Welcome Dr. Borbála Lorincz

Following less-trodden paths has brought a wealth of experiences to the career of Dr. Borbála Lorincz (she/her), a new assistant professor in the Department of Clinical Sciences at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University. Among the first veterinarians in Hungary to provide radiology services to canine and feline patients, she has developed deep and specialized expertise in the field by finding those opportunities, from researching epilepsy in dogs for her Ph.D. to joining a new diagnostic imaging residency program in Austria. A stop along the way was an externship at Cummings School, and now she’s back to stay as the newest member of the Diagnostic Imaging team at Henry and Lois Foster Hospital for Small Animals (FHSA).

Lorincz’s veterinary path began in Györ, Hungary. Since childhood, she knew she wanted to be a veterinarian, though at the time, there were few female vets in Hungary, and her mother discouraged the choice. When their family dog died due to a veterinary error, interest turned to determination, and her mother agreed to let her shadow a field veterinarian. Working with cows and other large animals came naturally to Lorincz, and her mother changed her mind and supported her decision.

Radiology piqued Lorincz’s interest while earning her D.V.M. from the University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, the only veterinary university in Hungary. She wrote her thesis on ultrasound-guided cholecystocentesis in cats. She practiced small animal internal medicine at a clinic in Germany for one semester and dedicated another semester to study dentistry at the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna.

Veterinary diagnostic imaging was then still a nascent field in Hungary, with no internships or residencies in the specialty, so Lorincz was creative in finding ways to practice. After graduating, she joined the Institute for Diagnostic Imaging and Radiology in Kaposvár, Hungary, gaining experience in computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) through clinical work and research. She worked with the Institute’s veterinary group on animal model studies, primarily looking at cardiac infarction pig models. On evenings and weekends, the veterinary team treated canine and feline patients in need of diagnostic imaging services.

“It was a unique opportunity in Hungary to perform CT and MR in cats and dogs,” she says. “The model studies were my day job, and after hours, we saw patients. I was extremely grateful to be involved in that, and learned so much from my veterinary colleagues and the human radiologists.”

During that time, Lorincz also worked in a small animal practice in Kaposvár and taught microbiology to nursing students. She enjoyed both general practice and teaching. A passion for shelter medicine came about when her young daughter asked for a dog. With her busy work schedule and studies, she encouraged her daughter to instead spend time at a local animal shelter. The shelter had no veterinarian on staff, so she began volunteering with her daughter and treating the animals herself. After six months of volunteering almost daily, the shelter hired her as the sole veterinarian for 200 dogs and 60 cats.

“It was a very nice time in my life. I was alone there as a vet, but had a treatment room, a surgery room, and very good staff and colleagues,” she recalls.

Starting up a Ph.D. program in neuroradiology at the University of Kaposvár, Lorincz worked during the day and studied in the evenings. Evaluating new MRI sequences to treat dogs with epilepsy for her degree brought her back to the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna to conduct part of her research. The university offered her a full-time position performing diagnostic imaging for patients and teaching veterinary students while completing her Ph.D.

Lorincz would spend the next 12 years at the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, the only veterinary university in Austria with a diagnostic imaging department. She complemented her CT/MR experience with more radiograph and ultrasound work and developed an interest in echocardiography (heart ultrasound) as well, so she trained for her certificate from the International School of Veterinary Postgraduate Studies (ISVPS).

The opportunity for residency in diagnostic imaging came from one of Lorincz’s current colleagues at Cummings School, Dr. Agustina Anson, assistant professor in the Department of Clinical Sciences, on FHSA’s Diagnostic Imaging team. At the time, Anson was re-establishing a residency training program in diagnostic imaging for small animals at the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna. Lorincz was among the first clinicians to enroll. She participated in two externships during residency, one in diagnostic imaging at a private clinic in Perth, Australia, and another on the Diagnostic Imaging team at FHSA.

“Of course I wanted to come here because I knew Agustina, and I like the team, how they work and the atmosphere,” Lorincz says, and notes that her daughter was also a fan of the United States during the externship and eager to return.

Lorincz completed her residency last winter and started in her new role at Cummings School in August. She practices mainly on the clinic floor at FHSA, working in all four modalities (CT, MRI, radiographs, and ultrasound), treating patients and teaching students, residents, and interns. She will lecture in the upcoming semesters and hopes to continue her research into neuroimaging and possibly dementia.

“Everything is new for me, it’s very different from Europe, and everyone is extremely supportive and nice,” she says of her first few weeks at FHSA. “It’s a lot of work in Diagnostic Imaging, but no one is stressed. It’s a relaxed atmosphere, and I enjoy it.”

Lorincz and her daughter have a bucket list for exploring New England, most of which involves getting out into nature. They would like to find places for their Cocker Spaniel mix to hunt for truffles and to swim.

“The environment here is just perfect, so many lakes and towns. We want to discover new ponds she can swim in,” she says, adding, “and we also have three more dog-less ideas.”

The first is finding a stable where they can ride horses, a passion from childhood. Lorincz and her daughter rowed for the first time on Lake Quinsigamond during her residency and plan to get back on the water—and under the water. Last year, she took up scuba diving to see the animals below the surface and swam in the Red Sea for the first time on a recent diving trip to Egypt. In the meantime, she is acclimating well to her new home at Cummings School.

“I’m happy to be a part of the team,” Lorincz says. “I come here with a smile.”