The Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine is pleased to welcome the Class of 2024 interns as they begin yearlong advanced clinical training programs in the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital. Five veterinarians are beginning small animal medicine and surgery internships and four are focusing on large animal medicine and surgery, while an additional intern is beginning a specialty small animal internal medicine program.
The clinical internship program provides advanced training to qualify each veterinarian for an approved residency program leading to board certification in a recognized specialty. Applicants are matched to a qualified program through the Veterinary Internship and Residency Matching Program sponsored by the American Association of Veterinary Clinicians.
The Caesars Entertainment Equine Specialty Hospital, which is the college’s satellite facility in Shelbyville, Indiana, also welcomes two new interns, Drs. Max Arreola and Marta Nieto, who are joining the hospital’s care team.
Additionally, a new Wasson Veterinary Pharmacy Resident, Kylie Kelley, PharmD, is joining the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital. This year-long residency in veterinary clinical pharmacy practice is a joint position offered by the colleges of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy.
Six interns and one pharmacy resident were onsite Thursday, June 15 to kick-off a two-week intensive orientation program, which concluded with participants reporting to their assigned rotations.
Please join us in extending a warm welcome to the newest members of the Purdue Veterinary Medicine team.
Equine Specialty Interns | Caesars Entertainment Equine Specialty Hospital
Dr. Max Arreola – DVM, Universidad de Guadelajara, Mexico, 2018
After earning a DVM degree, Dr. Arreola worked as a junior veterinarian at the Centro Equino Los Alamitos in Mexico. Dr. Arreola most recently completed a field/ambulatory medicine internship at Dubai Equine Hospital in the United Arab Emirates.
Dr. Marta Nieto – DVM, University Complutense of Veterinary Medicine, Spain, 2020
Dr. Nieto comes to Purdue from Alamo Pintado Equine Medical Center in Los Olivos, California where she completed a rotating equine specialty internship. Dr. Nieto also previously completed a rotating equine internship at the University of Liverpool in the United Kingdom and a large animal rotating internship at the University of Guelph in Canada.
Large Animal Medicine and Surgery Interns | Purdue University Veterinary Hospital
Dr. Kaitlin Fletcher – Royal Veterinary College, United Kingdom, 2021
Dr. Fletcher comes to Purdue from Pennsylvania where she has served as attending veterinarian for Pennsylvania Harness Racing. Before that, Dr. Fletcher worked as a veterinary surgeon for Hagyard Equine Medical Institute in Lexington, Kentucky.
Dr. Larissa Florêncio – DVM, Universidade Federal de Lavras, Brazil, 2018
Dr. Florêncio has been a large animal enthusiast since she was four years old. Her grandfather was a dairy farmer and taught her at a very young age how to work with horses and dairy cows. Her areas of interest include neonatology, critical care, and molecular diagnostics.
Dr. Lydia Hoover – Royal Veterinary College, United Kingdom, 2022
Dr. Hoover grew up in Pennsylvania and started riding horses when she was three years old. A member of her local chapter of the United States Pony Club, Dr. Hoover earned a C1 rating before moving on to pursue her undergrad studies. After completing her internship, she hopes to obtain a surgical residency and ultimately specialize in equine orthopedics.
Dr. Linda Mollenhauer – Dr. med. vet., Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Germany, 2021
Dr. Mollenhauer is joining the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital staff after working at the Caesars Entertainment Equine Specialty Hospital in Shelbyville, where she has spent the past year completing an equine specialty internship program. Dr. Mollenhauer has a special interest in equine surgery.
Small Animal Internal Medicine Specialty Intern | Purdue University Veterinary Hospital
Dr. Catherine Fiset – DVM, Atlantic Veterinary College, 2022
Dr. Fiset is originally from New Brunswick, Canada (Maine’s next-door neighbor) and earned a BSc in biology at Mount Allison University. Prior to coming to Purdue, Dr. Fiset completed a small animal rotating internship at the VCA Calgary Animal Referral and Emergency (CARE) Center in Alberta, Canada.
Small Animal Medicine and Surgery Interns | Purdue University Veterinary Hospital
Dr. David Barry – DVM, Louisiana State University, 2023
A lifelong resident of Louisiana, Dr. Barry’s career interests include oncology, pharmacology, and feline medicine. Dr. Barry has two perfect cats and three carpet pythons.
Dr. Johna Radke – DVM, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2023
Dr. Radke has a strong interest in soft tissue and orthopedic surgery and also enjoys neurology, internal medicine, and emergency medicine. One of Dr. Radke’s favorite aspects of veterinary medicine is the amazing bonds she is able to create with not only patients, but also their owners. She also has two fur babies – a Golden Retriever named Luna Lovegood and a cat named Ketone.
Dr. Eric Spilker – DVM, Michigan State University, 2023
Dr. Spilker’s current areas of interest include internal medicine with specific interests in medical oncology, cardiology, and neurology. He also enjoys emergency medicine and soft tissue surgery. In his free time, he likes exploring new areas, learning new perspectives and meeting new people, cooking, solving puzzles, and picking up the occasional shift as a paramedic.
Dr. Polina Zinchenko – DVM, University of Georgia, 2023
Dr. Zinchenko comes to Purdue from Georgia, where she grew up and completed her undergraduate studies and veterinary school. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking with her two dogs, paddle boarding, traveling, and relaxing with her two cats.
Dr. Gabriella Zayas – DVM, North Carolina State University, 2023
Originally from Puerto Rico, Dr. Zayas plans to continue on to do a residency program following her internship, focusing on internal medicine or behavior medicine. Her goal is to one day teach at a veterinary teaching hospital.
Wasson Veterinary Pharmacy Resident | Purdue University Veterinary Hospital
Kylie Kelley, PharmD – PharmD, Butler University, 2023
As Kylie Kelley, PharmD enters the next phase in her career, she hopes to spread awareness and advocate for veterinary medicine to be taught in pharmacy schools. Kylie and her husband have two German Shepherd babies and enjoy spending time outdoors in their free time.
