Encouraged by her maternal grandmother and mom from an early age, Dr. Rebecca Aust’s love of animals has been consistent throughout her life. When faced with determining her next steps academically following high school graduation, the joy she found working with a variety of animals in a pet store led her to obtain her Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Central Florida, followed by a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Louisiana State University (Geaux Tigers!) in 2019. She completed a three year residency in Comparative Medicine after graduation at the University of Pennsylvania, where she developed substantial expertise in exotic animal medicine and surgery through working with a variety of small mammals, birds, swine, amphibians, fish, small ruminants, and primates.

During her residency, she spent her free time working in small animal emergency hospitals and general medicine practices. Through this she obtained extensive skills in emergency medicine, critical care, urgent care, and routine wellness for cats, dogs, and small mammals.

Dr. Aust arrived in the Boston area for a comparative medicine career in July 2022, however found that urgent care work was more fulfilling and joined the VUCC team in September 2023. Her professional interests and specialization include emergency medicine, critical care, urgent care, pain management, integrative medicine, and wellness care for cats, dogs, small ruminants, swine, primates, and small mammals. In her free time, she enjoys being outdoors hiking or kayaking, physical fitness training, traveling, spending time with friends and family back home in Florida, baking, cooking, hosting activities for her Meetup group, relaxing at home with her two cats (Smudgie and Kali-Ate, the three-legged terror), or enjoying a good book.