Astrid Beníquez, Dvm, Ms Email and Phone Number

Working directly with Dr. Andrea Clark, Dr. Jon Dee, Dr. Amy Sheila, and the ER team and specialty group at VCA Hollywood Animal Hospital4-5 days of surgical shifts and 1 day of ER with on-call responsibilities Wed-Friday Learning to cut and do bandage care, patient care, and continuing to refine ER, critical care and life saving skills

Worked an 80% ER heavy intern role as a rotating intern Rotated through radiology service, surgery service (both ortho and soft tissue in one department) and learned under criticalist on the ER floor. Supported greatly by critical care and chief of ER in learning how to do ER medicine. Worked as a swing shift doctor most of the internship working a lot of ER shifts always supported by various associates. Got to do a lot of surgical assisting with Dr. Wearing on TPLO surgeries, fracture repairs, arthrodesis, luxation repair with bone anchors, and soft tissue surgeries both on and off ER floor including splenectomies, cystotomies, explores and amputations. Tumor removals, anal surgeries and airway and orthopedic procedures involving the maxilla and nasal cavity were also performed. Mass removals and oncology care and follow up supported by a strong internal medicine spartment that also sees GI cases, endocrine cases and provides excellent geriatric care. Got to spend 6 weeks with surgery, 4 weeks with internal medicine, 3-4 weeks with radiology and a lot of shifts working with Critical care. Performed a lot of weekend ER shift duties and worked alongide day shift, second shift and overnight crew. Didactic rounds were run every month and journal club presentation was performed where we discussed 3 diverse cases. Helped train and orient the next intern for the last week or so of being here. Worked 3 shifts as a a relief doctor after my internship ended.

4th year 3rd YearCo-founder of Latinx VMA at LMU-CVM and President Fall 2021-Spring 2022Shelter medicine club, Treasurer - Spring 2019-2022Veterinarians as one inclusive community of empowerment (VOICE) - Vice President/Class Representative - Fall 2020-presentMember of SVECCs emergency and critical care club 2020-presentMember of ZEWAC (Zoo, Exotics, Wildlife Animal Club)Member of LMU-CVM’s Surgery Club - Attended lateral suture repair wet lab and FHO wet labs; attended Gastropexy and PPDH lab 2019-presentMember of VBMA, completed business certificate 2019-presentMember of SCAVIMMember of SAVMA

June 8th to July 23rd, I will be assisting in care of some ongoing research underway at the DeBusk Veterinary Teaching CenterSkillsets needed: - patient care- assisting in intake exams- phlebotomy and lab testing - data entry into cornerstoneCompleted IACUC certifications and biomedical research ethics prior to assisting with project.IACUC for investigators, staff, and students Working with dogs in research settings Personal protective equipmentBiomedical responsible conduct of research Biosafety – Student workers/General staff • Animal biosafety• Basic introduction to biosafetyOSHA bloodborne pathogensAssisted and acknowledged for this published Journal study. "Feeding treats containing cannabidiol (CBD) did not alter canine immune response to immunization with a novel antigen" December 2021 Research in Veterinary Science 143(12)DOI:10.1016/j.rvsc.2021.12.012

Senior veterinary student visiting UGA as a clinical year student.Spent 1 week with the orthopedics rotation, 3 weeks with Soft Tissue/General Surgery Department, 3 weeks with the ECC Department, and 1 week with Small Animal Nutrition. Obtained histories, discussed cases, participated in case rounds, patient care, scrubbed in on procedures, and learned flow at a teaching hospital setting. Participated in triage exams, FAST scans, catheter placement, lab draws. Executed treatments, helped with transfer referrals from ER and other departments, and helped with application of diagnostics. Worked 60-80 hours a week.

Performed numerous group necropsies, discussed cases, thought of differentials, and discussed next step treatment plans. Worked on horses, a fennec fox, dogs, and a few cats.Detailed necropsy reports and sample collection was performed.Also got to learn under a clinical pathologist at this externship site.

Student extern - rotating through surgery department, ER department and radiology.

Tutored for immunology Spring 2021Tutored for Clinical Pathology & Pharmacology Fall 2021Tutoring for Soft Tissue Surgery and Anesthesia and Analgesia I Spring 2022Tutor for Clinical Pathology Remediation and General Pathology Remediation

Rotated through Large Animal Medicine and Clinical Pathology Rotation (reviewed cases, performed and assisted in large animal surgeries involving a donkey castration, a horse mass removal, and a pot-bellied pig neuter. AI and Preg Checks assisted and observed. Clinical pathology case reviews performed. Solved and wrote up interpretations on 5 core case sets and 2 optional cases involving cavitary effusions and cytology.

Starting July 10 - July 24, I have the honor to visit the Veterinary Emergency Group Aventura location and observe and learn from doctors doing exams, interventions and diagnostics in an Emergency Room Daytime and After-Hours setting. I will be given the opportunity to support and help staff achieve the best quality of medicine, scrub into interventional surgery, and learn how to work up and effectively communicate with clients in an Emergent situation. Fast-paced, hands-on, and rewarding experience allows me to learn under every experienced doctor at this location. - followed and observed 5 senior veterinarians - observed direct mentorship with medical director and NERD fellow- learned about VEG mission and growth- observed huddle sessions, rounds for shift change, and case presentation between professionals.- assisted in technical sampling and lab preparation and interpretation.- was able to assist in record keeping, scribing, and working on differential diagnoses, designing a treatment plan, presenting an estimate, and administration of plan. - observed role selection for codes, delegation of responsibilities, and assisted in CPR BLS during more than one code.- assisted in closing a surgical dehiscence, lancing and cleaning an abscess, and observed a pyometra procedure. - communicated with clients en español and english. - learned about rabbit diseases and birds as well as cats and dogs. observed quality of life discussions. - Got to experience day and night shift.Learned about CHF, DKAs, third space effusions, methemoglobinemias, hypocalcemia treatment, and heat strokes. Got to see wound management, epistaxis, and two CPR Codes protocols. Able to practice AFAST, see AFAST and TFAST evaluations, thoracocentesis and urine collection via cystocentesis. Observed pyometra surgery and endoscopic removal of gastric foreign body. Practiced suture methods under supervision on dehiscence case, and lanced abscesses.

14-day Student learning opportunity following Dr. Jennifer Green, DVM, Medical Director of Veterinary Services and the shelter staff in an open-admission shelter setting, and seeing the day-to-day operations of managing staff, holding trainings, running shelter rounds, behavioral rounds, medical care, diagnostics, end of life services, and learning hands-on surgical skills. - Practiced aseptic technique as guided by ASV and ASPCA surgery standards. - Attempted learning new skills and performing supervised and guided spay and neuter procedures in a High-quality/high-volume spay and neuter setting. 36 procedures performed on mostly cats, some dogs and 2 lagamorph patients.- I learned a lot about pedicle ties, autoligation, strangle knot ligatures, efficient suturing practices, and how to enter and close the abdomen. Practiced intubating, venipuncture, TPR, premedication sedation, line block administration, SOAP style physical exams, and designing a treatment plan for multiple patients. Performed under supervision and assistance 34 surgeries, mostly feral feline spays and neuters. 4 canine procedures, 3 dog castrations and 1 OVH; 2 rabbit neuters. (animals with no adoption holds)- Performed vet checks on shelter population and learned how to administer heartworm treatments. Witnessed euthanasia decision making as a student vet for those animals with poor prognosis in a virtually no-kill open-admission shelter setting. Administered vaccines and microchips.- Implemented communication skills in spanish to facilitate admissions intake for 2 rabbits.- Shadowed and performed surgery with supervision from Dr. Williamson on high-volume feralfridays at the Redinger Spay and Neuter Clinic and observed induction, anesthesia and surgical procedures on Monday. - Triage performed, observed and assisted in stabilizing emergent felines, which included assisting in urinary catheterization, cytostomy, and perineal urethrostomy and monitoring recovery.

Support position in a busy multi-location GP/transitioning Urgent Care practice in Gainesville, FL. I had started this role with training in kennel care for 2-3 months and technician training as a vet technician assistant. Eventually eased from treatment shifts and kenneled patient care to a role of helping with exam room appointments with DVMs, scribing and treating hospitalizations. A large part of the job includes implementing doctor treatment plans, anticipating supporting the DVM, and sample collection including but not limited to ear sampling, venipuncture from saphenous,cephalic, and jugular sites on dogs and cats, fecal collections and cystocentesis. During lunch breaks shift changes, each day we supported each other, and I eventually moved into a role trained in front desk skill sets (closing books, end-of-day training, client service communication training, and learning cornerstone as both a tech, closing a transaction, and what CSRs document) to also learning protocols in surgery prep, assisting in the OR, helping with anesthesia administration and monitoring during surgery, drug calculation and estimate creation/explanation, SOAP medical scribing, and stress management in the surgery room and when work-in emergency appointments arise. Trained on-the-job to be an effective multifaceted and communicative veterinary technician, and trained new hires and volunteers regularly. Considered pursuing a CVT, but instead pursued DVM acceptance.

Volunteer-observer position- I did this on and off throughout the years, with some gaps. At shelter med community outreach, I have observed procedures and neutering operations, taken temperatures, helped fellow veterinary technicians watch over animals pre-operatively and post-operatively, prepared intravenous flush fluids and syringes, replenished supplies, sterilized surgical packets and utilized autoclave machinery, as well as kept the clinic and sterile supply areas neat and tidy.I started volunteering again at UF SAH with the zoo medicine program for two semesters in 2018, and then subsequently started Spring 2019 in Anesthesiology departments after a long break between volunteer experiences. In these positions, I assisted in restocking, animal restraint, cage clean up, and simple procedures such as placing monitors, monitoring anesthesia, and transporting patients to the OR. Daily safety tasks include checking breathing circuits, checking anesthesia machines, replacing E-tank Oxygen canisters, and also brief and small amounts of patient care of recovering patients.

Clerical volunteering and observing patient communications, helping fax referrals and review referrals, help GC review pathology report and medical records and creating genetic condition pedigrees on Progeny software. Updating referrals, data entry of client information and organizing referral files. closing patient files and scanning into database. I explored a different avenue in human healthcare and it reaffirmed my interest in genetics and science, as well as provided me skillsets I see as useful in a future of client communications for difficult health situations, and organization of documentation, as well as MR documentation and evaluation of health records.

Loading and running exam room appointments. responsible for organizing bloodwork for review by DVM and assisted in surgery prep expediating with IV catheter placement and holding pets for intubation. learned how to maintain IV lines on hospitalized patients and create daily treatment sheets. This job involved documenting patient histories, treatment plans and prepping medications and estimates for clients to be sent home. this job included assisting with rescue felines and boarded feline patients to relieve workload of kennel staff.

-Trained to assist in blood draw, grooming procedures, restraint during medical examinations, radiographs, and technician appointments- Maintaining cleanliness standards of the hospital, attending to boarded and hospitalized patients in dog walking, feeding, socialization, and administering medications.- Trained to assess fecal exams and other laboratory work, as well as entering data and information onto DVMax Veterinary Practice Software systems.

- Assisting doctoral and masters student candidate Hoang Nguyen in teaching in a lab setting for MCB3020L Basic Biology of Microorganisms (non-majors)- Presenting class material - Preparation and distribution of class materials to students- clarify instruction - collect all plates and media and cleaning the lab after lab hours.

Trained in autoclave preparations, organizing and cleaning surgical equipment, keeping kennels tidy, organized and clean, and observing post-operative recovery conditions for animals. Extubated and recovered patients on the surgical beach. I was able to watch the procedures and clean Endotracheal tubes, clean up the OR, and make new surgical packs. Minor vitals assessment skills and SNAP testing, diagnostics also shadowed/observed and learned.