The Career Maze: Navigating Uncertainty in Specialty Paths

Tuesday, October 13, 2026
5:00–8:30 p.m. | Program begins at 5:30 p.m.
Valley Hall, UC Davis Weill School of Veterinary Medicine

Join the Office of Veterinary Success, MedVet and the UCD Specialties Club for an evening of inspiration, guidance, and community as we explore specialty career paths and strategies for maintaining wellbeing along the way.

The program will begin with a buffet dinner and a general session on managing stress and uncertainty during career advancement and transitions. Students will then choose one specialty breakout session, where veterinary professionals will discuss their career journeys, training pathways, recommended experiences, essential skills, professional resources, networking opportunities, and ways to find continued mentoring.

General session

Dr. Tracey Hanna from MedVet will present, "Dr. Tracey Hanna from MedVet will discuss strategies for managing stress and uncertainty during career advancement and transitions. The session will include an opportunity for self-reflection." DVM students are welcome to join remotely at https://ucdavis.zoom.us/j/94340096143. See below for additional scheduling information.

Specialty breakout sessions

Veterinary students attending remotely may join the following sessions via Zoom at 6:30pm PST. 

Event schedule

5:30–5:45 p.m. | Check-in and buffet dinner
Pick up dinner and proceed to the general session. Students may eat during the presentation.

5:45–6:30 p.m. | General session: From Setbacks to Stepping Stones: Building a Resilient Veterinary Career
Dr. Tracey Hanna from MedVet will discuss strategies for managing stress and uncertainty during career advancement and transitions. The session will include an opportunity for self-reflection.

6:30–6:45 p.m. | Transition to breakout rooms

6:45–7:30 p.m. | Specialty breakout sessions
Choose one specialty and hear veterinary professionals describe their career paths and offer guidance to students interested in the field. Rooms will have Zoom capabilities for remote speakers and participants.

7:30–8:30 p.m. | Dessert buffet and networking
Connect with speakers and fellow students in the Valley Hall lobby and patio.

Speakers

  • Dr. Tracey Hanna, MVB, DABVP
  • Dr. Tracey Hanna, MVB, DABVP (Canine/Feline), is the Director of Veterinary School Relations at MedVet. Dr. Hanna is a graduate of University College Dublin and Cornell University. She spent 11 years in private practice, primarily in ER/ICU referral practice, before joining Zoetis in 2012. She held a variety of roles within the Petcare division of Zoetis before joining MedVet in 2025. She is a diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (canine/feline), a certified veterinary acupuncturist, and a Certified Compassion Fatigue Professional. She is passionate about mentoring veterinary professionals and students, and advancing patient care through education, innovation, and evidence-based medicine.
  • Dr. Amir Kol, DVM, PhD, DACVP
  • Dr. Amir Kol, DVM, PhD, DACVP (Clinical Pathology), is an Associate Professor in the Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine and Chief of Service of Clinical Pathology at the UC Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. He earned his DVM from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel and completed his residency in veterinary clinical pathology and PhD in comparative pathology at UC Davis. Dr. Kol joined the UC Davis faculty in 2016 and is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists. His research focuses on stem cell biology, regenerative medicine, and disease modeling, with particular emphasis on translating discoveries from naturally occurring diseases in animals to advances in human and veterinary medicine. His work explores innovative approaches to treating inflammatory and infectious diseases, understanding cardiac disease, and restoring immune function. He is committed to advancing veterinary medicine through research, education, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
  • Dr. Laura Nelson, DVM, MS, DACVS-SA
  • Dr. Laura Nelson, DVM, MS, DACVS-SA, serves as the Director of Postgraduate Medical Education and Clinical Studies at MedVet.  In this role, she oversees internship and residency training programs as well as clinical trials and other research projects.  Dr. Nelson earned her DVM and completed an MS and surgery residency at Ohio State University.  After a year as a member of the clinical faculty at Ohio State, she moved to Michigan State University, where she spent 9 years as a clinical surgery   faculty member, reaching the rank of Associate Professor-HP.  Following additional training in education and experience in curriculum renewal, she moved to North Carolina State University, where she worked for 9 years as Associate Dean and Director of Academic Affairs, Associate Vice Provost, and  finally as Director of Clinical Education.  She is deeply interested in veterinary and medical education, professional identity formation, and the application of social sciences to create healthy, effective workplaces and workplace-based training programs. She enjoys training current and future veterinarians and designing programs and systems that support their development. She is a two-time recipient of the Zoetis Distinguished Veterinary Teacher Award as well as multiple class teaching excellence awards. 
  • Dr. Laura A. Vasquez, DVM, MS, Diplomate, ACVIM (Neurology)
  • Laura A. Vasquez, DVM, MS, Diplomate, ACVIM (Neurology), is a Board-Certified Veterinary Neurologist at MedVet Austin, where she began caring for patients in 2025.

    Dr. Laura Vasquez earned a Bachelor of Science degree in radio/television/film from the University of Texas at Austin in 1997 and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine, graduating magna cum laude, in 2007. She then completed a rotating medicine and surgery internship followed by a residency in neurology and neurosurgery at the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine in 2011. During her residency, she also earned a Master of Science degree in biomedical sciences.

    Dr. Vasquez’s clinical interests include spinal surgery and the treatment of inflammatory diseases of the nervous system. One of her favorite aspects of the veterinary profession is helping patients regain their ability to walk—especially the moment they wag their tail for the first time after paralysis. 

    When not caring for patients, Dr. Laura Vasquez enjoys reading science fiction and comic books, playing board games, scuba diving, exploring food from around the world, and spending time with her family, including their two dogs.
  • Dr. Kevin Woolard, DVM, PhD, DACVP
  • Dr. Kevin Woolard, DVM, PhD, DACVP, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology. He earned his DVM and PhD from North Carolina State University, where he also completed a residency in anatomic pathology. He subsequently completed research fellowships at the National Institutes of Health, specializing in neuro-oncology and neuroscience. Dr. Woolard joined the UC Davis faculty in 2013 and is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists. His research focuses on brain tumors in humans and dogs, cancer stem cells, and tumor progression. A dedicated educator and mentor, he received both the Zoetis Distinguished Veterinary Teacher Award and the Student AVMA Teaching Excellence Award in 2020 in recognition of his contributions to veterinary education.

Registration

The event is free and open to all DVM students interested in specialty careers. Select sessions will be available virtually to veterinary students nationwide.

Registration is CLOSED.

Questions? Contact the Office of Veterinary Success at [email protected].