What Christine Parker-Graham, DVM, CertAqV, DACZM enjoys most about the field of veterinary medicine is the “unending potential that a DVM affords you.”

Parker-Graham is a graduate of the University of California Davis School of Veterinary Medicine and completed a zoo, wildlife, and exotic medicine internship at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2017. Currently based in Washington State, she serves as a veterinary medical officer with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). There, she provides veterinary care and oversight to federal and tribal fish hatcheries participating in conservation and restoration programs throughout Washington, Idaho, California, and Nevada.

She has always been fascinated with the ocean and wildlife, describing herself as a “typical ‘90s dolphin girl.” She developed an interest in biology and conservation during high school, and as she learned more about veterinary medicine, she became determined to pursue a career as an aquatic and wildlife veterinarian.

After graduating from veterinary school, Parker-Graham completed a one-year small animal rotating internship, which she said was crucial for improving her clinical skills and building case management experience. She then worked as an exotics veterinarian for a year before transitioning to Cornell for the zoo, wildlife, and exotics internship.

“My internship at Cornell allowed me to build on the skills I'd acquired since graduation and focus them on what I was most interested in: wildlife,” Parker-Graham explained. From there, she further honed her interest in aquatic wildlife by completing a one-year aquatic animal health fellowship at UC Davis. Following her fellowship, she worked as an associate veterinarian at the National Aquarium in Baltimore for almost a year before finding her dream position with the USFWS.

In 2021, Parker-Graham became a diplomate of the American College of Zoological Medicine with an emphasis on wildlife population health. In her current role with the USFWS, in addition to working with fish hatcheries, Parker-Graham provides veterinary expertise to conservation programs operated by the USFWS, which include work on seabirds, sea turtles, beavers, hoofstock, reptiles, and amphibians. “A combination of population health and individual patient care experience has allowed me to practice various forms of medicine and stay up to date on multiple aspects of the aquatic medicine field,” Parker-Graham explained.

Parker-Graham also performs relief work with Sealife Response, Rehabilitation, and Release (SR3) and the National Marine Mammal Foundation, focusing on the rehabilitation and permanent care of cetaceans, pinnipeds, and sea turtles. “There is almost nothing in the conservation field that a DVM education doesn't prepare you for,” she said.

Parker-Graham believes veterinarians have a unique strength: the ability to combine technical knowledge of medicine with genuine compassion, making them powerful advocates for the species in their care. “We're trained to think on our feet and remain flexible and innovative in our approach to cases, which is critical for field work,” she said. “This well-roundedness gives us the opportunity to ‘flex’ all the different muscles we develop in school and training: medicine, surgery, anesthesia, pathology, client communication, regulation, advocacy, welfare, and beyond in our everyday work life.”

Parker-Graham also attributed her training at Cornell to helping her develop both the technical skills and the communication skills that she uses daily in her career. “Not only did I receive world-class clinical training in zoo, exotic, and wildlife medicine during my internship, but I also developed case management, teaching, and communication skills that I wouldn't have had the opportunity to learn elsewhere,” she said.

“There's no ‘right’ way to become a wildlife vet. If you ask ten of us how we got here, you'll get eleven different pathway stories.”

She also highlighted an overlooked aspect of veterinary medical training: the importance of having a strong sense of community. Parker-Graham spoke about how the professional relationships she formed at Cornell have had a lasting, positive impact on her career and life. “These women have been such an incredible force of positivity, support, and community in my career. We've seen each other through training programs, job searches, boards preparation (and passing!), and the ups and downs of maturing as clinicians,” Parker-Graham said.

The relationships that veterinarians form with each other during training can last long after the program ends. “It's so important to know that even after finishing your training and striking out in a career, you're never truly alone. The friendships that you build in school and training become foundational to your practice and day-to-day work.” Parker-Graham also discussed how these friendships elevate the level of care she can provide to her patients: “We're still constantly pushing each other to increase our standard of practice and incorporate new findings and techniques.”

When asked what advice she would give to aspiring veterinary students hoping to work in wildlife conservation, Parker-Graham said she encourages students to stay excited, flexible, and creative in their job search. “Your chances of finding a position increase if you are willing to relocate. And don't be afraid to apply for biologist or resource manager positions and use your cover letter to explain why you think that a veterinarian would be a good or better fit for the position,” she advised.

Parker-Graham also emphasized that setbacks happen to everyone, but since there are multiple paths to becoming a wildlife veterinarian, one can still find success and fulfillment in the field, even if one’s journey looks different from others’. “Don’t let rejections slow you down or dull your enthusiasm—these are completely normal parts of your journey in conservation medicine and are not necessarily reflective of you as a candidate,” Parker-Graham said. “There's no ‘right’ way to become a wildlife vet. If you ask ten of us how we got here, you'll get eleven different pathway stories.”

Written by Victoria Priester, DVM '25

Photos provided by Christine Parker-Graham.