Alexandra Dibrindisi, DVM/MPH24

What inspired you to pursue a DVM/MPH dual degree, and how has your personal journey shaped your career goals?

I was inspired to pursue a veterinary and public health dual degree by my interest in the One Health approach. I wanted to explore how the health of humans connects to the health of animals and vice versa.

How have your experiences at Tufts prepared you for your future career?

Every clinical experience you get as a student directly impacts your preparedness as a graduate. From clinical skills labs to clinical rotations, Tufts provides a wide range of opportunities that are invaluable as we enter life beyond graduation.

Can you share a memorable experience from your time at Tufts that has left a lasting impression on you?

The relationships I've made with classmates, faculty, and staff throughout my time at Tufts will surely have a long-lasting impression on me personally and professionally.

What are your aspirations and goals beyond graduation, both personally and professionally?

One of my goals as a new veterinary and public health professional is to become a valuable resource for the community, I find myself in after graduation. I hope to use my clinical skills to keep my animal patients healthy and my public health skills to educate owners on disease prevalence and prevention.

How do you perceive the intersection of veterinary medicine and public health contributing to addressing global health challenges? Were there specific classes or faculty at Tufts that helped shape this perspective for you?

The course "Food Safety and Security for the Veterinary Professional", which was created and taught by Dr. Meera Gatlin, was integral to understanding the importance of having veterinarians within the food safety sector in this country.

Can you share a specific project or experience from your academic journey that illustrates the integration of veterinary medicine and public health principles, and how it has influenced your perspective on addressing complex health issues?

One of the projects I worked on during my time as a student involved participating in bat population surveys across the state of Massachusetts. Gathering data on these protected and environmentally important species helped illustrate the complex relationship humans have with bats. From the benefits, such as insect control and pollination, to the concerns of zoonotic disease transmission, the first step to helping these species is collecting comprehensive data to make informed decisions.