Philip Johnson, a University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine professor of equine internal medicine, was recently presented the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine Specialty Lifetime Achievement Award in the specialty of large animal internal medicine. Johnson, BVSc, MS, MRCVS, DACVIM-Large Animal Internal Medicine, DECEIM, who has been with the CVM since 1991, has been involved with the ACVIM since his time as a resident at the University of Illinois. He is a regular at the annual ACVIM Forum and has presented talks and served on various committees within the organization throughout the years. Johnson was presented with the award at the 2022 ACVIM Forum in Austin, Texas on June 24.
Johnson emphasized that his teachers are what led him to this award. “I have been fortunate that, throughout my career, I have been surrounded by amazing teachers with vast experience in veterinary clinical medicine,” said Johnson. “I have tried to emulate their teaching style, always being generous with regards to sharing knowledge and experiences.”
Among Johnson’s career highlights are receiving the Grayson-Jockey Club’s Dubai Millennium Memorial Equine Research Award, recognition as an MU CVM Top Faculty Achiever, invitations to speak at a number of international meetings, induction into the International Equine Veterinarian Hall of Fame and multiple teaching awards from the MU College of Veterinary Medicine.
Johnson said bestowing the values that his teachers taught him has created some of the most important highlights of his career in veterinary medicine. “As a teaching academician, many of the highlights of my career have involved seeing the positive outcomes of student learning and the results of research that have hopefully contributed knowledge and understanding to the health and well-being of horses,” he said. “Having been centrally involved with training veterinary students for so many decades, the memories, voices, and wisdom that I have received from my teachers and mentors thoroughly invests the words and actions that I have used and continue to use in the veterinary teaching environment.”
Lynn Martin, DVM, MPH, DACVIM-Large Animal Internal Medicine, an assistant teaching professor of equine internal medicine at the CVM, helped draft the nomination for Johnson’s award. In a press release from the ACVIM she said, “I have been exceptionally fortunate to have worked with Dr. Johnson throughout my veterinary career. You cannot find a more approachable, enthusiastic and passionate mentor in the clinic or classroom, and his continuous curiosity naturally leads to research and discovery. Just a brilliant individual!”
The ACVIM commended Johnson’s dedication to the veterinary profession and research that led to this honor. “Throughout his career, Dr. Johnson contributed to our collective understanding regarding the disease processes that lead to laminitis, an obviously important disease for hoses, ponies and the horse industry overall.”
By Nick Childress
