Dr. Pamela Wilkins recognized with 2025 AVMA Clinical Research Award
(SCHAUMBURG, Illinois) July 2, 2025—The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) today named Dr. Pamela Wilkins, professor of companion animal medicine at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, as the winner of the 2025 AVMA Clinical Research Award.
Established in 1955 by the AVMA Council on Research, the award is given annually to an AVMA member who has made significant contributions to the diagnosis, prevention, or treatment of diseases in animals, including the study of mechanisms of disease, therapeutic interventions, clinical trials, development of new technologies, and epidemiological studies.
"Dr. Wilkins is a true trailblazer in equine critical care whose clinical research has directly advanced the standard of veterinary care for foals and adult horses alike," said Dr. Sandra Faeh, president of the AVMA. "Her work exemplifies the power of science to improve lives—not only through groundbreaking discoveries, but also through mentorship, collaboration and a deep commitment to patient-centered care. We are proud to honor her remarkable career with this award."
A 1986 graduate of the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Wilkins is internationally recognized for her pioneering work in equine critical care medicine, with a career spanning nearly four decades. She is one of a handful of veterinarians to be a board-certified specialist in both large animal internal medicine and emergency and critical care, and her extensive research has greatly advanced clinical care in equine neonatology and adult horse medicine, especially in the management of critical illness.
Among her most impactful contributions are the validation of point-of-care lactate and glucose monitors in equine patients, which are now widely used tools in veterinary intensive care units worldwide. Her research has also brought mechanical ventilation into common practice for foals, supported the safe use of enrofloxacin in pregnant mares and established coagulation profiles as meaningful prognostic indicators in critically ill foals. Her work in these areas has improved survival rates and elevated the standard of care in both referral hospitals and equine clinics.
In addition to her scholarly output, which includes more than 120 peer-reviewed journal articles, 140 book chapters and 160 abstracts, Dr. Wilkins has been an active mentor for the next generation of veterinary researchers and specialists. She has trained nearly 100 interns, residents and fellows, many of whom now hold leadership roles in academia and private practice across the globe. She has also organized and hosted multiple international workshops on equine health through the Dorothy Russell Havemeyer Foundation, further contributing to global advances in the field.
Dr. Wilkins has previously been recognized with several awards, including the 2023 ACVIM Specialty Lifetime Achievement Award in Large Animal Internal Medicine, the 2018 Boehringer-Ingelheim World Equine Veterinary Association Applied Research Award and the 2016 Ira M. Zaslow Distinguished Service Award from the Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society. She currently holds the Delores R. Pajak Professorship in Companion Animal Medicine at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine.
To learn more about the AVMA Clinical Research Award and past recipients, visit www.avma.org/awards.
For more information, contact Michael San Filippo, senior media relations manager, at 847-732-6194 (cell) or msanfilippo
avma [dot] org (msanfilippo[at]avma[dot]org).
Serving more than 108,000 member veterinarians, the AVMA is the nation's leading representative of the veterinary profession, dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of animals, humans and the environment. Founded in 1863 and with members in every U.S. state and territory and more than 60 countries, the AVMA is one of the largest veterinary medical organizations in the world. Informed by our members' unique scientific training and clinical knowledge, the AVMA supports the crucial work of veterinarians and advocates for policies that advance the practice of veterinary medicine and improve animal and human health.