Dr. Tessa Phillips, originally from Calgary in Alberta, Canada, attended the University of Alberta, Edmonton, where she studied animal health. She attended veterinary school at University of Calgary, graduating in 2016. Dr. Phillips then moved to Michigan, where she completed a small animal rotating internship at BluePearl Specialty + Emergency Pet Hospital in Southfield. She went on to complete a surgical internship at Veterinary Specialty Center in Buffalo Grove, Illinois. In pursuit of becoming a veterinary surgeon, Dr. Phillips completed a three-year residency in small animal surgery at BluePearl Specialty + Emergency Pet Hospital in Tampa, FL.

Dr. Phillips became a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2022. Her professional interests include intra-thoracic surgery, wound management, soft tissue reconstruction, orthopedics (fracture repair, CCL and MPL stabilization), and urogenital surgery, including subcutaneous ureteral bypass. Outside of work, Dr. Phillips enjoys biking, hiking and traveling. She has a Lab mix named Noodle and a cat named Nori.