Paula Dvorchak, DVM

Dr. Paula Dvorchak joins our team as the new Chief of Staff at Santa Fe Animal Clinic as of the Spring of 2025. She comes to us with many years of experience as both an Associate Veterinarian and as a previous hospital Medical Director. Dr. Dvorchak grew up in a small town in Iowa and found herself helping every stray or sick animal that crossed her path. Like many young girls, she aspired to become a veterinarian, but instead pursued a more traditional liberal arts degree when she went to college. She graduated with honors from DePaul University in Chicago but always found herself yearning to work with animals. She eventually moved to California to pursue her dream of becoming a veterinarian. Prior to veterinary school, Dr. Dvorchak received a Master’s Degree in Animal Behavior and Physiology at San Francisco State University. She received her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from the University of California Davis in 2006. She did multiple international externships during her time at Davis including ones in Spain and South Africa. After graduation, Dr. Dvorchak did a year of emergency and specialty training at California Veterinary Specialist in Murietta. Dr. Dvorchak has always appreciated the value of maintaining a close relationship between doctor, patient and pet parents which is why she transitioned from urgent care to general medicine. She enjoys performing surgery and seeks to provide excellent medical care to all of her patients. Dr. Dvorchak has worked exclusively in North County San Diego for the past 19 years and resides in Encinitas with husband David and her three children: Maya, Evan and Ava. She also shares her home with three dogs (Ella, a Golden Retriever; Lilly a Terrier Mix; and Charlie, a Frenchton), two cats (Buddha and Nala), and many exotic freshwater fish (mainly Discus). When she is not working and spending time with her family, Dr. Dvorchak also enjoys traveling, taking morning walks along Encinitas 101, playing pickleball on the weekends and watching her youngest daughter ride horses in Rancho Santa Fe. Dr Dvorchak has also created her own jewelry brand (M.E.A Designs, inspired by her children’s names) and has been selling her creations for the past 11 years at local boutiques. Dr Dvorchak is very excited about the transition to Santa Fe Animal Clinic and hopes to make this her “forever practice”.