SINGAPORE – When Dr Derniese Goh was in Secondary 4, cramming for her O-level exams, a mistake led her down the path to becoming Singapore\u2019s first female small animal specialist surgeon.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She had fed her dog Scott, a two-year-old Japanese spitz, some leftover corn soup, including the cob.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought he would chew it,\u201d she recalls. \u201cBut he just swallowed the whole thing.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scott required emergency surgery to remove the cob, and days later, he made a full recovery.<\/p>\n
That experience ignited Dr Goh\u2019s passion for veterinary medicine.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The 33-year-old holds a fellowship with the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists and is a specialist in small animal surgery. Her clinical interests include minimally invasive surgery, orthopaedics, neurologic and soft tissue procedures.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her work encompasses everything from treating fractures to performing spinal surgeries, navigating complex surgical procedures that many general practice veterinarians cannot manage.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Dr Goh is currently the director of Westside Veterinary Emergency and Referral Hospital in Serangoon Gardens, which features a 24\/7 intensive care unit and emergency department. <\/p>\n
She acknowledges that veterinary medicine was not a typical career choice when she was growing up.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBeing a vet wasn\u2019t popular,\u201d says the Hwa Chong Institution alumna. \u201cWe had no idea about it as a career option.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
What she did know was her love for science, which motivated her to pursue a career in veterinary medicine despite the lack of guidance.<\/p>\n Dr Goh\u2019s interest in small animal surgery was sparked during her first internship at a Melbourne referral centre, where she met a mentor who inspired her to follow a similar path.\u00a0<\/p>\n ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Since Singapore lacks its own veterinary school, she moved to Melbourne, Australia, where she spent approximately 17 years, including a decade in practice.<\/p>\n She began at the University of Melbourne with a three-year Bachelor of Science degree focusing on animal disease and health, followed by a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, graduating in 2015.\u00a0<\/p>\n Dr Goh\u2019s interest in small animal surgery was sparked during her first internship at a Melbourne referral centre, where she met a mentor who inspired her to follow a similar path. <\/p>\n Becoming a specialist is a challenging and lengthy commitment. Most veterinarians require one or two internships before entering a three- to four-year residency.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s very competitive. Almost everyone wants to be a surgeon, but the requirements are extremely stringent,\u201d says Dr Goh. \u201cBy the time you\u2019re done, you are looking at about 10 years post\u2011graduation.<\/p>\n Dr Goh, who is married, <\/b>returned to Singapore in 2024 and brought home her two dogs and two cats \u2013 a six-year-old border collie, a five-year-old Japanese spitz, a domestic shorthair, 14, and a ragdoll, 12.<\/p>\n She joined Westside in December 2024 as the sole specialist surgeon on staff, where she performs four to eight surgeries weekly.\u00a0<\/p>\n Her patients range from dogs with cruciate ligament tears \u2013 \u201cour version of a knee injury\u201d \u2013 to pets who have swallowed objects they should not, and emergency cases such as ruptured diaphragms.<\/p>\n Her advice to aspiring vets? Volunteer or intern at clinics first to be sure. <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a lot of money, a lot of effort, and many years away from family, completely overseas by yourself. But when we have made a difference to someone and their pet, that is enough.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/picture><\/div>