VMCVM Faculty Spotlight: Elaine Claffey DVM '14
Elaine Claffey DVM '14
Assistant Clinical Professor, Large Animal Surgery
When did you join the veterinary college?
2021 part time, 2023 full time faculty
The best part of being a faculty is?
Working with a great team of experts in different fields and continually learning new things myself.
Best advice I've gotten...
A good meal, a good night's sleep, and some time in the outdoors usually gives you some good perspective when life seems challenging.
How would you capture the essence of your work in a newspaper headline?
Large animal surgeons work diligently to keep surprisingly fragile animals healthy.
My hidden talent...
Hm. I am not sure I have one though I do love baking especially making special birthday cakes for people I love.
Words of encouragement to a current veterinary college student...
You are much more skilled and capable than you often think you are!
A person who has inspired me...
My mentors during my residency. They were unfailingly kind, world-renowned experts in their fields but somehow remained down-to-earth, practical and fun people. I hope one day to emulate that to my trainees.
One misconception that all students seem to have is?
You can only be an equine vet if you grew up as a 'horse person'. Absolutely not true at all! I spend my professional life encouraging everyone to consider large animal practice.
If I had a superpower, it would be...
Hm. Maybe a little time turner device so that I could have more than 24 hours in a day?
This excites me the most about the future of my industry...
The skilled, enthusiastic new practitioners entering the field, and the growing support for making equine practice sustainable for all.
A cause I'm most passionate about...
Mentorship and it's many forms in our professional lives. Good mentors can change lives for the better.
Favorite way to end the day...
Rocking my kiddos to sleep. Though a glass of wine on the front porch after they are actually asleep is a very close second!
Top of my bucket list...
Kayaking the Haidi Gwaii in British Columbia
My favorite quote...
Safety third! A surgeon mentor used to tell me that. It's a tongue-in-cheek reminder to be brave!
How many pets/animals live at home? Can you tell us about them?
We have one older cat, but in the last six months have obtained four chickens, one kitten (named "Clifford the Big Red Dog" by our youngest child!) and an Australian Shepherd puppy (named "Hazel" by the adults in the family!). Rounding out the mix is a 5 year old Thoroughbred. It's wild around here but we love it!
