VMCVM Faculty Spotlight: Carla Phillips Savage
Ayanna Carla N. Phillips Savage
Associate Professor of Practice, Aquatic Animal Medicine
When did you join the veterinary college?
August 1, 2022
The best part of being a faculty is?
Helping students to believe that their dreams are indeed possible!
Best advice I've gotten...
"'They' are not a subject; doh study them". I know ... this requires some explanation! Back in Trinidad, if someone tells you, "Doh study it" (i.e. "Don't study it"), it means "don't worry about it", or "don't think about it", or "forget about it." In my teens or early 20s, someone had made a hurtful comment to me. I shared it with a lovely old lady who was a close friend of our family. Her advice to me was that the person who made that comment was not a subject (like math or biology), and that the only thing I should study was my schoolwork, not people and what "they" say to or about me. I should therefore forget about them. Hence, "'They' are not a subject; doh study them." That bit of advice has always stuck with me!
How would you capture the essence of your work in a newspaper headline?
"Yes, Shrimp Do Go To The Vet!". Back in vet school, I chose to do my final-year project on the prevalence of viral diseases of economically important Penaeid shrimp. Back then, aquatic medicine was not as well-known or as widely supported as a veterinary area of practice as it is today, and at my college it was virtually unknown. At the end of my research presentation, in front of an entire auditorium full of other faculty, students and guests, a very senior professor sarcastically (and rhetorically) asked "Have you ever seen a shrimp going to the vet?" The intent was clear, but a few short years later, I had completed a Ph.D. in Aquatic Animal Health, and the rest is history. Moral of the story: You may be the only one with a certain interest or vision. Pursue it anyway! Now I can boldly answer, "Yes, Shrimp Do Go To The Vet!" Mic drop...
My hidden talent...
Smiling regardless of how I may feel. Trust me ... that's got to be a talent!
Words of encouragement to a current veterinary college student...
You may be the only one with a certain interest or vision. Pursue it anyway! (See story above!)
A person who has inspired me...
Definitely my mom! 100%!
One misconception that all students seem to have is?
That faculty know everything. Experience and time have certainly taught us a lot and have brought with it a certain level of mastery in our various specialties, but we too are still learning (as we all should be), and we are most certainly still fallible!
If I had a superpower, it would be...
To create time...
This excites me the most about the future of my industry...
Veterinary medicine is so incredibly diverse! I am CERTAIN that veterinarians will be working in jobs that aren't even in existence yet!
A cause I'm most passionate about...
Being kind to everyone. In all things, I endeavor to be kind.
Favorite way to end the day...
On the sofa with a bowl of chocolate fudge brownie ice-cream while watching (or typically falling asleep in front of) a movie with the hubby :)
Top of my bucket list...
Own a boat!
My favorite quote...
"Qui plus sait, plus se tait" ― Madeleine L'Engle, A Wrinkle in Time. It translates to “He who knows most, says least.”
How many pets/animals live at home? Can you tell us about them?
None presently, but at one time, I had 6 dogs, a cat and 40+ fish (both food fish and ornamentals). Right now, I do feel like I have lots of "free" pets though! I consider the deer, the bunnies, the birds and all the other amazingly beautiful wildlife that frequent our yard to be my "pets" that come by to say hello every day. I love 'em (except for when they choose to destroy our struggling landscaping!)
Anything else to add?
It still totally weirds me out that ketchup, mustard, and pepper aren't normal pizza condiments in the US! They (and pineapple) are a must on pizzas for me :)
