“In defining the ‘beauty of service,’ the big part for me is ‘creating a ripple effect of kindness and compassion.’ The joy and meaning I get out of Tufts at Tech is watching others feel empowered to be compassionate to colleagues, to learners, to animals. That ripple effect and ability to inspire the next generation of caregivers so that they can find a deeper sense of meaning and service in life, that’s the umami or special sauce at Tufts at Tech.”
—Dr. Gregory Wolfus, director of Tufts at Tech
For his leadership at Tufts at Tech Community Veterinary Clinic, care and empathy for patients, and mentorship to students, Dr. Gregory Wolfus, V98 (he/him), has been recognized by the Massachusetts Veterinary Medical Association (MVMA) with the Distinguished Service Award, the highest honor conferred by the organization. MVMA selects one member annually to receive this award based on their achievements in the veterinary field and service to humankind.
Director of Tufts at Tech since the clinic opened its doors in 2012, Wolfus is also interim assistant chair and associate clinical professor in the Department of Clinical Sciences at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University. He will be honored at the MVMA awards celebration on October 25.
Tufts at Tech is a collaboration between Cummings School and Worcester Technical High School to provide medical and surgical veterinary care to underserved pets in the community and train fourth-year veterinary students in primary care practice and high school students en route to careers in the veterinary field.
A native of Southern California, Wolfus brought his passion for biology and animals to the University of California, Berkeley, where he earned his BS degree. He assisted UC researchers studying behaviors of hyenas and other carnivores and cared for laboratory animals. This experience sold him on the veterinary path.
Wolfus relocated to the East Coast after graduation to attend Cummings School (then Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine), drawn to the leafy New England campus and close-knit community among students and faculty. Particularly impactful on both his career and philosophy towards veterinary medicine were Professor Emerita Mary Labato, V83, and Dr. Lois Wetmore, associate professor in the Department of Clinical Sciences and Hospital Director ad interim at Cummings School’s Henry and Lois Foster Hospital for Small Animals.
Observing Labato on clinics during his second-year selective, Wolfus recalls, “Mary has the ability to talk to each client in a non-patronizing way, asking questions about their lives, and helping them decide on a treatment plan. I realized that veterinary medicine can only be successful if you’re able to effectively communicate with your partners in care, the owners. That experience led me to work more closely with the people who own the animals and help them make their best decision about how to care for their animals.”
Wolfus incorporated this approach into general practice at Shrewsbury Animal Hospital for one year, followed by 12 years at VCA Westboro Animal Hospital.
Back in Grafton, in an effort to better prepare students to be day-one ready veterinarians, Cummings School partnered with Worcester Tech to establish Tufts at Tech, with a mission to impart that training while also serving the community with affordable veterinary care. Cummings School tapped Wolfus to lead the new endeavor.
“Veterinary students needed the opportunity to be first touch on primary care cases, not in the observer role, but to be the doctor,” says Wolfus. “Tufts at Tech provided a platform for us to be the primary care teaching center for veterinary students, expose high school students to the industry, and help a community in need. That’s what makes this so magical.”
Caregiver fatigue and compassion fatigue are part of veterinary medicine. Utilizing kindness, teamwork, communication, and community to build resiliency for future difficult times is critical for this industry. Empowering students to feel like they’re making an impact and helping one another make an impact, that’s what it’s all about.
When Tufts at Tech opened in the spring of 2012, Wolfus was the sole employee, collaborating with two high school instructors, teaching four high school seniors, and a spattering of veterinary students popping in for elective weeks. By summer, the clinic was already seeing more than 200 cases a month and became a core two-week rotation in the veterinary curriculum.
Serving pets and the community while training high school and veterinary students was the perfect combination for Wolfus. “For me, Tufts at Tech has been a win-win-win, a trifecta of goodness. We all want to find meaning in our work, and that meaning is increased when you’re helping others make a positive impact in communities.”
Following in the footsteps of his mentors, Wolfus passes on the ethos of passionate care to his students. In the early days of the clinic, an unhoused man brought in his dog Patches, his leg broken from a bike crash. Wolfus reached out to assisting agencies. A rescue for poodles, so touched by the owner’s relationship with his dog, paid for the surgery (even though Patches is not a poodle) and a new bike with a basket for Patches to ride more safely. Several years later, the pair returned; this time, Patches was very sick with cancer. Wolfus recalls how the situation challenged students in terms of empathy and understanding another person’s needs.
“Euthanizing Patches was one of the more difficult and meaningful euthanasias in my career,” says Wolfus. “In this community, you get to know these people and their complicated lives. It’s hard not to get emotionally invested and want to help.”
Wolfus instituted ethics rounds at Tufts at Tech every three weeks for students, doctors, and staff to talk through complicated situations they encounter and social and ethical issues.
“Caregiver fatigue and compassion fatigue are part of veterinary medicine,” says Wolfus. “Utilizing kindness, teamwork, communication, and community to build resiliency for future difficult times is critical for this industry. Empowering students to feel like they’re making an impact and helping one another make an impact, that’s what it’s all about.”
In addition to leading Tufts at Tech, Wolfus teaches preclinical and didactic courses at Cummings School, on topics including veterinary ethics, veterinary economics, communication, clinical reasoning, and dentistry. Especially fulfilling for Wolfus is offering guidance to veterinary students as they navigate next steps, whether finding a scholarship, internship, or landing on the specialty that fits their passions.
Today, more than 6,000 patients are treated annually at Tufts at Tech, with four faculty veterinarians, three veterinary technicians, and three veterinary assistants working alongside 12 veterinary students and eight to 10 high school students rotating through. The clinic is at capacity and plans are in the works for what Wolfus calls “Tufts at Tech 2.0,” to quadruple the size of the clinic to serve more pets and provide a more vibrant learning environment for students.
The constant presence of volunteers embodies the spirit of Tufts at Tech. Veterinarians across specialties donate their time to the clinic, in addition to vet techs, and veterinary and high school students. “Anyone mission-driven about wanting to help the animals and the community, I have a place where you can do that,” says Wolfus.
Reflecting on his career, Wolfus expresses gratitude for his mentors, including Labato and Wetmore, college professors, and fellow vets and vet techs. He is grateful to Worcester Tech for their partnership, Massachusetts for supporting students through work skills grants, and former clients who donated to help start Tufts at Tech.
Cummings School has honored Wolfus’s achievements with the Zoetis Distinguished Veterinary Teacher Award, Outstanding Alumni Award, and his induction into the Cummings School Faculty Hall of Fame. Worcester Public Schools recognized Wolfus with the Thomas Jefferson Award for Service.
On receiving MVMA’s Distinguished Service Award, Wolfus says, “I was honored and touched. The doctors, staff, clients, students, and volunteers all make Tufts at Tech successful. I play an integral role in the experience, but this award should be for the ‘we’ rather than the ‘I.’ I’m happy to receive the Distinguished Service Award on behalf of Tufts at Tech.”