Cultivating Leadership
A Beacon of Excellence.
Ocean State Veterinary Specialists is one of the premier veterinary facilities in the country. Because we have specialists in almost every discipline, state-of-the-art equipment, 24-hour care and a large caseload, OSVS is an ideal facility for training veterinarians who want to gain extra experience and skills following veterinary school graduation pursue specialization.
A Beacon of Excellence
The internship Program at OSVS
OSVS has a well-established internship program. Interns are graduates of veterinary school and are fully licensed veterinarians. Unlike in human medicine, internships are not required for veterinarians. Most veterinary graduates choose to go straight into practice, but some are interested in gaining more experience managing patients with serious acute and chronic illnesses. An internship allows them to work with these patients under the supervision of board-certified specialists and very experienced emergency doctors. Because of the excellent reputation of our internship program, OSVS receives applications from all across the country. Applicants enter into a competitive “match” system and are selected based on their academic achievements and clinical performance.
A Beacon of Excellence
The Residency Programs at OSVS
In addition to our internship, OSVS is a training center for residents in both Emergency/Critical Care and Surgery. Our residents have already completed a high quality internship, and have been accepted into our highly competitive programs. The residencies consist of three years of high volume patient management, rigorous didactic training, teaching responsibilities, and publication of a research paper. At the end of the three years, the residents sit for a multi-day examination with a national specialty organization to achieve board-certification.
Veterinarians choosing to pursue specialty certification have not only completed four years of undergraduate college and four years of veterinary school, but an additional four years of advanced training during which they work many, many hours for compensation levels significantly below what they could earn if they went immediately into practice. Why do they do it? Because they have a true passion for veterinary medicine and what specialty medicine can offer to pets. You will recognize this from the moment you meet them.
Residents
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ANGELA SUDVM
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MARK VARDANEGABVSc
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MIRANDA SENFTDVM
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JUSTIN MERGLDVM, MSc
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TAYLOR MASSENGALEDVM
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JENNIFER LaPIERREDVM
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SASHA KENNEDYDVM
ANGELA SU
Dr. Su is originally from southern California, where she received her Bachelor of Science in biology from University of California Riverside. She completed her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine in 2021. Dr. Su started her small animal rotating internship here at Ocean State Veterinary Specialist and stayed to continue her residency in small animal emergency and critical care.
In her free time, Dr. Su enjoys spending time with her three ferrets (Felix, Zoe and Figaro), playing video games, attending concerts and listening to audiobooks.
MARK VARDANEGA
Dr. Vardanega is originally from Brisbane Australia where he completed his veterinary degree at the University of Queensland in 2017, graduating with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science with Honors. He subsequently completed a rotating internship and a small animal surgery internship at Pet Emergency and Queensland Veterinary Specialists before continuing his veterinary career as a small animal emergency veterinarian at the Animal Referral Hospital. In 2022 he moved across the Pacific Ocean to complete an advanced emergency and surgery internship here at Ocean State Veterinary Specialists.
Dr. Vardanega started his small animal surgical residency at Ocean State Veterinary Specialists in 2023. He enjoys all aspects of small animal surgery but particularly enjoys orthopedic and emergency surgery and traumatology.
When Dr. Vardanega isn’t working he enjoys unwinding by reading, cooking, playing video games, and sinking a few pints at the local pub.
MIRANDA SENFT
Bio Coming Soon!
JUSTIN MERGL
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TAYLOR MASSENGALE
Bio Coming Soon!
JENNIFER LaPIERRE
Bio Coming Soon!
SASHA KENNEDY
Bio Coming Soon!
Super Interns
AUSTIN YUNGMEYER
Dr. Yungmeyer is originally from northern California, growing up in the county of Santa Cruz. He received his Bachelor of Science in Animal Science at the University of California, Davis. He would then remain at UC Davis to continue his education where he completed his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 2023. His career interests in the veterinary field include both small animal surgery (orthopedics and soft tissue), as well as emergency medicine.
In his free time outside of the hospital, his hobbies include playing volleyball (indoor, grass, and beach), painting (particularly watercolors), and spending quality time with his friends doing any sort of fun activity. His dream dog is one that resembles a wolf, but a fun-fact is that one of his favorite animals in the world is an axolotl!
JENNA FLORES
Bio Coming Soon!
Interns
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NICHOLAS BRITTDVM
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KAITLIN FLANAGANDVM
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KATIE BATCHODVM
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HANNAH RANDAZZODVM
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TIFFANY LONGODVM
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ABIGAIL BRAYDVM
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JACOB MELCERDVM
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JULIA KLINZMANNDVM
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SYDNEY CARDOZADVM
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GLADYS HILLDVM
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BROOKE DOMINELLODVM
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COURTNEY MITTERLINGDVM
NICHOLAS BRITT
Dr. Britt lived from coast to coast before going to veterinary school at the University of Tennessee. He joined the Ocean State Veterinary Specialists team to improve his medical understanding in the best environment he could ask for. Dr. Britt’s interests involve multispecies medicine, anesthesia, surgery, diagnostic imaging, and clinical pathology. However, Dr. Britt feels that the soft skills of the veterinary field, such as communication, team building, and flexibility, are what motivate him.
Dr. Britt does a bit of everything with his free time, from skateboarding and going out on the town to quieter activities like drawing or enjoying sandwiches by candlelight. His fish, Curtis, is cool.
KAITLIN FLANAGAN
Dr. Flanagan grew up on a small farm on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, where she was never far from animals or the beach. She studied animal science at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, then spent some time working as a technician in general practice before completing her veterinary degree at Tufts University. Outside of work, Dr. Flanagan loves exploring nature with her dog, Zena, horseback riding, and enjoying the beach.
KATIE BATCHO
Dr. Batcho was raised in a large military family and has loved being around animals since she was little. After graduating from Auburn University with Animal Science and Spanish degrees, she relocated to the Northeast for veterinary school at Long Island University in New York. Dr. Batcho’s favorite thing about her job is building relationships with both her patients and their owners. She enjoys emergency medicine, surgery, and exotics, especially reptiles. Outside of vet med, Dr. Batcho finds joy in all outdoor activities, crafting, yoga, and exploring New England. She can usually be found with her two beloved rescue cats, Eleanor (pictured) and Fern.
HANNAH RANDAZZO
Bio Coming Soon!
TIFFANY LONGO
Bio Coming Soon!
ABIGAIL BRAY
Bio Coming Soon!
JACOB MELCER
Bio Coming Soon!
JULIA KLINZMANN
Bio Coming Soon!
SYDNEY CARDOZA
Bio Coming Soon!
GLADYS HILL
Bio Coming Soon!
BROOKE DOMINELLO
Bio Coming Soon!
COURTNEY MITTERLING
Courtney Mitterling grew up in Storrs, CT, and later moved to Boston, where she completed her undergraduate degree and a Master of Public Health. She recently graduated from Tufts University’s Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. Her professional interests are broad, but she is especially passionate about cardiology, as well as blending general practice with urgent care. Outside of veterinary medicine, Courtney lives in Providence with her husband, their spirited blue-crowned conure, Norman, and their beloved tripod flat-coated retriever, Poppy.
