California veterinarian chosen as AVMA congressional fellow

We’re looking forward to welcoming Dr. Deborah Thomson of California to our Washington, D.C., office this fall to begin a year of advocacy work on behalf of veterinarians and veterinary teams all across the country.

Dr. Thomson was selected to take part in the highly competitive 2019-2020 AVMA Fellowship Program, which places veterinarians in congressional staff positions to serve as scientific advisors to our nation's policymakers. AVMA fellows play pivotal roles in shaping and influencing legislation on a wide range of issues, bringing important veterinary perspectives into public policy discussions.

During her tenure as an AVMA fellow, Dr. Thomson will spend one year in Washington, D.C. as a full-time staff member for a congressional office or committee. She’ll use her veterinary expertise to provide guidance on policy issues such as food safety, public health, animal welfare, research and small business policies.

Dr. Thomson is an experienced veterinary practitioner who has worked most recently as a small animal relief veterinarian in the San Francisco Bay area. She also has done extensive volunteer work, including:

• Serving as a head veterinarian for the California Veterinary Medical Reserve Corps during the 2018 Camp Fire
• Volunteering as a surgeon for exotic animals at Foothill College Veterinary Technology Program
• Caring for the pets of people experiencing homelessness through VET SOS in San Francisco
• Providing veterinary care to Apache reservations in Arizona through the Rural Area Veterinary Services

She also is committed to educating the public about One Health—the multi-disciplinary collaboration of health professionals to address the interconnected health of animals, people and our shared environment. She has created One Health lesson plans for grade school students in the Bay area and abroad.

Dr. Thomson received her DVM degree and certificate in international veterinary medicine from Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University in 2012. She will interview with congressional offices this September to receive her year-long fellowship assignment.

Congratulations, Dr. Thomson, and thanks in advance for your service!