Meet our Doctors

Our doctors are extremely dedicated to protecting the health and well-being of your animals both through investigative and preventative medicine! Below you will find a little bit about our amazing veterinarians at EVC.  

Dr. François R. Miquel

​ Dr. Francois is a graduate of the National Veterinary School in Lyon, France and has an advanced degree in microbiology. His special interest is in small animal and exotic animal surgery. He is a graduate of the ECFVG program and did his U.S. Clinical training at Iowa State University.  Dr. Francois is a native of Grenoble, France. He became co-owner with his wife, Dr. Elizabeth, when they purchased the practice from Dr. Forrest in 1997. 


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Dr. Shannon ​Bradley

Dr. Bradley grew up in Vermont and received her degree in Animal Science from UVM. She then went on to earn her degree in veterinary medicine from The Ohio State University. Before joining Essex Veterinary Center Dr. Bradley used to practice mixed animal medicine (large and small animals) but now focuses on small animals exclusively. Outside of work she enjoys spending time with her family and spoiling her dog, Sochi. Dr. Bradley joined the practice in January 2016.

Dr. Carrie Childs

Dr. Childs originally hails from Philadelphia, PA.  She graduated from Middlebury College in 2007 with a degree in Geology and Geography, and University of Pennsylvania school of Veterinary Medicine in 2016.  Dr. Childs has been lucky to gain extensive experience working in a variety of clinical settings and has leaps and bounds of surgical experience, with additional training in soft tissue and orthopedic procedures.  Dr. Childs spent time as an educator and ski bum before attending veterinary school and currently spends her free time with her family, ideally skiing, biking, or hiking.

Dr. Elizabeth B. Miquel

Dr. Elizabeth is a graduate of Yale University and the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. Her special interest is in internal medicine cases for all species including small mammals and reptiles. She is a member of the Association of Reptilian and Amphibian Veterinarians (ARAV). Dr. Elizabeth and Dr. Francois met in surgery at the University of Pretoria Veterinary College in Onderstepoort, South Africa. Dr. Elizabeth is from Rumson, NJ and worked on wall street for 10 years prior to attending veterinary school. Dr. Elizabeth became co-owners of Essex Veterinary Center with her husband, Francois, when they purchased the practice from Dr. Forrest in 1997. 

Dr. Sarah Smets

Dr. Sarah was born and raised in Belgium. There, she first discovered her love for animals surrounded by dogs, horses, sheep, goats and Flemish giant rabbits on her family farm. After meeting her husband during a student exchange in Sweden, she followed him to Boston, MA in 2006.  She commuted across the Atlantic Ocean for several years, and graduated Magna Cum Laude from the Veterinary program at Ghent University in 2016. During her studies she participated in many externships, including a month-long externship in the Dental and Oral Surgery Department at UC Davis.  Before earning her veterinary degree, she also received master’s degrees in History, Political Science and Non-Profit Organizations. 
Dr. Sarah relocated to the Burlington, VT area in 2018. Here she enjoys the proximity to the lake and the excellent skiing. When she’s not working, she enjoys gardening, baking and spending time with her husband Anders, her son Aksel, daughter Lily, their Golden Retriever Maple, and cats Deuce, and Blue.

Dr. Kate Watkins 

Dr. Kate is from northeastern Indiana and is thrilled to become a Vermonter. She received her bachelors degree in Animal Sciences with honors at Purdue University and stayed on for her veterinary degree, graduating in May 2024. Dr. Kate enjoys the variety that veterinary medicine brings to her life and getting to work with animals of all shapes and sizes! While in school she worked with dairy cows, working horses and mules, and even owls! Her veterinary interests include preventative medicine, surgery, and physical rehabilitation. Outside of work, she can be found hiking, skiing, or exploring a local farmers market. Dr. Kate has a beloved border collie mix, Finnegan, who tags along on her adventures.