Public voting will run through Sept. 1 in the American Veterinary Medical Foundation’s “America’s Favorite Veterinarian” contest. Twenty veterinarians are finalists for the award, which carries a $500 prize and a trip to the 2015 American Veterinary Medical Association convention in Boston. The voting is a new component of the contest. The inaugural winner, Carlos Campos, DVM, of San Francis Veterinary Hospital in Spring Hill, Fla., was selected outright last year from among more than 1,000 nominees. The new format enlisted a committee of judges to choose 20 finalists out of more than 700 nominations. Individuals nominated veterinarians online and included a brief essay explaining why the person was deserving of the honor. The judges read the essays and took into account the nominee’s community involvement, ethical behavior, passion for veterinary medicine and connections to animals and their owners. “Each of these 20 finalists are examples of the pivotal roles veterinarians lead as medical professionals in research labs, in public health and agriculture, and in government services and academia,” said Michael Cathey, the foundation’s executive director. The 2013 contest was rewarding in many ways for Dr. Campos. “The hospital grew from a three-doctor practice to a five-doctor practice in a short period of time,” he said. “Our growth has exceeded our expectations. “I hope that my role as America’s Favorite Veterinarian motivates those who want to become veterinarians to follow their dreams,” he added. Anyone may vote in the 2014 contest at AmericasFavoriteVeterinarian.org. Votes may be cast once a day. The 20 finalists are: Jeff Todd of Noah’s Ark Companion Animal Hospital in Franklin, N.C. Bonnie Markoff of Animal Care Clinic in San Luis Obispo, Calif. Shanna O’Mara of Cape Cod Veterinary Specialists in Buzzard Bay, Mass. Page Wages of CareFirst Animal Hospital in Raleigh, N.C. Natalie Marks of Blum Animal Clinic in Chicago Ann Marie Hill of Animal Care Center in Huntington Beach, Calif. Steve Kasanoffsky of Riverside Animal Hospital in New York Tim Hunt of Bayshore Veterinary Clinic in Marquette, Mich. Erin Troy of Muller Veterinary Hospital and The Canine Rehabilitation Center in Walnut Creek, Calif. Bob Wagner of North Boros Veterinary Hospital in Pittsburgh Tina Roggenbeck of Veterinary Health Center in Saginaw, Mich. Nicholas Vaughan of Austin Corner Vet in Austin, Texas Kathy Nelson of Belle Haven Animal Medical Centre in Washington, D.C. Mary Mehler of Wellsboro Small Animal Clinic in Middlebury Center, Pa. Tyra Davis of Hammond Animal Hospital in Baton Rouge, La. Laura McLain Madsen of Holladay Veterinary Hospital in Salt Lake City Stephanie Liff of Brooklyn Cares Vet Clinic in New York Letrisa Miller of Connecticut Feline Medicine and Surgery in Manchester, Conn. Treyton Diggs of AllStar Animal Clinic in New Orleans Cynthia Otto of Penn Vet Working Dog Center in Philadelphia
