Nicole Szafranski, DVM
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Nicole Szafranski, DVM, graduate student at the University of Tennessee College of Comparative and Experimental Medicine, is the Zoetis Resident in Veterinary Parasitology. Dr. Szafranski earned her veterinary degree from the University of Tennessee in 2020. She is completing her research and residency training under the direction of Dr. Richard Gerhold, DVM, MS, PhD, Dipl. ACVM and Dr. John Schaefer, DVM, MS, PhD, Dipl. ACVM. As the first NCVP resident at the University of Tennessee, she is excited to help establish the residency program at UT while working on her research focusing on toxoplasmosis in waterfowl.
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Five Questions with Zoetis Resident Dr. Nicole Szafranski
Tell us a little about your background. Where are you from, what are some of the defining experiences of your life?
I was born in northern Virginia and have bounced around a few southeastern states over the years. I completed a B.S. in Zoology with a minor in Business Administration (Entrepreneurship) at North Carolina State University in 2015 before moving to east Tennessee to attend veterinary school at the University of Tennessee. Growing up, I loved being outside and learning about animals. My parents claim my first word was “bug,” but they had no idea I would end up being so passionate about ‘bugs’.
How did you initially become interested in veterinary medicine?
I boldly decided at the ripe old age of three that I was going to be a veterinarian when I grew up. An uncle and a cousin of mine are both vets, and I grew up visiting them over the summers and watching them work on companion and food animals. I never gave up on my childhood dream and throughout my education I fell more in love with the science and art behind the veterinary medicine along with the continued desire to help animals and humans.
How did you become interested in parasitology? When did you know it would be your field?
I truly enjoyed the parasitology course during my first year of vet school. I remember being captivated by the various species, how they interacted with their hosts and the environment, and how on certain occasions they ended up in unexpected species and/or places with sometimes dastardly consequences. My interest was piqued again when I had the opportunity to work on a summer research project focused on haemosporidian parasites of wild turkeys. My fate was sealed during my clinical year when I lovingly became known among my classmates as the “parasite queen” due to my excitement whenever a case had a parasitic etiology.
What focus have you chosen for your residency? Where will your research efforts be targeted?
Zoonotic parasitic diseases are my passion, and my research will focus on Toxoplasma gondiiin North American waterfowl. With so many emerging infectious diseases being zoonotic and so many parasitic diseases yet to be fully understood, there is great opportunity for meaningful discoveries.
What is your plan after your residency? What would you like to accomplish over the course of your career?
Currently, I am open to exploring the many opportunities that this residency will allow. My desire for my career is to make a positive impact on humans and animals, be that through teaching future veterinarians or medical doctors, working in industry to address parasitic diseases, or another avenue is to be determined. I am very excited to see where this path takes me.
I was born in northern Virginia and have bounced around a few southeastern states over the years. I completed a B.S. in Zoology with a minor in Business Administration (Entrepreneurship) at North Carolina State University in 2015 before moving to east Tennessee to attend veterinary school at the University of Tennessee. Growing up, I loved being outside and learning about animals. My parents claim my first word was “bug,” but they had no idea I would end up being so passionate about ‘bugs’.
How did you initially become interested in veterinary medicine?
I boldly decided at the ripe old age of three that I was going to be a veterinarian when I grew up. An uncle and a cousin of mine are both vets, and I grew up visiting them over the summers and watching them work on companion and food animals. I never gave up on my childhood dream and throughout my education I fell more in love with the science and art behind the veterinary medicine along with the continued desire to help animals and humans.
How did you become interested in parasitology? When did you know it would be your field?
I truly enjoyed the parasitology course during my first year of vet school. I remember being captivated by the various species, how they interacted with their hosts and the environment, and how on certain occasions they ended up in unexpected species and/or places with sometimes dastardly consequences. My interest was piqued again when I had the opportunity to work on a summer research project focused on haemosporidian parasites of wild turkeys. My fate was sealed during my clinical year when I lovingly became known among my classmates as the “parasite queen” due to my excitement whenever a case had a parasitic etiology.
What focus have you chosen for your residency? Where will your research efforts be targeted?
Zoonotic parasitic diseases are my passion, and my research will focus on Toxoplasma gondiiin North American waterfowl. With so many emerging infectious diseases being zoonotic and so many parasitic diseases yet to be fully understood, there is great opportunity for meaningful discoveries.
What is your plan after your residency? What would you like to accomplish over the course of your career?
Currently, I am open to exploring the many opportunities that this residency will allow. My desire for my career is to make a positive impact on humans and animals, be that through teaching future veterinarians or medical doctors, working in industry to address parasitic diseases, or another avenue is to be determined. I am very excited to see where this path takes me.