Dr. Michelle Moyal on learning to be fearless

Dr. Michelle Moyal has been helping pets since she became a veterinarian in 2007, but now she is helping pets and their owners in a new way—through guiding the hands of the next generation. Dr. Moyal is now an assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Clinical Sciences, as well as the Chief of the Primary Care Surgery Service at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine.

She joined the faculty in 2020, and is proud to rejoin the halls of the University that she originally graduated from. Her goals are to help coach and guide veterinary students, with an aim to helping veterinary medicine improve its diversity.

As a first generation American herself, she knows the unique hardships of entering the veterinary medicine as a person of color faces. Her mother learned how to speak English through watching children’s cartoons and shared with her daughter what real determination looked like.

Today, Dr. Moyal is passing that on in a variety of different ways. She shows new students how to stay calm and evaluate situations during surgery, helping them to avoid mistakes through giving themselves time to review a situation.

Although Dr. Moyal is a huge part of the veterinary community, that’s not her only side. She’s also a fun loving person outside of work, and takes work/life balance seriously. Dr. Moyal enjoys Olympic weightlifting and functional fitness. She also moonlighted as Dr. Turmoyal, a roller derby player with San Diego Derby United. These are just a few of her many sides, and proves that you can be a vet and still have some time to have fun.

If she had to switch careers, she would become a wedding planner! The same critical thinking skills that veterinary medicine requires, as well as responding well to pressure, could be just as useful helping brides with their perfect day.

Dr. Moyal cares deeply about the veterinary community, and like most who work in the field believe that mental health is one of the most pressing problems veterinary medicine faces. This is especially the case after the pandemic. 

There is now a huge demand for pet care, and vets are feeling the pressure to skip out on family time, and even things like lunch and dinner, to try and fill that demand. While this is well meant in order to help as many pets as possible, it can have detrimental side effects on the person giving up on life to help others.

Burnout is a serious issue, and one that can stop veterinarians and their team from helping pets entirely. A work life balance is critical to maintain not only for mental health, but to be in the best frame of mind to help others.

Dr. Moyal, like so many other vets, is working to help tame this unfriendly dynamic by coaching new vet students on all the important things in medicine—including how to take a break. Her goal is to help shape a new and better veterinary community. One filled with diversity, openness to change, and inclusivity.

Want more Dr. Moyal? Check out her podcast appearance on Vet Candy IRL by clicking on the link below”

Vet Candy IRL with Dr. Michelle Moyal