VSPC 25-01 Sarah Boston

Episode 1: Surgical Oncology, Canadian Identity, Keynotes & Comedy with Dr. Sarah Boston. In this fun and thoughtful reboot of the Global Veterinary Surgery Podcast, Dr. Jolle Kirpensteijn welcomes his first guest: the brilliant and hilarious Dr. Sarah Boston, a veterinary surgical oncologist, author, and stand-up comedian.They kick things off with Jolle’s confession about ghosting his own podcast for a year (he blames only himself… and maybe podcasting burnout), and how a passionate resident fan reignited his commitment to bringing it back.Topics covered include:

• Surgical Oncology: Dr. Boston talks about her career, her work at Capital City Specialty & Emergency Animal Hospital in Ottawa, and her passion for innovation in surgery.
• The “Boston Plasty”: A clever, simplified approach to managing distal radial osteosarcoma in dogs using carpal arthrodesis—designed to be accessible, cost-effective, and practical.
• Being a Proud Canadian: With humorous takes on being from Canada, a sovereign country that never will be the 51st state, Sarah brings her signature wit while making a case for strong Canadian veterinary voices.
• Preparing for Keynotes: Jolle and Sarah discuss the emotional rollercoaster of preparing for big talks, from imposter syndrome to storytelling strategies (spoiler: PowerPoint slides with only photos and no words might be the way to go).
• Failures & Real Talk: Sarah shares insights from her “failure bio” and emphasizes the importance of being open about setbacks to inspire younger vets.
• Cats, Comedy & Ethics: Her keynote on feline-centered stories and the lessons they taught her takes center stage, and we learn how stand-up comedy can co-exist with clinical compassion (even when someone says “vagina” at a symposium).

They wrap with favorite articles: Dr. Boston highlights a pivotal paper on mitotic index and mast cell tumors, as well as her own groundbreaking study on radical mandibulectomy in cats—despite the spicy letter to the editor it once earned.