Dr. Nicole Buote received her BS in Biotechnology from WPI and a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. She then completed a rotating internship at Angell Animal Medical Center in Boston and a surgical internship at the Dallas Veterinary Surgery Center. Dr. Buote then completed a surgery residency at the Animal Medical Center in New York City, achieving ACVS board certification in 2010. After residency, Dr. Buote worked in private practice for 11 years in southern California, as a staff surgeon and then the Chief of the surgery department. She joined Cornell University in 2020 as an Associate Professor of Soft Tissue Surgery. She is the editor and an author of the “Techniques in Small Animal Wound Management” textbook. Her other research focuses on minimally invasive surgery for animals, specifically the introduction of surgical robotics and interventional radiologic techniques.  She is also the founder of the Association of Women Veterinary Surgeons and an ACVS Founding Fellow of Minimally Invasive Surgery.

Dr. Michael Jaffe is a Professor of Small Animal Surgery at Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine. He graduated vet school from the University of Missouri. After graduation, he worked as a primary care veterinarian in Missouri and Florida. Dr. Jaffe then completed a rotating internship and small animal surgery residency at LSU, where he also earned his Master’s degree.

Dr. Jaffe practiced in specialty practice in Michigan and Arizona. He was part of the founding faculty at Midwestern University College of Veterinary Medicine. He became a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2002 and a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner in 2017.

Dr. Hawker is a 2012 graduate from the University of Sydney, Australia. Following 7-years spent in general practice he took the specialization plunge. He completed his residency in 2024 and is presently a specialist small animal surgeon at the Ontario Veterinary College in Guelph. Dr. Hawker has a strong interest in minimally invasive surgery and is currently undertaking an MIS Fellowship in conjunction with his faculty position. With experience on ‘both sides’ of the referral fence, Dr. Hawker is passionate about enabling general practitioners to surgically up-skill.