Veterinarian
Dr. Baker received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from St. George’s University School of Veterinary Medicine in Grenada, West Indies in 2012. He completed his clinical rotations at North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine in Raleigh, NC. In addition to his love for small animal medicine, his true passion is for exotic animals. He has pursued multiple educational and clinical opportunities to advance his knowledge and proficiency in treating exotic animals.
While in veterinary school, he completed the Aquavet I®, Aquavet II® and Marvet programs. In 2009 he was the sole person selected for the prestigious role of Aquavet summer research fellow at Dr. Bowser’s Aquatic Animal Health Lab at Cornell University, researching largemouth bass virus in cell culture. His contributions lead to publication of the development and characterization of a largemouth bass cell line in the September 2014 issue of the Journal of Aquatic Animal Health. During his clinical year of veterinary school, he completed externships at the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, GA, the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, IL, the Mystic Aquarium in Mystic, CT, and Zoo New England in Boston, MA.
In veterinary school he received multiple honors and awards. The North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine recognized him for his proficiency in aquatic animal medicine for his clinical involvement and research accomplishments. The Alpha Delta Chapter of the International Honor Society of Phi Zeta presented him with an award for a veterinary student research presentation on shark overfishing and finning practices. He received the Pfizer student research scholarship for his academic achievements and to fund future research projects. He received the award for outstanding board member service and commitment to SAAVMA two years in a row, because of his dedication to the veterinary students at his school, and his representation of them and involvement in student government. He was awarded the Outstanding Colleague Award by his fellow classmates because of his kindness, compassion, empathy, and hard work he showed to his fellow classmates. He was also awarded the exotic and wildlife medicine, surgery, and research award for his involvement in exotic animal medicine and research.
In his past role as an emergency veterinarian at the New England Animal Medical Center in West Bridgewater, MA and the Massachusetts Veterinary Referral Hospital in Woburn, MA, Dr. Baker became proficient in stabilizing critically ill patients while remaining calm and organized. He perfected skills of repairing open wounds and abscesses, relieving patients of urinary obstructions, performing focused assessment with sonography for trauma (F.A.S.T.) ultrasound scans and centesis of all body cavities. He stabilized and managed critical small animal patients in respiratory distress, post-operative patients, patients in heart, renal and liver failure, patients with endocrinopathies, gastrointestinal diseases and neuropathies, and combinations thereof.
Dr. Baker’s most impactful academic contributions include teaching and training members of the rotating internship classes through the emergency and critical care department at New England Animal Medical Center. Dr. Baker supervised three intern classes of two to four interns between 2016 and 2019, when the internship program was dissolved. With each intern, he was responsible for reviewing individual case history, double checking physical exam findings, reviewing differential diagnoses, guiding interns in deciding on appropriate diagnostic and treatment plans, and approving final discharge instructions for clients. Dr. Baker also had to ensure the interns were communicating with clients properly and giving accurate cost estimates for anticipated medical care. Dr. Baker would train and supervise the interns performing certain medical procedures such as wound management surgeries, bandaging and splint application, urethral catheterization, tail amputation, pericardiocentesis, thoracocentesis, abdominocentesis, and CPR. Dr. Baker would train interns on FAST ultrasound technique, and aid in radiography interpretation and blood test result interpretation. Dr. Baker conducted daily case rounds with the interns. He also participated in their orientation and presented several relevant clinical topics during didactic rounds.
During his early years, he has always shown a passion for animals. At the age of fifteen, he became the youngest volunteer educator at the New England Aquarium in Boston, MA. When he turned eighteen, he became a volunteer SCUBA diver in the Giant Ocean Tank at the aquarium, feeding the fish, upkeeping the exhibit, and educating visitors. For all his volunteer work at the aquarium, he was awarded the President’s Student Service Award. In college at the University of Miami, he double majored in marine science and biology. He took the opportunity to study abroad at James Cook University in Queensland, AU, and was a student aboard a great white shark research vessel.
After graduating college, he worked as a staff aquarist and diver at the New England Aquarium and volunteered as a vet tech for the aquarium’s animal hospital. He worked as a tech assistant at a local small animal vet clinic. He also worked for three years as a research technician at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute’s Jimmy Fund zebrafish research lab, before making the jump into his veterinary career.
Personal Life
Dr. Baker is happily married with four children. His wife is a pediatric critical care pharmacist with board certification in sterile compounding. She has recently switched over to pharmacovigilance and risk management in industry. The Bakers have two dogs, a golden retriever named Snoopy II, and a Havanese terrier mix named Snuba, a rex rabbit named Ms. Cadbury as well as a tropical fish tank.
Dr. Baker enjoys staying active by doing fun activities with his family, teaching his children how to swim and ski, and working with all his children on excelling in school. He also enjoys scuba diving, golf and plays the drums.