APRIL 2023

New Faces

Anika Kinzel

Medical Oncology Service

Jackie O’Keefe

Medical Oncology Service

McKenna Bay Tribble

Client Services

Jasmyn Albrecht

Client Services

Courtney Tran

Client Services

Nichole Anchell

Clinical Diagnostic Laboratory

Diana Taylor

Cardiology Service

Devyn Kelly

Small Animal Internal Medicine Service

Maryn Moore

Anesthesia Service 

Crystal Bessmer

Anesthesia Service 

Katie Serpa

Equine ICU

Gemma Blumenshine

Equine ICU

School Retains #1 National Ranking

U.S. News & World Report named the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine No. 1 in the nation in its most recent rankings of professional and graduate programs, released this week. Veterinary school rankings come out every four years, and this marks the third consecutive time UC Davis has been on top. 

SVM Kicks Off Year-Long Celebration of 75th Anniversary

Perhaps you’ve noticed the large new murals in the SAC and LAC entrances? The school is kicking off a year-long celebration of the 75th anniversary of its 1948 opening. On Friday, April 28, Alumni & Friends Weekend starts with many events, including tours of clinical spaces on Friday afternoon. The anniversary will also be the main focus of the Spring issue of the school’s Synergy magazine. Please pick up a copy to learn about some historical aspects of the VMTH and the origins of our House Officer Program. Clinical activities are featured prominently in a Top 10 school accomplishments section, and a look to the future of veterinary medicine at UC Davis will be featured in the upcoming Fall issue.

Large Animal Clinic Provides Care at Red Bluff Round-Up

Faculty, residents, staff, and students from the Large Animal Clinic recently served as the on-site veterinary team during the 102nd Red Bluff Round-Up Rodeo. The event is the largest 3-day rodeo in the world and is a major stop on the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) circuit. This is the second year in a row that the LAC was selected to be the official on-site veterinary team for the rodeo. They team cared for 12 emergencies in horses, including a laceration, a mild colic, a colitis case, and lameness issues. Their work garnered a shout out on national television during Cowboy Network’s coverage of the event.

CAPE Treats 80-Year-Old Desert Tortoise

Tortie, an 80-year-old California desert tortoise, was diagnosed with a bladder stone about the size of an average human fist, quite large for a 12-pound tortoise. The Companion Exotic Animal Medicine and Surgery Service was able to use endoscopy tools to access the bladder, break up the stone, and remove it. To our knowledge, Tortie is the oldest veterinary patient to ever undergo surgery at the VMTH.

Pathologists Perform Necropsy on Oakland Zoo Elephant

Lisa, the Oakland Zoo’s 46-year-old African elephant, was humanely euthanized recently after years of chronic and degenerative health issues. She was brought to the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine for a necropsy to look for any other underlying conditions, examine the arthritis in her front limbs, and to collect tissue samples—including stem cells that could be used to inform caretakers on healing and pain-relieving treatment for other elephants. Over the years, UC Davis radiologists and zoological medicine residents and faculty contributed to her care. Tissue samples and CT images taken as part of the necropsy will help inform the care of captive elephants in the future, and pathologists will learn more about elephant anatomy and conditions affecting the species.

Hospital / VMC Updates

Staff Update:

  • This week, we celebrate Medical Laboratory Professionals Week, an annual opportunity to recognize medical laboratory professionals and pathologists and highlight the important role they play in diagnostics and patient care. Let’s celebrate our VMTH clinical and anatomic pathology laboratory professionals. Thank you for your dedication to our patients and clients.
  • Wednesday, April 26 was Administrative Professionals Day, when we recognized and celebrated the work of administrative staff and other office professionals for their contributions to the success of the VMTH. Thank you for keeping the hospital running smoothly so the medical professionals can focus on providing top notch care to our patients. Not all heroes wear scrubs!
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 April.

April Recipients:


Michelle Bristow, an animal health technician in the Oncology Service, was recognized for exemplifying our cultural beliefs of Pursue Excellence and One Team, which contributed to the key results of Excellence in Patient Care, Client/rDVM Satisfaction, and Employee Engagement.

“Michelle has held the Oncology Service together while being the only staff member for the past three days. She has kept a cool head and still provided excellent instruction to the staff from other services who are covering. I appreciate her so much.”

Jenn La Sance, an animal health technician in the Orthopedic Surgery Service, was recognized for exemplifying our cultural beliefs of Value People, One Team, and Trusted Dialogue, which contributed to the key results of Patient Care and Employee Engagement.

“Jenn should be recognized for promoting positivity and encouraging the people around her to be proactive in making a positive shift in their mindset and the way we view and handle frustrating situations. Jenn always comes to work with a good attitude and constantly looks for ways to improve morale and keep staff engaged. Her positivity helps create a more creative and fun work and learning environment.”

 

Thank you, Michelle and Jenn, for your hard work and dedication to the VMTH.

Key Cultural Pillar


“Pursue Excellence"



Equine surgery resident Dr. Tom Bergstrom was recently awarded the 2023 American Association of Veterinary Clinicians (AAVC) Resident Achievement Award. The recognition is given annually to a resident in their final year of training who has achieved a high degree of excellence in their chosen specialty. In nominating Dr. Bergstrom for the award, the faculty stated that “he has achieved a standard of excellence in all attributes desired of a resident in a clinical training program. He has made a strong and durable impact on the success and reputation of the Equine Surgery Service and residency training program at UC Davis.” The AAVC was established in 1958 to enhance the quality of veterinary instruction and advocate for veterinary clinical teaching, service, and research. AAVC members are veterinary clinicians engaged in teaching and/or research at the professional, graduate, or postgraduate level at veterinary colleges in the United States and Canada. Only two residents nationwide receive the award each year, and Dr. Bergstrom is the seventh UC Davis resident to win the award since its inception in 1998. Congratulations, Dr. Bergstrom!

Wellness Tip of the Month


Florence Soares-Dabalos, MS, LMFT, the VMTH’s client support and wellness professional, offers a brief tip each month on managing stress during busy and demanding careers. Please see the full website of services that Florence offers, including a section on House Officer Wellness.

  • May is Mental Health Awareness Month, so now is a good time to get screened for depression, anxiety, and other mental health concerns. Mental Health America offers self-screenings that will take you through different questions to assess your symptoms. Before giving you the results, it will ask for demographics to assist with their data collection. Once you have the results, take them to your primary care physician and/or mental health professional. If your score concerns you or creates anxiety, please reach out to me, and I’ll help you get in touch with the appropriate referrals. I can be reached at fsoaresdabalos@ucdavis.edu