All the specialists at Melbourne Veterinary Specialist Centre are actively involved in the teaching of veterinary medicine, research and clinical trials. That may be in the form of lecturing veterinary students, giving presentations at seminars or by being available to general practice veterinarians for advice.
Rebecca has completed two-university degrees- the first Sydney University in Agricultural Science (1989-92) and the second in Veterinary Science at University of Queensland (1993-97). She has worked in rural mixed practices in NSW for a few years before moving to Melbourne in late 2000 to do a residency in dermatology with Dr.Greg Burton at the Melbourne Veterinary Specialist Centre and passing membership of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists in canine medicine. Rebecca was awarded Fellowship in Veterinary Dermatology in July 2005.
Rebecca has written several articles or Australian veterinary journals, attended numerous international conferences in veterinary dermatology and has given seminars in continuing education in dermatology in Melbourne.
Peter Bennett graduated from Melbourne University in 1982 and subsequently worked in private practices in Melbourne and the UK. Whilst in practice Peter recognised his passion for internal medicine and commenced a long journey to specialisation with stints at the Universities of Tennessee, Georgia, Melbourne and Massey University (NZ).
Peter obtained Fellowship of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists in 1999 and obtained Diplomate status in Small Animal Internal Medicine from the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM). Peter then pursued the challenging road to further specialisation in oncology (cancer medicine) when he joined the faculty at Purdue University ,USA (Indiana) in the Comparative Oncology Program and ran the clinical department. He obtained Diplomate status in Oncology from ACVIM in 2001.
Peter returned to Australia and joined MVSC in 2001, where he practices as a specialist in both Internal Medicine and Oncology.
Peter has presented at numerous seminars both nationally and internationally, as well as being involved in teaching of veterinary medicine as an Associate Academic at the Universities of both Melbourne and Sydney and Adjunct Lecturor at Massey University in New Zealand.
Greg graduated from the University of Queensland in 1983. After spending several years in general practice he passed his Membership of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists in Small Animal Surgery, dabbled in ophthalmology practice for a year in Melbourne before settling on pursuing dermatology. Greg headed north to Brisbane to complete his residency in dermatology.
Greg completed his Fellowship in veterinary dermatology in 1997, and in 1999 moved back to Melbourne as the Director of the Skin, Ear and Allergy Clinic at the Melbourne Veterinary Specialist Centre. Currently Greg is the Principle Fellow in Dermatology at the University of Melbourne, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, a partner in the Animal Skin, Ear and Allergy Service and a Director of the Melbourne Veterinary Specialist Centre.
Greg has authored and co-authored numerous articles in both Australian and international journals, and has been fortunate to lecture all over Australia, in Europe and the United States, most recently was a key note speaker at the European Society of Veterinary Dermatology Conference in Mainz Germany in 2007.
Simon graduated from the University of Melbourne with an honours degree in 1990 and then spent several years in private practice in Victoria and in 1995 completed a MVSc degree. In 1998 he became a member of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists in Small Animal Surgery. Simon then travelled to the United States where he completed a residency in Small Animal Surgery at Colorado State University [CSU] in 2003.
He then commenced specialist training in surgical oncology at CSU’s Animal Cancer Centre, as the clinical fellow in surgical oncology. In 2004, Simon passed both his American surgical board examinations [ACVS] and became a fellow of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists. Over the years he has published scientific and review articles and has authored textbook chapters. His primary interest is in surgical oncology, but he also has extensive experience in general surgery and orthopaedics.
Rob Labuc graduated from Melbourne University in 1982, completed an internship at Massey University (NZ) and a stint in general small animal practice before taking up the registrar’s position at Melbourne University where he obtained a Master of Veterinary Studies.
After an initial period in private referral practice Rob accepted a lectureship at Murdoch University and shortly thereafter gained Fellowship of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists (Canine Medicine) in 1993.
Rob returned to Melbourne in 1998 to join Darren Merrett in the medical specialist practice.
Peter graduated from Melbourne University with an honours degree in 1985. Since then he has achieved a formidable academic and practical record. After 10 years in general small animal practice in Melbourne, he pursued specialist surgical training in the United States. He completed a Small Animal Internship at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. During this time he worked in an advanced emergency and critical care department, gaining valuable knowledge in this field. Dr Laverty went on to complete a Small Animal Surgical Residency at the Purdue University Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Indiana.
While at Purdue, Peter became an integral part of the team at the Centre for Paralysis Research. This allowed him to pursue his interest in spinal cord injury and to develop expertise in neurosurgery.
In 2002 Dr Laverty was awarded Diplomate status in the American College of Veterinary Surgeons.
Peter has been active in undergraduate/ postgraduate training and is an active participant in further education as a key speaker at conferences and seminars. Peter has published numerous research papers, case reports and review articles. He brings an extensive range of specialist surgical experience and skills to the Melbourne Veterinary Specialist Centre. He routinely performs orthopaedic, soft tissue and neurosurgical procedures which include:
Darren Merrett graduated from Melbourne University in 1984 and completed internship/residency programs at Melbourne University (where he obtained a Master of Veterinary Studies) and then Bristol University. Whilst at Bristol University Darren obtained his certificate in Small Animal Cardiology from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.
He obtained Fellowship of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists (Canine Medicine) in 1994 and founded a private referral practice at that time. Darren is active in further eduation as a tutor for the Post Graduate Foundation Veterinary Science and Associate Academic at the University of Sydney as well as a keynote speaker at Conference and Seminars around Australia.
David Robson graduated in 1992 from the University of Queensland with honours. He worked as an associate at Chermside Veterinary Hospital, Brisbane, for six years gained membership to Australian College of Veterinary Scientists in Medicine of Dogs in 1999. Later that year he took up a residency at the Animal Skin Ear and Allergy Service at the Melbourne Veterinary Specialist Centre, Glen Waverley under the supervision of Dr.Greg Burton, and now is a registered specialist in dermatology.
David has produced a number of major publications including a two-part review on cyclosporin and its role in Dermatology, the cytology of the normal anal sac and the longest case series to date of Demodex injai (long-bodied) demodicosis. He has presented lectures both in Australia, as well as the United States and Europe.
David gained Fellowship in dermatology in 2005.
Kersti Seksel graduated in Veterinary Science with Honours from Sydney University and became very interested in animal behaviour while working overseas. She graduated from Macqaurie University with a BA in Behavioural Sciences with a major in Psychology. Kersti is a registered specialist in Animal Behaviour, a Fellow of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists in Animal Behaviour and a Diplomate of the Amercian College of Veterinary Behaviourists
She is a member of the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behaviour, member of the Australiasian Society for the Study of Animal Behaviour and the Delta Society. Kersit has presented at conferences and meetings in Australia, NZ, UK, Japan, China, Tawan, Europe, Canada and USA.
She has published numerous papers on animal behaviour in scientific journals, magazines and periodicals and is a regular contributor to print and electronic media. Currently she is a regular presenter on ABC radio on pet care and behaviour problems.
Our Registrars are fully qualified veterinarians who have worked exclusively in their chosen field of training for several years. They have already completed their training requirements to become Specialists and are waiting for the next opportunity to sit examinations for Fellowship of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists.
Maureen originally from Canada, obtained her veterinary training at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. She has completed a combined medicine/surgery internship at Purdue University, Indiana, USA and afterwards spent time in a mixture of general and referral practice in New York, USA.
Maureen is completing a residency in Veterinary Oncology under the direct supervision of Peter Bennett with support from Darren Merrett, Rob Labuc and Peter Laverty. Prior to her appointment at Melbourne Veterinary Specialist Centre, she worked throughout Melbourne as a locum veterinarian in her first year in Australia. Her aim is Fellowship of the Australian College in Veterinary Oncology.
Jennifer graduated from the University of Melbourne with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science with first class honours in 1997 and since worked in a variety of mixed and small animal practices. She worked as a resident at the University of Queensland in Small Animal Medicine in 2003 and 2004 before completing a rotating internship in Internal Medicine, Emergency, Surgery and Critical Care at Queensland Veterinary Specialists.
Jenny has achieved membership of the Small Animal Medicine Chapter of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists in 2004 and has joined the Internal Medicine team in order to complete Fellowship training in Small Animal Medicine under the direct supervision of Internal Medicine Specialists, Drs.Merrett, Labuc and Bennett.
Felicity graduated from the University of Melbourne with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science in 2001 and has contributed significantly to a number of small animal hospitals in the Melbourne metropolitan area.
She has been an active participant in short-courses, postgraduate education and workshops with an interest in Small Animal Medicine. Felicity is our second internal medicine resident appointed in 2005 and is under the direct supervision of Internal Medicine Specialists, Drs.Merrett, Labuc and Bennett.
Residents are in the process of training in their chosen specialty field but are not yet specialists. They work directly under the supervision of a specialist and are actively studying and preparing for examinations for Fellowship of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists.
Kate graduated from University of Melbourne with a Bachelor in Veterinary Science with first class honours in 2000. Kate has worked in a variety of small animal practices in Victoria and the UK.
Kate achieved membership in 2007 to the Small Animal Medicine chapter of the ACVS (Australian College of Veterinary Scientists). She has joined MVSC in March 2008 as a Resident in Medicine.
Kate is under the direct supervision of the MVSC Medicine Specialist Drs Merrett, Labuc and Bennett.
Interns are qualified veterinarians working within some departments to provide advanced support to the specialists and residents. They do not have primary case responsibility and work under the supervision and direction of the specialists and residents.
Laura graduated from University of Melbourne with Bachelor in Veterinary Science with honours in 2001. Laura has worked in a variety of small and mixed practices in Victoria, NSW and the UK.
Laura has joined MVSC in 2008 as an Oncology Intern. Laura is currently studying for her Membership in Small Animal Medicine.
Laura is under the direct supervision of MVSC Oncology Specialist, Dr Peter Bennett.
