Dr. Maureen Griffin
Surgical Oncology Fellow
Growing up in St. Louis, Missouri, companion animals were an important part of my life. My grandfather grew up with Kerry Blue Terriers in Ireland, and my dad became an advocate for the breed in the U.S., such that our house was always full. I developed a strong interest in raising and caring for our pets, and I enjoyed going to their veterinary appointments with my dad. I experienced the great joy that comes with caring for a pet that becomes a family member, and I also experienced the heartache of losing a beloved family pet, with one of my childhood dogs euthanized due to cancer and decreased quality of life. I knew from a very early age that I wanted to devote my career to caring for companion animals and providing support to their families. I set my sights on veterinary medicine.
After finishing my undergraduate degree at Amherst College, I completed my D.V.M. at the University of California Davis. I developed a strong interest in small animal surgery during my vet school career, and I spent the following year in a small animal rotating internship at the University of Pennsylvania and then returned to UC Davis for a residency in small animal surgery. During my residency, I found the surgical oncology cases to be my greatest passion. I loved working with the families of dogs and cats with cancer to help provide the best possible care for their pets, whether the goals were palliative to improve their quality of life or more definitively to cure their disease. I was drawn to the multiple modalities of treatment for cancer patients to optimize their outcomes. Within the field of surgical oncology, I developed an interest in minimally invasive and interventional techniques to enable treatments that were previously deemed not possible and to help lower the risk of certain procedures.
I am honored to join the team at the Flint Animal Cancer Center this year to learn more about not only surgical oncology but also its integration with the other oncologic disciplines to provide optimal care for the many patients I encounter. I am passionate about the integrative approach at the FACC, and I feel that the interdisciplinary nature of the oncology service with regular communication between Medical, Surgical, and Radiation Oncology specialists is essential to providing patients and families with the highest level of care and support. I am excited to devote this year to surgical oncology training to become the best possible surgeon and oncologic clinician I can be.
While I’ve always been passionate about animals and veterinary medicine, I also dedicated much of my life to soccer. I played competitively for many years, including during my time as an undergrad at Amherst. While I no longer have the time to devote to competitive soccer, I still like to be active in my free time. When I’m not at the hospital, I enjoy traveling, hiking, biking, running, and spending time with family, friends, and my fiancé. Over the next year, I look forward to experiencing the many outdoor activities that Fort Collins and Colorado have to offer.