The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) named former AVMA Executive Board Chair Dr. John Scamahorn as the winner of the 2022 AVMA Meritorious Service Award.
Established in 2001, the award recognizes a veterinarian who has brought honor and distinction to the veterinary profession through personal, professional or community service activities that are conducted outside the scope of organized veterinary medicine or research. The AVMA Board of Directors selects the recipient.
Dr. John R. Scamahorn has been a practicing veterinarian in Greencastle since his graduation from Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine.
“Dr. Scamahorn’s influence and contributions to veterinary medicine over his decades of volunteer leadership have been invaluable to the profession,” said Dr. Jose Arce, president of the AVMA. “Throughout his career, he has epitomized everything that the AVMA Meritorious Service Award represents and proven himself more than qualified for this distinguished honor.”
At the state level, Dr. Scamahorn has served a number of roles with the Indiana Veterinary Medical Association (IVMA), including board of directors district representative (1986-1989), board chairman (1988-989), vice president (1989-1990), president-elect (1990-1991) and president (1991-1992). Following that involvement, he has stayed committed to contributing to organized veterinary medicine in Indiana, including as chair of the IVMA Legislative Committee and a number of IVMA task forces addressing membership redesign, practice act review, and increasing member involvement. He also served on the Indiana Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners on their Controlled Substances Advisory Committee.
Additionally, Dr. Scamahorn is one of the founding members of the Indiana Animal Health Foundation (IAHF) and currently serves as its board president. Over the last 25 years, the IAHF has raised more than $600,000 for programs to support scholarships, service animals, and other areas of veterinary medicine and animal care.
At the national level, Dr. Scamahorn has been an active participant in AVMA leadership during his career. This includes serving in the AVMA House of Delegates (1993-2004) and the AVMA Executive Board (2005-2011), including a term as the executive board chair from 2009-2011. He also served on a number of AVMA councils and committees, including:
- Member Services Committee (2005-2011)
- Council on Veterinary Services (2005-2006)
- Judicial Council (2006-2009)
- Committee on Environmental Issues (2005-2007)
- Audit Committee of the Executive Board Chair (2008-2009)
- State Advocacy Committee Chair (2005-2011)
- Legislative Advocacy Committee Chair (2007-2011)
- Task Force on AVMA Model Practice Act Review Chair (2010-2012)
- Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities (2011-2017)
- Council on Education (2011-Present)
Previously, Dr. Scamahorn has been recognized as the Indiana Veterinary Medical Association Veterinarian of the Year (1994) and has received the Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine Distinguished Alumnus Award (2001).
Dr. Scamahorn has been a private practitioner in Greencastle, Indiana, since graduating from Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine in 1972. He currently owns Animal Medical Clinic, P.C., a mixed animal practice serving clients in West Central Indiana.
