Dr Jane Tiernan is one of the owners of Vets of Geelong and has been caring for pets and their families for more than two decades. Jane grew up in Drysdale on the Bellarine Peninsula, where a childhood surrounded by animals sparked her early passion for veterinary medicine.
Jane completed her schooling in Geelong before studying Veterinary Science at the University of Melbourne, graduating in 2000. She began her career in mixed veterinary practice in Bendigo, gaining valuable experience treating both companion animals and livestock.
Jane later moved to the United Kingdom, where she spent seven years working in veterinary practices across England and Wales. During this time she worked in numerous locum positions and gained broad clinical experience before accepting a position at a busy veterinary charity hospital in London, treating a large and varied caseload of small animal patients.
Following their marriage, Jane and her husband Dr James Tiernan returned to Geelong. Jane joined the team at Corio Veterinary Clinic before the couple fulfilled a long-held dream in 2010, when they became the owners of Highton Veterinary Clinic.
From those early days with a small team, the practice has grown steadily into Vets of Geelong, now operating across four clinics with a large team of veterinarians, nurses and support staff serving pet owners across the region.
Jane continues to work closely with the veterinary team across the clinics, mentoring and supporting veterinarians as they develop their clinical and surgical skills. She enjoys helping the team work through medical and surgical cases, offering guidance and support with the day-to-day challenges of veterinary practice and helping ensure the highest standard of care for patients and their families.
Jane has undertaken extensive postgraduate training in small animal medicine and surgery.
She holds MANZCVS (SAM), meaning she is a Member of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists in Small Animal Medicine. This postgraduate qualification recognises veterinarians who have undertaken advanced training and successfully passed rigorous examinations demonstrating a high level of knowledge and expertise in small animal medicine.
Jane has also completed additional postgraduate training through the University of Sydney’s Postgraduate Foundation, further developing her clinical and surgical skills. This training has included advanced courses in small animal surgery, ophthalmology, endocrinology, oncology and chemotherapy, as well as further professional development in emergency medicine and exotic animal care.
Her professional interests span both small animal medicine and surgery, and she is particularly well known for her expertise in soft tissue surgery, with colleagues frequently seeking her guidance on surgical cases and complex medical decisions.
Outside of the clinic, Jane keeps busy managing the lively schedules of the Tiernan family’s four children Seamus, Niamh, Aislin and Declan. Much of her time is spent transporting the kids between activities including tennis, swimming, netball, soccer, football, cricket, lifesaving and surfing, and just about anything else that keeps four energetic children active.
Over the years the Tiernan household has been home to a wide variety of pets including dogs, cats, guinea pigs, birds, fish and reptiles.