A total of 13 new interns and a new veterinary pharmacy resident began their advanced training in the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital this summer. The group of interns includes nine veterinarians who are completing a small animal rotating internship and four who are doing a large animal rotating internship. In addition, a pharmacy school graduate began the one year Wasson Veterinary Pharmacy Residency program, which is jointly offered by the Purdue Colleges of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy.
The interns and pharmacy resident completed a two-week intensive orientation program in June, before reporting to their assigned rotations and responsibilities. Internship applicants are matched to qualified programs through the Veterinary Internship and Residency Matching Program sponsored by the American Association of Veterinary Clinicians. A one year rotating internship provides graduate veterinarians with training and experiences that enhance their veterinary education. After a rotating internship, many of these veterinarians will choose to apply for specialty internships or residency training programs on the path to board certification in a recognized veterinary specialty.
The Wasson Veterinary Pharmacy Residency is unique since this year it became the first veterinary pharmacy residency program to match a resident through the American Society of Hospital Pharmacists (ASHP) annual match after receiving Candidate Status this past spring. The ASHP is the largest association of pharmacy professionals in the United States, and its residency accreditation is regarded as an important driver for excellence, serving as a bridge between education and practice.
Please help extend a warm welcome to these newest members of the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital team:
Ana Carolina Almeida, Large Animal Intern
Dr. Almeida graduated from the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, in 2024 and then completed an Equine Ambulatory Internship at Auburn University and remained there for an additional year to earn a master’s degree. Her professional interests include equine internal medicine, with a focus on respiratory diseases, endocrinology, and dentistry.
Cailey Banken, Small Animal intern
Originally from Andover, Minnesota, Dr. Banken received her BS degree at the University of Minnesota and then moved to Sarasota, Florida where she did a sea turtle rehabilitation internship at MOTE aquarium. She also worked on the Sarasota Bay as a boat mate and marine biologist. She earned her DVM degree from the University of Florida, where she also obtained her Aquatic Animal Health Certificate. Her primary career interest is ophthalmology and she plans to work with a wide variety of animals. Her pet family that she adores includes her Golden Retriever Barney, her tuxedo cat Gilly, and her Ball Python Hendrix.
Ryan Barlow, Small Animal Intern
Dr. Barlow grew up in Huntsville, Alabama and then headed north to Michigan State University for her undergraduate studies. She returned to the South for vet school, earning her DVM degree at Mississippi State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. She is interested in specializing in small animal internal medicine and potentially pursuing a second residency in either clinical pathology or nephrology/urology. She is excited to be joining the team at Purdue for this next chapter!
Lauryn Bellamy, Small Animal Intern
Dr. Bellamy grew up in Tampa, Florida and earned her undergraduate degree at the University of Florida before enrolling at The Ohio State University, where she earned her DVM degree. She is very interested in internal medicine, especially gastrointestinal and autoimmune diseases, and plans to become an internist eventually. She is excited to come to Purdue and to work with everyone here.
Alejandra Castillo, Small Animal Intern
Dr. Castillo is from Southern California, where she earned her DVM degree at Western University. She currently is interested in specializing in ophthalmology, but also has a background in public health and access to care. She enjoys working with large animals and looks forward to spending time at Purdue and supporting students through the completion of their degree program as she continues to grow as a clinician.
Jordan Chan, Small Animal Intern
Originally from New York City, Dr. Chan recently earned his DVM degree at Purdue. His primary area of interest is emergency medicine. He enjoys spending free time with his dog and two cats, and taking care of his pet reptiles.
Larissa Davis, Small Animal Intern
Dr. Davis is originally from Northwestern New Jersey and completed her undergraduate studies at Boston University before venturing to London to attend the Royal Veterinary College and enjoy the opportunity to travel around Europe. She came to Purdue to complete a small animal rotating internship with the hopes of pursuing a career in internal medicine.
Adrian Dixon, Large Animal Intern
Dr. Dixon was born and raised in a suburb north of Dallas, Texas, and completed his undergraduate studies at Cornell University before earning his DVM degree here at Purdue. His primary areas of interest are theriogenology and food animal medicine. He also has a dog named Glee and a cat named Aspen, who travel with him everywhere he goes. He is excited to start his rotating internship in the Large Animal Hospital, and looks forward to learning as much as possible over the next year!
Suriya Koothan, Small Animal Intern
Born in New York and predominately raised in Texas, Dr. Koothan received his veterinary education at Madras Veterinary College in Chennai, India. He then completed the AAVSB-PAVE pathway with an Evaluated Clinical Experience year at Massey University in New Zealand, followed by a Specialty Internship in Small Animal Surgery at Massey University. His interests are small animal surgery and sports medicine and rehabilitation, and he has future ambitions to pursue a surgical residency and later on an MPH.
Christie McClure, Small Animal Intern
Dr. McClure is from Tampa, Florida, and earned her DVM degree at the University of Minnesota. She is interested in specializing in oncology, and looks forward to working with everyone and expanding her knowledge.
Linnea O’Neil, Large Animal Intern
Raised in a small town in Kalamazoo County, Michigan, Dr. O’Neil earned her DVM degree at the University of Wisconsin-Madison this year. She has a passion for surgery, but also has a special place in her heart for small ruminants and camelids. As a “true Midwesterner,” she came to Purdue with an interest in pursuing a large animal surgery residency. She is accompanied by her two cats Peter and Clark, that have been with her through all of vet school and now are with her for the internship.
Alanis Santana, Small Animal Intern
Born and raised in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico, Dr. Santana received her bachelor’s degree at Florida Memorial University, before pursuing her DVM degree at Oregon State University. Her primary area of interest is surgery.
Kyle Waltenberg-O’Brien, Large Animal Intern
Originally from New York, Dr. Waltenberg-O’Brien grew up on a small farm in the Hudson Valley. He has a passion for agriculture and working with farmers, which inspired him to pursue a career in veterinary medicine. After earning his undergraduate degree from SUNY Geneseo, he attended the Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine on St. Kitts and completed his clinical training at the University of Illinois. Following veterinary school, he worked as an equine surgery intern at Hagyard in Kentucky for 18 months. Working in the Thoroughbred industry helped solidify his passion for large-animal emergency and critical care, as well as surgery.
Samantha Hermann, Pharm D, Wasson Veterinary Pharmacy Resident
Dr. Hermann grew up in Channahon, Illinois, and earned her bachelor’s degree in biology (Pre-Veterinary) from Ferris State University in Michigan, where she also played collegiate volleyball. She then went on to earn her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Pharmacy. She is excited to be serving as the Wasson Veterinary Pharmacy Resident at Purdue as she completes this year-long residency in veterinary clinical pharmacy practice. One of Dr. Hermann’s biggest professional interests is equine sports medicine and rehabilitation, and she is fascinated by the collaborative care that helps equine athletes recover from injuries and perform at their best. Through veterinary pharmacy, she hopes to continue advancing the role of pharmacists in animal health and supporting veterinary teams through evidence-based medication management.
