Dr Zikes: I was able to convince my boss and surgical mentor to train me in the art of surgery. I began a surgical residency in private practice in July of 2007. Surgical residencies are usually 3 years in length and most are completed at universities. However, the American College of Veterinary Surgeons does allow surgical residencies to be completed in private practice under the direct supervision of a board certified surgeon (or surgeons).
The requirements for a private practice residency are exactly the same as one competed in a university setting. This meant a gigantic cut in pay, on-call duty for emergency surgeries, and losing my 4 day work week. When I did my medicine residency I was in my 20's. Doing a surgery residency in my 40's was going to be a little more difficult.
I would need to document participation in a minimum of 400 surgeries in the next 3 years. I would spend time doing outside rotations in things like radiology, neurology, pathology, ophthalmology, anesthesia, etc. I would need to publish yet another article in a revered veterinary journal. I would need to give 6 presentations/lectures in 3 years. In the end, I would have to sit for another 2 day board examination. At that end, though, I would be "double boarded" in medicine and surgery and I would be able to manage medicine cases that also needed surgery.
What a nice combination, and I understand there are not too many in the USA with these combined credentials. I had always had a strong interest in surgery and now I was going to get to explore it..... or was I?
Question 5: After starting work on your surgical residency training, you received a life-changing diagnosis. Please tell us a bit about that -- how did this diagnosis change your life, and did it change your career goals?
Dr Zikes: One month after starting my surgery residency I found a lump in my breast. Well, that was going to put a slight glitch in things. That wasn't supposed to happen. I was diagnosed with TNBC - triple negative breast cancer - high grade invasive ductal carcinoma with a truly guarded prognosis. CRAP!
So now I had a new set of "requirements" to complete. I had a bilateral mastectomy followed by 4 months of combination chemotherapy. What was this? I was at the other end of that chemotherapy injection. Suddenly I had a different perspective on cancer and its treatment!
Anyway, I elected to continue with my surgery residency. I am proud to say that I only missed about 1.5 days of work during my chemotherapy and I managed to stay pretty close to on schedule. It became really easy to be sure I didn't have any hair sticking out from under my surgery cap!
Now I pray I stay cancer free and am able to complete my surgery residency and continue to help those dogs and cats that are like family to my clients.
Thank you for this amazingly honest and informative interview, Dr. Zikes DVM DACVIM!
In closing
Our lives have been very busy in the years since vet school. It has been such a joy to reconnect! Needless to say, I was quite stunned to hear about her cancer journey. Of course, I wanted to help, but how?
While she has been working away on her referral practice and boards, I have been writing about veterinary medicine on this site (began training in 1998). I have also learned a thing or two about the Internet, web sites and web-based communication.
When I learned that Cindy was planning to run the Portland Susan G Komen Race for the Cure, I thought I would join her to show my support.
Since then, the ideas have multiplied and been put into action! We created a race team, a web site, and created a video for the Lance Armstrong LiveStrong Challenge in 2008, where we were a top 10 finalist. Yes, we have been busy. Here is a peek at what we have been working on this year:
Ever since vet school, Cindy's nickname has been "Peach," and the Femme Fus site is in celebration of her and her breast cancer recovery. On this site, she details her journey through diagnosis in the Meet the Peach installments. Her story is humorous and heartbreaking at the same time, and definitely a source of education for many people.
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