Lameness surgeon joins equine medical center faculty
Dr. M. Norris Adams has joined Virginia Tech's Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center as a clinical assistant professor in equine lameness and surgery. In this role, Adams will focus on elective orthopedic procedures and will assist with the expansion of the center's outpatient services program.
“Dr. Adams is a valuable addition to our team,” said Dr. Nat White, Jean Ellen Shehan Professor and Director of the Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center. “His strong interpersonal skills and expertise in lameness will be very beneficial to our clientele.”
Adams comes to the center with a diverse background in private practice. He worked as an associate veterinarian and surgeon in New York, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut before moving to Virginia to serve as a clinical assistant instructor in large animal surgery at the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Blacksburg. For the past eight years, Adams has practiced in Northern Virginia at both the Piedmont Equine Practice in The Plains, Va., and the Middleburg Equine Clinic in Middleburg, Va.
“I was drawn back to academic practice because of the ability to delve deeper into lameness cases and to focus more on surgery,” said Adams. “The diagnostic capabilities available at the Equine Medical Center are state-of-the-art — specifically the MRI and other imaging technologies — and this position will allow me to utilize those tools.”
Adams earned a doctor of veterinary medicine degree from Mississippi State University in 1992 at which time he was honored with the university’s Large Animal Medicine and Surgery Award. He then completed an internship in Los Olivos, Calif., followed by a residency in large animal surgery at the University of Minnesota’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital in 1998. A member of the American Association of Equine Practitioners, the American Veterinary Medical Association and the Virginia Veterinary Medical Association, Adams achieved Diplomate status in the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS) in 1999.
“I am interested in orthopedics and sports-related injuries,” said Adams. “The Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center is surrounded by a large and diverse population of equine athletes, and thus sees a large caseload of these interesting and challenging cases.”
Adams added that he finds performing surgery rewarding because it can improve the outcome of a case dramatically, and noted that the contact with owners and trainers is also very satisfying.
“I enjoy the personal interaction with clients and look forward to maintaining a presence at the center that they can rely on,” said Adams. “The location of the hospital will allow me to continue serving many of my former clients.”
Virginia Tech’s Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center 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 and its team of equine specialists are committed to providing exceptional treatment to patients, superior service to clients and cutting-edge research to the equine industry.
