Dr. Chen is an instructor in the small animal surgery service.
Tell us about your background.
Unlike the people who were passionate about veterinary medicine from an early age, I grew up in the East Bay of California thinking I would be a dancer. I became interested in biologic sciences when I attended the University of California, San Diego, where I majored in general biology and got involved with a research lab that worked with animal models.
I went to veterinary school at the University of California, Davis, to pursue my interest in working with animals. I became particularly interested in small animal surgery during my studies, and ultimately decided to pursue that as my specialization.
My continued study of small animal surgery has taken me all across the country since graduating from UC Davis. I did my rotating internship at Kansas State University, then did a surgical internship at the Dallas Veterinary Surgical Center in Texas. I ended up at the University of Illinois for my surgical internship and have since stayed on to work here after concluding my residency earlier this year.
How did you become interested in small animal surgery?
I have always enjoyed art and working with my hands. I enjoyed being able to perform procedures and helping animals. Initially, I was working at the California National Primate Center when I was a veterinary student, and I even considered going into laboratory animal medicine.
During the end of my second year, we had a block called “Clinical Foundations,” where we learned about pain management, basic surgical concepts/principles, and anesthesiology. When Dr. Chou introduced orthopedic implants and their clinical applications, I thought, “Wow this is all so fascinating! Tell me more!”
My curiosity continued to grow during my clinical year, and I found myself spending my free time trying to scrub into more surgeries. I really enjoyed all the specialty rotations (I even liked internal medicine), but I knew I would regret it if I did not commit to pursuing surgery.
Tell us about your favorite case.
This is a tough question to answer. I love a challenge, and each case has its own challenges. One of the most rewarding cases I recall is a large goldendoodle that was hit by a car. The dog had multiple pelvic trauma with sacroiliac luxations (dislocation of the pelvis from the spine) on both sides, a prepubic tendon rupture (abdominal wall detachment from the pelvis), and extensive skin abrasions.
The dog underwent multiple staged procedures, developed significant diffuse swelling, and unsurprisingly, developed infection/wounds in the areas where the skin was compromised. The dog lived in the hospital for at least 3 weeks, and he was an absolute angel the whole time. The dog’s family were also so sweet and committed. The students, nurses, all the staff members, and I loved this dog.
Any time there was a small improvement in the dog’s condition, we celebrated. It was so rewarding seeing everyone come together caring for this dog. He was eventually able to go home to a new human brother in the family.
What are your special interests inside or outside of the clinic?
I very much enjoy working with the students, nurses, doctors, and other services. I truly believe that the best care is provided to our patients through team effort. Of course, being able to do surgeries to help our patients is always a highlight.
I didn’t have much free time outside of residency, so my interests were largely limited to activities I could do while running errands (e.g., listening to audiobooks).
With a little more free time, I hope to travel and get back into some of my old hobbies, such as painting, puzzling, and crocheting.
