View from Our Chair

SK
Subhashinie Kariyawasam, BVSc, PhD, DACVM, DACPV, DACVPM, DABMM

Welcome to the Department of Comparative, Diagnostic, and Population Medicine (CDPM). Established in July of 2017, CDPM is the newest department in the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Florida. It is truly an honor to join the department as the first permanent chair, and although new, CDPM is fortunate to have an extraordinary team comprised of nearly 40 tenure-track and clinical-track faculty, representing many diverse disciplines. This multidisciplinary team maximizes the strengths of each discipline and works as a team without silos based on academic and clinical roles, thus providing opportunities for the department to excel in education, patient care, research, and community service.

In fulfilling the University’s tripartite mission, our department embraces: (i) training the next generation of veterinarians, residents, academics, and scientists, (ii) conducting innovative world-class research related to animal, human, and environmental health, (iii) providing the highest quality veterinary services for animals and their owners, and (iv) serving the University and society through participation in faculty governance, professional organizations, and national and international committees. It is my ambition to provide the leadership and innovation needed to advance the department’s national and international prominence in One Health research and signature service programs, such as zoo animal and wildlife health, aquatic health, forensic pathology, diagnostic medicine, and veterinary pain management. As the Chair, I will continue to be inspired by my colleagues, while we go forth in creating footprints in these unique areas together.
I believe professional and personal success and satisfaction are crucial for a healthy department. Therefore, I am committed to career development for our faculty, staff and students. To this end, CDPM has a strong mentoring program in place for junior faculty to guide them to become independent researchers, outstanding teachers, and exceptional clinicians. At the college level, the professional and graduate education programs are constantly being assessed for quality with input from all five departments, including CDPM. It is also imperative that diversity is integral to excellence at any institution. In this spirit, we value a diversity of beliefs, open exchange of ideas, fostering collegiality and recruiting a diverse cohort of individuals at all levels.

Finally, on behalf of the Department of Comparative, Diagnostic, and Population Medicine, I extend a heartfelt appreciation for your interest in our department and look forward to sharing more of our exciting activities with you as they unfold. In the meantime, I invite you to explore our website to discover more information about us, our educational and research programs, and our accomplishments. Feel free to Contact Us to learn more. We also seek to attract faculty, graduate students and postdocs to our department. If you are interested in becoming part of our team, please visit the Careers tab on our web page for current opportunities.

It is indeed a great time to be a Florida Gator and a part of the College of Veterinary Medicine! Together, we will continue to lead the way, to benefit the people and animals around us, and protect the environment we cherish.