Dale City Veterinarians
Christine Learman, DVM
Dr. Learman has been practicing in the Woodbridge area for over 22 years, and at MapleShade since opening in 1999.
She began her education at Mount Saint Mary's College, where she graduated cum laude as a Registered Nurse in 1981. From there, it was on to veterinary school at Virginia Regional College of Veterinary Medicine. Serving as Class President during her junior and senior years, she earned an Iams Nutrition scholarship during her senior year.
After completing her veterinary studies, Dr. Learman was awarded an internship in small animal medicine and surgery at the prestigious Animal Medical Center in New York City. This internship, along with six years of experience working as an associate veterinarian at a local animal hospital, was excellent preparation for establishing her own veterinary practice.
"I am blessed to say that my profession is my passion," she says. "I get so much satisfaction in helping the four-legged family members live the healthiest lives possible with an individual approach to patient care."
Dr. Learman is a general small animal veterinarian and owner of MapleShade. Her professional interests include dentistry, soft tissue surgery, acupuncture, pain management, holistic medicine, and dermatology. She is a Fear Free Certified Practitioner and cherishes partnerships with several rescue groups and her time spent volunteering at the local spay/neuter clinics for feral cats.
Dr. Learman is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, the American Animal Hospital Association, the American Association of Feline Practitioners, the International Veterinary Pain Management's International Veterinary Acupuncture Society and the Academy of Homeopathy.
Erica Caldwell, DVM
Dr. Caldwell grew up in South Carolina and attended Purdue University for her undergraduate studies. She then moved to MA where she earned her master’s degree in (marine) ecology. For a few years she worked for the MBL as a research assistant doing fieldwork in Alaska and lab work in Woods Hole, MA. She ultimately decided to pursue her long-time dream of veterinary medicine and graduated from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville in 2008.
She has lived in the Mid-Atlantic Region since 2009, in part, to be closer to her parents. Since graduating she has worked in multiple small animal practices and most recently has spent three years working exclusively in animal rescue. Her experiences have brought her to love veterinary dentistry, surgery, and abdominal ultrasound.
She spends her free time outside with her husband and two dogs, Boone and Lady Bird. Her home is ruled by multiple princes and princesses of the cat variety. She loves gardening, hiking, biking, rowing, books, and puzzles.