Cornell University: Veterinary surgeon earns national recognition

Dr. Nicole Buote does not shy away from a challenge. In fact, the associate professor in the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine’s Department of Clinical Sciences, Section of Small Animal Surgery, has actively pursued a demanding career path in minimally invasive surgery (MIS). Her dedication was recently recognized by the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS), which awarded her the title of ACVS Founding Fellow, Minimally Invasive Surgery (Soft Tissue).

With this designation, ACVS – the specialty board that certifies veterinarians in large and small animal surgery – seeks to identify experts who have obtained training and experience in MIS beyond surgery residency training and who in their work and research focus heavily on the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of patients undergoing MIS therapies. Common uses for MIS currently include spays, gastropexy – suturing the stomach to the body wall – and gallbladder removals. Thus far, 18 ACVS diplomates have earned the Founding Fellow title in the small animal soft tissue specialization.