Texas A&M Veterinarian Certified by ABVP in Reptile and Amphibian Practice
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – J. Jill Heatley, DVM, M.S., of the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (CVM) has been certified as a Diplomate by the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (ABVP) specializing in Reptile and Amphibian Practice. Heatley is one of only three veterinarians with this certification in Texas and one of only two veterinarians with the combined certification of Avian, Zoological, and Reptilian and Amphibian medicine in the country.
Heatley mastered a rigorous and demanding application process and certification examination in order to obtain Diplomate status. To qualify to sit for the extensive two-day examination, a veterinarian must complete either a residency program or six years of clinical veterinary practice. In addition, two case reports, references, descriptions of practice procedures, and professional education records must be submitted and pass review. This year’s examination was given on October 29 and 30 in Nashville, Tennessee.“Dr. Heatley is a fantastic asset to our patients of all species. She has the expertise to help birds, reptiles, pocket pets, and exotic and wild animals of all kinds,” said Dr. Sharon Kerwin, interim head of the Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences at the CVM. “Dr. Heatley has an impressive track record in research, a passion for teaching, and is a wonderful example of someone who is a lifelong student of veterinary medicine, constantly improving herself and her ability to care for the animals that are presented to our hospital every day. She is a wonderful role model for our students and we are very proud of her continued accomplishments.”
“I’m so pleased to be able to provide the best in diagnosis and care to reptiles and amphibians right here at Texas A&M University,” Heatley said. “This board certification has been a long-term goal for me.”
Heatley is a graduate of the CVM and Louisiana State University
. She has been a clinical associate professor at Texas A&M since 2006.
The American Board of Veterinary Practitioners was established in 1978. It is one of twenty-one veterinary specialty groups accredited by a special committee of the American Board of Veterinary Specialties, a division of the American Veterinary Medical Association, to recognize excellence in clinical practice through the certification of species-oriented specialists. Over 900 veterinarians worldwide are certified in one of ABVP’s eleven practice categories: Avian, Beef Cattle, Canine and Feline, Dairy, Equine, Exotic Companion Mammal, Feline, Food Animal, Reptile and Amphibian, Shelter Medicine Practice, and Swine Health Management. For more information about ABVP, please visit www.abvp.com.
