FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Missouri Veterinary Medical Association
2500 Country Club Drive
Jefferson City, MO 65109
Phone: 573-636-8612
Email: kralston@movma.org
(February 4, 2026) – Dr. John Dodam, Columbia, Mo. was the recipient of the 2026 Veterinarian of the Year Award at the Missouri Veterinary Medical Association’s (MVMA) Annual Convention held January 29-February 1 at the Wyndham Executive Center, Columbia, Mo. Drs. Alison LaCarruba and David Wilson presented the award.
The Missouri Veterinary Medical Association’s Veterinarian of the Year Award is the premiere recognition bestowed by the association. The award winner is determined annually by the MVMA Board members, who represent nearly 1,700 veterinary members of the MVMA in Missouri. The recipient of this highest honor is chosen based on their impeccable reputation as a skilled and knowledgeable veterinarian, their dedication and service to their patients and clients, their service as an integral participant in their community, the engagement and leadership in organized veterinary medicine, their mentorship to our future veterinarians, the admiration and respect held for them among their peers, and the positive impact they have had on the lives they have touched.
Dr. Dodam serves as professor and chair in the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery. Dodam joined the faculty in 1995 and has received numerous teaching honors awarded by the college and has excelled in both clinical and didactic teaching. He has also thrived as a mentor of research trainees, clinical house officers and has mentored many faculty members through the promotion and tenure process over his time at Mizzou.
Previously serving the college as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Dodam made his mark by making continual improvements to the college’s curriculum and teaching methods. He currently balances teaching and service functions of the Veterinary Health Center, where he is simultaneously an on-duty clinician, administrator, lecturer, collaborative researcher. In addition to these roles, Dodam is the faculty advisor for the Mule Club.
The Missouri Veterinary Medical Association is the society for veterinarians in the state, dedicated to maintaining the highest standards for professionalism and ethics in animal health care in Missouri. The association was founded to help the veterinarian better serve the welfare of animals and their owners.
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The MVMA’s 2026 Veterinarian of the Year Award was presented to Dr. John Dodam (center), Columbia, Mo. at ceremonies held February 1st. Drs. Alison LaCarrubba (right) and David Wilson (left) presented the award to Dr. Dodam.