Dr. Jo Anne Au Yong
Surgical Oncology Fellow
I was born and raised in Malaysia, and we had a family dog for as long as I can remember. When I was 9 years old, we brought our first dachshund into our family, one of my favorite dog breeds.
I was very young when I decided on a career in veterinary medicine. I started volunteering at an animal shelter, where my jobs included bathing the shelter dogs, feeding, and removing ticks (a common problem in a tropical country). That experience taught me that I wanted to help animals feel better, even if it meant getting down and dirty.
In 2010, I left home to pursue a degree in veterinary medicine at Massey University, New Zealand. I immersed myself in the kiwi culture, traditions and experienced the beauty of New Zealand. Following graduation, I completed a rotating internship in small animal medicine and surgery at Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Canada. This program helped me develop my clinical skills to prepare me for future training. As a bonus, I witnessed the gorgeous Northern Lights (three times!) during my year living in Saskatchewan.
My next move was to the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Florida, where I was a research associate, working under the supervision of the small animal surgeons at the veterinary teaching hospital. After a year, I matched to a residency in small animal surgery at Colorado State University in 2017 and completed my training and a master’s degree in July 2021.
During my residency, I had the opportunity to rotate through the oncology section. I have always been amazed by the multi-modal approach to a case and having access to different opinions within the same room. The Flint Animal Cancer Center is also renowned for ground-breaking research to improve a patient’s quality of life. In addition, patients can enroll in clinical trials to further contribute to the pre-existing body of knowledge. These opportunities will help me enhance my skill set to provide an advanced level of care for my future patients. Incidentally, my residency advisors completed the fellowship, and they were part of my inspiration to join the FACC.
When I’m not at the hospital, I enjoy waking up at odd hours in the morning and driving to trailheads to start hiking to avoid the crowds and traffic. In addition, I like eating and looking for new places to eat. As a result, I spend time at the gym to sustain my eating habits!
I share my home with a pint-sized pup called Tyson, who was part of CSU’s Saving Animals in Shelters Teaching (SAST) program. I first met Tyson when he presented to the veterinary teaching hospital for surgery. After surgery, he was put up for adoption. Thankfully our application to adopt him was granted, and he has been by my side for almost one year now, and he is quite the character.