Jeffrey Wortman, Penn Veterinary Medicine and Perelman School of Medicine
Jeffrey Arnold Wortman, VMD’69, an emeritus professor of radiology and the former Associate Dean for Academic and Curricular Affairs at Penn Vet and a former faculty member at the Perelman School of Medicine, passed away on March 11. He was 75.
Born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, Dr. Wortman completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Maryland, College Park. He then went on to study veterinary medicine and graduated magna cum laude in 1969 from Penn’s School of Veterinary Medicine. While a student at Penn Vet, Dr. Wortman served as an animal keeper in Penn Vet’s department of clinical studies. After receiving his VMD, he was commissioned as a captain in the US Army Veterinary Corps. From 1970 to 1971, dr. Wortman served in the 20th Preventative Medicine Unit in Vietnam and was awarded a Bronze Star, the fourth-highest honor a service member can receive. After receiving an honorable discharge from the Army, Dr. Wortman completed a small animal internship, then completed his residency in radiology and earned a PhD from the University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. dr Wortman received his specialty certification as a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Radiology in 1977 and served on multiple ACVR council committees, as well as serving as its president in 1991.
In 1977, dr. Wortman accepted a faculty position in radiology at Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine in Lansing. Four years later, he returned to his alma mater, becoming an assistant professor of radiology at Penn Vet (he also accepted a secondary appointment as an assistant professor of radiology in Penn’s School of Medicine in 1984). Over the next 30 years, Dr. Wortman taught radiology to thousands of veterinary students in lecture halls and clinical rotations. In 1987, he was promoted to associate professor of radiology. In 1999, dr. Wortman became the Associate Dean for Academic and Curricular Affairs at Penn Vet, serving under three consecutive deans of the school. While at Penn Vet, Dr. Wortman received the Veterinary Student Government Award for Excellence in Teaching, the Veterinary Medical Student Government Commendation Award, and the Penn Alumni Award of Merit. He also served as a Penn Alumni interviewer, interviewing students in the Caribbean who were interested in applying to Penn Vet. Wortman retired from Penn and took emeritus status in 2012.
dr Wortman is survived by his wife, Carol (née Cancelmo); his children, Alicia, Laura, and Stephen; his brothers, Dennis and Ken; and three grandchildren. A celebration of his life was held on April 23.
In lieu of flowers, donations are encouraged to support the Jeffrey A. Wortman, VMD’69, PhD Endowed Opportunity Scholarship. Checks can be made out to the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania, memo line: Wortman Endowed Scholarship, and mail: Penn Vet Office of Institutional Advancement, 3800 Spruce Street, Suite 151E, Philadelphia, PA 19104. To make a gift by credit card , call (215) 898-4235.
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