Dr Paula Parker

“You don’t often realise that you can make a really significant difference in someone’s life through what may seem like an ordinary, mundane moment. I certainly had lectures at the Vet Science Program at UQ that had that effect on me.”

Veterinarian Dr Paula Parker’s work and advocacy in the veterinary field has established her as a leader in the industry, most notably in her appointment as the youngest president of the Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) in 2017.

Dr Parker has been heavily involved with representative veterinary bodies since the beginning of her career, and has been lauded by her peers for her leadership, drive, and progressive vision for veterinary medicine. Her continuing roles as an advocate and spokesperson have been critical in helping veterinarians reach their full potential, and in catalysing change within the industry.

In 2011 Dr Parker was elected president of the Gippsland Division of the AVA, where she served for over three years before becoming a director of the AVA’s Board in 2015. She was subsequently elected national president in 2017, a role she served in for two years.

She was also a founding member, and then chair of the Advisory Board for the Veterinary Business Group and has convened the Veterinary Business Summit since 2017.

Dr Parker has used these platforms and her strength in leadership and management to drive change in policy and promote the interests of veterinarians, including their financial health and wellbeing, and the benefits of technological change in clinics.

Alongside her full-time commitment to the AVA, Dr Parker continues to work weekend shifts as a senior emergency and critical care veterinarian at the Animal Emergency Service Carrara.

Awards

Distinguished Young Alumni Award
2019

Qualifications

Bachelor of Veterinary Science (Honours)
2008