When Dr. Violette approached me about taking over his column at the Drummer, I was honored. I know I have big shoes to fill, and I hope to meet expectations.
Some of you may have met me already at Salmon Brook Veterinary Hospital but I thought I would start my first column with some background on myself.
I knew from an early age that I wanted to be a veterinarian. I had always had a deep love for animals of all kinds but was also fascinated by medicine. Both human and veterinary medicine share the ability to keep you on your toes. Every day is different, and part of the job is putting the puzzle pieces together to fully understand a case.
I grew up in Plymouth, Mass. and when it came time for college, I decided to study zoology at the University of New Hampshire. While most of my studies focused on wild animal populations, when I went to vet school, I knew I wanted to work with companion animals. After graduation, I packed my things and moved to Grenada in the West Indies to attend St. George’s University. The island hospital is small, so I completed my clinical rotations at the University of Pennsylvania.
During my studies in Grenada, my family made the move from Plymouth to East Granby. I wanted to gain more experience in a veterinary hospital and was advised to check out Salmon Brook Vet. I was mentored by a group of fantastic doctors during the summer of 2017 and knew SBVH was the kind of hospital where I wanted to work. I made a point to complete another externship at SBVH in 2019.
I graduated with my Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine in 2020. Before joining SBVH, I worked at a specialty hospital in its emergency room and intensive care unit. While I love the fast-paced environment of the ER, I was thrilled to be asked if I would consider joining Salmon Brook. I have been a vet at SBVH for almost three years, practicing in small animal and exotic medicine and will soon be adding bee colony medicine to the practice.
I spend my time outside of work taking care of my two cats (Tinkerbell and Butters), rabbit (Honeybun), and nine chickens as well as tackling home improvement projects. I enjoy cooking and going to the local breweries in the area and am always up for trying a new restaurant.
I have some great ideas for the Animal Talk column, and I hope you all enjoy them!