Featured Practice

Name:  Wayne R. Anderson

Year Degree Received:   1979

Years at Current Location:   26 years at first location (18 Practices, 65 doctors of which 27 are partners)

Specialty/Type of Practice:  Small Animal

What are the biggest challenges/rewards of your practice? Continuing to improve in medicine and surgery via knowledge, equipment and technology while continuing an essential successful business model. This includes successful coaching and mentoring staff allies, associates and partners.

What are some of your favorite memories from your time as a DVM student at Illinois? The original OTS house which was somewhat like Animal House – a good mix of 1^st through 4^th year vet students. Interacting with the wide range of personalities on the teaching staff.

What lessons did you take away from your DVM education and how have they applied to your practice? Don’t let a negative or poor personality, of a specific professor get in the way of gaining the knowledge they do have to offer.  In the real world you can learn a lot from people you don’t like or know very well.

Were you involved in any student clubs or organizations? OTS – otherwise, there were not a lot of clubs for just vet students, or students who did not do their undergrad at Illinois. Vet students did have teams for university intramural sports.

Are you currently involved with the University of Illinois? Do you have a favorite fund to support? Mostly, but not often enough. University of Illinois Veterinary College Funds.

 

Name: Dr. Mark Sturdy
Year Degree Received: 1984 
Years at Current Location: 19 years 

Specialty/Type of Practice: Small animal

What are the biggest challenges/rewards of your practice? 
It's a challenge to balance staying active in the community, maintaining a healthier pet population and practicing veterinary medicine and surgery.  The biggest reward is facilitating the vet/pet/client bond.

What are some of your favorite memories from your time as a DVM student at Illinois?
Over the course of four years, I realized that veterinary medicine had more potential for a career that just embryo transferring registered cattle.  I enjoyed the vet/student interaction during the last two years.  No memory would be complete without mentioning the unending and lifelong support of Dr. Erwin Small.

What lessons did you take away from your DVM education and how have they applied to your practice?
A practitioner will be presented with a wide variety of cases throughout a lifetime, and needs to be willing to utilize any and all potential treatment protocols (specialty practices, consultations, referrals) to promote animal health and client satisfaction.

Are you currently involved with the University of Illinois? Do you have a favorite fund to support?
We (my wife Teresa, myself and sometimes our kids) have had seasons tickets to basketball and football for 20 years and continue to support the I Fund.  We have recently sponsored the Dr. Mark and Teresa Sturdy Family Endowment.  We also support the Presidents Council. 

Pictured above is Dr. Sturdy's Illini Room at his home.

Name: Dr. Dena Heflin
Year Degree Received: 1990
Years at Current Location: At Paws Here Veterinary Services in Iuka, Ill., since July 1, 2007.

Specialty/Type of Practice: 100% Small Animal

What are the biggest challenges/rewards of your practice? Challenges: After 18 years of private practice, I still find it challenging to actually charge what my services/knowledge is worth.
Rewards:I feel rewarded every time I make an animal feel better or cure whatever ails them, which in turn makes the client happy.

What are some of your favorite memories from your time as a DVM student at Illinois?
My favorite memories have to be the friendships I developed not only with the professors and staff at the College of Vet Med but especially with my classmates and other veterinary students.

What lessons did you take away from your DVM education and how have they applied to your practice?
I have learned quickly why they call it practice"All I do is practice." Just when I feel I have learned the answers, new drugs are introduced; new techniques and new theories are developed.

Where you involved in any student clubs or organizations?
No, which I regret because I am currently acting as treasurer for the Southern Illinois Veterinary Medical Association (SIVMA) and it has been most rewarding.

Are you currently involved with the University of Illinois? Do you have a favorite fund to support?
I have two funds that I support and I am looking forward to developing a few more. My favorite one is in memory of my classmate and late husband Dr. Christopher Moberly. The other fund is currently in the process of being developed and it will be named after our graduating Class of 1990.

Dr. Heflin's Illini Room (pictured above) can be found at her Iuka, Ill practice.

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Name: Clyde E. Dunphy, DVM 1974-Illinois

Years at Current Location: Since 1995

Specialty/Type of Practice:Specializes in a mixed animal practice.

Current Involvement with University of Illinois or Favorite Fund to Support: Is actively involved in the Newfoundland Club of America Charitable Trust and rescue.