Joseph DeSa

Medical Director

Dr. DeSa grew up in the Dominican Republic and then lived in Puerto Rico for several years. In 2005, he obtained his first job as a veterinary technician after volunteering throughout the summer in a small animal hospital. Dr. DeSa continued this while pursuing his bachelor's degree in biological sciences from the University of Puerto Rico. Dr. DeSa went back to his home country in 2008 and obtained his degree in veterinary medicine in June 2012. As part of this degree, he had to complete a doctorate thesis, focused on comparing variables associated to canine arterial hypertension. Dr. DeSa came to the Chicago area shortly after graduation, started working in various small animal hospitals as a veterinary technician and enrolled in the PAVE program of the AAVSB. Between 2012 and 2013, Dr. DeSa took and passed all his veterinary licensing board exams.

In September 2014, Dr. DeSa left VCA Schaumburg Animal Hospital to pursue a veterinary clinical year at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, which he completed in September 2015. This fulfilled the last requirement of PAVE's (AAVSB) certificate process, which enabled the acquirement of an Illinois veterinary license. As part of this clinical year, he completed an anesthesia and pain management focused externship at the Buffalo Grove Specialty Center and a two-week externship in VCA Schaumburg Animal Hospital. Dr. DeSa enjoys spending time with his wife and family and talking in Spanglish with his dogs Henry, Mia and Watson.