Originally from St. Charles, Missouri, I attended the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. After graduation with a B.S. in Environmental Engineering, I attended U.S. Army flight school at Fort Rucker, Alabama with advanced training in UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters. I subsequently served in South Korea, Alabama, North Carolina and Afghanistan as an Aviation commissioned officer.

After leaving the U.S. Army, I attended Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine graduating in 2008. After graduation, I practiced at a mixed animal practice in Dover-Foxcroft, Maine for two years, then as an associate at Perry Veterinary Services (dairy/mixed animal) in Perry, New York for another 5 years. Moving back to Connecticut, I worked for a year in small animal general practice and emergency surgery with Pieper-Olson Veterinary Hospital in Middletown, Connecticut. Ultimately, I applied for and was hired as an assistant clinical professor at Tufts Ambulatory Service (now Tufts Veterinary Field Service) for Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. I have been working in this capacity for almost 6 years. My primary emphasis is dairy/bovine medicine and surgery, though I routinely work with all large animal species.

My wife, Kristin Williams, is also a 2008 TUSVM graduate and works primarily in small animal general practice. We have 3 dogs, 3 cats, 2 Brown Swiss steer, 4 horses and 2 goats on a small farm in Canterbury, Connecticut.

Contact: David.hernke@tufts.edu