Chief Veterinary Officer
North American Veterinary Community, Fox Lake, IL
17 years
What was your individual career path in terms of education/training, entry-level job, or other significant opportunity?
I always wanted to be a veterinarian, and my mother, who is a nurse, encouraged me to get experience in the job field prior to deciding on a college major. When I was still in high school, I got a job as an animal care assistant in a local veterinary clinic. I was very lucky and the wonderful veterinarians that I worked with encouraged me and were very supportive. The job involved a lot of cage cleaning and floor mopping, but I also got to observe and monitor patients in surgery, develop x-rays, observe behavior training, and see exotic pet care in person.
After high school I studied zoology at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, getting my undergraduate degree in 1999. I went on to get my degree in veterinary medicine from the University of Illinois in 2003. In vet school I worked with a friend on weekends as assistant at an adjunct professor’s exotic pets veterinary practice. The professor, Dr. Ken Welle, is still a friend and mentor.
During my fourth and final year of veterinary school I took a national licensing exam and was hired to work after graduation at a general practice clinic in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was mostly cats and dogs, but one of the veterinarians had an interest in marsupials and kept pet wallabies. I decided I wanted something faster paced and went to work for an emergency veterinary practice in Phoenix, Arizona. I worked there for seven years, mainly nights.
In 2011, I moved back to my hometown of Chicago and worked for a couple of emergency clinics. I also got a part-time job at Chicago Exotics Animal Hospital, where I remain an associate veterinarian. The hospital only cares for exotic pets, such as rabbits, guinea pigs, mice, gerbils, and chinchillas. We do not see dogs and cats. Rats are actually one of my favorite exotic pets. They’re nice. They don’t bite a lot. And they’re very trainable.
One of things I’ve learned about myself is I like to have different experiences and set my own schedule. In 2015, I started working for the North American Veterinary Community, a professional organization that does advocacy work and training on behalf of people in the veterinary field. In January of 2020, I became NAVC’s chief veterinary officer. I help plan educational programs on the latest advances in veterinary medicine such as orthopedic surgery, telemedicine, and dentistry. I also promote animal health and the veterinary profession through media interviews and interviews with outlets including CNN, NBC News, Steve Dale’s Pet World, and Pet Life Radio.
Years ago, I could never have imagined that a veterinarian could work outside a veterinary clinic. It’s very satisfying to be able to reach out to pet owners and the animal-loving public and let them know about all the wonderful things happening in the world of veterinary medicine.
What are the most important skills and/or qualities for someone in your profession?
A strong background and interest in science, biology, microbiology, and chemistry is important, combined with an interest in the skills of examination and surgery.
Problem solving and logic are very important. The ability to break down complex science to make it understandable to an animal caretaker is important.
What do you wish you had known going into this profession?
While veterinarians must first and foremost have affinity and love of animals, it is equally important to have the skills needed to connect with the people that care for animals, whether they are farmers, equestrians, pet owners or zookeepers. A veterinarian’s job is not just to provide healthcare to the animals but also to communicate with the people dedicated to them, so they provide a healthy, safe environment, give medications at home, and monitor animals for changes in their health. The best veterinarians combine the skills of a scientist with the ability of a coach or teacher, and the listening and communication skills of a social worker.
Are there many job opportunities in your profession? In what specific areas?
There are so many opportunities it is hard to list all the ways that veterinarians work. They work in companion animal medicine, production animal medicine-including herd health, farm animal and poultry, conservation and wildlife-equine medicine, many areas of research, public health and policy, food safety, pharmaceuticals, even human health! The need for veterinarians is increasing as more people have pets.
How do you see your profession changing in the next five years, how will technology shift, and what skills will be required?
Medical technology is progressing faster than ever! Just as fast as new technology changes how physicians practice medicine on humans, the same technology is often available for animals. That means that veterinarians have to work hard to learn new skills and keep up with all the advances in medicine. For example, CT scans (better known as CAT scans) are becoming more widely available for animals. That means veterinarians have to be familiar with that new tool-which patients it would help, when to use it, and how to understand the results.
What do you enjoy most about your job? What do you enjoy least about your job?
I love working with animals and the people that care for them. When you can help an animal heal or recover from an injury or illness the sense of accomplishment is exhilarating.
When animals and their people are in pain, physical or emotional and we can’t help them (for many reasons-not all diseases are treatable, financial concerns, aggression, behavioral diseases) it is extremely difficult.
Veterinarians must develop a high degree of empathy and should be able to put themselves into an animal’s and their people’s shoes, so to speak. The flip side of that is that when something goes wrong, which it inevitably does, it affects the veterinarian’s emotions and health as well. Over time that challenge can lead to stress and burn-out.
Can you suggest a valuable “try this” for students considering a career in your profession?
It is important to work with animals and in the animal care industry before deciding on veterinary medicine as a career. You can work at a barn or boarding facility for large animals, volunteer at an animal shelter or humane society, find an animal rescue to help out at, or even work at an animal clinic in an entry level position (animal care assistant, kennel care, or dog walker).