Foundation fueled by specialist demand

Lakewood, Colo.-

The ACVIM Foundation, a granting arm of the American College of Veterinary Medicine, is meticulously reviewing 24 research proposals that span canine, feline and equine demographics, to determine those most financially feasible.

In January the Foundation will dole out research grants for about fivepapers due to limited available funds, according to Dr. Angela Frimberger,executive director of the Foundation, who declined to offer specifics ofthe proposals.

Fifteen proposals fall under the ACVIM specialties of internal medicine,large and small; neurology; oncology; and cardiology.

The Foundation, incorporated by the ACVIM in 2000, was formed to addressscientific endeavors of the organization by raising funds.

Frimberger says the Foundation's overriding purpose is to subsidize clinicalresearch within veterinary medicine.

"(The Foundation) is specifically focused on supporting clinicalinvestigations that can provide new knowledge for problems that are in veterinaryinternal medicine," says Frimberger, who splits her time between theFoundation and Tufts University, where she is a board-certified oncologist.

"It's not meant to support projects that are animal models of humandisease. It is really focused on clinical veterinary medicine."

Additionally, the Foundation supports new residents in training, as wellas new institutions in developing residency programs in an effort to fulfillsocietal needs.

"Demand for new specialists is really outstripping supply. Our institutionsare basically not able to train people fast enough," says Frimberger.

Lastly, the Foundation backs distribution of knowledge by supportingpeople who completed studies that are funded by the Foundation in the processof presenting and publishing their results.

For information, visit www.acvimfoundation.org or contact Frimbergervia e-mail at foundation@acvim.org. For donations, call (800) 245-9081.