Dr. Sara Ritzie has now completed the very first residency in Community Medicine through the Kim and Stu Lang Community Healthcare Partnership Program. In veterinary practice, community medicine is a modern holistic approach that prioritizes underserved communities by offering low-cost options and preventative care.
Ritzie’s transition back to OVC reflects a calculated pivot; she enrolled in the program while balancing a full-time industry role to pursue research she was passionate about, eventually moving into her current clinical focus. Ritzie’s research during her time as a Doctor of Veterinary Science (DVSc) student with the Department of Clinical Studies focused on the overlap between barriers to accessing veterinary care, veterinary mental health and wellbeing and spectrum of care as a potential solution. Her leading-edge findings will help to redefine the future of veterinary medicine, that ensures better outcomes for pets and their families as well as veterinary professionals.
After graduating from OVC’s Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program in 2007 Ritzie entered a career in veterinary industry, working for Royal Canin. Throughout her time with Royal Canin, she found herself drawn to volunteer positions in clinical practice. She cites her volunteer work to be a significant driver of her decision to revisit her education and pursue the DVSc program with OVC. “It wasn’t originally my intention to go back to school at this point in my career, but I found out about the program during a time when I was looking for a change and to learn something new,” shares Ritzie.
Ritzie’s experience of the DVSc program is unique, due to her participation in the Community Healthcare Partnership Program (CHPP), completing the very first residency in Community Medicine. Throughout her residency, Ritzie travelled across Ontario to provide much needed veterinary services and training to underserved communities. “It was a privilege to go back and experience school from a different perspective – this time it was so much more about the journey, rather than just the destination,” says Ritzie. “While many veterinary residencies are about following a proven roadmap to specialization, mine was about navigating uncharted territory,” she adds.
Ritzie completed her DVSc under advisor Dr. Shane Bateman, a professor with OVC’s Department of Clinical Studies. His research focuses on community-engaged care and animal welfare. He is one of a small handful of trained forensic veterinarians in Canada and is a passionate advocate for abused and mistreated animals.
Bateman notes about his time working with Ritzie, “Throughout her program, Sara has brought energy, determination, and a strong sense of purpose to her research,” says Bateman. “Her ability to draw on her varied professional experiences has added valuable depth to her work” he adds.
Outside of the DVSc program, Ritzie spent time nurturing her love of exercise, the outdoors, her partner and her four pets. Just last summer she ran her first ultramarathon and managed to balance her training with the demands of the DVSc program. Ritzie’s love of the outdoors and running was an outlet for her to better manage her stress as a student allowing her to excel at both parts of her life.
In the future, Ritzie says she dreams of opening her own veterinary practice where she can implement her research findings and hopes to provide treatment options that take into consideration the well-being of the animal, and the humans that love them.
