***This article first appeared in the Fall 2023 issue of CCAH Update***

With the largest and most diverse resident training program in the country, UC Davis is able to offer exceptional research opportunities. This unique ability to conduct research during a residency can have profound impact on veterinarians and can shape their career decisions. Recently, a CCAH-funded research project won school and national awards while cultivating a faculty-resident mentorship that will last a lifetime.

Dr. Shirley Kot, who just completed her three-year residency with the Dentistry and Oral Surgery Service (DOSS), won the 2023 Outstanding American Journal of Veterinary Research Resident Manuscript Award for her investigation that assessed the biomechanical properties of an implant used to repair broken jaws in cats. The L-shaped malleable titanium plates are used in human maxillofacial surgeries, and Kot investigated whether they could be used to fix challenging jawbone fractures in cats. The research also won the Outstanding Small Animal Research Study and Presentation Award at the 2023 UC Davis Gerald V. Ling Veterinary Intern and Resident Research Symposium.

Among the co-authors of the paper was Dr. Boaz Arzi, chief of DOSS and one of Kot’s faculty mentors throughout her residency. His innovative approaches, dedication to furthering the field of oral medicine, and unwavering professionalism make him an ideal role model for residents.

“Dr. Arzi’s attitude toward scientific research made a huge impact on me,” said Kot. “He nurtured a ‘green’ researcher like me with unfailing support and guidance, and introduced me to various opportunities, expanding my network. That nourishment further reinforced my strong interest in research and motivated me to be a pioneer.”

Taking knowledge learned from human medicine and applying it to veterinary medicine through this research may lead to a new treatment for fractured jaws in felines, which are difficult to manage with limited options. Kot has moved on to a practice in Hong Kong, expanding the global reach of UC Davis veterinary medicine. She aims to advance veterinary dentistry and oral surgery in the Asia-Pacific region, thanks to Arzi and the network he helped facilitate during her time at UC Davis. She remains a UC Davis research affiliate and will visit the campus on a regular basis to conduct research.

“I am undoubtedly a better clinician and researcher than before my residency,” Kot said. “It was by standing upon the shoulders of giants at UC Davis that I achieved this.”

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Listen to Dr. Kot on the Veterinary Vertex podcast discussing this research.