Dr. Dani Lopez Goicochea, Maddie’s® Shelter Medicine Intern at Cornell University, is heading to the ASPCA to complete a three-year residency in shelter medicine. Although she will be based in New York City, she will travel throughout the country providing clinical and consultative work as part of her training. Lopez Goicochea wants to dedicate more time to learning and practicing shelter medicine, to help progress the field and be a “voice at the table” regarding challenges with access to veterinary care for low-income families.
Over this past year, while completing her internship with Maddie’s® Shelter Medicine Program, Lopez Goicochea has learned to think with more of a population mindset. She says she spent time “learning how to take care of a lot of animals at once and how to improve the lives of populations, rather than individuals.” She also says, “the surgical skills that I’ve learned this year have been amazing and will be the basis for everything I get to do for the rest of my life.” She acknowledges the rotations on the Emergency and Critical Care Service at the Cornell Companion Animal Hospital were challenging at times, but Lopez Goicochea says it was worth it and has learned so much from this experience.
At the ASPCA, Lopez Goicochea will be able to continue growing her knowledge of shelter medicine and can also focus on research areas of interest. She is interested in infectious diseases, neonatal care, and access to care. She’s also excited to learn more about rehabilitation, behavioral dogs, and emergency response protocols.
After her time at the ASPCA, Lopez Goicochea is interested in positions that entail working with large sheltering organizations in a consultant role, pursuing a position in academia to help mold future shelter veterinarians, or working as a medical director.
We wish Dr. Lopez Goicochea the best of luck in her future endeavors and are excited to see her career unfold in the world of shelter medicine!
