Morris Animal Foundation and Pfizer Animal Health recently awarded Pfizer Animal Health–Morris Animal Foundation Veterinary Fellowships for Advanced Study to two veterinarians. The fellowships will allow them to pursue advanced scientific training.
Siddra Arielle Hines, DVM, will investigate why a tick-borne parasite is resistant to treatment in horses. The fellowship will be conducted at Washington State University.
Shawn M. Zimmerman, DVM, will work with three mentors at the University of Georgia, where she will study Mycobacterium in animals in an effort to gain a better understanding of the role it plays in animal disease.
Each fellow will receive $60,000 per year for four years—provided equally by Morris Animal Foundation, Pfizer Animal Health and the student’s academic institution–to defer living expenses and tuition while pursuing advanced veterinary study. Upon receiving their degrees, the graduates must commit to staying in animal health research for at least four years, where they will help fill a much-needed gap in the veterinary medical field.
The Pfizer Animal Health–Morris Animal Foundation Veterinary Fellowships for Advanced Study address a critical shortage of veterinary scientists. By providing established scientists and veterinarians with financial support to pursue advanced scientific training, this program addresses one of the top reasons interested students don’t pursue animal health research careers: financial burden. Pfizer, as part of its Commitment to Veterinarians platform, provides financial assistance to help students with their education, take advantage of opportunities for practical in-field experience and explore a wide array of veterinary career paths.
Fellows are nominated by academic institutions. Recipients can be practicing veterinarians returning for a PhD or professionals with PhDs who wish to pursue a veterinary degree. Fellows are provided with well-mentored research activities focusing on basic or applied research to benefit companion animals, horses and/or wildlife. Morris Animal Foundation and Pfizer Animal Health congratulate Drs. Hines and Zimmerman on their accomplishments and look forward to their participation in animal health research in the future.
