Russak, Mark, BS, DVM - Cohort 2008

Mississippi State University

Dr. Mark Russak has been an Assistant Clinical Professor of Primary Care, Exotics, Wildlife and Practice Management at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Mississippi State University for the last 5 years. He received his D.V.M. from Colorado State University in 1976. In 1998 he received a Certificate in Veterinary Practice Administration at the Krannert Graduate School of Management, Purdue University, Lafayette, Indiana. Prior to veterinary school, Dr. Russak served in the U.S. Air Force from 1965 to 1969 as a Veterinary Technician.

After graduation from CSU, Dr. Russak worked for three years at a seven-doctor small animal and exotic hospital in West Hartford, CT, before starting his own his own private practice in Berlin, CT. The Animal Hospital of Berlin was a 3-1/2 Doctor full service AAHA certified, small animal hospital. In 1993, the hospital was a Veterinary Economics, Heart to Heart Hospital award winner.

In 2003 Dr. Russak decided to give up private practice and devote his time to educating the next generation of veterinarians, feeling that sharing the practical expertise gained from almost thirty years of private practice would be a great asset to new doctors. He sold his practice and now teaches Primary Care, at MSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine. He places his teaching emphasis on client bonding, the business side of veterinary medicine, communication and life skills. Currently he is faculty advisor to the Student Chapter of the American Veterinary Medical Association (SCAVMA) and Mississippi State Student Chapter of the Veterinary Business Management Association (VBMA) and the Student Chapter of National Veterinary Technician Association (SCNAVTA) He also serves as practitioner advocate to the student chapter of the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA). He also serves on the MSU CVM scholarship and admissions committees and is very involved in administration of the Examination Certifying Foreign Veterinary Graduates (ECFVG) for the AVMA at both the Mississippi State and Las Vegas, Nevada testing sites.

For the thirty years he lived in Connecticut, Dr. Russak was very active professionally and in the community. In recognition of all his community contributions, Dr. Russak was named the Berlin Chamber of Commerce Person of the Year in 1995. In 1996 he received the Substance Abuse Action Council of Central CT’s Community Service Award, and in 1997 the Berlin Education Association gave him an award for businesses committed to excellence in education. He served as chairman of the Town of Berlin, CT ethics commission He also moderated political debates for both local and national elections as well as teaching debate moderating for several years.

Professionally, he served as President of the Hartford County Veterinary Medical Association and the Greater Hartford Veterinary Emergency Care Hospital. He has a long-term association with AAHA, Connecticut Veterinary Medical Association, AVMA, Connecticut Academy of Veterinary Practice, and is also a member of the Mississippi VMA and the Association of Veterinary Practice Managers and Consultants(VPMCA), the American Academy of Veterinary Dermatology(ACVD), the American Heartworm Society (AHS), and the Association of Veterinary Family Practice (AVFP). His recent speaking engagements have included multiple presentations to the Tuscaloosa VMA and the Mississippi Veterinary Medical Association annual meetings as well as Auburn University CVM and VA/MD Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Ohio State VBMA among others He has attended the Western Veterinary Conference since 1977 and has served as session chair many times. He recently received the Deans’ Pegasus Award for excellence in teaching. He also serves on the Board of Directors for the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA). Dr Russak was inducted into Phi Zeta: the national Veterinary honor society in April 2008.

Dr. Russak believes in the power of the media to promote veterinary medicine and to teach animal health and good pet practices. In Connecticut he had a Pet Care radio show for ten years. He authored a Pet Health Care column for the Berlin Citizen newspaper for eight years. Since moving to Mississippi, he started “Pet Pointers,” a weekly TV pet health care show for Mississippi State TV and has been quoted in pet care articles for Dog Watch Magazine and local and national newspapers. He is currently writing pet care articles for the Clarion Ledger newspaper of Jackson, MS. Personally, Dr. Russak is celebrating his 38th year of marriage to Ellen and has two lovely, adult, daughters. He is an avid bowler, plays golf, softball, and is an exercise enthusiast. He also raises Koi, tropical fish and, over the years, innumerable stray cats and dogs.