New Clinical Residents Welcomed to Purdue Veterinary Medicine

VCS Department personnel gathered to meet the new VCS residents at a welcome breakfast held in the Brunner Small Animal Hospital July 16 (Photo by Andres Herrera)

As the calendar pages turn toward the latter part of summer, it’s time to welcome a new class of residents to the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine. On July 16, the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences (VCS) held a welcome breakfast for the new VCS residents in the Joy Matson Multi-purpose Room of the Brunner Small Animal Hospital. Many department faculty and current residents joined in the event to help welcome the new residents while also enjoying some coffee and treats.

The Interim VCS Department Head, Dr. Tim Lescun, began the event by sharing opening remarks before each of the new residents were introduced by their mentor. The breakfast provided the new residents with a nice break from their busy orientation schedule while also giving others the opportunity to welcome them to PVM!

The three year residency programs provide advanced training in a chosen specialty and preparation for obtaining board certification as specialists. Residencies also offer research and teaching opportunities.

Congratulations to each of these veterinarians who’ve joined the VCS Department for their advanced clinical training:

The new class of VCS residents for 2025-2026: *Front Row (L-R)* – Niloufar Ghahari, Catarina Bianchi, Madeleine Swindell, Polina Zinchenko, Kristy Faulkner and Nikole Pouri; *Second Row (L-R)* – Stephanie Smick, Kiki Landsbergen, Courtney Westcott, Pili Ortiz-Fullana, Sofia Dazarola (a clinical pathology intern with the Comparative Pathobiology Department who participated in the VCS resident orientation), Jennifer Tsai, Anna Preston, Amanda Midkiff, and Rachael Lahar (Photo by Ed Lausch)

Dr. Catarina Bianchi – Small Animal Surgery (earned a DVM degree from the University of California, Davis in 2024 and did a Small Animal Medicine and Surgery Internship at the University of Florida from 2024-2025)

Dr. Kristy Faulkner – Neurology Specialty Intern (earned a DVM degree from the Atlantic Veterinary College, Prince Edward Island, in 2024 and did a Small Animal Rotating Internship at Canada West Veterinary Specialists & Critical Care from 2024-2025)

Dr. Niloufar Ghahari – Small Animal Medicine Specialty Intern (earned a DVM degree from Semnan University, Iran, in 2018; did a Small Animal Internal Medicine Residency at the University of Tehran, Iran, from 2018-2021; and served as a Purdue University Visiting Scholar from 2022-2023 and graduate student from 2023-2025)

Dr. Rachael Lahar – Small Animal Internal Medicine (earned a DVM degree from the University of Illinois in 2024 and did a Small Animal Rotating Internship at North Carolina State University from 2024-2025)

Dr. Kiki Landsbergen – Large Animal Surgery (earned a DVM degree from the University of Calgary in 2024 and served as an intern veterinarian at Moore Equine Veterinary Centre, Canada from 2024-2025)

Dr. Amanda Midkiff – Oncology (earned a DVM degree from The Ohio State University in 2024 and did a Small Animal Rotating Internship at Ohio State from 2024-2025)

Dr. Pili Ortiz-Fullana – Ophthalmology (earned a DVM degree from North Carolina State University in 2023; did a Small Animal Rotating Internship at Ohio State from 2023-2024; and, from 2024-2025, completed an Ophthalmology Specialty Internship at Animal Eye Guys and served as an associate veterinarian at Low Cost Pet Vax)

Dr. Nikole Pouri – Oncology (earned a DVM degree from Western University in 2024 and did a Rotating Internship at VCA Animal Specialty Group, Los Angeles, California, from 2024-2025)

Dr. Anna Preston – Diagnostic Imaging (earned a DVM degree from the University of Melbourne in 2022; served as a volunteer veterinarian at SPCA, Fiji and as a volunteer veterinarian at Te Are Manu Veterinary Clinic, Cook Islands in 2023; worked as an associate veterinarian at Albavet Dunfermline, Scotland from 2023-2024; and was a Junior Clinical Training Scholar in Small Animal Studies at the University of Cambridge from 2024-2025)

Dr. Stephanie Smick – Large Animal Internal Medicine (earned a DVM degree from St. George’s University in 2024 and did a Large Animal Rotating Internship at Purdue University from 2024-2025)

Dr. Madeleine Swindell – Small Animal Internal Medicine (earned a DVM degree from Texas A&M University in 2024 and did a Small Animal Medicine and Surgery Internship at Purdue University from 2024-2025)

Dr. Jennifer Tsai – Emergency & Critical Care (earned a DVM degree from Iowa State University in 2024 and did a Small Animal Rotating Internship at MedVet Chicago from 2024-2025)

Dr. Courtney Westcott – Cardiology Specialty Intern (earned a DVM degree from the University of Georgia in 2024 and did a Small Animal Medicine and Surgery Internship at Purdue University from 2024-2025)

Dr. Polina Zinchenko – Neurology (earned a DVM degree from the University of Georgia in 2023; did a Small Animal Rotating Internship at Purdue University from 2023-2024; and completed a Neurology Specialty Internship at Blue Pearl Pet Hospital Stone Oak, San Antonio, Texas, from 2024-2025)

New VCS residents received a warm welcome from department faculty and current residents. (Photo by Andres Herrera)

In addition to the VCS Department residents, a new class of clinical pathology and anatomic pathology residents joined the College of Veterinary Medicine this summer and will be featured in a separate story in an upcoming issue of the Vet Gazette.

Writer(s): Kevin Doerr | pvmnews@purdue.edu

Recent Stories

Fourth-year Purdue Veterinary Student Wins National Simmons Business Aptitude Award

For the first time, a Purdue veterinary student has won the national Simmons Educational Fund (SEF) Business Aptitude Award. The recipient is Luke Bousema of the DVM Class of 2026. The award includes a cash prize of $35,000.

“Paws Up” for the Academic Advising Team

This week, our Paws Up shines on the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Veterinary Technology Program Advising Team as we celebrate the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) 2026 Global Advising Week.

Purdue Veterinary Student Honored by ASLAP Veterinary Student Award Program

The American Society of Laboratory Animal Practitioners (ASLAP) Foundation annually recognizes five graduating fourth-year veterinary students who have demonstrated significant interest and potential in the field, and one of this year’s honorees is Purdue veterinary student Mollie Madigan, MLAS. Through the award program, the ASLAP seeks to increase awareness of the practice of laboratory animal medicine.

Purdue Veterinary Medicine Alumnus Daniel Wilson Receives Animal Sciences Distinguished Alumnus Award

A member of Purdue Veterinary Medicine’s DVM Class of 2012 is the newest recipient of the Purdue Department of Animal Sciences Distinguished Mid-Career Alumni Award. Dr. Daniel Wilson, of Needham, Indiana was presented with the award Friday, May 1 at the 2026 Outstanding Students and Distinguished Alumni Awards Program that recognized students and alumni for their achievements, leadership and contributions to the department and industry.

CPB Graduate Student Wins Runner-Up Prize in Purdue “Say it in 6” Competition

Graduate Research Assistant Shyamkumar T.S. in the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Department of Comparative Pathobiology was recognized as the runner-up in a unique graduate student competition at Purdue this spring. The contest is called, “Say It In 6®” and requires graduate students and postdoctoral scholars to tell their research story with only one picture and just a six-word caption.

Veterinary Technology Distance Learning program launching a new, streamlined plan of study for fall 2026

Starting in fall 2026, Purdue’s Veterinary Technology Distance Learning program will launch a streamlined curriculum that reduces total credits to 64 and allows for completion in just eight semesters. This revamped plan enhances student support by offering new elective specializations and a dedicated national exam prep course, all while maintaining the program's high accreditation standards.

Breast Cancer Drug Supinoxin Shows Potential for Small-cell Lung Cancer Treatment in New Tests

Purdue University scientists led by co-principal investigators in the Colleges of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine have identified the Supinoxin small-molecule drug as a possible new therapy for small-cell lung cancer (SCLC).

PVM White Coat Ceremony Celebrates Major Milestone for DVM Class of 2026

The Purdue Memorial Union ballrooms provided a classic setting for an annual event that has become a cherished tradition of the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine. Members of the DVM Class of 2026 gathered with family, friends and faculty and staff on the evening of April 12 for the annual White Coat Ceremony that signals the transition of the third year veterinary students from the classroom to the clinics.

Tail-Wagging Success Characterizes PVM’s Participation in Purdue Day of Giving

As the day dawned Wednesday, April 30, evidence came pouring in that Boilermakers everywhere – whether alumni, friends and/or fans – were answering the call to make the 2025 Purdue Day of Giving our loudest and proudest “All hail!” yet. And Purdue Veterinary Medicine played a part in the success!

PVM’s Oncology Team Buoys Purdue Institute for Cancer Research 5K Fundraising Run

It is no surprise that the members of Purdue’s Werling Comparative Oncology Research Center (WCORC) in the College of Veterinary Medicine would not back down from a challenge, especially when it comes to supporting innovative cancer research. So, true to form, about two-dozen representatives of the center could be found out on the course Saturday, April 12, participating in the 17th annual 5K Challenge fundraising run to support the Purdue Institute for Cancer Research.