Dr. Jacob Siewert

Dr. Jacob Siewert with cat

Dr. Jacob Siewert, D.V.M.
Medical Oncology Resident
Robert Knight Scholar in Medical Oncology

I was born in a suburb of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and have always been an animal lover. I spent my childhood convincing my parents that we needed additional pets around the house including dogs, chickens, and a turtle. At the beginning of high school, I started working as kennel staff at a local veterinary clinic and quickly fell in love with veterinary medicine.

When I was in grade school, my mom was unfortunately diagnosed with breast cancer. She underwent a combination of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy and achieved remission. While completing my undergraduate degree at the University of Wisconsin, my mom was diagnosed with a different form of breast cancer. Once again, she had surgery and a year of chemotherapy. As an adult, I was struck by the significant connection my mom’s oncologist had with our family throughout her treatment.

Thankfully my mom went into remission again, and I immersed myself in research at the University of Wisconsin in preparation for veterinary school. I was fortunate to be admitted to the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine to pursue my dream of becoming a veterinarian.

Unfortunately, at the start of my studies, my mom was diagnosed with stage IV metastatic breast cancer. Throughout the first two years of classes, my mom’s disease progressed, and the relationship her oncologist developed with our family evolved as she underwent palliative therapy. I was struck by how instrumental the oncologist was throughout the treatment process for not only the patient but also the entire family. During this time, I began exploring veterinary oncology, and I quickly saw evident parallels to my experiences with human oncology. From the time cancer is diagnosed, until the end of treatment, the veterinary oncologist has the opportunity to bond with both patient and client on an intimate level. These relationships develop as a result of effective and honest client communication, and this is one of my favorite aspects of working as a veterinarian.

My mom lost her battle with cancer at the end of my second year of veterinary school, which further strengthened my desire to pursue a career in comparative oncology.

After graduation from UW, I started a small animal rotating internship at Wheat Ridge Animal Hospital in Denver, CO. During this time, I was fortunate to visit the Flint Animal Cancer Center and was so impressed by the teamwork and sense of family amongst the students, technicians, and doctors.
I am so thankful and excited to continue my education at CSU and have the privilege of helping patients and clients, similar to how my mom’s oncologist guided my family.

When I’m not in the hospital, I enjoy spending time with my wife, my Boston Terrier, Phoebe, and two cats, Emerson and Watson. One of my favorite activities is running marathons, and I’m excited to explore the trails around Fort Collins!

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