Himsworth becomes Vanier Scholar

Dr. Chelsea Himsworth

WCVM graduate student Dr. Chelsea Himsworth is among the 174 recipients of this year’s Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships — the country’s most prestigious scholarship for doctoral students. Himsworth, a senior resident in the WCVM’s Department of Veterinary Pathology, will begin her PhD program at the University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Medicine later this year.

As a Vanier scholar, Himsworth will receive $50,000 annually for up to three years to pursue her studies. This year’s Vanier scholars were selected from across Canada, the United States, Europe, Asia, Africa and other parts of the world. Each was chosen as a result of their demonstrated leadership skills and high standard of scholarly achievement in graduate studies in the social sciences and humanities, natural sciences and engineering and health research.

Himsworth, who grew up in Vancouver, will work through the UBC’s School of Population and Public Health in conjunction with the B.C. Centre for Disease Control. She will be part of an inter-disciplinarian study of zoonotic diseases associated with urban rats in Vancouver. “The goal is to understand the dynamics of the diseases and characterize them in relation to rats, humans and the environment,” explains Himsworth. “It’s embodying what I’m passionate about: the one health concept — that you really can’t separate environment and human and animal health.”

Himsworth earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree from the WCVM in 2007 and received the College’s Faculty Gold Medal — the College’s highest honour for undergraduate students. After graduation, she began her Master of Veterinary Science (MVetSc) program in veterinary pathology and has worked on several different research projects including an epidemiological study to determine the prevalence and the risk factors associated with Echinococcus granulosus infection in people and dogs. E. granulosus is a parasite transmitted from dogs to humans that can cause serious health problems.

For the past year, she has been a senior resident in the College’s Department of Veterinary Pathology and is preparing to write the American College of Veterinary Pathologists (ACVP) board examinations in September 2010.

Himsworth credits her graduate supervisor, Dr. Ted Leighton, and veterinary pathologist Dr. Gary Wobeser as important influences on her career. Wobeser’s ability to see beyond disciplinary boundaries and Leighton’s vision for veterinary medicine in society have inspired her interest in public health and interdisciplinary research.

She also applauds the MVetSc program at the WCVM which is unique in requiring research of its graduate students. “I believe that the skills you learn from research ultimately make you a better practitioner and a better diagnostician,” says Himsworth, who has already written and published 16 papers. “You learn to identify a problem, figure out how to find a solution and interpret your findings — skills that are vital to the veterinary profession.”

Himsworth looks forward to becoming familiar with the human public health system and emphasizes the value of viewing zoonotic disease from the human medicine perspective. “I think it will allow me to more effectively contribute as a veterinarian in the future if I can really understand the human side of things.”