Paul Maza, DVM ’95, has always seen veterinary medicine as something bigger than a career, more of a philosophy. “Veterinary medicine is a way to strengthen the bond between humans and all animals,” he reflects, “whether wild, domestic, or somewhere in between.” That conviction has carried him from the beaches of St. Kitts to the monasteries of Thailand, and into the anatomy labs of Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, where he has shaped veterinarians for more than two decades.
An Island Lesson in Balance
At RUSVM, Dr. Maza found a new way of learning. His professor, Dr. Chris Pasquini, was brilliant and brilliantly laid-back, as comfortable at the beach with students as he was in the anatomy lab. “That balance of serious study with genuine enjoyment of life taught me that learning happens best when students aren’t overly stressed.”
He has built his teaching around that belief at Cornell. In his Anatomy of the Carnivore course, student wellness is in the syllabus and part of the course curriculum. Regularly, students engage in a well-being activity tied to the subject at hand. Studying the musculoskeletal system? Go for a run or hit the gym. He also gives students a mental health day off from class — no make-up work required. “If you say they have to make it up, they won’t take the day.” Beyond the curriculum, he makes regular appointments with students just to connect so they know their professor sees them as whole people. The aim is for those habits to follow them forward: take care of your patients and take care of yourself.
Where Care Meets Community
Through FARVets, Dr. Maza brings veterinary care to communities across the globe, from Guatemala to Cambodia, partnering with grassroots organizations to provide spay/neuter clinics, vaccinations, and pet care education.
Volunteer service at a Thai Buddhist monastery underscores for Dr. Maza, the bond between humans and all animals. After a day of veterinary care, villagers arrived with home-cooked meals as a joyful thank-you. “To see people contribute in however way they can,” Dr. Maza says, “was very meaningful.” It isn’t charity, he insists, it’s something more: “Contributing to a cooperative society where everyone is cared for. When we create systems that support each other, everyone thrives.”
Congratulations, Dr. Maza — a true embodiment of the Rossie spirit.
