JULY 2022
Introductory Message

From the Director of House Officer Affairs and Education
Reflecting on my tenure as director of House Officer Affairs and Education, what stands out the most are the dedicated and talented veterinarians who have passed through the halls of the VMTH. They are the future of our profession.
 
Each year, the VMTH and associated centers host and train more than 130 house officers in more than 35 different programs. Playing major contributing roles in clinical medicine, client service, student teaching, and research, these hard-working veterinarians are an integral component to our global success.
 
House officer training programs are not easy, particularly during a pandemic with unprecedented demands for veterinary services on top of a multitude of additional stressors. Despite these challenges, it was with great pride that the faculty presented completion certificates to our finishing house officers this month whilst celebrating good times and friendships, as well as sharing success stories and news of exciting next steps in their journeys.
 
Transitions are a time to look toward the future. With an expanding awareness of challenges faced by veterinary professionals, there has been continued development of resources devoted to house officer training and welfare. The role of chief house officer has been re-established, a House Officer Affairs Board instated, and a House Officer Wellness Program launched. The potential scope of the director of House Officer Affairs and Education position has been recognized with increased human resources in the appointment of two enthusiastic and skilled faculty to the role. Drs. Amandine Lejeune and Jamie Burkitt will undoubtedly continue this forward momentum and have a positive impact on the lives of our house officers, and in turn our profession.
 
Congratulations to the House Officer Class of 2022 and welcome to the incoming class of talented veterinarians. They might only be in our halls for 1-4 years, but they remain in our hearts and souls for life.
 
--Linda Barter
Citations of Excellence Winners
UC Davis recently recognized its 2022 Citations of Excellence Award winners, which recognize individuals who have demonstrated outstanding achievements that go above and beyond the requirements outlined in their position descriptions. The SVM/VMTH was well represented this year, with three individuals being recognized. They will be honored at an awards ceremony in September. Congratulations to all!
Supervision Award (honorable mention):
Stefanie Carroll (Comparative Pathology Laboratory)
Faculty & Staff Partnership Award (honorable mention): Jully Pires (Veterinary Center for Clinical Trials) and Dr. Sean Hulsebosch (Internal Medicine Service).
New National Suicide and Crisis Line
In 2020, Congress designated 988 for mental health crises, and it is finally here. The new 24/7 Suicide and Crisis Line is available by simply dialing or texting 988 should you or someone you know be in need. Trained counselors are available to provide free, confidential support day or night. Learn more about 988.
New Co-Directors of House Officer Affairs Named
Congratulations to Drs. Jamie Burkitt and Amandine Lejuene as co-directors of House Officer Affairs. We are so fortunate to have these qualified and passionate faculty members join the VMTH administrative team and serve our house officer programs. In recognition of their creative vision and dedication, the leadership team, with support from the Dean’s Office, has expanded these positions to encompass a combined 40% effort. This increased effort is a testament to our dedication to house officer programs and a strategic goal to focus on improving house officer health and well-being. Drs. Burkitt and Lejeune began their 5-year terms July 15 and overlap with Dr. Linda Barter throughout New House Officer Orientation. We are excited to support Drs. Burkitt and Lejeune in bringing their vision for our house officer programs to life and carrying on with the monumental work of Dr. Barter, whom we thank for her exceptional service.
Hospital / VMC Updates
Staff Update:
  • Please welcome Simon Ehrlich as the new assistant in the Director’s Office. Simon Ehrlich is a Bay Area native who has lived in Natomas for six years. He comes from a wide background of professional experience with roots in IT support and a myriad of roles ranging from teaching to vegetation management to program coordination. He has also served UC Davis previously in the departments of Continuing and Professional Education and Campus Shared Services. Please stop by the Director’s Office to meet Simon. He looks forward to meeting all of you and finally working on campus so he can take walks in the arboretum.
Faculty Update:
  • Please welcome Dr. Kelsey Brust who joined the Diagnostic Imaging Service as an assistant professor, effective July 1. Dr. Brust earned her DVM (2014) from UC Davis. She started her residency (2015-16) in diagnostic imaging at the University of Illinois and completed her residency (2016-19) at UC Davis. She became board certified (2018) by the American College of Veterinary Radiology. Dr. Brust was previously employed by IDDEXX (2019-22) and held a volunteer assistant clinical professor position (2019-22) at the VMTH. Dr. Brust’s research interests and expertise are in clinical diagnostic imaging.
  • Please welcome Dr. Fauna Smith who joined the Livestock Herd Health and Reproduction Service as an assistant professor, effective July 1. Dr. Smith earned her DVM (2005) from UC Davis. From 2005-15, she was employed in various equine and mixed practices in New Zealand. Dr. Smith completed her residency in large animal internal medicine (2017) at UC Davis and became board certified (2018) from the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine with a specialty in Large Animal Internal Medicine. Dr. Smith recently completed a PhD program at UC Davis in Integrative Pathobiology. Her research interests and expertise are in immunology and infectious disease with a specialty in small ruminants.
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 July.
July Recipients:

Gabrielle Wilson, an animal health technician in the Medical Oncology Service, was recognized for exemplifying our cultural beliefs of Value People, One Team, and Trusted Dialogue, which contributed to the key result of Excellent Patient Care.
“Gabby has been instrumental helping maintain caseload and patient care in the Radiation Oncology Service. She always has a great attitude and helps wherever she is needed without complaint. Radiation Oncology has been short-staffed and Gabby steps in on most days to help in any way possible. Thank you so much, Gabby. Your hard work is appreciated.”
Lauren Rodriguez, a customer service representative in Client Services, was recognized for exemplifying our cultural beliefs of Realize Vision and Pursue Excellence, which contributed to the key result of Excellent Patient Care.
“Lauren exhibited much patience during an extremely challenging call. She was receptive, gave informative responses, and was extremely understanding. Thank you, Lauren, for your professionalism.”
 
Thank you, Gabrielle and Lauren, for your hard work and dedication to the VMTH.
 
In addition, Flora Nelson and Michelle Bristow also received awards for recognizing their colleagues’ hard work.
VERT Rescues Horse at Tevis Cup
On July 17, members of the UC Davis Veterinary Emergency Response Team (VERT) responded to a request by the organizers of the Tevis Cup to rescue a horse that had fallen off the Western States Trail while competing in the famous 100-mile endurance ride. Partnering with emergency crews from CalFire, as well as Placer, Nevada, and Butte Counties, VERT played a major role in a dramatic helicopter rescue that was featured extensively on Northern California news outlets. Dr. Lais Costa led the team of four, including Dr. Tara Urbano, staff member Tim Williamson, and veterinary students Julia Hills and Caitlyn Higginbotham.
Scrubs Cafe Survey
Do you eat at Scrubs? Please take a few quick minutes to fill out this survey to help Student Housing and Dining Services make effective changes to better serve you.
Key Cultural Pillar

“Value People”
The VMTH recently acknowledged the dedication and hard work of its staff members with the annual Staff Awards and Rachel Smith Award. Additionally, since many of the nominees this year have been at the hospital for a relatively short time, the committee decided to acknowledge their contributions by introducing a new Rising Star Award. This award recognizes someone who has been at the hospital for five years or less but who is well on their way to making a strong impact. The staff was described at the ceremony as the “foundation of the hospital” and were prime examples of the hospital’s cultural beliefs. Nominee Alyssa Ortega was described as the true embodiment of a team player through communication and cooperation. Nominee Omar Sarno’s positive influence can change a colleague’s day regardless of how busy or stressful things may be. Nominee Dawn Cauthen was noted as a person who cares deeply about her service and their success. Each nominee’s submission was filled with similar accolades praising their dedication to the hospital, their patients, the clients, and their team members. Other nominees included Paige Allenbaugh, Dallis Hollis, Alex Paul, and Kayla Popovich. Thank you to the Staff Awards Committee for their hard work: Dr. Emily Berryhill, (chair), Sarah Blasczynski, Dr. Julie Burges, Simon Ehrlich (administrative support), Brenda Keegan, Dr. Matthew Prator, Jason Peters, Dr. Catherine Outerbridge, and Dr. Josh Stern. The hospital extends a sincere thank you to the committee for its dedication to these awards, with a special recognition to Simon Ehrlich for his excellent management and organization of the process and the ceremony.
 
Congratulations to all award winners and nominees!
Rachel Smith Award Winner:
Rich Larson (Diagnostic Imaging Service Staff Supervisor)
Large Animal Staff Award Winner:
Claudia Firchau (Equine Internal Medicine Service)
Small Animal Staff Award Winner:
Jully Pires (Veterinary Center for Clinical Trials)
Client Services/Administrative Staff Award Winner:
Brenda Sissom (Personnel and Payroll Supervisor)
Support Services Staff Award Winner:
Julie Burges (Clinical Diagnostic Laboratory Manager)
Rising Star Award Winner:
Kim Carlson (Livestock Medicine Service)
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, including a new section on House Officer Wellness.
  • Last month I mentioned I would focus on resiliency. At the VMTH, I’m sure we can all agree that we must have resiliency, since we’ve been surviving the impact of COVID on our work lives. But what is it exactly? What are the factors that contribute to resiliency? In this video, you’ll learn about the 5 Factors of Resiliency. In the following months, I’ll focus on each factor to help you build on them. Stay tuned!