MINIMAL — Iberian Association of Minimally Invasive Veterinary Medicine

The association

Who are we?

MINIMAL is a non-profit Iberian veterinary association that brings together professionals with a common interest: to promote, develop and share minimally invasive techniques in veterinary medicine and surgery.

Better veterinary professionals
for a better world

Knowledge
Ethics
Collaboration
Real impact

People who make a difference

Our board.

Four professionals serving a community that shares knowledge and moves forward together.

Esther Morcillo Martín

President

Esther Morcillo Martín

DVM, MSc, PhD

Founder of MIA Veterinaria. Her clinical, teaching and research work focuses on minimally invasive procedures, interventional endoscopy and endourology.

Discover her career

A graduate in Veterinary Medicine from the Universidad de Extremadura, she holds an International PhD in Health Sciences and received the Extraordinary Doctorate Award. She also holds master’s degrees in Health Sciences Research, Small Animal Clinical Practice, and Vascular and Non-Vascular Intervention.

She began her training in endoscopy and minimally invasive surgery at the Centro de Cirugía de Mínima Invasión Jesús Usón in 2009. After leading minimally invasive departments at referral hospitals, she founded MIA Veterinaria in 2022, a mobile endoscopy, interventional and minimally invasive service.

She teaches on university and specialist training programmes, is the author and co-author of more than 40 scientific publications and is an active member of SLEV and VIRIES.

Filipe Leal de Urbano

Vice-President

Filipe Leal de Urbano

Vice-President of MINIMAL, the Iberian Association of Minimally Invasive Veterinary Medicine.

Marisa Palmero Colado

Secretary

Marisa Palmero Colado

DVM · SpecEaMIS · AVEPA-accredited in Feline Medicine

Medical Director and co-founder of Hospital Gattos in Madrid. She combines feline internal medicine with endoscopy, diagnostic imaging and teaching.

Discover her career

A graduate in Veterinary Medicine from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid in 1994, she has led Hospital Gattos since 2011, a hospital dedicated exclusively to feline care.

Her training includes the General Practitioner Certificate in Feline Practice from ESVPS, AVEPA accreditation in Feline Medicine and a postgraduate qualification in Feline Medicine from IFEVET. She is a university specialist in Endoscopy and Minimally Invasive Surgery, with training at the Centro de Cirugía de Mínima Invasión Jesús Usón.

Author and co-author of books and articles on feline medicine, she teaches on postgraduate programmes and speaks at national and international conferences. Her areas of interest include feline internal medicine, endoscopy and diagnostic imaging.

Treasurer

Sofía Lafuente

Treasurer of MINIMAL, the Iberian Association of Minimally Invasive Veterinary Medicine.

Our mission

A community for a better future.

Our primary aim is to build a community of veterinary professionals specialising in minimally invasive procedures and to promote these techniques both within the veterinary profession and across Spanish and Portuguese society, due to their undeniable benefits for animal welfare.

Become a member →
Dog and cat resting together
◎

Committed professionals

A network that shares knowledge and experience.

▤

Knowledge sharing

We promote training and the wider adoption of minimally invasive techniques.

♡

Animal welfare

We work towards more advanced, ethical and compassionate veterinary care.

Our values

What guides us.

We believe in veterinary medicine based on knowledge, collaboration and respect for animals.

◇

Excellence

We encourage continuing education and scientific development.

◎

Collaboration

We connect professionals across Spain and Portugal.

✦

Innovation

We promote the adoption of new techniques and technologies.

♡

Commitment

We work for animal welfare and a more conscious society.