Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center surgeon earns board certification

Dr. James A. Brown, clinical assistant professor of surgery at Virginia Tech’s Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center, recently passed the certifying examination given by the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS), and has earned board certification in this specialty.

Brown, who joined the faculty at the equine medical center last July, performs elective and emergency surgery, collaborates on research projects that take place in the center’s molecular research laboratory, and instructs residents and veterinary students.

“This is a significant achievement,” noted Dr. Nat White, Jean Ellen Shehan Professor and Director of the Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center. “The ACVS examination is exceedingly rigorous, and in passing it, Dr. Brown has demonstrated that he has attained an exceptional level of knowledge and is among an elite group in the profession.


Last June, Brown concluded his three-year surgical residency at the center, for which he earned a master’s degree in biomedical and veterinary sciences. “At that time,” White explained, “we recognized that, in addition to his excellent surgical skills, he possessed knowledge and expertise in two areas that were underrepresented at the hospital: equine reproduction and dentistry. Quite fortunately, we were able to bring Dr. Brown on as a faculty member after his residency was completed.

Brown received his bachelor of veterinary science with honors from the University of Melbourne in Melbourne, Australia, and also earned a graduate diploma in agricultural economics from the University of New England in Armidale, New South Wales, Australia. After conducting research on upper airway diseases in racehorses, he completed a residency in equine reproduction at the University of California at Davis and subsequently achieved board certification in the American College of Theriogenologists. This certification acknowledges exceptional expertise in animal reproduction and obstetrics.

“This ACVS certification is really quite an honor,” Brown said. “While I’m enjoying the personal achievement of it, I’m also delighted to be joining my EMC colleagues as a Diplomate in the ACVS. I also see that it raises the prestige of the Equine Medical Center; it’s another demonstration of how the center strives for excellence and achievement in all areas.”

Virginia Tech’s Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center (http://www.vetmed.vt.edu/emc/) is a premier full-service equine hospital located in Leesburg, Va., that offers advanced specialty care, 24-hour emergency treatment and diagnostic services for all ages and breeds of horses. One of three campuses that comprise the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, the center’s team of equine specialists is committed to providing exceptional treatment to patients, superior service to clients, and cutting-edge research to the equine industry.