I was initially drawn to veterinary medicine through high school volunteer work. Almost immediately, I loved the challenge of veterinary medicine. Although I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago, I went into undergrad and veterinary school hoping to pursue a career in large animal (swine) medicine.

After graduation, I completed a rotating small animal internship and residency in Emergency and Critical Care (ECC) at the University of Pennsylvania. During my residency, I developed a strong interest in acute kidney injury and extracorporeal therapies. After my residency, I completed a fellowship in extracorporeal therapies at North Carolina State University. Then I accepted a position at UPenn as an assistant professor of Clinical Extracorporeal Therapies. I was excited to come to MSU for many reasons. I love extracorporeal therapies, but I wanted a position that allows me to use all aspects of my ECC training. The members of the ECC service at MSU (both faculty and nurses) were a huge part of what inspired me to pursue ECC. Being part of that team was and is exciting to me. As a bonus, coming back to MSU brought me much closer to family.

Extracorporeal therapy (ECT) is just a fancy medical term for treatments that process a patient's blood outside of their body. This includes hemodialysis, hemoperfusion, therapeutic plasma exchange, and other apheresis techniques. I was originally drawn to ECT because I loved managing acute kidney injury cases as a resident.

Veterinary medicine relies on every member of the team. Sometimes you get to do the exciting things, sometimes you get to clean out a dirty cage. Every single job is an important piece of patient care. No one is above picking up poop.

Veterinary medicine is a challenging but incredibly rewarding career. As you move through veterinary school, invest in yourself so you can set yourself up for a sustainable career. Do this by studying hard, seeking clinical experience, and listening to your mentors. Almost as important, prioritize some time away from veterinary medicine every day. It could mean going outside, connecting with friends or family, exercising, watching a good show or funny TikTok videos, whatever your thing is. No one can be a veterinarian all the time.

Outside of work, I love spending time with my family, preferably outside. We are in the process of moving to a farmhouse on some land that will need a lot of love. I'm excited to fill it up with animals and put our own touch on the house. Otherwise, I love to bike, bake, cook, and travel.

This is a tough one to answer! I think the best way to celebrate being a Spartan is a 58-degree, fall tailgate with good food and good people.