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Neil,
Many congratulations on your much deserved Lifetime Achievement Award for your many contributions to veterinary cardiology. This is a so much deserved award for your many years of work in veterinary medicine, and particularly cardiology. I have much to owe you for the chance you gave me as a resident at Angell Memorial Animal Hospital. I treasure my times up in Boston and think of them often. Thank you for having the confidence in me to select me as your resident way back then. Thank you for ALL you have done for your many patients, clients, students, residents and all of veterinary medicine as a whole. You have given so much of yourself and your stamp on veterinary cardiology will endeavor onward in the future.
Most Sincerely,
Bill Tyrrell
I am yet another Angell alum who owes much of their professional career to Dr. Neil Harpster, having worked with him as an intern from 2000-2001, then cardiology resident, and then as a staff cardiology colleague until his retirement. I have so many fond memories of shared patients he calmly saved with his skills (including late night chest tubes, an emergency right ventriculotomy), the towering stacks of photocopied articles provided for topic rounds, the inscrutable handwriting (that I proudly learned to decipher for subsequent Angell interns and nursing staff), the pots of coffee that seemed way too old for human consumption, the sound of Neil chuckling to himself in the hallway that preceded his appearance. I feel fortunate to have been able to learn so much from Neil, with his boundless dedication to his patients, clients, and the science of veterinary cardiology.
Congratulations on this well-earned honor!
Dr. Rebecca Malakoff
Neil, this is a wonderful event and congratulations! Your dedication and your selflessness in helping patients and owners are unrivaled. You set the bar in patient care. If that weren't enough, you discovered diseases that everyone knows today and that help us all in our delivery of veterinary cardiology. We shared an office for my first 3 years of practice as a cardiologist and whenever we wrapped up late finishing up paperwork, you always said jokingly "You win, fella!" if you got done before me. This time, YOU won, fella : ) A most deserved recognition.
All my best
Etienne
I was unexpectedly matched with Angel Animal Medical Center in 2003. If fate is real, this was real. I had Dr. Harpster, Dr. Nancy Laste and Dr. Rebecca Malakoff on cardiology and soon we were joined by Dr Gregg Rapoport. I knew I wanted to be a cardiologist before I entered their small animal internship. I found the entire cardiology staff amazing intelligent and welcoming. Needless to say, I took all electives in cardiology. Dr. Harpster was an enigma to me. As I was taught and read, I realized how fortunate I was to have him as a mentor. What an amazing contribution to all of our knowledge. He was always kind. Every exam was complete. Head to toe. He would trim nails, clean ears and even express anal glands every time. I’m sure a lot of you are hearing this and thinking that there is no time. We are all bombarded with patients but I think we should all take a chapter out of Neil’s book and never forget to be the most caring and compreshesive clinician you can be.
Congratulations Dr. Harpster!
Cecilia Marshall
Congratulations, Neil, on receiving the Cardiology Lifetime Achievement Award for 2024.
A little history is appropriate for readers of this posting. Neil is well known for his clinical research, book chapters, lecturing and mentoring but in his day he also was an extremely accomplished surgeon and criticalist. He worked not only at Angell Memorial in Boston but also at Rowley Memorial Animal Hospital in Springfield, Massachusetts. He was part of the team that helped provide clinical instruction for some of the first Tufts classes before Tufts had its own small animal hospital.
As a clinician Neil was very much a hands on veterinarian and it is safe to say that tens of thousands of animals and their owners benefited from his expertise. This award gives us a chance to show our appreciation to Neil for all the time and talent he shared with us.
I met Neil in 1974 when Angell was still located on Longwood Avenue next to Harvard’s Medical School. For the next decade Neil gave generously of his own time helping me to establish my credentials on an alternate pathway to becoming board certified in cardiology. Years later at a specialty dinner I was seated at a table with Neil and he called me his first resident. That was the biggest professional compliment I could have imagined.
Neil, your enthusiasm and sense of humor were an extraordinary gift to all of us who got to work closely with you. It made it all fun.
Congratulations and thanks, Neil.
Brad Moses, DVM, DACVIM (Cardiology)
Neil-
You were a self-made veterinary cardiologist, and a pioneer in the field of veterinary cardiology. You decided to pursue your dream of specializing in cardiology at a time when specialization in veterinary medicine was in its infancy – and the founding of ACVIM was almost a decade in the future. I once asked you who helped to train you in cardiology; you answered with your unmistakable laugh: “ I used the Harpster method!”
You attended the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine – which was at the forefront of veterinary cardiology. You received outstanding training in cardiology as a student – but also supplemented the standard college syllabus with additional self-directed outside reading. After graduating in 1965 you completed a rotating small animal internship at Rowley Memorial Animal Hospital in Springfield, Massachusetts – during which time your passion for cardiology continued to grow. Following your internship you were offered and accepted a position on the staff at Angell Memorial Animal Hospital in Boston – which was a fortuitous decision for all of us. You told me that the reason you wanted to join the staff at Angell was because Angell had nobody providing cardiology services at the time – and that is what you wanted to do!
After joining the staff at Angell you continued to read voraciously, and to hone your skills as a cardiologist. When echocardiography began to become more mainstream in veterinary practice, you arranged to spend time with the cardiology service at a hospital for humans in Boston to learn about that modality. This was the extent of your “formal training” in echocardiology. That was the “Harpster method.”
I had the privilege of working with you for over 33 years. You were one of my mentors during my internship at Angell Memorial from 1971 – 1972 and were then a colleague when I was on the staff at Angell from 1972 – 2004. The influence you had on me as an intern – and on almost 400 other rotating interns at Angell during your career, is unmeasurable. You were known as the one staff doctor who the interns could invariably rely on for help and guidance when they were struggling for direction on how to manage a case late at night. You always offered this help with true patience; your only focus was on how to help the patient and the young doctor. I personally experienced this same level of support throughout my career as a staff doctor at Angell.
Equally important was your dedication to training the next generation of veterinary cardiologists. You started the cardiology residency training program at Angell Memorial, and during your tenure at Angell you were involved in the training of 8 very successful and influential cardiologists. During the early years of this program you managed this training while serving as the only cardiologist at Angell. Through these trainees your ongoing impact on the specialty of cardiology continues – and is immeasurable. Your legacy will surely continue through future generations of veterinarians.
Neil - congratulations on receiving this Cardiology Specialty Lifetime Achievement Award.
Well deserved!
Bernie (Michael Bernstein, DVM, DACVIM)
I had the honor of being Dr. Harpster's second resident from 1992-1994 (the old days of two year programs!) and his colleague from 1994 until his retirement. I could go on for hours about his sense of humor, kindness and dedication to his clients and patient. I learned so much from Neil that cannot be taught by anyone who hasn't devoted their entire career to clinical practice. I feel honored to have been a beneficiary of his knowledge. We trained many residents together and I think we balanced eachother quite well.
In addition to being a good colleague, Neil was a kind friend to my growing family. He was ever patient with my infant to toddler son Andrew who is graduating high school this very day (Friday!)
I am so very glad that Neil is being honored for a life long dedication to our profession and being a founding (Grand) Father of cardiology!
So sorry to miss your ceremony but sending great big hugs your way!
Fondly,
Nancy (Laste)
To: Dr. Neil Harpster (Harp), my good and long time friend and excelsior veterinary cardiologist.
From: Dr. James Carpenter
Congratulations on being selected for the ACVIM Lifetime Specialty Achievement Award. You are very deserving of this award, both as a veterinary cardiologist and as a model for patient care and satisfying pet owners concerns.
With many good memories and best wishes, Carp
Celebration lunch for Neil, Nashua NH July 21, 2024.
Back row (L-R): Nancy Laste, Lisa Moses, Mike Pavletic, Etienne Cote, Tim Cain, Eileen Neary, Mike Bernstein.
Front row (L-R): Bill Tyrrell, Becca Malakoff, Doug Brum, Neil Harpster, Brad Moses, Paul Gambardella