Equine Lecture Series 2024
The 2024 Equine Continuting Education Lecture Series was held on
January 12, 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
The Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Blacksburg, Virginia and the Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center in Leesburg, Virginia co-hosted this series for the second year. Attendance options included virtual and in-person at both EMC and VMCVM.
The series was free and 6 hours of CE credit was provided to live participants.
No CE credit will be provided for viewing the recorded lectures.
Transcripts available upon request.
Emily Schaefer, VMD, DACVIM (LAIM)
Clinical Assistant Professor, Equine Emergency and Critical Care
Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center
"Postoperative Colic Care"
Emily Schaefer graduated cum laude from Saint Joseph’s University with a B.S. in Biology, before earning her DVM from the University of Pennsylvania in 2011. She then completed an internship at Ohio State University.
A Pennsylvania native, she returned to a large equine practice in southeastern Pennsylvania for three years before advancing her training with a residency in Large Animal Internal Medicine at the University of California at Davis. During this time, her research on equine coronavirus was recognized by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) with the 2017 Resident Research Award.
Schaefer has recently completed a three-year fellowship in equine emergency and critical care at The Ohio State University and will be joining Dukti in one of two faculty positions at the Equine Medical Center focusing exclusively on emergency and critical care.
Rebecca Funk, DVM, MS, DACVIM
Clinical Associate Professor, Equine Field Service
Veterinary Teaching Hospital
"Endocrinology Update for Equine Practitioners"
Dr. Funk completed her DVM and an Equine Theriogenology Internship at Oklahoma State University. She subsequently completed an Equine Internal Medicine Residency at Auburn University. She achieved board certified in Large Animal Internal Medicine in 2011. Dr. Funk has also pursued an interest in complementary medicine by becoming certified in Animal Chiropractic by the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association and by completing a Master’s in Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine at the Chi Institute. She is certified in Veterinary Acupuncture, Tui-na, Herbal Medicine and Food Therapy. She works as a Clinical Associate Professor in Equine Field Service at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine where she pursues her clinical interests in equine theriogenology, equine medicine, and integrative veterinary medicine.
Sarah Dukti, DVM, DACVS-LA, DACVESS
Clinical Assistant Professor, Equine Emergency and Critical Care
Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center
"Equine Wound Management: Synovial Involvement"
Sarah Dukti joined the Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center (EMC) team in early 2023, filling one of two faculty positions focusing exclusively on the initial diagnosis, treatment, and care of emergency and critical care cases.
Dukti received a BSc. in biochemistry from Oakland University, before earning her DVM from The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio. Following an internship at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky, Dukti completed a residency in large animal surgery at the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania.
Choosing to stay on at the New Bolton Center, Dukti completed an alternate track residency in large animal emergency and critical care. During her residency, Dukti became a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons and later became a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care.
Dukti joined the EMC as a clinical assistant professor of emergency medicine and surgery prior to stepping into roles as a relief surgeon and consultant for emergency and critical care at Woodside Veterinary Hospital in Ashland, Virginia, and The Piedmont Equine Practice in the Plains, Virginia, later moving into an associate emergency veterinarian role at Piedmont, a position that she held for twelve years.
Harold C. McKenzie, III, DVM, MS, MSc (VetEd), FHEA, DACVIM (LAIM)
Professor, Large Animal Medicine
Veterinary Teaching Hospital
"What’s New in Equine Internal Medicine"
Harold C. McKenzie is a Professor of Large Animal Medicine in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech. His research interests include veterinary education, and various aspects of equine medicine, including pain management, critical care, and pharmacology. Dr. McKenzie has delivered over 90 presentations at conferences and is the author or coauthor of over 50 refereed journal articles and 20 book chapters.
Julia Borgens Castela, DVM
Resident, Equine Surgery
Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center
"Equine epilepsy: A literature review"
Julia Borgens Castela graduated with her DVM from the University of Extremadura, Cáceres, Spain, in 2017. After graduation, she completed several externships in Spain, the USA, Belgium and Ireland before joining the Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center as an Intern in 2021.
In 2022, Julia was promoted to a resident of equine medicine and will stay at the Equine Medical Center for an additional three years. Her areas of special interest are neonatology, neurology and emergency and critical care.
Sarah Khatibzadeh, DVM, MS '19, PhD '23, DACVS-LA
Prior Clinical Instructor, Large Animal Surgery
Veterinary Teaching Hospital
"Updates on Equine Wound Management"
Sarah M. Khatibzadeh is a large animal surgeon. Originally from Dallas, Texas, she earned her Bachelor of Science in Animal Science (2010) and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (2014) from Cornell University. She completed internships in equine surgery and medicine at New England Equine Practice (2014-2015) and at the Marion DuPont Scott Equine Medical Center (2015-2016). Dr. Khatibzadeh subsequently completed the following at the VMCVM: a residency in large animal surgery and Master of Science in Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences (BMVS) (2016-2019), and a PhD in BMVS (2019-2023). Her MS research focused on in vitro investigation of tendon regeneration and healing. Her PhD research investigated the potential of equine bone marrow-derived stromal cells to disrupt bacterial biofilms and modulate the anti-biofilm inflammatory response. During her PhD program, she was also a Clinical Instructor in large animal surgery and performed emergency clinical duties and resident and student training. She enjoys riding her horse, hiking, playing the piano, cooking, and spending time with her husband, Dr. Gordon Briggs, and her baby daughter, Athena.