Doris Ma Q&A

Did you realise you wanted to study to be a vet when you were young?

Initially, I wanted to pursue a career in singing but quickly realised that was probably idealistic. A little Pomeranian joined my family as I was going through high school, and at the same time I realised I was more interested in the sciences than the other school subjects. Towards the end of school, I had the decision to pursue human or veterinary medicine and opted for the latter pathway.

And you were in New Zealand?  

Yes, that's where I grew up.

Where did you study your veterinary degree?

I studied a Bachelor of Veterinary Science (BVSC), graduating from Massey University in New Zealand in 2020.

So how did you end up here in WA?

Midway through my final year in university, I realised how much I enjoyed radiology lectures and workshops and knew that it was the path that I wanted to take. I worked towards securing a radiology training program and was first accepted as a rotating intern at the Animal Referral Centre, a specialist hospital in Auckland, where I worked for one year. Rotating internships let you work across multiple disciplines, which is important for confirming this is the right path for you while consolidating your knowledge in a specialist setting.  

Unfortunately, no clinics in New Zealand offered radiology training programs, so I searched overseas and landed up in Sydney for a year. I completed a second rotating internship at the Small Animal Specialist Hospital (SASH) with the goal of transitioning to a radiology internship the following year, but I was unsuccessful due to the level of competition. When I saw Murdoch had a radiology internship, I jumped at the opportunity. I was lucky to be offered a position, moved to Perth, and this has carried on into my current Residency Training Program.

What was it about Diagnostic Imaging (radiology) that you enjoyed?

It appealed to me because it is inherently problem solving. You are often working with limited information - sometimes just an image, without much information as to why the pet has presented, or the age, breed or even species of the pet. However, the answers are often within the image itself. It feels like detective work where you work through clues, integrate findings and your knowledge and come to a logical conclusion. I enjoy the structured approach to uncertainty. 

When you graduate from the RTP you have a new qualification in your post-nominals?

Yes, it would be DipECVDI which stands for Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Diagnostic Imaging. Whether you qualify under the Fellowship (Australasian), American, or European College depends on what college your supervisor is a part of.  

What is the suite of imaging technologies that you work with?

X-rays, CTs, Ultrasound, and MRI are the four main modalities. We also do Fluoroscopy, essentially X-ray but in real time. Contrast studies include feeding barium and assessing its movement through the gastrointestinal tract, and angiography which is the study of vessels.

The profession also utilises scintigraphy which involves injecting a small amount of radiotracer into the body and looking for areas of uptake that might indicate inflammation in the body. Currently, this is not offered at Murdoch as it necessitates niche, specialised technology.

So, do veterinary clinics refer certain cases to Murdoch that end up requiring your specialist skills?

Yes, radiology is more of a supporting service rather than having primary case management. We are part of the diagnostic process that other departments rely on. For example, a clinician might request a CT or MRI. We take the pertinent clinical information, assess suitability for performing imaging and which region to image, then interpret the study in light of the information. If we find a mass, or other pathology, we might recommend taking samples which help to narrow the possible diagnoses. Ultimately, this helps clinicians with a final diagnosis. They then continue with the case management of the animal. We’re not directly involved in treatment or outcomes, but we might see the patient again if they come back for follow-up imaging.

Does the Vet School complete a CT or MRI on horses?

Yes, we do have a standing MRI and CT here. It's constrained to the size of the horse, and you can't sedate the horse too heavily as it needs to remain standing, so you are limited to certain parts such as the extremities or head. Horses may become unpredictable so there is a risk of injury to the horse, handlers, and potential damage to imaging equipment.

I don't work too closely with the equine department as I mainly focus on small animals, but I have spent a few weeks shadowing our large animal radiologist and observed a few CTs. I learned it can be challenging as success often depends on the temperament of the horse. If they decide they've had enough, you can't really proceed with imaging.

What else do you enjoy about the diagnostic imaging world?

I like that diagnostic imaging is relatively non-invasive, especially modalities like ultrasound or X-ray where the animal only needs light sedation or sometimes no sedation. You can discover things that initially weren’t suspected, which is really valuable. It’s rewarding to be able to aid clinicians in their diagnosis and case management in that way.

What have been some of the more memorable cases that you have worked on?

There are several, but three cardiac cases stood out. Two cases involved a very rare congenital heart condition in young animals, called left ventricular noncompaction. We were able to describe the changes seen on an echocardiogram which hadn’t been well documented before. Sadly, it was not possible to save the affected puppies, but it was meaningful to be able to characterise this condition so clinicians can recognise it in the future.

One had gotten quite a bit of media coverage, where a puppy had rolled onto a sewing needle, and the needle had traversed its chest and went into its heart. It was stuck inside the heart muscle, but the puppy was largely fine. We did a suite of imaging and ultimately confirmed the needle’s location inside the heart. The dog went onto have cardiac surgery, which was a success, and emerged fine and healthy.