JANUARY 2022
Introductory Message

From the President of the Class of 2022
With graduation only four months away, it is hard to believe that it has been four years since members of the Class of 2022 opened their emails and learned that they had been accepted to UC Davis. The dream of being a veterinarian is rapidly becoming a reality as many members of our class have begun to receive job offers, while others await the results of the Match. Some have committed to pathology residencies or have been accepted to PhD programs. Regardless of the next steps in our careers, we are fortunate to have been able to spend our final year together, in person, in the VMTH.
 
After more than a year of online learning, there is no replacement for being surrounded by colleagues and immersed in cases, patient care, and hands-on learning. We are grateful for the staff, faculty, house officers, and administrators that have worked tirelessly to keep our learning in person and are committed to teaching and supporting us.
 
In addition to adapting to a global pandemic, this year has included the implementation of the student duty hour guidelines. These changes have made a noticeable improvement in student wellness and learning, and we look forward to the continued development of these guidelines in the coming months. We appreciate the hard work and flexibility, especially among our staff and technicians who have been essential to implementing these policies.
 
As we enter our final months of 4th year, I want to thank everyone for making this a rewarding and memorable final year. I cannot emphasize enough how much it has meant to be able to spend this year with my classmates in person working alongside the world class clinicians, house officers, and support staff at the VMTH. Thank you for all that you do every day to prepare us to be competent, compassionate, and confident veterinarians. 
 
Claire Stuhlmann
President, Class of 2022
President, Student Veterinary Emergency Response Team
Happy New Year!
Hospital / VMC Updates
Staff Update:
  • Congratulations to Debbie Thompson on her retirement after 13 years at UC Davis and 11 with the VMTH. After starting with a temporary position in Client Services, she moved to her permanent administrative position in the Director’s Office. In the coming months, Debbie and her husband will be spending a week in London before taking a Disney Cruise to the British Isles. They are also interested in taking a trip to Italy. Enjoy your retirement, Debbie, and thank you for the years of hard work and dedication to the VMTH.
Faculty Update:
  • Welcome Dr. Allison Gagnon, who recently joined the Cardiology Service as an Assistant Professor. She earned her BS in Biology from Stanford University in 2012 and her DVM from UC Davis in 2016. She then completed a rotating small animal internship at North Carolina State University and a residency in cardiology and cardiac surgery at Colorado State University, becoming board certified in cardiology by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine in 2021. Dr. Gagnon comes to UC Davis from Cornell University where she was a lecturer of cardiology for a year. Her research is focused on cardiac electrophysiology.
COVID-19 Update:
  • Remember that it is still required to take and pass a daily symptom survey prior to entry into VMTH facilities, as well as forwarding the results of that survey to your supervisor. Masks at VMTH entry points are being replaced with high quality KF94 masks. Changing into a fresh, provided mask at the entry point is required for all employees and students. The only exception to this rule is if you are wearing a fresh N95/KN95 of your own or as provided by central supply. Thank you for your diligence in preventing the spread of COVID-19 in our community and all your hard work during these times of staff, student, and clinician shortages. Feel free to reach out to vmthcovidqns@ucdavis.edu if you have questions.
If your dog is in good health, 1-8 years old, and weighs at least 55 pounds, please consider having them become a blood donor.
Former Orthopedic Surgery Service patient and June 2021 “Case of the Month” Clutch, who performs search and rescue activities, recently participated in an event at Casper’s Wilderness Park in Orange County with cadets of the Civil Air Patrol. Clutch helped educate the cadets on what to do if they are ever paired with a K9 as a ground searcher. Without the care he received at the VMTH, Clutch would’ve never been able to return to his duties.
Recognitions

NOMINATE YOUR COLLEAGUES TODAY

Recognize the hard work
your team performs every day.
Please utilize the PerfectForm icon link available on every VMTH desktop (or through VIPER>VMTH>Forms>VPETT) to nominate your colleagues for recognition of an outstanding example of one of our five Cultural Pillars: Realize Our Vision, Value People, Pursue Excellence, One Team, Trusted Dialogue.

The Cultural Pillars Committee is pleased to announce the recipients of the VPETT Recognition Award for the month of January.
January Recipients:

Amanda Herrera, an animal health technician 3 supervisor in the operating room and the Neurology/Neurosurgery Service, was recognized for exemplifying our cultural beliefs of Value People and One Team, which contributed to the key results of Outstanding Patient Care and Employee Engagement.
“As a new supervisor, Amanda is always around, always pitching in when people are out, or we need help. I really appreciate her presence around the service. Right before Christmas, we had four puppies for hearing tests, all of which had soiled their carriers. Amanda helped cleaned them all and get them ready to go back home. Thank you for being a proactive supervisor.”
Michelle Chavez, an animal health technician 3 supervisor with the surgery services, was recognized for exemplifying our cultural beliefs of Value People and One Team, which contributed to the key result of Outstanding Employee Engagement.
“I wanted to recognize Michelle for coming in on her day off after the holidays to help my new employee get her first day started. I am off caring for my mom, and Michelle went out of her way to help me and the anesthesia staff. I really appreciate her kindness and her willingness to go above and beyond. Michelle is always a team player, and I am so happy she is part of our supervisor team.”
 
Thank you, Amanda and Michelle, for your hard work and dedication to the VMTH.
 
In addition, Michelle Bristow and Dallas Hollis also received awards for recognizing their colleagues’ hard work.
Key Cultural Pillar
“Pursue Excellence”
Congratulations to the Ophthalmology Service, particularly resident Dr. Andrea Minella and faculty member Dr. Bianca Martins, for their treatment of eventing horse Joshuay MBF, who spent six weeks at the VMTH for eosinophilic keratoconjunctivitis. Their expert care garnered an article in Chronicle of the Horse, as well as a $100 donation to the school. Gifts of $100 or less made up 74% of the total number of gifts received by the school over the past five years and brought in nearly $2 million. Service Chief Dr. Kathryn Good congratulated the team on their hard work and dedication to patient care, adding that the “recognition obviously extends far beyond just the patients that we treat and the clients that we serve, as evidenced by this donation.”
Wellness Tip of the Month

Florence Soares-Dabalos, MS, LMFT, the VMTH’s client support and wellness professional, offers a brief tip on managing stress through the current crisis. Please see full website of services that Florence offers.
  • The omicron variant has me feeling like we’re back where we started with COVID. I know that’s not true, as vaccinations and boosters keep many of us safe from having severe, and even deadly, outcomes. It’s still difficult not to feel exhausted by the virus and the constant adjustments we need to make to stay safe. For some, omicron might even trigger grief feelings as they remember their loved ones who have died from COVID. I know I’m not alone in my feelings about COVID, as some of you have shared similar thoughts and feelings with me. This article from July 2020 might be helpful, as the coping strategies still apply. Whether there is a virus or not, it’s always a good idea to use the coping strategies listed in the article.