| | Nominee for the ACVS Merit Award
 In June 2010, the Nominating Committee recommended to the Board of Regents that Dr. Gretchen L. Flo receive the ACVS Merit Award. Dr. Flo was nominated for this award by an ACVS Diplomate. In addition to the original nominee’s letter of support, a minimum of two additional letters of support were required. The Board of Regents has approved this nomination. The Board of Regents requests the membership’s consideration and vote on this recommendation. ACVS Diplomates will receive a ballot via email within the next month. Conferring the award requires approval by 75% of the respondents. The results of the vote will be announced at the Awards Ceremony in conjunction with the Mark W. Allam Lecture at the 2010 ACVS Veterinary Symposium and in Cut to the Point.
ACVS Merit Award
The ACVS Merit Award provides an avenue for recognition of non-ACVS Diplomates who have made major contributions to the conduct of veterinary surgery through the development of methods, techniques, devices and educational aspects of veterinary surgery and, in so doing, have furthered many of the goals associated with the ACVS.
Nominee for the ACVS Merit Award: Gretchen L. Flo, DVM
Information submitted by the nominating Diplomate:
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Evidence of national and international stature in veterinary surgery.
Dr. Flo is a past president of the Veterinary Orthopedic Society and a co-author of four editions of the comprehensive veterinary orthopedic textbook used by students and specialists world-wide, Brinker, Piermattei and Flo’s Handbook of Small Animal Orthopedics and Fracture Treatment. This textbook has been translated into more than ten languages including French, German, Japanese and Portuguese, and is required reading for those studying for the American, European and Australian specialty board examinations.
Dr. Flo has received numerous awards, including being named the Outstanding Woman Veterinarian of the Year in 1976 from the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Outstanding Woman Veterinarian of the Year in 1977 and the Faculty Women’s Award for Excellence in 1977.
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Evidence of sustained and distinguished work in clinical surgical practice, surgical instruction, the pursuit of surgical research and other activities associated with the advancement of the practice of surgery.
Dr. Flo has demonstrated sustained creativity with international impact in veterinary orthopedic surgery. She is the originator of the “Flo technique.” The Flo technique, as it is known by in most countries outside the United States, is the most commonly performed surgical technique in the world for stabilization of the canine cruciate deficient stifle.
Dr. Flo’s ideas include:
Cartilage flap for patellar luxation trochleoplasty - 1969 Modified Retinacular Imbrication Technique – MRIT - 1975 Mechanical injuries and their classifications - 1978 T-Y elbow fractures in spaniels - 1985 Synovial Chondrometaplasia - 1987 Mineralization of the Supraspinatus tendon - 1990 Radial head luxation, characterization & treatment - 1990
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Evidence of sustained publication record, scientific and CE presentations, and mentoring activities.
Dr. Flo has been the author or co-author of 30 scientific articles. She is the author of Lameness and Disfigurement in the Dog and co-author of four editions of Handbook of Small Animal Orthopedics and Fracture Treatment. Dr. Flo has made 75 national and international presentations and 85 state and regional presentations. Her mentoring activities include participating in residency training for approximately 62 veterinarians, including 45 ACVS Diplomates.
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Contributions to other national and international surgical organizations.
Dr. Flo has held leadership positions in the Veterinary Orthopedic Society since 1975, including Secretary-Treasurer (1975-1977), Board of Directors (1980-1983, 1988-1989), Scientific Program Chair (1987-1988, 1988-1989) and President-Elect/President (1989-1990, 1990-1991).
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Excerpts from letters of support for Dr. Flo’s nomination state:
“Dr. Flo’s legacy extends to all students, interns, residents and faculty who have been a part of the Michigan State University (MSU) family as she has worked tirelessly as a teacher and mentor. She is known as the consummate teacher, both inside and outside of the classroom and operating theatre. She maintains the highest of standards for herself and her students and demands excellence in all aspects of veterinary surgical practice. Her hands on approach to teaching and learning have endeared her to all who have passed through MSU, as well as countless others who have learned from her books and numerous publication and presentations over the past 41 years.”
“Dr. Flo has influenced three generations of some of today’s most prominent ACVS surgeons. To highlight her influence, a review of the training information of all ACVS members (>1400), finds over 125 ACVS surgeons who were personally exposed to the teachings and expertise of Dr. Flo as a student, intern, resident or faculty colleague. Dr. Flo has been a tireless leader in our specialty and she has done it with no fanfare or quest for personal acknowledgement.” |
