American Association of Veterinary anatomists
Message from the President
My interest in this role stems from my desire to support anatomy education and the development of the next generation of veterinary anatomists and anatomy educators. As an Associate Professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at Colorado State University (CSU), I serve in various capacities, including as the Assistant Department Head for DVM Teaching and Clinical Services and the Director of the Animal Anatomy Programming and Strategic Planning, all aimed at enhancing both animal anatomy and veterinary education. As the Program Lead for CSU’s Virtual Veterinary Educational Tools, I have spearheaded the ongoing development of Virtual Canine Anatomy into Virtual Animal Anatomy, pursuing translations into Spanish, Japanese, and Portuguese, while also expanding the virtual resources for learning equine, feline, and bovine anatomy. This initiative has created a platform for worldwide distribution, ensuring that over 12,000 anatomy learners at more than 140 schools globally had free access to the VAA during March-July 2020 when access to cadaveric learning was restricted due to COVID-19 lockdowns.
My passion for anatomy and anatomy education ignited under the guidance of Dr. M.S. Amarendhra Kumar at Tufts University, where I first edited his Equine Dissection manual as a veterinary student. At CSU, I am fortunate to collaborate with remarkable anatomists and benefit from the legacy of those who have shaped anatomy education. I recognize and appreciate the vast spectrum of veterinary anatomists and anatomy educators within this organization. Through my PhD research and veterinary specialty training, I have become a systems-thinker, problem-solver, and dedicated educator. Recently, my research has centered on evaluating instructional methods, including Virtual Reality, and developing strategies for supporting student learning, allowing us to apply evidence-based methods in our decision-making as anatomy educators. Over the past decade, I have also advised and graduated 15-20 Master of Science students per year, focusing on Animal Anatomy and Physiology, many of whom now contribute significantly to anatomy education. I understand the importance of providing our students, regardless of their academic journey, with a solid foundation in anatomy. I look forward to utilizing the same collaborative and collegial approaches I practice at CSU to equip this community with the necessary tools to ensure anatomy remains a cornerstone of biomedical and veterinary education.
Tiana Magee
Our mission
The American Association of Veterinary Anatomists is the professional body representing veterinary anatomists from North America. The purpose of the association is the advancement of veterinary anatomical science. The AAVA was founded in 1949 and currently has more than 200 members. While most members are faculty, staff and students from colleges of veterinary medicine in the US, Canada, and the Caribbean, currently the association also includes veterinary anatomists from Africa, Asia, Europe, and South America. Private scholars and veterinary practitioners are also welcome.
Anyone with an active interest in veterinary anatomy is eligible for membership. If you are interested, we encourage you to contact us.