Schwarzman Animal Medical Center Celebrates 59th Graduating Class of Veterinary Interns and Residents
Press Release
(New York, N.Y. – June 30, 2023) The Stephen & Christine Schwarzman Animal Medical Center celebrated the graduation of its 59th class of veterinary interns and residents in a ceremony at The Alfred H. Caspary Auditorium at Rockefeller University on June 29th. AMC is the largest postgraduate veterinary teaching institution in the world; the 2023 graduating class of thirty veterinarians, eight specialty interns, and ten residents joins over 2,500 veterinarians who received training at AMC since 1963.
“My heartfelt congratulations to AMC’s 2023 graduates,” said Helen M. Irving, RN, MBA, President and Chief Executive Officer of AMC. “We are immensely proud of their accomplishments, and the dedication with which they have cared for their patients is unmatched. It is exciting to see them move forward and become true leaders in their chosen areas of practice.”
AMC’s 59th Internship Class
The 59th Internship Class completed AMC’s prestigious one-year Internship Program designed to reinforce, extend, and refine clinical skills and enhance diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities. Interns rotate through many of AMC’s 20+ specialties and services, working with a diverse and varied caseload and a high level of support from AMC’s board-certified veterinary specialists.
The graduates of AMC’s 59th Internship Class are:
-Dr. Mario Alan Barenas
-Dr. Remington Xavier Chan
-Dr. Helen Mingwen Chen
-Dr. Lisa Hanni Dourmashkin
-Dr. Hannah E. Durick
-Dr. Adriana Emiliano
-Dr. Alexandra Fuller
-Dr. Jacqueline Fusco
-Dr. Tristan Patrick Hackney
-Dr. Jeilene Nicole Hambly
-Dr. Rachel Hanford
-Dr. Sarah Hessen-Schmidt
-Dr. Jill Huynh
-Dr. Sophie Jane Karchemskiy
-Dr. Meghan Elizabeth Keefe
-Dr. Robin Isobel Lampron
-Dr. Bianca Grace Landfield
-Dr. Brynna Alysse Lee
-Dr. Kendall O. Leet-Otley
-Dr. Daniela C. Leuthold
-Dr. Jayden C. Li
-Dr. Freddy J. Maza
-Dr. Kelly M. Muller
-Dr. Kwamina S. Otseidu
-Dr. Lauren O’Mara
-Dr. Trevor Xavier Pereyda
-Dr. Nicole Karin Reuter
-Dr. Jamie Sebastian
-Dr. Laura Tran
-Dr. Elizabeth Waskover
Graduating Specialty Interns
The AMC Specialty Internship Program provides advanced training for veterinarians who, following a general internship year, elect to complete a one-year focused internship under the guidance of board- certified veterinarians in a particular specialty.
The graduates of this year’s AMC Specialty Internship Program are:
-Dr. Julie H. Choi, Cardiology
-Dr. Shana R. Coffey, Surgery
-Dr. Agnes Galej, Avian & Exotics
-Dr. Rachel P. Mandelbaum, Anesthesia & Pain Management
-Dr. Michelle T. Nguyen, Cardiology
-Dr. Natalie Swieton, Interventional Radiology
-Dr. Betsy Wong, Neurology
-Dr. Margaret Wong, Oncology
Graduating Residents
AMC’s Residency Program is a focused, three-year course of study to prepare veterinarians for board certification and expertise in their chosen specialty. The program draws upon the expertise and knowledge of AMC’s board-certified specialists and the diverse, varied caseload that comes with accommodating nearly 55,000 patient visits a year. AMC Residents conduct original research and benefit from participation at conferences, rounds, and seminars and partnerships with established research institutions, such as Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, NYU Langone Health, Weill Cornell Medicine, and The Rockefeller University.
The graduates of the AMC Residency Program are:
-Dr. Brittani Dawn D’Amico, Neurology
-Dr. Danielle M. Hudak, Oncology
-Dr. Masha Roman, Surgery
-Dr. Michael J. Sahagian, Emergency & Critical Care
-Dr. Amit Sidhu, Diagnostic Imaging
-Dr. Rebecca Smith, Emergency & Critical Care
-Dr. Iris To, Internal Medicine
-Dr. Samantha Yinyi Wong, Integrative & Rehabilitative Medicine
-Dr. Samantha Yeh, Radiation Oncology
-Dr. Kailee Anne Zornow, Internal Medicine
Award Presentations
AMC also presented several awards during the 59th Graduation Ceremony to recognize not only outstanding performance among postgraduate students but also the tremendous contributions of the faculty and hospital staff.
The Donald J. Bruckmann Award to the Outstanding Intern
Donald J. Bruckmann served as Chair of the AMC Board of Trustees. He was an avid and generous supporter of AMC’s research and teaching missions. This award is presented to an individual who demonstrates a combination of skill and clinical excellence as recognized by AMC Staff.
The recipient of the Donald J. Bruckmann Award to the Outstanding Intern is:
-Dr. Kelly Muller
AMC recognized its residents with the Outstanding Resident of the Year Award, and the Connie Leifer Resident Research Award. Dr. Connie Leifer was an oncology resident and staff doctor at AMC. A prolific researcher, Dr. Leifer was a role model for residents conducting research.
The recipient of the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center Outstanding Resident of the Year is:
-Dr. Kailee Zornow
The recipient of the Connie Leifer Resident Research Award is:
-Dr. Iris To
The Clendenin J. “Mike” Ryan Memorial Award for Outstanding Teaching
Clendenin J. Ryan served as an AMC Trustee. This award represents AMC’s dedication to postgraduate education and recognizes a current staff member who has excelled as an educator and role model to the Intern Class. This award is selected by a vote of the intern class.
The recipient of The Clendenin J. “Mike” Ryan Memorial Award for Outstanding Teaching is:
-Dr. Melissa Smith
The AMC Licensed Veterinary Technician of the Year Award and The AMC Veterinary Assistant of the Year Award
Selected by AMC staff, the awards for Licensed Veterinary Technician and Veterinary Assistant of the Year celebrate professionals who exemplify excellence in their field.
Licensed Veterinary Technician of the Year
-Elizabeth Rush Frank
Veterinary Assistant of the Year Award
-Rufai Ahmed
About the Stephen & Christine Schwarzman Animal Medical Center
The Schwarzman Animal Medical Center (AMC) is the world’s largest non-profit animal hospital with 130+ veterinarians providing the highest quality medical care across more than 20 specialties and services, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Our mission to provide the best in care, research, and education has been the foundation of our work for over a century. Learn more at www.amcny.org.