Applications are invited for the position of Department Head of Small Animal Clinical Sciences in the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences at Texas A&M University. This is a full-time 11-month appointment with an anticipated start date of June 1, 2025. Candidates will be considered for either a tenured or clinical track (non-tenure) faculty appointment at the rank of Professor or Clinical Professor based on their career accomplishments and continued interest in research, teaching, and clinical service. The individual chosen will serve as the chief administrative officer of the department and act as an advocate for the department’s academic, research, clinical, outreach, and service programs. The appointment comes with the intent of holding a prominent endowed chair position. The Department Head reports to the Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. The Head is responsible for leading and managing departmental staff and faculty with a scope of responsibilities including supporting clinical activities within the Small Animal Teaching Hospital; increasing contributions to knowledge and science through research; supporting excellence in professional and graduate education; fostering professional development and interdisciplinary collaboration within the university and beyond; strengthening relationships with diverse stakeholder groups such as industry and legislative entities; promoting key outreach programs locally and across the state; collaborating with the development office to promote well-stewarded philanthropy; and active engagement in the construction and effective utilization of the new Clinical Veterinary Teaching and Research Complex (CVTRC). The position has significant administrative responsibilities, with some flexibility for teaching, research, and clinical activities based upon the interests and experience of the applicant. The Department Head is expected to work collaboratively with the College’s Executive Committee to advance the academic excellence of the College and the University. Candidates should demonstrate visionary leadership, innovative thinking, commitment to fostering good working relationships, strong listening and communication skills, the ability to work effectively with faculty, staff, and students. They should be able to represent departmental interests effectively to university administrators, state and federal agencies, industry, stakeholders, and the public. A commitment to promoting a multidisciplinary and diverse community of scholars and educators is essential.
The Texas A&M University Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences (https://vscs.tamu.edu) is one of five departments in the nationally and internationally highly ranked College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. The department houses approximately 65 faculty members (including 14 chairs and 1 endowed professorship) who are located at both the College Station campus and the Veterinary Education Research and Outreach (VERO) program on the campus of West Texas A&M University (WTAMU) in Canyon, Texas. Departmental faculty are very active in the delivery of all four years of our highly experiential and integrated Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) curriculum. They are also involved in supporting our VERO-based DVM 2 2 program. Pre-clinical training in College Station occurs within our Veterinary & Biomedical Education Complex (VBEC), a 330,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art educational facility. VBEC is home to a variety of educational venues for lectures, laboratories, small group learning, and an array of hands-on skills training. This complex also houses the Center for Educational Technologies, which provides pedagogical support to faculty for teaching and learning. Our 34,000 square-foot VERO facility was completed in 2020 on the campus of WTAMU in Canyon, Texas, and supports key research and outreach initiatives focused on the livestock industry and service to rural communities in the Texas Panhandle as well as our DVM 2 2 program.
Clinical operations are based primarily in the Small Animal Teaching Hospital, which is anticipated to move into the new, expansive CVTRC in the summer of 2027. Hospital services supported by board-certified departmental faculty include anesthesiology, cardiology, dentistry, diagnostic imaging, dermatology, emergency medicine & critical care, internal medicine, clinical nutrition, neurology, integrated oncology, ophthalmology, orthopedic surgery and soft tissue surgery. A team of veterinarians additionally provides health care services through the primary care service. Clinical services are supported by a robust team of hospital technicians and staff. The Diagnostic Imaging and Cancer Treatment Center (DICTC) houses advanced imaging equipment including a 3T Siemens Verio MRI, a 40-slice Siemens computed tomography unit, and radiation therapy capabilities, providing access to advanced imaging and treatment options to our companion animal patients. The department is home to a very active clinical trials program that supports clinical research under the direction of a clinical trials coordinator. Advanced patient diagnostics and treatment are further enhanced by an onsite blood bank, biobank, and dialysis capabilities. The department supports over 45 interns and residents with approved residency training programs in anesthesia, internal medicine, cardiology, dermatology, dentistry, emergency & critical care, neurology, ophthalmology, and surgery.
Areas of research emphasis in the department include gastroenterology, hepatology, nutrition, cardiology, canine comparative orthopedics & cellular therapeutics, translational studies of aging, and spinal cord injury. The nationally and internationally recognized Gastrointestinal Laboratory (GI Lab) housed within the department is supported by a renowned team of internal medicine specialists (five faculty members), anatomic pathologists (two faculty members), as well as a clinical nutritionist and a microbiologist, and support staff who provide diagnostic and consultative services to veterinarians managing gastrointestinal disorders in dogs and cats. The GI Lab and other research programs in the department provide robust opportunities for graduate student and resident training. Departmental faculty enjoy productive relationships throughout the Texas A&M University System that foster research collaborations and innovation. Extramural funding is acquired primarily from industry, but also from NIH and a wide variety of funding sources.
In 2024, Texas A&M was ranked the #1 Texas public university by the Wall Street Journal and #12 in the United States by Washington Monthly. The College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences is ranked #4 in the United States and #7 in the world in the 2024 Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings in veterinary science. Texas A&M University is one of the largest universities in the United States, with more than 79,000 students from all 50 states and 124 countries. It is supported by a multibillion‐dollar endowment (ranked 4th among public universities) and is a top-20 research enterprise. The community of Bryan-College Station (BCS), population 250,000, is a growing and diverse college town with a wide variety of cultural and recreational opportunities, excellent schools, and a relatively low cost of living. BCS is centered in the Texas Triangle, a megaregion consisting of the state’s five largest cities.