2023 class of house officers welcomed at UC Davis

New house officers. (Photo credit: UC Davis)

The UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine’s House Officer Program is the largest of its kind in the United States with 140 total house officers training in 41 specialty disciplines. Training programs range from 1 to 4 years, where the veterinarians focus on a specific aspect of specialty medicine such as cardiology, surgery, or critical care. Once their clinical training is completed and board examinations are passed, veterinarians become board certified specialists in their discipline of veterinary medicine. UC Davis announced its incoming 2023 class of house officers in a university release,¹ which includes 60 new fellows, interns, and residents.

Jamie Burkitt, DVM, DACVECC, and Amandine Lejeune, DVM, DACVIM, lead the House Officer Affairs as co-directors, with assistance from the chief house officers:

• Dr Hibah Abuhamdieh, a third-year livestock herd health and reproduction resident;
• Dr Alene Pohly, a second-year anatomic pathology resident;
• Dr Taylor Jackson, a second-year dermatology resident

“This past year, Rose and I represented the house officers with a special emphasis on open communication, accessibility, and house officer wellness,” said Trey Callahan, DVM, in the release. “A particular item we’re proud of is working with Drs Burkitt and Lejeune on improving New House Officer Orientation, making it a more encompassing event, and advocating for a better quality of life for all house officers.”¹

“I think the House Officer Wellness (HOW) Program is a great support system that allows us to help each other and connect with counselor Florence Soares-Dabalos [hospital wellness professional],” said Dr Abuhamdieh. “As chief house officer, I hope to be able to listen to these concerns and bring these challenges to the attention of our faculty and the school, and to help create a better environment for everyone.”¹

UC Davis also aims to celebrate the diverse community within the house officer program and increase the scope of its diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. UC Davis chief diversity officer, Monae Roberts, was invited to connect with the new house officers during their orientation and discuss the meaning of being human and living in community.

“I think that fostering an environment that celebrates and craves diversity strengthens us as a community,” said Dr Jackson. “We are able to use our collective experiences to better connect with our clients and provide the highest standards of medicine to their pets. My goal is to always have people feel like they are represented, and their individual differences or needs are appreciated.”¹

Reference

Warren R. New house officers welcomed. News release. UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. August 2, 2023. Accessed August 24, 2023. https://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/news/new-house-officers-welcomed