Ryan Hospital staff veterinarians on life in emergency services and critical care
Veterinarians at Penn’s School of Veterinary Medicine share the benefits that a teaching hospital has on animals, students, and pet owners alike.
Penn Vet’s Emergency Service and Critical Care Unit at Ryan Veterinary Hospital provides lifesaving care to extremely ill small animals. The service is open 24/7 and attracts clients and veterinary referrals from across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and other states outside the region.
Charles Garneau-So and Catalina Montealegre perform an ultrasound on a cat during the evening shift.
(Image: Courtesy of Bellwether Magazine)
The hospital’s faculty and staff are experts in trauma, shock, and other emergencies. They are also a collaborative group working closely to help highly vulnerable animals survive with the best possible outcomes.
Staff veterinarians Catalina Montealegre and Charles Garneau-So are core to the team. They share what it’s like working on the front lines of emergency veterinary medicine, the types of emergencies they encounter, and how they collaborate with the broader Penn Vet team to provide the best care available.
Garneau-So and Montealegre share how working at a teaching hospital differs than a private hospital. “The most significant difference is the access to an entire team of specialists—surgeons, radiologists, oncologists, and nurses are all available to consult on cases,” says Garneau-So. “And, it’s a unique way to practice with the latest knowledge and research about prevention and care. In private practice, you rely heavily on your own knowledge and continuing education courses. At Penn Vet, we constantly learn from each other and the cases we see.”
“Students bring new energy and perspectives, which keeps us all engaged,” says Montealegre. “They’re eager to learn and contribute, making day-to-day work more interesting. Beyond that, there’s a profound satisfaction in helping them grow into competent, compassionate veterinarians.”
“I want students to understand how much veterinary medicine is about people, not just animals,” adds Garneau-So. “In any type of clinical practice, the clients—the humans who love their animals—are an important part of every case, and we need to be skilled listeners and compassionate clinicians.”
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