2 minute read
Dr. Tom Baldwin is Utah's Veterinarian of the Year
His work does not involve seeing patients large and small, but Dr. Tom Baldwin serves veterinarians and animal owners throughout the state and region as a pathologist and director of the Utah Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (UVDL). His exceptional service has earned him the honor of being named Utah’s Veterinarian of the Year by the Utah Veterinary Medical Association (UVMA). As director of the UVDL, Baldwin oversees services for veterinarians, animal owners, public health agencies, and animal health researchers in Utah and the region. He is also a professor of veterinary diagnostic pathology in USU’s School of Veterinary Medicine. He was nominated by his peers and fellow UVMA members, and his work and service were reviewed by a selection committee. According to the UVMA website, the Veterinarian of the Year is chosen for their exceptional service within the association and the community. “I was completely surprised, which rapidly transitioned into being humbled,” Baldwin said. “We have so many great veterinarians in our state that are deserving of such an award.” Dirk Vanderwall, head of USU’s Department of Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Sciences and
associate dean of USU’s School of Veterinary Medicine, said, “Through his role as director of the UVDL and as a founding faculty member of the USU School of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Baldwin epitomizes the type of dedicated service to the UVMA, the veterinary profession, and the citizens of Utah that this award is designed to recognize. He is extremely deserving of this high honor.” Baldwin said he is grateful for the opportunities his work has provided. He was instrumental in early efforts to establish USU’s School of Veterinary Medicine in collaboration with Washington State University and the Washington-Idaho-Utah-Montana Regional Program in Veterinary Medicine, another lasting link to his alma mater since he earned his bachelor’s and DVM degrees at Washington State. Since 2020, the UVDL has been a key resource in USU’s efforts to continue educating students and conducting research in the face of the pandemic. The laboratory took the steps necessary to have its facilities and staff approved to process COVID-19 tests, providing results in a timely way and reducing the number of tests going to already-busy facilities. The diagnostic laboratory was also key in diagnosing cases of COVID-19 that emerged in Utah mink populations. “It is wonderful to be part of something that is larger than yourself,” he said. “I have been privileged to contribute to two such larger things: the Utah Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and the USU School of Veterinary Medicine, and I couldn’t be more pleased with either.” • By: Riata Cummings and Lynnette Harris
