About VDPAM

VDPAM is made up of the following 4 areas:

VDPAM Vision

VDPAM is recognized as a leader, sought as a collaborator, and trusted as a provider of solutions to the food animal and population medicine challenges of the world. 

Mission Statement

The mission of VDPAM is to educate current and future food animal veterinarians, population medicine scientists and stakeholders by increasing our understanding of issues that impact the health, productivity and well-being of food and fiber producing animals; developing innovative solutions for animal health and food safety; and providing the highest quality, most comprehensive clinical practice and diagnostic services.  

 

Our department is made up of highly trained specialists who span a wide range of veterinary disciplines and species interests. We have faculty of all ranks with expertise in diagnostics, medicine, surgery, pathology, microbiology, epidemiology, public health, and production medicine. Most have earned certification from specialty boards. Dozens of additional scientists and laboratory technicians support the research and service components of our department.

 

VDPAM Organizational Chart & Brochure

VDPAM Organizational Chart PDF

VDPAM Brochure PDF

Teaching

Our teaching in the professional program emphasizes basic and applied clinical skills for all students. In addition, we offer advanced training in large animal medicine and specialized training for those interested in production medicine. These advanced programs are taught with the premise that the veterinarian can bring a broad-based systems approach to all phases of livestock production in a systemic and effective way.

Research

Our faculty conduct research on diseases of economic importance to swine, beef, dairy, and sheep producers, consumers of animal products, and on environmentally important issues. Access to field cases enhances identification of significant problems and places an emphasis on our abilities to solve those problems.

Examples of projects include circovirus, hepatitis E and PRRSV in swine, anti-microbial resistance associated with human and animal populations, salmonella, toxoplasmosis, BRDC, BVD, Streptococcus suis, community-based swine and beef production, poultry disease control and more.

Professional Practice

Each year more than 100,000 cases are submitted to our Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. It is the primary diagnostic institution for Iowa. Nationally, it is one of the largest and ranks in the top echelon for quality of services. We place a high priority on using technological advances to deliver rapid and consistently accurate results to the practitioners and producers who rely on our diagnostic services.

Veterinary Field Services provides high quality, on-farm services for livestock producers in the Ames area. Three fully equipped mobile veterinary trucks and seven clinicians provide individual animal and heard health services for beef, dairy, swine, sheep, goats, and camelids (alpacas and llamas).

Our professional practice mission is also carried out through the food animal section of the Veterinary Medical Center. Our clinical specialists handle a variety of cases, primarily bovine, as an important referral service for livestock producers throughout the state. Many faculty members travel across Iowa in response to investigatory calls or to provide on-site consultation to deal with production issues affecting swine, beef, dairy or poultry operations.

Governance Document

VDPAM Governance Document PDF