AVCO Diplomate Dr. Kevin Snyder Receives UW-Madison Alumni Achievement Award
2026 SVMAA Young Alumni Achievement Award — Dr. Kevin Snyder
From the coast to the tops of glaciers, Dr. Kevin Snyder (DVM’16 MS’18) has built a remarkable veterinary medical practice expanding specialized veterinary care across Alaska’s vast frontier. A Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists (ACVO), he owns Polar Eyes Veterinary Ophthalmology, partnering with host clinics to serve patients statewide. Dr. Snyder earned his DVM from the SVM before returning to complete a four-year residency in comparative ophthalmology as well as earn his MS in the Comparative Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program. His unique practice takes him from treating sled dogs in the Juneau Icefield to caring for rescued animals at the Alaska SeaLife Center and Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center.
A recognized leader in his field, Dr. Snyder served as President of the Alaska Veterinary Medical Association, served on the Alaska VMA Board, was a four-year term member on the ACVO Genetics Committee. He currently serves as the Chair of Health and Genetics Committee for the Siberian Husky Club of America.
As an affiliate faculty member at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks, he lectures and leads hands-on eye examination labs for students in the UAF-Colorado State University 2+2 program. Dr. Snyder has authored research articles published in Veterinary Ophthalmology and translational animal-human research journals. He has remained committed to academia and lifelong learning, lecturing nationally at the American Veterinary Medical Association annual conference, the Alaska Veterinary Medical Association conference, and multiple times at the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists conference. Outside of veterinary medicine, Dr. Snyder can be found with his wife, two daughters, and a kennel of Siberian Huskies as they explore Alaska by foot in the summer and dogsled in the winter.
Reflecting on where he has landed in his career, Dr. Snyder is most proud of the little, impactful moments in patient care.
“I especially live for the small moments during my clinical practice when the owners are happy their animals are pain-free and have better quality of life – like when a dog can see again after cataract surgery or when an animal stops squinting in pain after months of discomfort,” says Dr. Snyder. “Small moments of accomplishment with a smile of gratitude from the owners are what keeps me going.”
Dr. Snyder credits the knowledge and skills gained through his time at UW-Madison with giving him a sense of responsibility to share that expertise in ways that benefit his local community and state.
“Many years of training at the SVM instilled in me a foundation of practicing compassionate medicine with scientific rigor,” says Dr. Snyder. “Similar to the Wisconsin Idea, my career has shaped itself into improving animals and people’s lives through not only clinical practice, but also community outreach, teaching, and professional leadership. I strive to practice evidence-based medicine with empathy that allows me to deliver specialty medicine in Alaska to animals and owners in underserved areas.”