Welcome Dr. Nicole Gibbs

Dr. Nicole Gibbs (she/her) brings a specialized interest in nephrology and urology to the patients of Henry and Lois Foster Hospital for Small Animals (FHSA) and the students she teaches in her new role as assistant clinical professor in the Department of Clinical Sciences at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University. She joined FHSA’s Internal Medicine Team in early September.

“The biggest part of my journey here has been my mentors,” says Gibbs. “My mentors have been so supportive and shown me different sides of veterinary medicine. I don’t think I’d be in this position without them. I want to share all the support I received and be a great educator because my mentors have impacted my life.”

While working in a veterinary clinic, Gibbs found her calling in high school. “I loved putting science together with client interactions and pets, of course—the combination of all those things made me fall in love with veterinary medicine.”

Raised near Houston, Gibbs attended Texas A&M University as an undergrad and later earned her D.V.M. at Texas A&M’s College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. During her years in veterinary school, she found her niche in specialty and internal medicine, particularly during an externship at the Texas A&M Veterinary Hospital.

After graduating from Texas A&M, Gibbs completed a rotating internship at North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Connecting with pet owners resonated with her again as it had in high school.

“I liked being able to do all the follow-up with clients, to form those relationships, to treat a variety of cases, see unusual cases, and try to optimize patients’ care,” she says.

The next stop for Gibbs was Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine for a three-year residency in small animal internal medicine in the Department of Clinical Sciences. At NC State, she also developed an interest in nephrology and urology, which are disorders of the kidneys and bladder. During her residency at Purdue, she performed hemodialysis for pets with kidney injuries and performed procedures to manage urinary tract diseases, such as removing urinary stones and laser treatment for ectopic ureters in puppies. At both institutions, she learned from excellent veterinarians in internal medicine.

“I had great mentorship during veterinary school, and a mentor at Purdue with a similar passion for kidneys and the urinary tract. At Purdue, there’s such interest in that field, and I learned so much along the way,” she says.

Conversely, Gibbs found teaching students and interns during her residency incredibly fulfilling. “When students are engaged, they make you question things and give justification for what you’re doing. Students keep you on your toes. They can help you grow and give you a different perspective on cases.”

During her time at Texas A&M, Gibbs researched why urinalysis is not used to diagnose as frequently as blood work in general practice medicine. More recently, she’s been researching bladder cancer, looking into markers of prognosis in both human medicine and veterinary medicine. She hopes to become involved in research happening at Cummings School.

“I want to be at the forefront of veterinary medicine and involved in research, looking into new pet treatments. Tufts has a great reputation for research and pushing the envelope for new treatments,” says Gibbs. “I’ve always been interested in doing veterinary medicine in an academic setting. All my passions were put together in this position, and that’s how I ended up here.”

Gibbs works mainly on the clinic floor of FHSA and will also be in the classroom, delivering lectures and small group teaching, starting in the Toxicology course. She will teach second-year students about common drug toxicities, treatment of toxins after accidental injection, and hemodialysis.

“I’m enjoying stepping into the faculty role and interacting with students, interns, and residents in the few short weeks I’ve been here,” she says. “Everyone is so welcoming and helpful while I’m getting oriented. It’s a great culture in the hospital.”

Not lost on Gibbs was the opportunity to work alongside and learn from leaders in the fields of nephrology and urology at Cummings School, including Dr. Mary Labato, associate chair and clinical professor in the Department of Clinical Sciences and Anne Engen and Belle Term professor in Clinical Nephrology, and Dr. Emmanuelle Butty, assistant clinical professor in the Department of Clinical Sciences.

Labato is the president-elect of the American Board of Veterinary Nephrology and Urology and helped found the newly formed American College of Nephrology and Urology. In addition to her day-to-day work at Foster Hospital for Small Animals and teaching students, Gibbs is also completing a residency at Cummings School to become double-boarded with the new American College of Nephrology and Urology (in addition to her certification with the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine).

“Select institutions have founders of the new specialty College of Nephrology and Urology, and Labato is one of them. She is training residents in that Nephrology/Urology specialty. I hope to obtain that board certification through mentorship with Labato,” she says.

Gibbs came east with her fiancé, three cats, and Labrador hound mix, Huckleberry. She and her fiancé take Huckleberry on walks exploring the nature and trails around them in their new locale. They are looking forward to the fall foliage, especially coming from Texas.

Above all, Gibbs is most excited about working with Cummings School students.

“My main goal is educating and supporting students, interns, and residents as they continue to grow as clinicians, stepping into the faculty role and making sure I’m there when they need support and giving them space to grow to become great clinicians.”