Yellowstone Times

Montana State University veterinary student McKenna Quirk has been awarded the Rex Anderson Memorial Scholarship by the American Veterinary Medical Foundation. The $2,000 scholarship supports her travel to the annual Veterinary Leadership Conference organized by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), which took place in Chicago in January.

Quirk, originally from Wyoming and now a resident of Missoula, graduated with a degree in microbiology from MSU in 2024. She began her studies at the WIMU Regional Program in Veterinary Medicine last fall. At the conference, she participated in professional development sessions on communication and empathy and attended meetings discussing recent veterinary research.

“Rex Anderson was a veterinarian here in Montana, and he was very involved with the AVMA,” said Quirk. “I got the chance to meet many of his colleagues and fellow delegates... It meant so much to me.”

In addition to attending conferences, Quirk has engaged in research on Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (M. ovi) under Dr. Diane Bimczok's guidance at MSU’s Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology. This bacterial infection affects sheep farmers by causing losses among domestic sheep and can lead to lethal pneumonia when transmitted to bighorn sheep.

For this work, Quirk received a summer research fellowship from Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine for further development of an M. ovi vaccine.

“I have greatly enjoyed working with McKenna on her undergraduate research,” said Bimczok. “McKenna is an excellent student... I am excited to work with her on our new M. ovi vaccine project this summer.”

Quirk will complete her veterinary studies over three years at Washington State University as part of the WIMU program serving students from Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Utah.

“It’s been so wonderful... We do everything together,” said Quirk about the program's community aspect.

Quirk has also gained practical experience shadowing veterinarians at local hospitals such as Skyline Veterinary Hospital and Intermountain Veterinary Hospital.

“Growing up in Wyoming... our veterinarian was a cornerstone of the community," she said. "The overall community welfare aspect of a rural practice is something that I am really passionate about."

Mentors like Drs. Diane Bimczok and Garrett Ryerson have played crucial roles during her academic journey at MSU.

“McKenna has consistently demonstrated an exceptional level of dedication," Ryerson commented on Quirk’s commitment throughout her time at MSU.

As she prepares for future studies at Washington State University, Quirk expressed gratitude for her experiences at MSU that have prepared her well for continuing education alongside peers who share similar goals.

"Everyone says your first year of vet school is like drinking out of a fire hose," she noted regarding challenges overcome through strong peer support within their small cohort group.