Join us for a day of continuing education, a lite lunch and end the day with a walk around the zoo.  With every registration ONE free admission to the zoo will be granted for the attendee.   

The days speakers and courses are listed below.

Jesse Cornell M.S. Ed, LVT, VTS, (Anesthesia and Analgesia)

 “Anesthetic    Protocols- How Do We Choose What to Use in Our Patients?"       

Course    Description:        
This    lecture    will    discuss    the    importance    of    how    to    best    select    anesthetic    protocols    based    on    individual    patient    needs    versus    a    one    size    fits    all    approach.        Basic    pharmacokinetics    of    drugs    used    for    pre-medication,    induction,    intra-operative    CRI’s,    and    postoperative    analgesia    will    be    covered.        Indications    for    use,    as    well    as    common    contraindications    of    anesthetic    drugs    used    in    veterinary    medicine    will    be    discussed.        

Objectives:       
1. Participants    will    learn    how    to    devise    anesthetic    protocols    based    on    individual    patient    assessments        
2. Participants    will    comprehend    basic    pharmacokinetics    of    common    anesthetic    drugs    they    administer        
3. Participants    will    identify    indications    and    contraindications        of    use    for    a    variety    of    anesthetic    drugs   

 Speaker Bio:

Jesse graduated from Medaille College in 1997 with her A.S. degree in Veterinary Technology.  She has primarily focused her career on small animal anesthesia for the past 18 years in emergency/referral/teaching hospitals in Boston and New York.  She is currently a NYS licensed veterinary technician and most recently a clinical educator at the Animal Medical Center in NYC for technicians and assistants.  She received her VTS in Anesthesia in 2011.  Her favorite part of her job is mentoring colleagues.  Outside of work she enjoys a diversity of art, music, and exploring hiking trails with her husband and their adventurous three-year old son. 

 Stephen Wancea, BS, LVT

In House Cytology and Lab Work

Speaker Bio:

Stephen Wancea started down the veterinary technician road in 2002 when he was hired as a kennel assistant at a small animal practice in NJ.  Within a few short years he would move up to veterinary assistant/technician. Upon graduated from the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia with a bachelor’s degree in biology in 2005, he began working full time for his practice. In 2006 he moved onto a large small animal specialist practice in central NJ, NorthStar VETS. He spent ten years as a technician gaining experience in every aspect of veterinary medicine including, but not limited to, emergency/critical care, internal medicine, surgery, oncology, cardiology, and avian/exotics. In 2011 he found his passion and became both the lead technician in the exotics department and full time assistant to the department head, Dr. Michael Doolen.  He became a licensed technician in 2013. In the fall of 2015 he became the part time veterinary technician at TurtleBack Zoo in NJ, fulfilling a lifelong dream of working at a zoo. With the combination of his zoo experience and his years of experience in exotic medicine, in April of 2016 he was hired as the hospital manager at the Staten Island Zoo.In his spare time, he enjoys playing soccer in several adult leagues as well as supporting the MLS Red Bulls whenever he can. When the weather is permissible he is riding around on his motorcycle from the beach to the mountains. If not outside, he also enjoys the ups and downs that accompany any video game that is currently being played or any new blockbuster in the theater.

Justin Chandlr, AAS, CVT, LVT, VTS (ECC)

What is involved in becoming a Veterinary Technician Specialist?

This presentation will review the different academies that are available for an LVT to specialize in. We will review common requirements, the application process including case reports and case logs, and the certifying examination. An interactive question and answer portion will allow participants to directly interact and discuss any concerns/questions they have.

Learning Objectives:

1.       Be able to identify what a veterinary technician specialist is.

2.       Review the different specialty academies currently available and know how to contact them for further information.

3.       Understand the general requirements for the application process and certifying examination.

Speaker Bio:

Justin started out in the veterinary field in 1998, first learning on the job as a veterinary assistant and progressing to veterinary technician in a private clinical practice setting. Justin joined Garden State Veterinary Specialists in May 2007 to pursue his interest in emergency and critical care. There he earned a position as an overnight shift supervisor overseeing the technical staff and helping to mentor new veterinary interns. After years of advanced training and intense learning, Justin applied for and passed the certification exam for the Academy of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Technicians (AVECCT), earning his Veterinary Technician Specialist in Emergency and Critical Care in 2014. Justin’s special interests include trauma, shock, cardiovascular emergencies, critical care anesthesia, and more. He has enjoyed the opportunity to mentor and teach both technicians and veterinarians in topics/procedures related to emergency and critical care. In 2016, he became the head veterinary technician for Greater Staten Island Veterinary Services. In the future Justin hopes to become more active with lecturing and teaching future generations of veterinary technicians and veterinarians.