Dr. Tim Snider was named the 2012 recipient of the American Association of Swine Veterinarians Foundation Hogg Scholarship. The scholarship was presented during the association’s annual meeting in Denver, Colo.
Established in 2008, the scholarship is named for Dr. Alex Hogg who was a leader in swine medicine and pursued a master’s degree in veterinary pathology after 20 years in a mixed-animal practice. The scholarship, in the amount of $10,000, is awarded annually to an AASV member who has been accepted into a qualified graduate program to further his or her education after years as a swine practitioner.
Dr. Snider is currently the owner, and solo practitioner, of Snider Veterinary Services, Inc a 100% swine consultancy practice. He has spent his veterinary career in clinical swine practice. Following graduation from the University of Guelph in 1992, he worked as an associate veterinarian at Sheridan and Heuser Swine Health Services before starting Heartland Swine Health Services in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1995. His career has also involved working with an international breeding stock company and a large production system with farms throughout Canada. He began Snider Veterinary Services in 2007.
While continuing to maintain his private consultancy practice on a part time basis, Dr. Snider is completing a residency in Veterinary Public Health and a Master’s of Public Health at the Center for Animal Health and Food Safety (CAHFS) at the University of Minnesota. This 24 month program provides participants with the competencies to become board certified in preventive veterinary medicine. His goal is to complete the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine board exams in June 2013.
In reflecting on his veterinary career, Dr. Snider noted that, “I have always had a special interest in pursuing continued education with the intent of further contributing to the swine industry in a positive and effective way. I have observed other practitioners expand their knowledge base and their opportunities through more formalized continuing education programs. I was inspired by their example and felt positive that I would eventually find my opportunity. Dr Hogg’s career story was especially inspiring for me because he undertook the challenge of continued education after being in practice for 20 years. I found myself in a similar position when my opportunity to join the team at CAHFS arose and I consciously considered his path when I was making my decision.”
Upon graduation, he intends to pursue opportunities in the pork supply chain with the goal of combining the skills acquired during his veterinary public health training with the skills developed as a swine practitioner. Dr. Snider commented that he “strongly believes that our industry needs people who understand the world of swine health and production and how it relates to public health. My goal is to bring a proactive and science based voice to the dialogue that will positively contribute to both public health and the success of the swine industry.”