SCOTTISH VET REFERRALS - Key Persons
Craig Devine has many years of experience in cardiorespiratory medicine of all animals, from horses to gorillas! He has worked in academia and in private practice, lectured extensively, and is now enthusiastic about working with Scottish Vet Referrals to bring advanced small animal cardiorespiratory diagnostics and treatments to the north of Scotland.
Job Titles:
- Admin
- Veterinary Surgeon and Acupuncture Practitioner
Dominique has always had a passion for working with animals. Growing up in South Africa she has had many experiences in both wildlife and mixed veterinary practice. Her passion and career progressed when she completed her veterinary degree at the University of Life Sciences, SGGW, Warsaw, Poland in 2014 and has since worked in Scotland as a small animal veterinarian.
Over the last 7 years, Dominique has successfully managed an array of conditions through the use of acupuncture.
Dominique has continued to pursue a passion in dermatology and has completed the theory modules of her post graduate certificate. She is due to sit her examination in May 2022. She will be working up dermatology cases at Scottish Vet Referrals and gathering suitable cases for her case reports.
Emma graduated from Harper Adam's University in 2018, with an honours degree in Veterinary Nursing and Practice Management. Prior to joining SVR in February 2022, she worked in a busy small animal practice in Inverness. Emma enjoys all aspects of the job and has a particular interest in anaesthesia. Outside of work she enjoys running, snow sports and spending time with her dogs.
Jade attended North Highland College where she qualified as nurse in April 2019. She gained experience in a busy small animal practice before joining the SVR team July 2021. Jade enjoys seeing the variety of different cases that come in and facing new challenges. Her areas of interests are radiography and wound management. In her spare time, she loves spending time with her Schnauzer Millie.
Karen is born and bred in Inverness and has always loved animals especially horses! She qualified from Edinburgh's Telford College in 2002 and has worked in small animal practices in Inverness ever since. Her new chapter in her career started at SVR in September 2020, and she enjoys all aspects of veterinary nursing. When not at work she loves nothing more than spending quality time with her family, friends and Fox Red Labrador Izzy!
Kate graduated from Edinburgh Napier University in 2019 with an Honours degree in Veterinary Nursing. She then spent some time working in a busy mixed animal practice before joining SVR in November 2020. Kate works alongside Simon, delivering chemotherapy to patients and supporting patients through their treatment. She is also interested in feline medicine and is responsible for keeping us a cat friendly practice.
Kirsten was born and brought up in Inverness. After graduating with honours from Glasgow Vet School in 2006, she worked in mixed animal veterinary practices in the southwest of Scotland and Ross-shire before returning to Inverness in 2011 to work in small animal practice. She gained her postgraduate qualification in ophthalmology in 2013 and joined Tony running the referral service in 2015.
Lucy was born and brought up on the Black Isle. She is responsible for HR, Health & Safety and insurance claims within the practice. Lucy joined the team in January 2021 after working in the Telecoms industry since leaving school. She enjoys meeting and interacting with the pets and their owners.
Marcel qualified as a veterinary surgeon from The University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Kosice (Slovak Republic) in 2004. Following his graduation he obtained a PhD in the field of allergology, pharmacology and immunology. After his PhD (2007), he joined a small animal practice in the UK. In 2008, he began a three year Residency programme in Veterinary Dermatology approved by the European College of Veterinary Dermatology at The University of Edinburgh which he completed in August 2011.
During his three year Residency he was involved in a number of clinical research and review studies which, so far have resulted in 20 papers published during his residency in peer-reviewed veterinary journals. In addition, he published original abstracts, the result of Free Communications presented during ESVD - ECVD and WAVD international meetings. Dr. Kovalik is a coauthor of the first edition Veterinary Computed Tomography, (Wiley-Blackwell, 2011). He is also a medical and scientific illustrator (see the publication list here).
During his residency, in 2010, he was presented with the Young Investigator's prize for the best research abstract presented at the European Society of Veterinary Dermatology - European College of Veterinary Dermatology's Annual Congress Prize. Additionally, in 2011, he was awarded the Ulrike Runge Harms Award of the European Society of Veterinary Dermatology for the best paper, project report, free communication or poster published/presented during the course of any ECVD Residency programme, for his paper on ciclosporin's effects on glucose homeostasis in dogs with atopic dermatitis.
He was board-certified by European College of Veterinary Dermatology in 2012. He is a board member of the European College of Veterinary Dermatology, member of the European Society of Veterinary Dermatology and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. In 2012 he moved to Slovakia and created one of the first, purpose-built specialist veterinary hospitals in Slovakia. Since 2012 Dr. Kovalik has been consulting on regular basis one week monthly in UK and lecturing on the subject at international and national or local meetings. He is president of Slovakian Dermatology Study Group.
Marija is originally from Latvia and qualified from Warsaw University in 2019. Since then, she has worked in a busy first opinion practice in Peterhead as well as covering out of hours shifts for an emergency hospital. She also completed an internship at a referral practice in Aberdeen.
Marija joined Scottish Vet Referrals in May 2022 and is completing a surgical certificate under the supervision of Scott Rigg.
Job Titles:
- Admin
- Veterinary Receptionist
Megan was born and raised in Inverness. She has been working in the retail and IT industries since leaving school in 2008, but has been interested in pursuing a veterinary career for many years. A lifelong animal lover and caregiver, she enjoys spending quality time with her dog Cherry, and cats Jess and Jasper.
Olivia is originally from Wales. After graduating with distinction from the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies in 2017, she spent the first few years in a busy first opinion veterinary hospital in Yorkshire. It was during this time her interest in Ophthalmology developed, so she embarked on a Postgraduate qualification in Ophthalmology in May 2019.
Olivia moved to Scottish Vet Referrals in February 2020 to work alongside the Ophthalmology team, further developing her skills. She completed her Postgraduate qualification in March 2022.
Rachel was born in Inverness, and attended North Highland College, Thurso where she graduated with a level 3 diploma in Veterinary Nursing in February 2015. Rachel carried out her training in 2010 in a busy mixed animal practice in Ross-shire. She returned to Inverness in 2019 to pursue a career in small animal practice, in particular ophthalmology, cardiology and oncology. Rachel continues to enjoy the job that she does and is looking forward to new challenges.
Job Titles:
- Admin
- Internal Medicine and Oncology Clinician
Simon qualified from the University of Glasgow School of Veterinary Medicine in 2002 and has since worked almost exclusively in small animal practice. He achieved the RCVS Certificate in Small Animal Medicine in 2011 and developed a specific interest in ultrasonography and medical oncology over the following years.
He gained accreditation as an Advanced Practitioner in Small Animal Medicine in March 2015 and headed up the internal medicine and oncology services at Aberdeen Veterinary Referrals. In 2016 he launched his own business, Oncology Referrals Limited providing an internal medicine and oncology service to referral practices in the north of Scotland.
Tony qualified from Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, Edinburgh. After a couple of years in Africa and Suffolk he worked in mixed practice in Rogart, Sutherland, for 25 years. During this time he completed his ophthalmology certificate and was admitted as a member of the BVA/KC/ISDS Eye panel for examining dogs for hereditary disease prior to breeding.
In 1995, Tony founded the Fish Vet Group, now a multinational company involved in aquaculture. Tony's main interest during this time was cataracts in farmed salmon, for which he was awarded an MSc by research from Stirling University.
He has offered an eye referral service for many years, via local vet practices. To improve the service and especially the operating procedures, Kirsten and Tony built a new dedicated ophthalmology practice on the Inverness campus in December 2016.