Cory Wakamatsu, DVM
Radiation Oncology Resident
My passion for veterinary medicine began when I was just a child. The very kind veterinarian who euthanized my pet rat had such a big impact on me that I knew I wanted to be able to provide the same care for other pet owners.
I grew up in California and always had a place full of pets including guinea pigs, rats, hamsters, cats, dogs, chickens, a snake, and rabbits. I also earned a little bit of money babysitting ferrets. It was such a fun way to grow up and it cemented my goal of becoming a veterinarian.
After high school, I completed my undergrad at UC San Diego where I graduated with a pure mathematics degree. I attended veterinary school at UC Davis and graduated in 2020. I then completed a rotating internship at VCA Animal Specialty and Emergency Center, followed by a specialty internship at VCA West Los Angeles in Radiation Oncology.
It was during that internship that I knew I wanted to pursue a career in radiation oncology. Radiation oncology aims to achieve tumor control, which gives patients more time with their humans by using advanced technology to extend and improve life. The human-animal bond drives my passion for veterinary medicine. It’s such an honor to help strengthen and extend that bond every day.
The Flint Animal Cancer Center’s Radiation Oncology residency program has a reputation for developing excellent specialists, advancing research, and pushing the limit as to what radiation can achieve. I was more than elated to start my residency training here last July 2022.
When I’m not working, I love hiking in the Colorado mountains and spending time outside. I am a sucker for dive bar karaoke and live music. I have two domestic short-hair cats, Ribbons and Jaxon.
My plan after my residency is to work in private practice in either Colorado or the west coast to provide life-extending radiation therapy for family pets.