2025 Veterinary Heroes: Courtney Campbell, DVM, DACVS-SA

As a child growing up in Burlington, Connecticut, Courtney Campbell, DVM, DACVS-SA, found his love for veterinary medicine by reading Zoobooks magazines. Through those magazines, he would learn the anatomy of each animal featured, and, combined with his time spent in nature as a child, he began his journey to becoming a veterinary surgeon. The real spark was when Campbell received a puppy on his 10th birthday, and he knew his path in life was to become a veterinarian.

“As I navigated my formal education, particularly at Tuskegee University [in Alabama], those early seeds of anatomic knowledge blossomed, leading me to become an anatomy and physiology tutor in veterinary school, and eventually, I found myself increasingly drawn to the singular world of surgery. And it wasn’t just about the meticulous precision or the thrilling intellectual puzzle, though those are certainly compelling. What truly captivated my imagination was the profound, almost mystical ability to restore: to mend what was broken, to bring a living creature back to wholeness,” Campbell explained.

“Surgery, for me, embodies this incredible dance between science and art, intellect and intuition, demanding a deep understanding of both basic and advanced sciences. It’s the ultimate act of doing, of stepping into the arena to fix what was broken, to alleviate pain, and to give families back their beloved companions, whole again,” he continued.

Now the proud owner of Stitches Veterinary Surgery, the first specialty center of its kind in Long Beach, California, and a frequent speaker at veterinary conferences across the globe, Campbell is using his love of knowledge and animals to not only care for patients but to educate veterinary professionals currently in the profession or future professionals. As a proud collaborator with blendVET and Diversify Veterinary Medicine Coalition, Campbell is helping to uplift students in schools all over the United States by teaching them what it means to be a veterinary professional and helping create a more diverse community within veterinary medicine.

“As surgeons, we’re trained for precision, control, and expertise.... Those skills are absolutely critical, but what I’ve discovered in the deepest recesses of the operating room and in the tender conversations with families is that the most powerful, most profound healing, the most meaningful outcomes, don’t just come from perfect technique. They come from our ability to truly connect, listen, and communicate with heartfelt clarity,” he concluded.

The 2025 class of dvm360 Veterinary Heroes will be honored at a celebratory luncheon in the dvm360 Fetch Kansas City Conference. Click here learn more or register for the event.