David Emery, DVM, has been selected to lead a mobile community medicine initiative to support veterinarians practicing in overwhelmed, underserved parts of Michigan and neighboring states, while also providing educational opportunities to students at the Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine.
Since 2021, Emery has been an assistant professor of primary care medicine in the Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences and practices within the Veterinary Medical Center’s Primary Care specialty service. In addition to his clinical work, he is passionate about teaching and mentoring—he currently moderates preclinical courses, teaches junior surgery, and serves as faculty advisor to multiple student organizations.
"Dr. Emery gained more than a decade of experience in a breadth of veterinary settings, from commercial hospitals to the Michigan Humane Society, before he joined the College, making him a wonderful fit for a role that will address a wide variety of settings and circumstances,” says Dr. Kimberly Dodd, dean of the College. “We’re excited for him to helm this ship as it moves closer to fruition.”
Before earning his veterinary degree from Michigan State in 2010, Emery volunteered for the Peace Corps in Zambia, where he conducted public health lectures, supported water sanitation by building wells, and provided education on the importance of inoculations. As a veterinary student, he served as student representative on the College’s advisory council and was class president.
Following graduation, he worked in a range of settings, including corporate veterinary hospitals, private practice, and shelter medicine. Before joining MSU as faculty, he was the supervising veterinarian for the Rochester Hills Michigan Humane Society shelter and clinic.
About the Community Medicine Initiative
The community medicine program, which is expected to launch in the next one to two years, aims to support animal shelters in “veterinary desert” areas by assisting with sterilization surgeries and other care that is necessary to expediently move shelter animals into permanent homes. This program was made possible thanks to the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and a $1.1 million dollar grant awarded for animal welfare and veterinary care by the state government.
This initiative will also provide important opportunities for veterinary and veterinary nursing students to practice their clinical skills.
“Not only will Dr. Emery lead a project that supports the clinical needs of shelters and other organization that care for animals, but he will lead the next generation of veterinary professionals as they gain experience in this area,” says executive director of the Veterinary Medical Center, Dr. Kelley Meyers. “We’re proud to offer these future leaders the opportunity to enhance their leadership skills and network with potential future colleagues in the field of shelter medicine—all while honing their technical abilities by assisting with the surgical care of animals in need.”
The Veterinary Medical Center is currently in the process of procuring the mobile clinic’s vehicle and developing curricular programming for clinical students.