Dr. Michelle Ravich has always had a passion for working with animals. Even before college, she worked at numerous environmental and nature centers as well as at the Bronx Zoo. She was accepted to Cornell University where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, and continued to follow animal pursuits by taking courses in zoology, herpetology and ornithology, as well as working with the Cornell Raptor Program. Dr. Ravich then attended veterinary school at Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. While in vet school, in addition to working as a student technician in the college’s Community Practice Service, she followed her interest in exotic animals and worked at Cornell’s Wildlife Health Center as well as also sought out numerous exotics-related externships, including at the Minnesota Raptor Center, Zoo New England, Tufts Wildlife Clinic and White Oak Conservation Center. After veterinary school, Dr. Ravich moved to Florida for a year and completed a rotating medicine and surgery internship with a focus on emergency medicine at Blue Pearl Veterinary Partners in Tampa. While at her internship, she adopted her dog, Toby, a stray puppy with a broken leg. (Toby is still a much loved part of her family today, despite his older age and accumulating medical issues!) Dr. Ravich then moved back up to New York where she completed both an internship and a residency at the Veterinary Center for Birds and Exotics (VCBE). She became board certified as an avian practitioner through the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners, and stayed on to work as an associate at VCBE. After her son was born, Dr. Ravich switched gears and worked as a small animal emergency clinician for two years. However, she greatly missed general practice and working with exotics, and therefore joined the Northside team in 2017. Dr. Ravich shares her home with her husband, two children, Toby, Tanka (another dog), Hoodie the rat, Ajax the ball python, and 4 chickens (Goldie, Hawkeye, Peck Peck and Cirrus). When not at work or chasing after her kids, she can be found reading, drawing/painting and spending time outside with her family going hiking, to local farms and to farmer’s markets.