Andrea (Andie) Erickson
Surgical Oncology Fellow
From the age of five, I knew I wanted to be a veterinarian. My parents didn’t initially put much stock in my declaration but as my passion for animals grew, so did my commitment to the career path of caring for them.
I grew up in the beautiful seaside town of Kailua, Hawaii. We always had golden retrievers in the home. They were the best family dogs and beach companions and they taught me just how powerful the human-animal bond can be.
With my sights set on a career in veterinary medicine, I came to Colorado State University for my undergraduate studies. I stayed in Fort Collins to attend CSU’s veterinary school. In my third and fourth years of vet school, I rotated through the Flint Animal Cancer Center. It was then that I knew oncology would be a part of my future career path.
Following vet school, I completed a one-year rotating internship at Wheat Ridge Animal Hospital, a one-year surgical internship at the University of Florida, and then a three-year small animal surgical residency at Ohio State University. I am now an oncology surgical fellow at the Flint Animal Cancer Center. I am ecstatic to be back in Fort Collins, doing what I love.
As a surgical fellow, the best part of my job is providing pet owners with options. Almost everyone has a cancer story. When owners come to the FACC, they find out that we have so much to offer. Decisions on type and treatment choices are different for everyone but having options and the support of a multi-disciplinary compassionate cancer team makes all the difference. I love being able to perform surgeries that give people more time with their animals.
When I’m not working, I love exploring Colorado with my husband, Zak. We love anything outdoors whether it is skiing, snowboarding, hiking 14ers, camping, or spending time at breweries with friends. Odell’s is our favorite. We currently have one cat, a perfect calico princess named Mele.
When I finish this one-year training program, I hope to stay in academia, to help provide cutting-edge oncology care to patients, and take part in training future residents and veterinarians to give back to a profession that has given so much to me.