Ithaca, N.Y. — A $25,000 unrestricted donation to Cornell University's veterinary medical college will strengthen education and research in equine medicine, university officials say.
The gift comes from Plainfield Asset Management LLC. The Greenwich, Conn. company invests in New York racetracks as well as other gaming interests.
"The college's equine research and clinical programs offer
cutting-edge advances in equine health, including regenerative
medicine, reproduction, genetics and orthopedics," says Dean Michael
Kotlikoff, DVM, in a news release. "With few sources of extramural
research support, equine sports medicine relies heavily on the
generosity of the racing community."
The money is earmarked to support Cornell's Clinical Fellows Program, launched this month to address the growing shortage of academic veterinarians who research animal diseases. The two-year program is designed to help students meet the financial and time
demands of qualifying for a position in veterinary academic medicine,
which traditionally requires DVMs to complete a master's degree or PhD. It costs an estimated $220,000 per student, officials say.
The Clinical Fellows Program is available to veterinarians who have completed a three-year residency. It offers an annual salary of $60,000 plus benefits and an additional $15,000 per year to fund a research project, officials say.