Rate My Professor Kathy Gerken

Kathy Gerken is the P.B. Griffin Endowed Associate Clinical Professor of Emergency and Critical Care in the Department of Clinical Sciences at Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine. As a key faculty member in Veterinary Medicine, she specializes in emergency and critical care. Gerken received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2014. She then completed a one-year rotating internship in small animal medicine and surgery at Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine from 2014 to 2015. Advancing her expertise, she undertook a residency in small animal emergency and critical care at The Ohio State University, concurrently earning a Master of Science degree in 2018. During her residency, she participated in the Hemodialysis Academy at the University of California, Davis from 2016 to 2018. Gerken is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care (DACVECC) and has completed training with the Institute of Healthcare Communications for Veterinary Professionals.

Gerken began her academic career at Auburn University as an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Clinical Sciences in June 2018, advancing to Associate Clinical Professor in October 2023. She plays a vital role in the Bailey Small Animal Teaching Hospital's Critical Care Service. Her research interests encompass emergency management, resuscitation, critical care medicine, emergency treatment, CPR, sepsis, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, intensive care medicine, mechanical ventilation, and pain management. Notable publications include "Small animal veterinary clients prefer veterinarians to decide when to terminate resuscitation and to be informed after cardiopulmonary resuscitation efforts" published in 2024, "Urinary syndecan-1 in dogs anesthetized with isoflurane or sevoflurane: A randomized, prospective study" (2024), "Volume kinetic analysis of two crystalloid fluid bolus rates in anesthetized cats" (2023), "Intraobserver and interobserver reliability of standardized capillary refill time in dogs is high following observer training" (2023), "Retrospective evaluation of the relationship between admission variables and brain herniation in dogs (2010–2019): 54 cases" (2021), and "Canine and feline transfusion medicine" (2025). In 2022, Gerken was honored with the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine Clinician of the Year award by her peers and students.