Dr. Callie Neilson Associate Doctor | Heart + Paw Fells Point

As a child, Dr. Neilson would say that when she grew up she wanted to be a cat. Her road to veterinary medicine was clear. A true native San Diegan, Dr. Neilson spent most of her free time in her younger years either at the San Diego Zoo’s Safari Park or on a volleyball court.

 

She played volleyball for Amherst College and then earned her Masters of Science at Tufts University in Conservation Medicine. Going to school in Massachusetts apparently wasn’t far enough East for her because she then moved across the pond for veterinary school.

 

Dr. Neilson attended the University of Edinburgh – Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Medicine and graduated in 2019 with a BVMS (BVMS is the same as the U.S.’s DVM. just like colour is the same as color and faecal is fecal. Both of which Dr. Neilson spells the British way just to confuse the techs.) For her final year thesis, she participated as a student researcher for the Scottish Wildcat Action Plan, a conservation organization working to protect the remaining population of Scottish Wildcats.

 

Though her passion for the big exotic animals of the Safari Park and conservation remains strong, it was the sweet smiles of small animals that beckoned her into the clinical setting. After working in Arizona and California, Dr. Neilson is thrilled to return to the East Coast and experience actual seasons again.

 

Dr. Neilson has 2 cats, Matt and Jack. Matt’s favorite activities include eating everything all the time and resting his full weight on your bladder. Jack has a classic oldest child attitude and he is as orange as the Halloween pumpkin he was found behind as a stray kitten.

 

In her free time, Dr. Neilson enjoys volleyball, cosplaying, and losing at board games. She is excited to make Baltimore her new home!