Ethos Veterinary Health Surgeon Named American College of Veterinary Surgeons Fellow in Oncology
September 7, 2022
WOBURN, MA – September, 2022: Ethos Veterinary Health is proud to announce that Chris Thomson, DVM, DACVS-SA, a valued surgeon at Ethos’ Veterinary Specialty Hospital in North County, San Marcos, California, was recently accepted as an American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS) Fellow in Oncology. This admirable distinction is awarded to individuals who achieve ACVS Diplomate status and continue to advance their expertise in the oncology field. Dr. Thomson was selected for the fellowship at the Animal Cancer Center at Colorado State University, the world’s longest-standing training program for veterinary surgical oncology. Only about 26 veterinarians hold this accreditation.
Achieving ACVS Diplomate status is no easy task. After graduating from veterinary school, a veterinarian must complete a one-year general internship and a three- to four-year residency in veterinary surgery, and then pass a rigorous, comprehensive examination. After this lengthy process, a qualified ACVS Diplomate must complete a one-year training program to become an ACVS Fellow in Surgical Oncology. The extensive training centers on clinical training (i.e., diagnostic workup, patient evaluation and care), surgical training, and postoperative care, as well as clinical research and publication, presentation requirements, and competency assessments in all aspects of cancer care, including cancer biology, surgical oncology, chemotherapy, and radiation oncology. Veterinarians who successfully complete the advanced training gain expertise in interacting with other surgeons, related non-surgical experts, and pet owners, and are established in a leadership role in all aspects of surgical oncology.
“Being an ACVS Fellow in Surgical Oncology allows me to focus on comprehensive care for pets with cancer. The training creates a better understanding of the entire disease spectrum, which allows for more appropriate and tailored testing of patients, discussion on all care aspects, such as chemotherapy, radiation, and palliative treatments, for patients with cancer, and allows for more specialized treatment for complex cases,” Dr. Thomson said.
Dr. Thomson has a particular passion for bone and urogenital cancers, and he is especially driven to minimize pain and complications related to surgery while maximizing patient outcomes. His training to achieve ACVS Fellow in Surgical Oncology status allows him to pursue these passions and ensures he will be able to provide the best possible care for his patients.
Now a recognized expert in veterinary surgical oncology, Dr. Thompson also actively participates with Ethos Discovery’s clinical research team, which is focused on minimally invasive treatments for conditions such as osteosarcoma and urogenital cancer.
“The fellow status is part of my goal of providing the highest standard of care for our patients, allowing a more tailored and advanced treatment option for pets,” Dr. Thomson said.
Ethos Veterinary Health strives to ensure our pet patients receive the highest quality care in every situation, and the exceptional veterinarians, such as Dr. Thomson, on our team, help us provide diagnostics and treatment at an advanced level, so our patients receive the care they deserve.