Jose Vilches-Moure

José Vilches- Moure, DVM, Ph.D., DACVP is an educator, a researcher, and a veterinarian whose enthusiasm for knowledge and dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion was immediately apparent when we interviewed him! Originally from Puerto Rico, José is a first-generation college graduate, a faculty member with the Department of Comparative Medicine at the Stanford University School of Medicine, chairs his department’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, and is the Chair-Elect for the LGBTQ+ Subcommittee within Stanford Medicine’s Diversity Cabinet. We loved learning more about what motivates José and his honesty and vulnerability about some of the challenges he faces in academia.

Veterinary School & Year Graduated: Purdue University, 2007

Additional Degree: Ph.D. in Comparative Pathology, University of California, Davis, 2015

Questions and Answers

Tell me about your most challenging and rewarding veterinary jobs or work experiences.
For me, the teaching component is the most rewarding, especially when students see how the material applies and when the lightbulb goes off. For the most part, in pathology, there is a reason and step-wise way of how things come to be and I like connecting the dots of how things happen and sharing that knowledge with students.
What did you love about the position or experience?
I am very passionate about increasing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in veterinary pathology, at an institutional level, and as a whole. I co-founded the ACVP DEI Committee which was very challenging and also very rewarding. I think that there can be discomfort for organizations when the focus ventures outside of the science but it is so important to see and support representation in the field.
Tell me about your journey to get to that point in your life.
I was born in Puerto Rico and lived there through undergrad. I attended vet school at Purdue and while I liked the level of detail involved in surgery, I didn't like the hours, so I went with pathology and ended up doing a residency in lab animal pathology. My mentor's enthusiasm for the discipline also really drew me to pathology. I went on to get my Ph.D. at Davis in Developmental Biology. I always really enjoyed teaching and that passion led me to my current position as an Assistant Professor at the Stanford School of Medicine.
As a veterinary student, did you ever imagine yourself taking this journey and having these professional experiences?
I knew that I wanted to do pathology by the end of vet school but I was leaning more towards working in a private setting. Once I started my residency and teaching fourth-year veterinary students I realized I wanted to work in an academic setting.
In retrospect, what do you wish you’d known as a veterinary student or early in your career?
I wish I had more exposure to how the academic world worked, especially the administration part. It’s not something you’re able to learn much about until you’re actually in it.
Would you have changed anything about your time in veterinary school?
I tracked mixed animals in vet school because it was the only time to learn about it and that is something I would absolutely do again! Sometimes I wonder if I should have completed a clinical block elective but overall I would not change anything.
Would you have changed anything about your career path since graduating?
A one-year clinical internship was always in the back of my mind. I think that it could have allowed me to communicate more effectively with clinicians as a pathologist. It would have been helpful, but not necessary at all.
Did you have any mentors or role models along the way that helped or inspired you? Please provide an example of how they helped you or what qualities they had that made them a good mentor? How did you find them?
I had several mentors in vet school and during my residency. The faculty pathologists I had the privilege of knowing at Purdue had larger-than-life personalities and were always enthusiastic about their work. They always made pathology compelling and interesting and were very generous and accommodating with their time and always let me nerd out. I loved their approach to pathology and it made me want to do the same. My mentors at Davis were very aspirational. They could be tough but also very caring and understanding when I didn’t know something while simultaneously holding me accountable for learning. They took the time to answer all of my questions and made sure everyone knew what was going on. I also had mentors who influenced my way of thinking and navigating the scientific process. Of course, I also learned a lot about how to be an efficient lecturer from professors who prepared extensively for each lecture every year despite having taught a class for decades.
Tell me about any pivotal moments or key turning points that shaped your career.
Receiving positive feedback on work, especially teaching, drives me to push even harder. Student evaluations are really impactful for me and I always try to improve based on what the students say.
Tell me about one or two challenges, setbacks, or obstacles that you faced along the way on your professional journey. How did you address those?
Knowing how to navigate time and set boundaries have been obstacles throughout my journey. This might be a personal attribute or it might be related to the field. I’ve felt like there’s always a sense of "you could be doing more.” It's like I don't know how much is enough and navigating work-life balance can be a challenge.
What are the most important lessons you learned as a veterinarian, and still remember today, and would want to tell vet students about?
I think it’s important to know what's important and try not to worry about the less important things and learn how to take constructive feedback. This profession can be so concerned with perfectionism, which can cause a lot of stress, anxiety, and catastrophic thinking. I think it’s also important to stay open-minded and be flexible about where your career can go. Allow yourself flexibility and don't beat yourself up because it's not what you initially told yourself or told others what you were going to do.
What’s been the biggest highlight of your career so far?
My biggest highlights have been working with people on tasks that aren’t part of my job description, such as helping necropsy technicians with some of the grunt work. I think that this helps strengthen the relationship and conveys that I value them. Seeing the effect that has on them, that I value them as individuals and human beings reminds me why I’m doing what I’m doing. Always remember who you are and be approachable.
Is there anything else you’d like to tell me that you think would be helpful or relevant to veterinary students or early-career veterinarians?
Make sure to go to institutions where you feel comfortable in the environment. Institutions should really try to be forward about their diversity and inclusion and act accordingly. You want to be somewhere where you feel comfortable, you feel appreciated, you feel welcome, and where you can be yourself.