Dr. Pickens graduated from St. George's University with his DVM in 2023. He completed a small animal rotating internship in 2024 and a specialty anesthesia internship in 2025 at University of Tennessee - Knoxville. The next goal is to achieve a zoological medicine residency to obtain a American College of Zoological Medicine accreditation. His dream job would be working at a zoo/aquarium that includes lots of chelonians.