Medicine Staff
Associate Professor Vanessa Barrs - Head of Small Animal Medicine
BVSc (Hon), MVetClinStud, FACVSc (Specialist in Feline Medicine)
Associate Professor in Small Animal Medicine
Head of Small Animal Medicine
Feline Medicine Specialist
Associate Professor Vanessa Barrs is a University of Sydney graduate. She is a registered Specialist in Feline Medicine and has worked in University and Private Referral Practices in London and Sydney. A/Professor Barrs returned to the University of Sydney to lead the Small Animal Medicine Unit in 2004. She has represented the profession in many roles including as President of the Feline Chapter of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists, Specialist representative of the NSW Board of Veterinary Practitioners and trustee of the Australian Feline Health Research Fund. A/Professor Barrs is passionate about teaching and was awarded the Australian Veterinary Association Excellence in Teaching Award in 2007. Her research interests include feline alimentary lymphoma and fungal respiratory infections, for which she was awarded Distinguished Scientific Award in 2009 by the Australian Small Animal Veterinary Association. A/Professor Barrs loves helping sick cats get better and welcomes new case referrals of any nature.
Faculty Web Profile
Associate Professor Julia Beatty - Feline Medicine Specialist
BSc (Hons) BVetMed PhD FACVSc (feline medicine) MRCVS
Associate Professor in Small Animal Medicine
Associate Professor Julia Beatty co-runs the busy feline medicine referral service at the Valentine Charlton Cat Centre. Her career has been devoted to improving the health of cats. Jules graduated from the Royal Veterinary College, London in 1989 then, after a period in practice, moved to the University of Glasgow where she completed a PhD and post-doctoral studies on Feline Immunodeficiency Virus. She has practiced feline medicine in primary and referral facilities and is a registered Specialist in Feline Medicine. She is currently Associate Professor in small animal medicine at the University of Sydney. Her group’s main clinical research interests are feline infectious diseases. Jules has published over 50 peer-reviewed papers and book chapters. She presents clinical research and continuing education seminars internationally.
Faculty Web Profile
Dr Niek Beijerink - Senior Lecturer in Small Animal Medicine
DVM PhD Dipl. ECVIM-CA (Cardiology)
Specialist in Small Animal Medicine (Cardiology)
Niek is a Utrecht (The Netherlands) graduate. After graduation in 2005 he started a residency in Small Animal Internal Medicine and Cardiology at Utrecht University. Meanwhile, in 2007 he completed a PhD in canine reproductive endocrinology. Since 2010 Niek is a Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (sub-speciality Cardiology). Niek commenced employment at the University of Sydney Veterinary Teaching Hospital in August 2011.
Faculty Web Profile
Dr Ken Cockwill - Specialist in Small Animal Medicine
BSc (Great Distinction) DVM (Distinction) DACVIM (Small Animal)
Ken joined the staff of the University Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Sydney as a Senior Registrar in Small Animal Medicine from Saskatoon, Canada. Ken is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine and is interested in all aspects of small animal medicine.
Dr Reuben Fliegner - Small Animal Medicine Specialist
BVSc (Hons) MVSc FACVSc (Small Animal Medicine)
Reuben was born in New Zealand and spent his formative years there before moving to Australia where he attended high school. He received his undergraduate training at the University of Sydney.
He graduated in 1996 with First Class Honours and subsequently worked in private small animal practice in Sydney. Reuben commenced postgraduate training in small animal medicine at the University of Melbourne in 2003. Following the residency, Reuben continued work at the University Veterinary Hospital as a registrar in Small Animal Medicine while completing a Master of Veterinary Science degree by research evaluating canine MHC genotyping techniques. Reuben was admitted as a Fellow of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists by examination in Small Animal Medicine in 2009. He subsequently worked at Veterinary Specialist Services in Brisbane before commencing employment at the University of Sydney Veterinary Teaching Hospital in March 2011. Reuben has a particular interest in small animal cardiology.
Dr Keshuan Chow - Resident in Feline Medicine
BVSc MACVSc GradCertVetClinStud
Keshuan graduated from the University of Melbourne in 2006 and spent two years working in small animal practice in Melbourne. She travelled and worked in the UK and Europe throughout 2009, and cut her holiday short at the end of the year to return to Australia and undertake a post graduate internship at the University of Sydney. Her natural love for cats inspired her to commence a residency in feline medicine at the UVTHS in 2011. Keshuan is interested in all aspects of feline medicine and looks forward to working with the referral team for the next few years.
Dr Natashia Evans - Resident in Small Animal Medicine
BVSc (Hons) BSc (Vet) MACVSc (Small Animal Medicine)
Natashia graduated in 2005 from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science and a Bachelor of Science (Veterinary). After graduation she spent three years in Brisbane working in a feline only practice before spending time as a locum in small animal practice on the Gold Coast and in Orange. She returned to Sydney in 2009 and completed an internship in small animal internal medicine and emergency and critical care at a private specialist practice in Sydney before commencing a residency in small animal internal medicine at the University of Sydney. Natashia obtained membership in the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists in the discipline of small animal medicine in 2010. She is interested in all aspects of internal medicine but has a particular interest in renal medicine, infectious diseases and disorders of bone marrow. Natashia is currently enrolled in a Master of Veterinary Clinical Studies and is studying the use of clonality testing as an aid to diagnosis of alimentary lymphoma in cats.
Dr Joanna Whitney – Resident in Small Animal Medicine
BSc (Vet) (Hons) BVSc (Hons)
Jo graduated from the University of Sydney in 2004. Whilst undertaking her veterinary degree she also completed an honors degree in "stress and reproduction in captive gorillas". Since graduating Jo has worked in a small animal practice in Sydney's Inner West and completed a postgraduate internship at the University Veterinary Teaching Hospital Sydney.