Dr Maddie's passion for avian medicine first took flight when she was lectured about birds at university by none other than Dr Matt Gosbell himself. Inspired to learn more about these incredible creatures, she took every opportunity to advance her knowledge in avian medicine: attending the annual AAVAC-UPAV conferences as a student and even being awarded the Anne-Martin Memorial Student Scholarship for her endeavours in exotic animal medicine.

 

Jobs in avian medicine were few and far between when she graduated from the University of Melbourne in 2017, and so she started out working in country practice. During this time, Maddie saw every bird and exotic animal case that walked in the clinic.

 

In 2019, a remarkable opportunity arose to work alongside the legendary pigeon expert Dr Colin Walker; Maddie spread her wings and joined the team at Melbourne Bird Veterinary Clinic. Subsequently, the clinic was acquired by the eminent avian veterinarians Dr Pat Macwhirter and Dr Matthew Gosbell. Pat soon took Maddie under her wing, enrolling her in a Fellowship Training Program in Avian Medicine and Surgery to pursue specialist qualifications.

 

In 2022, Maddie undertook rigorous examinations to obtain her Memberships in Avian Medicine and Surgery – a qualification that signifies a higher level of knowledge in the field of avian medicine.

 

The highlight of Maddie’s day is the incredible variety of avian species she gets to treat on a day-to-day basis and meeting their amazing owners. When she's not tending to her winged patients, you'll find her exploring parks and wetlands, binoculars in hand, looking out for our beautiful native birdlife.