Through a new program for veterinarians interested in a PhD called the Pfizer Animal Health-Morris Animal Foundation (MAF) Veterinary Fellowship for Advanced Study, Allen Page, DVM, will receive a substantial four-year stipend to complete his PhD at the University of Kentucky’s Gluck Equine Research Center.

The recipients of the fellowships are practicing veterinarians returning for a PhD. The funding is provided equally by MAF, Pfizer Animal Health and the student’s academic institution for living expenses and tuition while pursuing advanced veterinary study. Graduates must commit to staying in animal health research for at least four years upon graduation, where they will help fill a much needed role in the veterinary medical field.

Page, who interned at Hagyard Equine Medical Institute in Lexington, Ky., will research the epidemiology of Lawsonia intracellularis (LI), a bacterium that causes intestinal disease, at the Gluck Center. While interning at Hagyard, Page’s exposure to a diverse caseload and treatment techniques–from conducting ultrasounds to developing fluid resuscitation plans–piqued his interest in veterinary research. While at Hagyard, he began studying LI.

“Little is known about LI,” Page said. “I have seen firsthand what dedication to a project can accomplish. I look forward to spending the next couple years conducting research at a premier institute like the Gluck Center