While every good veterinary student learns the basics for dogs, cats, horses, and cows, there are usually few (if any) courses specifically focused on aquatic animals. Since before I can remember, all I have wanted to do is study and work with the animals that call the sea their home. Therefore, as someone who intends to pursue a career in aquatics, I am constantly searching for new learning opportunities to expand my understanding of aquatic medicine. As I scoured the internet looking for resources, I realized, there honestly aren’t very many places to look. Sure, there are textbooks and journal articles, and the occasional short summer course (shout out to AQUAVET which is an incredible summer program
sponsored by Cornell), but manuscripts are often dense, and courses can be quite expensive. I am fortunate that Cornell offers a few courses in aquatic animal health—namely Fish Health Management and Anatomy and Histology of Fish—but these courses only touched the surface of all that there is to learn. They cover topics such as common diseases in fish and marine mammals, how to properly monitor water quality in an aquarium, and how to perform a fish necropsy. While these are important lessons for a career in aquatics, I wanted to learn beyond the scope of these courses.
Based off this desire to deepen my own knowledge of aquatic medicine along with lots of encouragement from some incredible Cornell faculty members, namely Dr. Rod Getchell and Dr. Jorge Colon, Aquadocs was formed. Aquadocs is the #1 podcast focused on aquatic medicine and is a top 50 life sciences podcast. On each episode, I interview veterinarians and other aquatic animal health professionals about their careers in the field, what research they are working on, and conservation projects they are involved with. My guests also share lots of advice and guidance for aspiring students interested in pursuing the field of aquatic medicine. Some of the most important advice I have received is that there is no one right path to success in this field, and that having a strong support network and mentorship is key.
I publish new episodes every Tuesday. Here are some of my favorite episodes I recorded (links in episode title):
Baby Beluga: How do you prepare for a baby beluga? Tune in as Dr. Chelsea Anderson, Georgia Aquarium Associate Veterinarian, describes her experience working with beluga whale Whisper and calf Shila born in May 2020.
The Astronaut Vet: Dr. Rick Linnehan, the first veterinarian in space, discusses what it is like to be a NASA astronaut, and describes his journey from being a veterinarian for the Navy’s Marine Mammal Program to being amongst the stars (literally).
Stethoscopes for Dolphins: What does a dolphin’s heart sound like? And how can you use a stethoscope in the water to hear it? Listen as Dr. Barb Linnehan, Deputy Director of Medicine at the National Marine Mammal Foundation, discusses her recent research article about bottlenose dolphin heart health.
Manatee Medicine: Every good vet student knows about cows… But what about SEA COWS? Tune in this week as we talk to Dr. Mike Walsh, a Veterinarian at the University of Florida, about Manatee health assessments. Every year, he and his colleagues visit Manatee breeding grounds to monitor these populations and ensure the animals are in good health.
By hosting and producing this podcast, I hope to teach listeners about aquatic animal health and inspire people around the world to care more about animals and the environments they live in. I want this podcast to be a resource for anyone who is interested in learning about aquatics and a place where people can come together to connect with others passionate about a similar aspect of veterinary medicine. Developing Aquadocs has been an incredible journey so far, and I know it is going to continue to grow for years to come!
If you are interested in learning more about Aquadocs, please check out the episodes, which are available on your favorite podcast streaming services (Apple, Spotify, Google) and at www.aquadocspodcast.com. I also post a lot of photos and advice for vet students on Instagram, so please follow us on Instagram and facebook @aquadocspodcast.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Michelle Greenfield, class of 2023, is the producer and host of Aquadocs, the #1 podcast on aquatic medicine and a top 50 life sciences podcast. She has a degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Princeton University. Michelle has interned and volunteered at a number of organizations including the US Navy’s Marine Mammal Program and Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, Dolphin’s Plus, Hubbs SeaWorld Research Institute, and SANCCOB. Her research interests focus on bottlenose dolphin social behavior as well as regenerative medicine in horses and marine mammals.