Philippa Gibbons brings her innovative teaching skills to train students in food animal medicine and surgery.
Philippa (Pippa) Gibbons was born and raised on a farm on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean in rural eastern England. Growing up, she never thought that one day she would travel across the pond in pursuit of her lifelong passion for veterinary medicine. Fortunately for the Texas Tech University School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM), she undertook this adventure.
Gibbons' initial career goal was to become a dairy herd consultant. However, when she took an internship at the Royal Veterinary College in London, she developed a new passion. Drawn to the challenges of complex medical cases and problem-solving, she discovered a love for teaching and clinical medicine.
From that moment on, she hasn't looked back and her journey has included a number of institutions. Gibbons' career path ultimately led her to the Texas Panhandle and the growing SVM. At the School, she will develop the next generation of veterinarians using her teaching approach of building on basic science and clinical knowledge using active learning techniques to develop students' clinical reasoning abilities.
“I am excited to be part of building the food animal program at Texas Tech and teaching the food animal, and rural and regional practitioners of tomorrow,” Gibbons said.
Having worked in both traditional on-campus teaching hospitals and community-based teaching models, in which students work with private veterinarians across various communities, she knows how to effectively develop competent, confident, day-one ready veterinarians. Growing up on a farm, Gibbons lives and breathes the SVM's mission and exemplifies the core values on which the school was founded. Gibbons joins the SVM as an associate professor of food animal medicine and surgery.
“All of us are so excited that Dr. Gibbons is part of our School,” said Guy Loneragan, dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine. “As a cow vet at heart, I am also personally thrilled that we get to work with someone who has such a passion for and deep understanding of food animal medicine and surgery. She is going to have such an impact on our program and our region. Dr. Gibbons is going to help our students achieve their dreams.”
Gibbons comes to Texas Tech after serving for three years as a food animal clinician and associate professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Lincoln Memorial University (LMU) in Harrogate, Tennessee. Among her many responsibilities, she instructed in food animal clinical skills labs, help to build the mobile large animal practice and led the large animal ambulatory clinical rotation.
Before joining LMU, Gibbons spent four years as the clinical assistant professor for food animal medicine and surgery and large animal clinical sciences at Texas A&M University. She primarily served as the food animal in-house clinician.
Gibbons earned her bachelor's degree in agriculture science at the University of Reading, UK, in 2005 and her Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine at the Royal Veterinary College at the University of London in 2008. Four years later, she graduated from Texas A&M with her master's degree in biomedical sciences.
As her passion for teaching developed, she earned her Certificate of Veterinary Education from the Royal Veterinary College in 2017 and her Diploma of Veterinary Education in 2019.
“I am thrilled to have Pippa join us. I worked with Dr. Gibbons at a previous university and know that she brings an enthusiasm for evidence-based medicine, teaching students critical thinking skills, and for teaching practical food animal skills,” said John Dascanio, senior associate dean for academic and student affairs. “She also brings a lot of experience in multiple species working with small ruminants, beef cattle, and dairy cattle. I look forward to working with Pippa as she helps us to develop our food animal curriculum.”
Gibbons joins a growing and vibrant team of faculty and staff at the School of Veterinary Medicine. Additional team members will continue to be added as the school prepares to welcome its inaugural class in August.
About the School of Veterinary Medicine
Thanks to the generosity of Amarillo and communities across Texas, and the commitment of legislators from around the state, the Texas Tech University School of Veterinary Medicine in Amarillo was established in 2018. In March 2021, the school was granted the all-important status of Provisional Accreditation, from the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Council on Education (COE) and is set to welcome its first class of students in August.
The School of Veterinary Medicine will recruit and select students with a passion to serve rural and regional communities. Its curriculum is focused on the competencies and skills necessary for success in practice types that support these communities. Texas Tech's innovative and cost-efficient model partners with the wider community of veterinary practices across the state to provide clinical, real-world experiential learning.
