Brittany Watson, BS/MS, VMD, PhD

Director of Shelter Animal Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine

Dr. Brittany Watson is the director of shelter medicine and community engagement at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. She currently manages medical, surgical, and educational training of veterinary students through electives and primary care, shelter medicine rotations and courses, and community outreach initiatives. Course techniques involve integrating community needs, best teaching practices, and organizational leadership strategies. She also involves veterinary students in authentic learning experiences including medical shelter exams, at-home visits with community partners, continuing education to shelters, one-health approaches to problem solving, outreach to local school classrooms, and shelter population management.

Dr. Watson is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Preventative Medicine. She was previously the veterinary director of continuing education initiatives at Charleston Animal Society (CAS). She acted as part of the veterinary team and collaborated with the education department to develop the veterinary camp curriculum, Shadowing at the Shelter program, and VSI: Veterinary Science Initiative. She received her MS in Education at Duquesne University and her PhD in Educational Leadership at the University of South Carolina. Her dissertation focused on evidence-based humane education programs and proving changes in knowledge, attitudes, and behavior from the VSI Program.