Veterinary Nursing Symposium

Dr Jamieson graduated from the University of Nottingham School of Veterinary Medicine and Science in 2011 and went on to complete her internship at Lingfield Equine Vets in Surrey, before moving back to the USA to complete her specialist training with a fellowship and residency in Large Animal Internal Medicine at Oklahoma State University. She obtained board certification with the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) in 2018. During this period, she worked with a number of infectious disease researchers in the region, and developed a passion for research, with a focus on critical care modalities that improve the outcomes of the equine patient. Dr Jamieson spent the next 4 years at the EVMC in Doha, where established the internal medicine and anesthesia services. However, after 4 years in the Middle East, between missing the world of academia, and her growing passion for emergency medicine, brought Dr. Jamieson back to the states where she did a 4-month locum as an emergency clinician at Hagyard Equine Medical Institute before joining the faculty at Purdue as an Assistant Professor of Large Animal Emergency and Critical Care.

In her spare time, Dr Jamieson enjoys training her KWPN gelding Architect and is looking forward to exploring the Indiana dressage circuit. She also enjoys yoga, rock climbing, and she has recently discovered paddleboarding and SUP yoga. If she’s not at the clinic, the barn, or the gym, you can find Dr. Jamieson out to dinner with friends

Katie is a Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) in the Purdue Small Animal Internal Medicine department. She has a bachelor's degrees in Animal Science and Veterinary Nursing from Purdue. Before settling into her current role, she honed her skills in ER/ICU, where she discovered her passion for the complexities of internal medicine. When she's not in the clinic, Katie enjoys camping and adventuring with her Aussie mix, Twig.

Heidi Lescun got her BS in Veterinary Technology from North Dakota State University in 1997. She worked as a veterinary technologist at Purdue University’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital until 2000, when she moved to Australia for her husband Tim’s job as a veterinarian at a progressive equine hospital. In 2001, she returned to the Purdue VTH to provide anesthesia support and was appointed the supervisor of the anesthesia technicians in 2006. Heidi joined Vetamac in 2015 as service technician/sales associate servicing Northwest and Central Indiana.

Heidi is originally from Wausau, Wisconsin. She’s married to Tim, an Australian, and they have a daughter, Lili. She enjoys lasagna and 80’s rock, and she and Tim live on a small hobby farm with 4 horses and 3 dogs in Lafayette, Indiana. They enjoy attending Purdue basketball games and traveling and are often found showing horses at the Indiana Quarter Horse Shows.

Christy has been a veterinary nurse in the diagnostic imaging department at Purdue University for almost 15 years. After graduating from Purdue in 2006 with a bachelor’s degree in veterinary technology, she moved back to her home state of Michigan to work at an equine ambulatory practice before moving back to Purdue to join the diagnostic imaging team and has been a proud boilermaker ever since. She enjoys diagnostic imaging because it gives her the opportunity to provide care for both large and small animals and the ability to work with all the modalities in imaging. She has been a member of the Academy of Veterinary Technicians in Diagnostic Imaging (AVTDI) since 2020 and currently serves on the credentials approval committee, examination committee, recertification committee, and international/non-U.S./foreign credentialing requirements subcommittee. In her spare time, she enjoys exercising, horseback riding, reading, and spending time with her friends, family, and cat Lilly.

Molly Cripe Birt is a surgery technologist at Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine’s Large Animal Hospital. She has also worked as a treatment nurse and a med-surg tech throughout her ten-plus-year employment. Her predominant interests are equine orthopedic emergencies and intensive post-operative nursing care – she is a self-described adrenaline junkie. Molly is a proud alumnus from Purdue University’s Veterinary Technology Program, with a 2006 Associate’s Degree and 2007 Bachelor’s Degree. In 2015, she earned her Veterinary Technician Specialty in Equine Veterinary Nursing, and has since spoken at a variety of conferences, including the American Association of Equine Veterinary Technicians & Assistants Annual Conference. In her spare time, Molly loves adventuring with her pound hound and husband. She is an ultra-endurance cyclist, but also makes plenty of time to recline in a hammock.

Dr. Steve Thompson is a graduate of The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine.  He leads the Small Animal Primary Care and exotic pet rotations for 3rd and 4th year DVM and VN student rotations and is affiliated with Purdue’s Center for the Human – Animal Bond and Center for Animal Welfare Science.  He has authored chapters on implanting radiotransmitters in snakes, and pharmacotherapy for phobias.  He has been board certified by the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners in the canine and feline practice specialty.  He is involved with several conservation organizations and has provided veterinary care in wildlife cooperatives with the US Fish & Wildlife service as well as the Ohio, Michigan and Indiana DNR related to Peregrine Falcons, Whooping Cranes, River Otters, Hellbender salamanders and Timber Rattlesnakes.

Linley is a passionate veterinary nurse with a love for client communication, teaching, and patient care. After graduating from the Vet Tech Institute in Indianapolis in 2016, she joined Purdue Veterinary Hospital in 2017 as a small and large animal anesthesia nurse. In 2019, she transitioned into the medical oncology department, where she found her true calling—supporting patients and their families through a cancer diagnosis while contributing to groundbreaking cancer research. She thrives on mentoring students in the clinical setting, building lasting relationships with pet owners, and creating engaging social media content that highlights oncology patients, clinical trials, and the incredible work of her team.

 Outside the hospital, Linley stays busy on her small homestead, where she’s a passionate gardener, chicken wrangler, and devoted reader. She shares her days with her husband, their energetic three-year-old, and an equally spirited German Shorthair Pointer. When she’s not tending to her plants, caring for her flock, or dreaming up new ideas to keep her family on their toes, she’s happiest outdoors, soaking in the beauty of their property.