Small animal surgeon and surgical oncologist
VCA West Coast Specialty and Emergency Animal Hospital
Arathi Vinayak, DVM, DACVS-SA, ACVS Fellow, Surgical Oncology from VCA West Coast Specialty and Emergency Animal Hospital. I knew from the age of four that I wanted to be an animal doctor. With a single minded focus, I received my Bachelors in Biology from the University of Georgia and started my first year of veterinary school 2 weeks after my undergrad graduation. As I progressed through the veterinary curriculum, surgery appealed immensely to me. I was fascinated by my surgical mentors working so skillfully with their hands. During my internship, I realized that surgery was so much more than that. Applying for a surgical residency was a no-brainer for me. The ability to ease pain and suffering either almost immediately or put an animal on the path to feeling better was everything I had wanted for my patients. I completed a wonderful surgical residency at Texas A&M University and stayed on for a year as a clinical instructor in surgery at Texas A&M following my residency during which time I became a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons. I spent the following many years as a private practice specialty general surgeon in the Chicago area gaining experience and honing my skills as a surgeon. I elected to pursue an American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS) credentialed Fellowship in Surgical Oncology at CSU to gain more education. I now spend all my time furthering my knowledge in this field and finding new ways to approach cancer patients. Research is important in the field of surgical oncology. I am avidly involved in research and publications and do so often in conjunction with other surgical oncologists to bring to light outcomes and complications associated with various cancers.