“What is a Board Certified Veterinary Specialist?”

After obtaining an undergraduate degree and completing a four-year veterinary school program to become a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM), a specialist candidate must complete a one-year clinical internship, followed by three to four years of additional training in his/her specialty within an accredited residency program. Specialists candidates must then pass a rigorous National Board examination in order to receive final board certification in their specialty.

About Our Specialists:

	Internal Medicine: Laura J. Smallwood, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM is our founder and Medical Director. She obtained her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Kansas State University in 1984, followed by a small animal medicine internship at Santa Cruz Veterinary Hospital in Santa Cruz, CA. Dr. Smallwood completed her small animal internal medicine residency program at the University of Georgia School of Veterinary Medicine in 1989. She was a general veterinary practitioner for a three year period between her internship and residency training. Dr. Smallwood has practiced specialty veterinary medicine in Atlanta since 1990.
	Internal Medicine: Katie Belz, DVM. Dr. Belz obtained her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine, graduating Summa Cum Laude in 2007 from the Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine. Next, she completed an internship in Small Animal Medicine at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Belz then completed her residency in Small Animal Internal Medicine at Virginia Tech College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Belz sucessfully passed her ACVIM Board examination in June, 2011, and will receive her Diplomate status when she completes her Masters degree at the end of 2011.
	Surgery: Jenifer Newton, DVM, Dipl. ACVS, MS is the companion animal surgeon at Saint Francis Veterinary Specialists. Dr. Newton obtained her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Georgia School of Veterinary Medicine in 1992, and also completed her small animal surgery internship there. She completed her small animal surgery residency program and obtained her Master of Science Degree at The Ohio State University in 1996. Dr. Newton has practiced specialty veterinary surgery in Atlanta since 1996.
	Radiology: Tasha M. Axam, DVM, Dipl. ACVR is our radiologist. She received her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from the Tuskegee University School of Veterinary Medicine in 2004. She completed a small animal surgery and medicine internship at the Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine in 2005, and completed her residency in diagnostic imaging at the University of Georgia School of Veterinary Medicine in 2008.