Inside VMTH

Updates & Announcements

Noteworthy Around the VMTH

Hospital Communication Survey – New + Follow-Up

Please take a few minutes to complete this updated communication survey, which also serves as a follow-up to last year’s effort. Your feedback will help us evaluate progress and guide next steps as we continue to improve how information flows across the hospital.

Please complete the Hospital Communication Survey

Dr. Bret McNabb Reappointed

Dr. McNabb has been reappointed to a five-year term as Director of the Large Animal Hospital, recognized for his steady leadership and contributions to hospital operations and growth.

Welcome Sarah Bloom

Sarah (sbjgeorge@ucdavis.edu) joins the CVMO admin team via a dual appointment with One Health Institute to assist during staff leaves. She will be onsite Mondays and Thursdays. Thank you, Sarah and One Health!

Spotlight on Technicians

We celebrate our amazing animal health technicians with spotlights of Erin Johnston, Amiel Sagpao, Sarah Blasczynski, and Danielle Randall. Read the feature

Small Animal Directors Oversight Clarified

Drs. Dear and Epstein now oversee specific Small Animal services (see picture below). Drs. Hopper, Spriet, and Vernau continue oversight of Small Animal operations, Diagnostic Imaging, and Pathology/Labs.

New Reusable Patient Folders – Effective April 8 (see link to email)

To reduce waste and costs, Small Animal and CAPE now use navy-blue reusable folders, effective Tuesday, April 8. These replace pre-labeled folders and can be reused after each patient visit. All signed documents will continue to be scanned into VMACS. Estimated cost savings: $37K/year in Small Animal folders. Questions? Contact Traci Zalasky.

Urine Culture Update – Now in Effect

The “culture if” option (Procedure 7400) has been retired. Please order directly using Procedure 8031.

Custodial Services Update - Effective April 1

Custodial staff no longer empty office trash. Please use communal bins. Liners are available at Central Service.

.....

Career Opportunities in San Diego

These positions are excellent opportunities for individuals passionate about advancing veterinary medicine. Please help us spread the word! For more details or to apply, click the links provided or contact Dr. Mison (mmison@ucdavis.edu) or Martin Durham (mwdurham@ucdavis.edu):

Veterinary Medical Director– UC Davis Veterinary Medical Center (Southern California):
Lead the development and strategic growth of a state-of-the-art specialty referral hospital in Southern California. This role focuses on strategic planning, clinical program management, and team building in collaboration with UC Davis leadership.

.....

Continuing Education

Upcoming RACE-Approved CE Opportunities:

Plan on attending our in-house lectures live via Zoom? All classes can now be accessed via our Staff Training Site. You can still attend live or scan the QR code on the flyers, but this new option will make it easier to access overall. Our April lectures include the following:

• A Guide to Red Eye: Is This an Urgent Issue? - April 24, 7-8AM, 1047 Valley Hall or Zoom

On-Demand Staff CE Library

Access a full year of curated CE, including webinars, articles, and podcasts. Many are RACE-approved and free for staff. Visit our staff Canvas site to explore the growing on-demand CE library. For assistance with accessing any of our free CE accounts, contact jpnugent@ucdavis.edu.

.....

Facilities/Construction

• Sidewalk & Accessibility Work: Construction continues between VMTH and VM2 and in the LA Clinic parking lot. Campus will begin smoothing curb transitions to improve accessibility. Please expect minor walkway impacts.
• Room 2232 Remodel: The former DOSS suite is being converted into a Neurology Service room. Expected completion is late April.
• South Radiology Room Equipment Upgrades: Impact: South Room temporarily out of service.
• B-Barn Renovations: (4/11-4/25) Stalls B24-B29 closed for renovation. Impact: Sections of B-Barn will be closed for renovations, reducing capacity by 4-7 stalls at a time. Please use C-Barn stalls near LA Ultrasound for outpatients. There will still be access to Sunset Stall if needed.
• Wifi Upgrades in LAC: Ongoing, wifi installation/upgrades will begin with the Farrier Shop/arena, B-Barn, Equine ICU, and C-Barn. Impact: Periodic, short-term, limited access to aisles and stalls as needed.
• Estimated Completion for All Species Imaging: (building complete by May 2025) New imaging equipment is expected to be fully operational by July 1. Impact: Traffic, noise, and dust.
• Vet Med 2 Exterior - Pressure Washing and Painting: (4/14-4/25) Work will begin at the north end (near ASI) and work south. Access to exam rooms and exterior doors will be maintained. Impact: Washing and painting of the west side of VM2 will use an overhead lift. While it may be disruptive at times outdoors, access to all west-side doors and rooms will be maintained.
• B-Barn Lawn Replacement: (4/14-4/28) Grading and ground preparation for new sod. Impact: No access to B-Barn Lawn
• Mare & Foal Pasture Fence Painting: (4/28 – 5/2) Impact: Minimal. Pasture will not be usable for the week. 

.....

Reminders

• Lab Updates: Moving forward, we will begin using the VMACS Bulletin to send updates regarding modified hours rather than via email.
• Nuclear Medicine Camera Out of Service: The camera is non-repairable. This affects Bone Scans, PSS Studies, and Thyroid Scintigraphy. Replacement is underway with an estimated 8–10 week timeline. Large Animal PET studies are not affected.
• Mobile Student Assessment App Now Live: After a successful pilot program with five clinical services, we are rolling out the mobile application for direct student assessments across the VMTH. This tool will enhance real-time evaluations and streamline feedback. See the attached email from Dr. Watson for details.
• Cardiology consults are available Monday – Friday, 9 AM – 5 PM; urgent cases will be triaged. Bring consult forms to 103 VM2 and include contact info & patient weight. After-hours consults should go through the on-call cardiology resident. For questions on cardiology referrals, contact Dr. Ames (mkames@ucdavis.edu).
• SA Ultrasound: Two additional midday time slots have been added. Oncology & Internal Medicine slots remain. Please remove patient info at least one hour before the appointment time if a slot will not be used. 
• Pet Loss Support Group: The Pet Loss Support Group is now being offered in-person on the 3rd Thursday of every month from 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM. Postcards with information are available at all receptions.
• DOSS Consultation Requests: Services requesting an in-house consultation from the DOSS should follow these steps:
  • Submit a consult and text (530) 760-9295 to notify the DOSS of the request.
  • Include details such as sedation needs or time constraints for the patient.
  • The DOSS will contact the person listed on the consult to arrange a suitable time for the exam.
  • We’re happy to discuss patient-related questions, but please do not bring the patient to the service without prior notification.
• Referrals to Orthopedic Surgery: To ensure efficient and accurate processing of internal referrals to Orthopedic Surgery, please note that all referrals must be submitted through the standard online referral process using the Orthopedic Surgery Referral Form located at [Surgery Referral Form]. For any questions or concerns regarding this process, please do not hesitate to reach out to smallanimalorthopedics@ucdavis.edu or contact Lori Kibbe, Orthopedic Surgery Service Coordinator, at lfkibbe@ucdavis.edu.

.....

VMTH Communications

• State of the VMTH Update, presented on 8/20/24.
• VMTH Prospectus 2024-25: highlights key hospital achievements, caseload statistics, personnel breakdowns, clinical trials, and upcoming facilities.
• VMTH Quarterly & Marketing Report (2025 Q1): Enjoy these quarterly highlights of marketing/communications initiatives at the VMTH. For questions or ideas, please contact Rob Warren at rjwarren@ucdavis.edu.

Newsletters

VMTH Voice (internal) and VMTH Heartbeat (external to referring veterinarians) newsletters
VMTH Safety newsletter
SVM News & Events

VMTH Weekly Roundup Emails

Email Archive (BOX)

Hospital Staffing

• Are you looking for a change in your career? Does working in a different VMTH service interest you? Stay up to date on all staff positions at the hospital on the university's job site. New jobs are posted almost every week, so check back often if you do not immediately find a position that interests you. Any questions, contact Harmony Lindberg.
   
• Have you visited the VMTH Staff Training website recently?  Each month, there are new posts of continuing education courses, webinars, podcasts, and articles/blogs that cover a wide range of topics in large, small, and exotic animal medicine. Any questions, contact Jody Nugent-Deal. 
   
• VMTH has seen increases in average length of service (75%) and total FTEs (25%) for veterinary technicians over the past 5 years.
   

House Officers

2024 – 25 House Officer Educational Series

• April: Making Mistakes & the Art of Forgiveness presented by Drs. Chris Murphy, Mark Mannis, and Nandini Gandhi
  April 16, 8-9AM, MPT 2110
  Breakfast will be served
• May: TBD

.....

2024 – 25 Chief House Officers

Dr. Emmy Hirsch and Dr. Elise Lenske as our 2024-2025 Chief House Officers

Additional Resources
House Officer resources on Canvas

• House Officer Wellness Services (mental health resources and more).
• Contact House Officer Affairs co-directors: Dr. Jamie Burkitt and Dr. Amandine Lejeune.
• Contact House Officer Affairs chief house officers: Dr. Emmy Hirsch and Dr. Elise Lenske. 
• Contact House Officer Affairs coordinator: Audra Johnson.

Pharmacy/Central Services

Wellness Resources

VMTH leadership places a tremendous amount of importance on the emotional and physical well-being of all faculty, staff, and students working and learning in the hospital. Your physical and emotional wellness is a top priority.

Beyond the many dedicated resources the university has established, VMTH leadership will continually seek opportunities to improve your surroundings with a goal of creating an environment that is the most conducive to an optimal acceptance and well-being for all. We will continue to push for and advance mental health and wellness initiatives throughout the VMTH and beyond.

Please utilize these resources should you need assistance, and see all hospital wellness resources available.

• Faculty/Staff Wellness Resources
• House Officer Wellness Service
• Student Wellness Resources

Comments & Suggestions

Your Voice Matters!

We welcome your comments, suggestions, and feedback to improve our hospital and services. Please share your thoughts with us by emailing us at VMTHLeadership@ucdavis.edu.

Want to Add Something?

If you would like to propose any additions to this page please reach out to us at VMTHLeadership@ucdavis.edu.

Contact VMTH Leadership

Contact VMTH Leadership at VMTHLeadership@ucdavis.edu
See full VMTH Leadership page