wamsley continued her studies at UF post-residency and received her Ph.D. in the college鈥檚 department of infectious diseases and pathology in 2008.
Wamsley has received numerous Teacher of the Year awards from various classes of veterinary students. She was selected by the students as Support Services Resident of the Year in 2003 and 2004, and in 2010, as a new faculty member, received the prestigious C.E. Cornelius Young Investigator Award in recognition of her research contributions.
Her present research interests are veterinary education, in situ diagnostics and rickettsial disease research.
鈥淭he student of today is the colleague of tomorrow, and as such deserves the greatest respect, care and consideration that I can give at all times,鈥� Wamsley said. 鈥淚 vividly remember my days as a trainee and strive to demonstrate my gratitude to those who taught me, guided me and were kind to me on very long days by passing along the same compassionate attention and instruction forward to my students.鈥�
Wamsley added that she was 鈥渆xtremely passionate鈥� about the field of clinical pathology because virtually all patients that see a veterinarian, whether in the clinical or research setting, will require some form of clinicopathologic testing.
鈥淚t is crucial to me that this sometimes complicated topic does not intimidate current and future veterinary professionals,鈥� Wamsley said. 鈥淭he better my colleagues grasp clinical pathology, the better patient and client care they will provide.鈥�