Honor Society® member
Melissa deWolfe
attending General Surgeon at Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital Newport, Oregon
- Veterinary Medicine
- Class of 2025
- Loveland, Colorado
Member since May 2023
About
I am anything but a conventional veterinary student! I’m currently 42 years old, and 2 years ago, over 10 years into my career as a general surgeon, I decided to apply to vet school. Truth be told, since my love of animals runs bone deep and always has, I’m not quite sure why I didn’t go to vet school in the first place! But rather than beat myself up about it, I decided to apply and see if I would get in. I ended up getting into my top choice, Colorado State University, and worked full time as a human surgeon until I started school in August 2021. After having just completed my second year, I couldn’t be more certain that this was the right step for me, and that I am now among “my people”. I feel so privileged to be given the opportunity to pursue my true calling: to treat and care for animals.
Education
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Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine
DVM
2021 – 2025
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East Carolina University
Master of Public Health (MPH)
2009 – 2012
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Brody School of Medicine/ Vidant Medical Center
MD General Surgery Residency
2007 – 2013
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Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
DO
2003 – 2007
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Haverford College
Psychology/ Neuroscience
1999 – 2003
Honors and awards
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Neuroscience Research Fellowship at Bryn Mawr College
In college, the summer before my senior year, I was funded to perform research with the Neuroscience department. I studied animal models of anxiolysis and an article was ultimately published.
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Phi Beta Kappa National Honor Society
I was a member of the honor society associated with Haverford College
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United States Air Force Health Professional Scholarship Program
This helped me pay for medical school. I commissioned as a second lieutenant during my first year of medical school, and was on reserve status until I finished general surgery residency. At that point, I became active duty USAF.
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Distinguished Graduate Award
At USAF Officer's Training School, I got this award for graduating in the top 10% of my class
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Sigma Sigma Phi Osteopathic Honorary Service Fraternity
I was a member of this honor society while I attended PCOM.
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PCOM Alumni Traveling Fellowship
For a month during my third year, I was funded to go to Milan, Italy where I did a rotation in neurosurgery at the Instituto Nazionale Neurologico
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Presented my research at the American College of Surgeons, Annual Clinical Congress Surgical Forum
As a junior resident, I presented my research on the effect of insurance status on bariatric surgical outcomes at the surgical forum
Goals and interests
- Career goal
DVM. Although I have two more years of school to decide, I plan to go straight into small animal general practice upon graduation. Many ask if I will pursue a surgical residency in vet med, but for me, one residency in surgery was enough! I hope to serve my community by being a general practitioner who is comfortable operating, thus obviating the need (and cost) of specialty referral.
- Graduate school interests
I am particularly interested in small animal medicine and surgery, one health/ public health, and wildlife medicine and conservation. Last summer, I was fortunate enough to travel abroad through CSU and participate in the "Wildlife diseases, Poisonings, and Forensics" course put on by Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust in Zimbabwe. This hands-on experience renewed my passion for this important work.
- Outside the classroom
Wildlife Medicine and Conservation
One Health
Yoga (certified 200hr Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance)
Camping, Hiking, Kayaking
Travel, Reading
Experience
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attending General Surgeon
Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital Newport, Oregon
Feb 2020 – Jul 2021
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attending General Surgeon
Southeast Alaska Regional Hospital Consortium Mt. Edgecumbe Hospital Sitka, Alaska
Apr 2018 – Jan 2020
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attending General Surgeon
Augusta Health, Department of Surgery Fishersville, Virginia
Aug 2017 – Apr 2018
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attending General Surgeon
Trauma Surgery for the Department of Pediatric Surgery Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters Norfolk, Virginia
Aug 2016 – Jul 2017
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Major in USAF, attending General Surgeon
Deployment to Qatar, Mobile Field Surgical Team General Surgeon, 379th Expeditionary Medical Group
Jan 2016 – Apr 2016
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locums general surgeon
While in the military, and also while working, I sometimes took "moonlighting" jobs (or short term/ temporary) to fill in while other surgeons were on vacation. I did this through various companies, such as locumtenens.com, Comp Health, and Weatherby.
Sep 2015 – Aug 2022
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Major in USAF, attending General Surgeon
633d Medical Group Joint Base Langley Eustis, Virginia
Jul 2014 – Jul 2016
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Major in USAF, attending General Surgeon
51st Medical Group Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea
Jul 2013 – Jul 2014
Volunteering
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Camelid Castration Clinic: • Took turns in the role of anesthetist, primary surgeon, and surgical assistant in several llama and alpaca neuters. Took the histories from owners. Walked/ handled the animals, took weight and vital signs, and calculated appropriate drug doses for the anesthetics, antibiotics, and pain medications. Recovered the animals from anesthesia, then returned them to owners.
CSU/ Livestock Veterinary Services
Mar 2023 – May 2023
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Provide preventive and follow-up veterinary care to the homeless and “at risk” homeless populations of Northern Colorado. This includes administration of vaccines and small procedures such as blood draws, subcutaneous fluid administration, glucose spot checks, and US-guided cystocentesis. Diagnosed a patient with a Left Inguinal Hernia and later assisted in her surgical repair. 5/20-21/2023: Participated in two day outreach clinics in Walsenberg and Trinidad, CO.
CSU/ Street Dog Coalition
Jan 2023 – May 2023
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Sheep Ovariectomies at the Animal Reproduction & Biotechnology Laboratory: Pre-operative preparation, operative technique, post-operative care, clean-up
CSU/ Dept of Biomedical Sciences
Nov 2021
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Interact and play with cats, dogs, and small mammals at the Larimer Humane Society to aid in socialization. This was facilitated through CSU's Behavior Club.
Larimer Human Society
Oct 2021 – May 2023
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Llama and Alpaca Herd Health Day: Walked, handled, and restrained, clipped nails, administered de-wormers, assessed body condition score of over 30 llamas and alpacas
CSU/ American Association of Small Ruminants Club
Oct 2021
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Assisted with Suture Lab for CSU First Year Master’s Students: Assisted with/ instructed on instrument handling, knot-tying, and suturing. Answered questions re: surgical and military career paths and my decision to switch from human to animal medicine
CSU/ Dept of Biomedical Sciences
Oct 2021 – Oct 2022
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Assisted in corralling bulls for castration, performed intra-scrotal injection, assisted in castration procedure
Animal Medical Care in Newport, OR
Nov 2020
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Identified dogs in need of spay/ neuter or other care and arranged for these procedures to be done, fed stray beach dogs and cats twice daily, educated pet owners on the benefits of spray/ neuter, rehabilitated and re-homed a sick stray cat
Animal Rescue Center in Goa, India
Mar 2019
Languages
- English (US) Fluent
Additional information
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