Dr. Meghan Beckner has never wavered from her childhood dream of becoming a veterinarian who helps any animal that needs care. After earning her veterinary degree in Melbourne, Australia, and spending time at NVA’s Pet Street Veterinary Care Center in Florida, she's now bringing her expertise in exotic companion mammals, wildlife, and avian medicine to NVA’s St. Johns Veterinary Hospital, where she's helping build a thriving exotic and wildlife practice.

Dr. Beckner’s journey highlights how NVA's internal mobility opportunities and continuing education support enable veterinarians to pursue their passions while growing both personally and professionally.

1. Walk us through your career journey. What inspired you to become a veterinarian, and how did you end up where you are today?

“I wanted to be a veterinarian since I was a young child. One who would see anything and everything. If an animal needed help, I wanted to be there. That's still true!

During my undergraduate degree at the University of Illinois, I volunteered at their Wildlife Medical Clinic, which was truly life-changing. It solidified my love for non-traditional species and taught me how to think outside the box in veterinary medicine. I then completed my Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree at the University of Melbourne in Australia, where I gained experience with their unique wildlife species.

After moving back to the U.S., I settled in Florida and started at Pet Street Veterinary Care Center. While I grew as a vet there, I never stopped loving wildlife, which is why I transferred to St. Johns Veterinary Hospital. Now I see dogs and cats alongside exotic pets and wildlife with an eager team, which has been incredibly rewarding!"

2. In what ways has NVA supported your growth and development as a veterinarian?

"Honestly, my provided CE allotment has been amazing. I'm able to further my education each year and stay up to date with new recommendations, especially those regarding my beloved exotic species. I've also valued the ability to work with many caring vets and techs at multiple places, who all have animal well-being as the primary goal."

3. You've experienced NVA's internal mobility firsthand. How did that opportunity shape your career path?

“I appreciated the preparation to go to a new hospital. Prior to transitioning, I was able to do relief shifts at St. Johns Veterinary Hospital to ensure it would be a good fit all-around. Once I knew it was, all I really had to do was sign the contract and move over. NVA took care of everything in between, which allowed me to focus on work and patients.”

4. You've treated everything from rabbits to wildlife to avian patients. What's the most unexpected or memorable case you've encountered, and what did it teach you?

“A wildlife case that I always hold dear to my heart is assisting with the care of River, the current bald eagle resident at the University of Illinois Wildlife Medical Clinic. This was before I was in vet school, but it’s forever going to be a patient that I hold close to my heart. She presented to the clinic when she was around 4 years of age, after being found floating in a river. She was, understandably, terrified, and in a lot of pain.

She had sustained severe fractures to the forearm bones of her right wing. She underwent multiple surgeries to remove the distal half of her wing, and fortunately she healed up well. However, because her forearm was amputated, she could no longer fly and therefore couldn't be released back into the wild.

The medical clinic decided to keep her as a resident, and I was fortunate to be chosen as one of the few people to acclimate and train her. I spent months going very slowly and doing little by little to gain her trust. It was an incredibly rewarding experience for me. She really taught me the value of patience, compassion, and determination. I think about her every day.”

More about Dr. Beckner:

Beckner grew up in Schaumburg, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. She completed her undergraduate degree in Animal Sciences at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign in 2015, where she spent considerable time working at their veterinary school's wildlife medical clinic and diagnostic laboratory. She then attended the University of Melbourne Veterinary School in Melbourne, Australia, completing her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 2020. She is Fear Free certified and cares deeply about making each clinical experience as stress-free as possible for every patient.

Dr. Beckner's favorite animals are rabbits, and she's passionate about educating clients regarding their behavior, diet, and environment. Her special interests include small companion mammals, wildlife, exotics, avian medicine, soft tissue surgery, dentistry, and animal behavior and enrichment.

In her spare time, she enjoys drawing, painting, scuba diving, reading, movies, baking, cooking, traveling, exploring the outdoors, amusement parks, and spending time with her husband, family, and pets, including a dwarf-Jersey Wooly rabbit mix, a domestic shorthair tuxedo cat, and a yellow lab-hound mix.