2025 Veterinary Heroes: Craig Clifford (Internal Medicine)

Craig Clifford, DVM, MS, DACVIM (Oncology), shared during his interview with dvm360 that he was one of the last students accepted into his veterinary school class. However, instead of letting it get to him, he says it gave him a chip on his shoulder to stick it to those who doubted his place to be there. Thanks to the amazing people surrounding him in school, he ended up finishing within the top 3 students of his class. From his time in graduate school, he knew he wanted to become an oncologist, and he became the first graduate from Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine to go to the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in Philadelphia. Clifford credits his career and where he is today to those who uplifted him.

“A lot of that came from the backs of others who helped support me and push me forward, my parents as well. My dad died before I got into veterinary school, but my mom had always supported me even when I didn’t think I could, because we didn’t realize until my son came along that I have ADHD [attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder]. So I never did well in school early on, and it wasn’t really until college and graduate school that it just seemed to click, because I could feel [and] focus on a field I loved. So my mom was a huge supporter of that.”

Now Clifford pays it forward by uplifting other professionals in
the field. He encourages upcoming veterinary oncologists to get out there because it is important to uplift the new generation. After all, when those known in their field leave it one day, there need to be good people to take their place. Because of this passion, he is able to do the career he loves and spend more time with those he loves.

“I’m trying to refocus myself, to not be as career driven and to start to spend more time at home,” Clifford concluded. “Now my turn is to take a step back, and that’s why, as we discussed, it’s promoting others. I’ve given Fetch and dvm360 a ton of other oncologists, and that’s what we should be doing is promoting the next generation and helping them succeed. That’s exactly what it is: not tearing down others but helping others.”