hilary levitin

High volume specialty veterinary hospital where emergency veterinarians and specialists provide a collaborative approach to patient care.

I work closely with students, rotating interns, and faculty to discuss the best treatment plan for emergency cases. My responsibilities include teaching, primary case responsibility, and performing emergency procedures.

As a peer elected research coordinator, I act as a liaison between 3rd year veterinary students performing ovariohysterectomy, research assistants and doctors involved in a project investigating the efficacy of transdermal lidocaine application post-ovariohysterectomy in dogs. I have worked closely with one other research assistant to draft an experimental protocol for students, technicians, and doctors involved in the project. After completing the protocol and performing pertinent literature searches, I drafted an experimental abstract. Training for participation in this project includes proficiency in using the Glasgow Composite Measure Pain Scale and the ability to place cephalic IV catheters for blood collection.

Being a veterinary technician in a fast pace primary care facility greatly improved my clinical skills. I would obtain the patient’s history and assist the veterinarian in examination rooms. Behind the scenes I monitored for surgical procedures, collected blood samples, placed IV catheters, and ran blood work.

Being my first job in a veterinary hospital, I began as a kennel worker. After one short summer I was entrusted with most duties of a veterinary assistant. I assisted veterinarians during examinations, administered subcutaneous and intramuscular injections, determined hourly vital signs of hospitalized patients, and collected canine blood samples via venipuncture of the jugular vein.

After reviewing both human and small animal scientific journals and working closely with our college's neurologist, I helped to design a research project investigating the correlation between genetic epilepsy and behavior in dogs. My responsibilities included drafting an appropriate questionnaire for epileptic and two control treatment groups, compilation of data, communicating with clients to advocate completing our research survey, and drafting a manuscript for journal publication.

Working directly with clients both in person and on the phone, I have gained vast knowledge on how to effectively communicate in a high volume clinic environment. My main duties are registering emergency patients and consulting with clients about possible emergency situations and injured wildlife.

As a volunteer in the wildlife clinic, I was able to work with a wide variety of injured or orphaned wildlife species. My responsibilities included regular physical examinations and treatment of our patients biweekly. This provided me with the opportunity to consult with exotic veterinary specialists in order to create the most effective treatment plan for our patients.

Veterinary Specialty Center is guided by the belief that companion animals deserve state-of-the-art medical care in a kind and comforting environment. The courage of our patients, the loyalty of their human families, and the devotion of our referral veterinarians inspire our vision. It is sustained by the contributions of our compassionate, knowledgeable and dedicated staff and built upon a strong tradition of providing unsurpassed healthcare for animals.

Activities and Societies: Phi Sigma Pi