Dr. Robert Steckel, DVM, DACVS received a bachelor's degree in Animal Science in 1973 and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 1977 from The Ohio State University.  After two years of general practice, he entered graduate school for a combined surgical residency/master's degree program at Purdue University in 1979.  He completed a Master's degree in veterinary surgery in 1981, and became assistant professor of surgery that same year.  In 1983 he joined the faculty of the newly formed veterinary school at Tufts University, serving as assistant professor of surgery until 1990.  He became associate professor at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine.  He achieved Diplomate status in the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (DACVS) in 1988.  In 1992 he relocated to Connecticut as Director of Surgical Research at the United States Surgical Corporation.  After four years of conducting surgical reseach, he started the Surgical Consulting Practice in 1996.  Dr. Steckel has been performing specialty surgery throughout the Westchester-Rockland-Fairfield county region ever since.