Mick Fulton
Hall of Honor

Dr. Richard M. (“Mick”) Fulton is an avian pathologist with more than 35 years of experience. He attended Purdue University for his undergraduate, graduate, and veterinary degrees. In 1978, he graduated with his BS in Agriculture Economics. In 1981, he graduated with his DVM and then went into veterinary practice.

After working in both large and small animal practices, he fondly remembered experiences working on the necropsy floor as a student and enjoying an avian pathology course with Dr. Rollie Winterfield.

From there, he decided to pursue a PhD in Pathology, under the mentorship of Dr. Willie Reed, graduating in 1991. Shortly after, he became a diplomate of the American College of Poultry Veterinarians and began his career on faculty at Purdue. Several years later, he joined faculty at Michigan State University (MSU), where he has been for 30 years. 

Having retired end of March 2024, he currently serves MSU on an as needed basis until his replacement is found. In his time at MSU, in addition to his diagnostic work, he has served as an MSU Extension veterinarian, taught veterinary students in the didactic curriculum and on poultry rotations, was co-founder of both an online poultry medicine course for veterinarians in private practice and Poultry Health Management School, an experiential workshop for poultry industry individuals, written several peer-reviewed papers, authored book chapters, contributed to textbook chapters, and has been involved in work in many countries concerning avian diagnostics and control of avian influenza, as well as, re-established the veterinary pathology teaching program at Kabul University in Afghanistan.

His previous awards include the Epsilon Sigma Phi Tools for Teaching (2002), Midwest Poultry Consortium’s (MPC) Center of Excellence teaching awards (2018 and 2019), the Meritorious Service Award by the North Central Region of the AAAP (2018), and the MPC Outstanding Service Award (2019). He has served in many important positions for his unit, college, university, regional, and local organizations as well as the AAAP President (2013-2014).