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An Interview with... Dr. Denis Marcellin-Little

Article

Veterinarians should not be lackadaisical about science, says this rehabilitation specialist and orthopedics professor and researcher. "We should be more critical about the benefits of current and novel therapies and never rely on anecdotes and vague reports."

Denis Marcellin-Little, DEDV, DACVS, DECVS, is a certified canine rehabilitation practitioner and an associate professor of orthopedics at North Carolina State University's College of Veterinary Medicine. He is the cofounder and chief medical officer of the Animal Rehabilitation and Wellness Hospital in Raleigh, N.C.

What is the most exciting change you've seen in veterinary medicine?

The significant development of specialty practice. The number of specialty practices in the United States has exploded, positively impacting medical care nationwide. Similarly, in Europe specialty colleges were created in the '90s and are steadily growing.

Dr. Marcellin-Little with 5-month-old Diego who has a forelimb deformity resulting from a fracture sustained at 3 months of age. Diego's deformity is being treated with an external fixator.

Who was your most memorable patient?

Bailey, a German shepherd I saw three years ago whose complex pelvic limb deformities forced me to change the way we treat such deformities. In collaboration with Ola Harrysson, PhD, and others in the Department of Industrial Engineering at North Carolina State University, we created full-size models of Bailey's pelvis and used these models to understand her deformities. We also used the models to design and rehearse her corrective surgeries. Bailey did well through therapy. A solid and sustained research collaboration has followed this patient. We now have one of the most active biomodeling and biomanufacturing groups in the country.

Who inspired you most in your career?

While I learned from a number of mentors and am thankful to all of them, two veterinary orthopedic surgeons have gone beyond being mentors and have been advisers, role models, and friends. Dr. Antonio Ferretti, DECVS, in Milan, Italy, not only is an expert in external fixation but has an outstanding life balance as well. And Dr. David DeYoung, DACVA, DACVS, Dean of Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine in St. Kitts, gave me two valuable pieces of advice. He told me that when working with clinical patients, I should never ask the owners if I could perform surgery on their dogs. Rather, I should explain the benefits and drawbacks of the surgery and let the owners choose the plan of action. Second, he told me that before initiating a research project I should always ask myself if anyone will care about the potential results—the research should have clinical value.

What would you advise a new graduate?

Think ahead three to five years, visualize your career path, and develop and sustain relationships with people you consider role models.

Last year, Dr. Marcellin-Little helped introduce a custom, modular prosthesis using osseointegration in a cat born without the lower half of its hindlimbs.

What would you have liked to do if you hadn't become a veterinarian?

Be an engineer or an architect.

What book would you recommend?

Albert Camus' The Plague (La Peste), a book that illustrates selflessness and self-determination.

What book are you reading now?

Stephen Wolfram's A New Kind of Science, a hefty book describing mathematical patterns present in nature.

What are your favorite films?

Casablanca because it beautifully illustrates the importance and consequences of having high personal ethics, Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window because it is simple and suspenseful, and Columbo because of the unassuming and meticulous attitude of the lieutenant.

What favorite musicians would you include on your personal jukebox?

I like Antonio Vivaldi, Johann Sebastian Bach, Peter Tchaikovsky, Sergei Prokofiev, Johnny Cash, Jacques Brel, Neil Young, Cat Stevens, Iris DeMent, and others.

What is the greatest achievement of your career?

I'm not sure. I am working patiently to expand some areas of orthopedics: joint arthroplasty, external fixation, and physical rehabilitation.

What part of your work do you enjoy most?

Meeting new people daily, and trying to have a positive impact on their lives.

Do you have a bad habit?

I tend to complete the tasks I like before the tasks I don't like, regardless of the urgency of the tasks.

What do you consider the greatest threat to the profession?

We often show a lackadaisical approach to science. This hurts our credibility as a profession. We should be more critical about the benefits of current and novel therapies and never rely on anecdotes and vague reports.

Which animal health needs are currently unmet?

More should be done to control pet populations and to prevent animals with known genetic diseases from reproducing, without infringing on the individual freedom of pet owners. In some countries, the breeding of companion animals requires a permit. Such a system goes a long way to ensuring that owners are informed and breed their pets responsibly.

What changes in veterinary medicine do you hope will occur in the next 100 years?

Our medicine will become evidence-based. New treatments and modalities will be assessed properly in prospective, randomized trials before they are introduced. Orthopedics has a long way to go before we get there.

What is your sci-fi prediction for veterinary medicine?

We are not too far from growing various organs that could be used to replace defective ones. Later on, we will be able to scan patients to quickly and noninvasively find the source of their ailments, just as in the Star Trek series.

What makes a good veterinarian?

Honesty and humility.

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