Welcome New Purdue Veterinary Medicine Residents

Friday, August 13, 2021

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The Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine welcomes a new troop of veterinarians taking the next step in their careers. The Departments of Veterinary Clinical Sciences and Comparative Pathobiology, as well as the Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, gained 18 new residents this summer seeking advanced training in diverse specialty areas.

The residency programs, ranging in length from three- to four-years, provide advanced training in a chosen specialty and preparation for obtaining board certification as specialists, while also offering research and teaching opportunities.

Please help extend a warm welcome to PVM’s newest residents:

Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences Residents:

Dr. Christy Buckley (Diagnostic Imaging) earned a DVM from the University of Missouri in 2018 before beginning a small animal rotating internship followed by a specialty diagnostic imaging internship at Mississippi State University. Most recently, Dr. Buckley completed a diagnostic imaging fellowship with the Veterinary Imaging Center of San Diego.

Dr. Peter Cho (Ophthalmology) earned a DVM degree in 2020 at Kansas State University. Dr. Cho went on to complete a small animal rotating internship with Veterinary Centers of America (VCA).

Dr. Nicole Gibbs (Small Animal Internal Medicine) earned a DVM degree from Texas A&M University in 2020 before completing a rotating internship with an emphasis in medicine at North Carolina State University.

Dr. Satoshi Haginoya (Emergency & Critical Care) earned a BVSc (DVM-equivalent) from Kitasato University in Japan in 2015. Dr. Haginoya worked in private practice before completing a rotating internship at Synergy Animal General Hospital in Japan, and then continuing on as a clinician before coming to the U.S. Dr. Haginoya then completed internships in emergency and critical care at the University of California, Davis and Washington State University.

Dr. D. Henre Honnas (Large Animal Surgery) earned a DVM degree from the Royal Veterinary College of London before completing an internship with Pioneer Equine Hospital in California.

Dr. Jordan James (Small Animal Surgery) earned a DVM degree from Ontario Veterinary College in 2019 followed by both a small animal rotating internship and small animal surgery internship at Michigan State University.

Dr. Eva Kao (Small Animal Internal Medicine) earned a DVM degree from National Taiwan University in 2015 followed by a master’s degree from Oklahoma State University in 2019. Dr. Kao went on to complete a small animal rotating internship with Boren Veterinary Medical Hospital in Oklahoma and a one-year small animal internal medicine residency with the Atlantic Veterinary College in Canada.

Dr. Ellen Kuerbitz (Oncology) earned a DVM degree from The Ohio State University in 2020 before completing a small animal rotating internship at the University of Minnesota.

Dr. Brad Lytle (Cardiology) earned a DVM degree from Louisiana State University in 2018 before completing a small animal rotating internship at VCA Vet Care Animal Hospital and Referral Center. Dr. Lytle then worked as an emergency veterinarian for a year with VCA South Shore before completing a specialty cardiology internship with VCA Animal Specialty and Emergency Center.

Dr. Carlos Mendez Valenzuela (Radiation Oncology) earned a DVM degree from the University of Guatemala in 2018 and served as a clinical oncologist for one year with Ortovet Veterinary Hospital in Guatemala before enrolling in a master’s program at Oxford University. 

Dr. Levi Smith (Ophthalmology) graduated from the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine in the DVM Class of 2020 and went on to complete a small animal rotating internship at the University of Georgia before returning to Purdue.

Dr, Kate Spies (Small Animal Surgery) earned a DVM degree from Washington State University in 2019 and then completed a small animal rotating internship at Tufts School of Veterinary Medicine and a surgery specialty internship at WestVet Emergency and Specialty Center.

Dr. Go Togawa (Neurology) earned DVM and PhD degrees from Azabu University in Kanagawa, Japan and then went on to complete a neurology internship at the University of Guelph as well as a rotating internship at the University of Saskatchewan.

Dr. Debora Vogt (Large Animal Internal Medicine) earned a DVM degree and went on to complete a rotating equine medicine internship at the University of Bern in Switzerland. Dr. Vogt served as a veterinary associate in France and Switzerland before completing a large animal internal medicine internship at the University of Saskatchewan.

Department of Comparative Pathobiology Resident:

Dr. Zi-An “Alan” Yu (Clinical Pathology) earned a DVM degree from National Taiwan University in 2017 and then completed a small animal rotating internship in the National Taiwan University Veterinary Hospital. Dr. Yu stayed on at the hospital as a contract veterinarian in the Clinical Pathology section before coming to Purdue.

Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory / Department of Comparative Pathobiology Residents:

Dr. Ali Frankovich (Anatomic Pathology) earned a DVM degree from Mississippi State University. While attending veterinary school, Dr. Frankovich participated in a summer research program studying gulf coast ticks. 

Dr. Yue Xiang “Polly” Chen (Anatomic Pathology) earned a DVM degree from Michigan State University in 2021. Dr. Chen also completed a Veterinary Business Management Association (VBMA) Certificate at Michigan State University before coming to Purdue.

Dr. Nick Newsome (Avian Diagnostic) graduated from the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine in the DVM Class of 2020. During the subsequent year, Dr. Newsome proudly served as a public health veterinarian for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service in a turkey processing plant in Missouri.


Writer(s): Allison Gardner | pvmnews@purdue.edu


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