Born and raised in Virginia, Dr. Furst attended the University of Florida for veterinary school. She then completed a small animal rotating internship in medicine and surgery at VCA Veterinary Care Animal Hospital and Referral Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Dr. Furst honed her skills through an internship in zoo, exotic, and wildlife medicine at Auburn University and the Birmingham Zoo, and completed additional specialty training in zoological companion animal medicine at Tufts University. Outside of veterinary medicine, Dr. Furst loves to play tennis and board games, go running, rock climb, and hike. Dr. Furst lives with her fiancé, Dr. Timothy O'Leary, with their two rabbits, two cats, two snakes, a leopard gecko, reed frogs, and an amazon milk frog.