Our November Spotlight Veterinarian is Dr. Melanie Landry Church. Dr. Church is a board certified ophthalmologist in Maitland, Florida. She is a 2008 graduate of North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine. She completed a small animal internship in Atlanta Georgia followed by a Comparative Veterinary Ophthalmology Residency in Phoenix, Arizona. Dr. Church is a lover of all species and divides her time between helping dogs, cats, exotics as well as marine patients.
Idiopathic Issues: What is your current position?
Dr. Melanie Church: Veterinary Ophthalmologist at Animal Eye Associates with offices in Maitland and Orlando, Florida. I practice all aspects of medical and surgical veterinary ophthalmology. I primarily see dogs, cats, and small exotics but will see any non-human animal. One afternoon a month, I provide complementary eye exams to the marine animals at Sea World.
II: What is the best thing about your job?
MC: The best things about my job is I can work on any species and get to practice both medicine and surgery with specific focus on the eyes.
II: What are some challenges you face in your position?
MC: One challenge I face in my position is that sometimes by the time cases are referred to us there may not be as many options to help preserve vision and comfort; early referral and/or consultation is very helpful.
II: What are some of your most memorable patients?
MC: A few months ago, I performed phacoemulsification surgery to remove cataracts in 6 year old captive penguins (7 eyes) from three different species (Southern Rockhopper Penguins, King Penguins and a Chinstrap Penguin). It was not only fun but very gratifying to return vision to the penguins.
II: What kind of challenges to you think the veterinary profession faces?
MC: The biggest challenge in my opinion is the huge amount of veterinary student debt compared to the lower incomes that we face post graduation compared to the human medical field. As a specialist with at least four additional years of "schooling", during my internship and residency, I had to use the forbearance option as I could not afford loan payments and could barely afford rent. It would be great if interest was not accrued during additional schooling but that is not the case so loan amounts continue to increase during that time.
II: Do you have any advice for students interested in pursuing veterinary ophthalmology?
MC: Work hard to make the best grades you can and diversify yourself with experiences in academia, leadership and veterinary-related areas so that you are a competitive applicant for the limited number of residency positions.
II: What kind of hobbies do you do outside of work?
MC: Hobbies, what's that? After high school I spent the next 14 years intensely studying, in 2013 I passed the veterinary ophthalmology board examinations and realized that I really didn't have any hobbies since studying was my "hobby" for so long. Since then, I have time to enjoy being outside, playing with my dog and cats, swimming and cycling and am lucky to have the opportunity to bike to and from work most days.
II: Do you have a dream species that you would like to work with?
MC: I honestly can't think of a "dream" species to work on because given my specialty and interest/background in exotics, I have had the opportunity to work on so many species: the smallest being sea horses and the largest being elephants. I find that species diversity at work truly keeps me challenged and happy.
II: What advice can you offer to veterinary students that you wish you had as student?
MC: Don’t get discouraged, vet school is hard and you are surrounded by equally brilliant minds. Do whatever you can to make the best grades possible, I even got help from a tutor as a first year student when I was struggling with Anatomy, particularly if you are possibly wanting to specialize. But remember, it's not all about grades, experiences and leadership roles help too.
II: How would you like to see technology affect vet med?
MC: I would like accurate veterinary literature, supported by research and evidence-based medicine, to be the primary search resources for clients, rather than "Dr. Google". On our website (animaleyegroup.com), we provide educational handouts for many veterinary ophthalmic diseases and I encourage other clinics to do the same.
II: Anything other words of advice about your specialty?
MC: I love my job and wouldn't want to do anything else. The internship and residencies were exhausting and at times frustrating but the means to the end was totally worth it for me and I am so happy to be a veterinary ophthalmologist.
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