From studying human medicine in Mexico City to becoming one of the few Board-Certified Specialists in Virginia, Dr. Ernesto Dominguez has built a career that spans continents, species, and specialties.

As the Managing Veterinarian at Bell Creek Veterinary Hospital, Dr. Dominguez brings world-class expertise to every patient—whether they have fur, feathers, scales, or shells.

We asked Dr. Dominguez eight rapid-fire questions about leadership style and what continues to drive his passion for veterinary medicine.

1. Birds 🦜 or reptiles 🦎? Reptiles. Reptiles have unique anatomic and physiologic needs and differences that make them interesting, intriguing, and a great medical challenge.

2. Zoo medicine or wildlife medicine? Wildlife medicine. Wildlife medicine because we have a direct impact on wild populations and they give us an excellent overview on how the environment and habitat is being affected by humans (anthropogenic activities).

3. Classical music 🎼or nature sounds 🌿during surgery? Honestly it depends on my mood. Most of the times we listen to 90’s and 2000’s hits.

4. Gradual implementation or rapid transformation? Depends. There are moments in my life and in my leadership roles that we need rapid transformations to see immediate results and achieve urgent goals. Gradual implementation helps to strengthen and root change.

5. Teaching veterinary students or mentoring new DVM graduates ‍🎓? Both. I love sharing my passion and experiences with vet students, so they can have a better knowledge of the profession. New grads are an opportunity to teach, learn, and see how they grow in their career.

6. Mentoring one-on-one or group training sessions 👥? Mentoring one-on-one. Each veterinary professional has unique learning styles and skills, and I love to be flexible in my teaching and training techniques and skills.

7. Stretch goals or achievable targets? 🎯 Achievable targets. It helps all the team to feel a purpose, recognized, and improved their confidence, reducing burn out.

8. Mexico City restaurants or Richmond restaurants 🍽️? Mexico City Restaurants NO DOUBT!! Being one of the biggest cities in the world, I can find all types of national and international cuisines in all ranges of budget.

More about Dr. Dominguez:

Dr. Ernesto Dominguez is the Managing Veterinarian at Bell Creek Veterinary Hospital and a Board-Certified Specialist from the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine. Born and raised in Mexico City, he left human medicine after two years to pursue his true passion, graduating from UNAM School of Veterinary Medicine in 2013. His journey has taken him from raptor rehabilitation in Minnesota to serving as Hospital Director at The Wildlife Center of Virginia. Today, he provides gold-standard care to dogs, cats, and exotic pets throughout the Richmond area, with multiple scientific publications and active involvement in prestigious veterinary associations including the Association of Reptile and Amphibian Veterinarians (ARAV), the Association of Exotic Mammal Veterinarians (AEMV), the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians (AAZV), and the Association of Avian Veterinarians (AAV).