Dr. Marie Depoix is a clinical assistant professor in our small animal emergency and critical care service.
Tell us about your background.
I grew up in Morocco and earned my veterinary degree from the University Cardenal Herrera in Valencia, Spain. After graduation, I completed a rotating internship followed by a specialty internship in internal medicine at a private practice in France.
I then completed an emergency and critical care internship at the University of Montreal before moving to the United States to pursue a residency in small animal emergency and critical care at the University of Illinois. I recently completed my residency and am excited to be joining the college as a clinical assistant professor in small animal emergency and critical care.
How did you become interested in emergency and critical care?
My interest in emergency and critical care started during my internships in France, where I worked emergency shifts in a busy private practice. I was immediately drawn to the fast pace and unpredictability of the job. As a new graduate, I often found myself managing complex emergencies with very limited supervision, which made me realize how much more there was to learn. Rather than being intimidated by the chaos, I found it motivating; it reinforced my desire to keep learning and continually improve my skills.
Tell us about a favorite case of yours.
It’s difficult to choose just one case because every patient teaches you something new, but I have always had a particular interest in urinary emergencies.
These cases often require rapid decision-making, hands-on procedures, and close monitoring. It’s incredibly rewarding to see how quickly patients can improve with timely intervention. Whether it’s relieving a urinary obstruction, managing life-threatening electrolyte abnormalities, or stabilizing a critically ill patient before surgery, I enjoy the critical thinking these cases require.
What are your special interests inside or outside of the clinic?
Inside the clinic, I enjoy teaching veterinary students and interns. My professional interests include urinary emergencies, toxicology, mechanical ventilation, and extracorporeal therapies. I also enjoy clinical research and developing educational resources that help make complex critical care concepts more accessible to the next generation of veterinarians.
Outside of work, I enjoy traveling, cooking, and gardening. I also love caring for orchids and other houseplants, which provides a peaceful balance to the fast pace and intensity of emergency medicine.
