Our veterinary practice has grown, and we’ve added a new veterinarian to our team so we can provide gold-standard care for more pets in our community. Since we consider your pet part of our family, we’d like to introduce you to Willow Wood Animal Hospital’s newest family member—Julie Connolly, DVM. Dr. Connolly, who has been with us since February 2021, has quickly fit right in, and found her niche with our team. Help us welcome Dr. Connolly to the team by learning more about her journey to Willow Wood Animal Hospital. 

How did Dr. Connolly discover veterinary medicine?

Dr. Connolly originally began her college education focusing on classes that would help her get into veterinary school, but she switched to computer science during her second year over fears about animal welfare in the veterinary school curriculum. She received her bachelor’s degree in systems analysis from Miami University in Ohio, and then lived in Cincinnati for eight years, working for Cap Gemini Sogeti/Ernst & Young, mainly as a consultant for Procter & Gamble. 

However, Dr. Connolly realized she wasn’t as passionate about computer science as veterinary medicine, and didn’t want that career forever. So, back to Miami University she went for veterinary school prerequisite classes. 

Once she had the prerequisites, Dr. Connolly applied and was admitted to Ohio State University’s veterinary program. While in school, she became pregnant with her son, so she took a break from college to care for him, but she reapplied and regained admission the following year, and graduated from the veterinary program in 2008. Her path to veterinary medicine was definitely not straight!

After graduation, Dr. Connolly worked as a general intern at MedVet from 2008 to 2009, and then worked at Reynoldsburg  Animal Hospital from 2009 to 2021. At that point, she was looking for a change, discovered Willow Wood Animal Hospital, and happily joined our team. We’re delighted to have her, and we encourage her interests in surgery, pain management, and spay and neuter programs. 

Who is part of Dr. Connolly’s family?

Born in Boston to an Irish dad and Taiwanese mom—her parents met while her dad was overseas in the Navy—Dr. Connolly moved to Ohio in the middle of high school. Her immediate family includes her fiancé, Dan, Liam, her 17-year old son, who is on his way to college at Temple University, and a younger sister, Melissa, who lives in Washington, D.C.. 

What type of pets does Dr. Connolly have at home?

Dr. Connolly shares her home with several different pet species, and enjoys spending her free time with them. Two of her three cats, named Mini, Mew, and Stephen, are sweet and one is evil, yet all three hate each other. Byzee is an adorable guinea pig who is the best boy and especially loving. Dr. Connolly also cares for nine fascinating cherry shrimp, plus an unknown number of babies. 

What piques Dr. Connolly’s interest outside of veterinary medicine?

When Dr. Connolly isn’t busy caring for her patients at Willow Wood Animal Hospital, she enjoys a myriad of hobbies. Some of her favorite activities include:

  • Watching movies
  • Heading to the local library and reading all genres of books
  • Spending time in nature
  • Birdwatching
  • Making jewelry
  • Traveling
  • Creating origami designs
  • Performing yoga
  • Cross training
  • Cycling

Dr. Connolly has explored numerous world countries, including Canada, Spain, Puerto Rico, France, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, Japan, and the Philippines, to broaden her horizons. Despite this impressive number of countries, she sees no end to future travels. 

The next time your furry pal has an appointment with Dr. Connolly at Willow Wood Animal Hospital, you may end up chatting about traveling, birdwatching, personal fitness, or your favorite creative activity. But, no matter what you discuss, you will also be aware of her passion for your pet’s pain management, supporting the community through spay and neuter programs, or learning more about advanced surgical techniques, and you’ll know she has your pet’s best interests at heart. Contact us to schedule an appointment.