Veterinary Medicine Education & Outreach
At San Diego Humane Society, veterinary medicine is at the heart of our lifesaving work — and essential to our promise of Staying at Zero euthanasia of healthy or treatable shelter animals.
Every day, our expert medical teams perform everything from spay/neuter surgeries and routine care to complex medical cases. At each of our shelter campuses — and through our state-of-the-art Pilar & Chuck Bahde Center for Shelter Medicine, California’s first shelter medicine teaching hospital — we provide thousands of animals with the second chance they deserve while also training the next generation of veterinary leaders.
Our veterinary medicine program saves lives and creates new possibilities — for the animals in our care and for the veterinary professionals who train with us. Together, we’re building a brighter future for pets, wildlife and the people who love them.
Leading the Way in Veterinary Education
The veterinary medicine program at San Diego Humane Society continues to lead the way nationally in the scope and volume of cases we successfully treat and our commitment to advancing the field of shelter medicine. On any given day, our team must be prepared to provide lifesaving emergency medical care for a dog hit by a car, spay a community cat, repair a hawk’s broken wing and so much more.
The size and expertise of our medical program not only benefits animals — it creates a unique educational experience as we train the next generation of leading veterinarians. We offer several incredible opportunities for DVM students and licensed veterinarians to gain experience in the fields of shelter medicine and wildlife medicine.
At San Diego Humane Society, our motto is to Inspire Compassion — and we work to bring those words to life every day. Our veterinary residents, interns and externs help us to not just inspire compassion, but to reduce suffering, save lives and change the future of shelter medicine.
The Shelter Medicine Residency experience at San Diego Humane Society trains veterinarians to apply extraordinary medical skills with versatility and compassion for the inseparable needs of veterinary patients and humans. One of the only opportunities of its kind in the country, the Shelter Medicine Residency equips participants with the tools they need to be a leader and specialist in the field of shelter medicine — making a difference not just in the lives of animals in need, but in the health of a community as a whole.
Approved by the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (ABVP), the shelter medicine residency is a three-year intensive training program designed to prepare a veterinarian to sit for the ABVP Shelter Medicine Practice board examination and certification. As part of their training, the resident will:
- Expand clinic medicine and surgical skills.
- Perform shelter consultations and visit a variety of animal shelters around the country.
- Gain experience in veterinary forensics.
- Participate in disaster response.
- Complete clinical rotations at local private specialty hospitals.
- Participate in a journal club.
- Speak at conferences.
- Complete a research project focused on the field of shelter medicine.
- And much more!
For more information or to apply, please visit: Veterinary Internship & Residency Matching Program.
Veterinarians or shelter professionals are invited to reach out to our Shelter Medicine Residents for expert advice and guidance.
Shelter Medicine Internship
These veterinarians have diverse educational opportunities as they rotate through experiences at our Pilar & Chuck Bahde Center for Shelter Medicine, which opened in 2019, and at our various other campuses and locations. They gain skills in clinic medicine, surgery and multiple veterinary specialty areas. They also engage in public speaking, teaching seminars, participating in rounds, external shelter evaluations, field experiences and so much more.
For more information or to apply, please visit: Veterinary Internship & Residency Matching Program.
Wildlife Medicine Internship
These veterinarians spend the year at both our Pilar & Chuck Bahde Wildlife Center and Ramona Wildlife Center, learning about how to care for everything from hummingbirds and ducklings to bobcats and coyote pups. Through the Wildlife Medicine Internship, participants are able to make a lifesaving difference for fragile animals who don’t normally get a second chance, helping them to recover and be released back into the wild where they belong.
For more information or to apply, please visit: Veterinary Internship & Residency Matching Program.
Shelter Medicine Externship
The DVM externship program in shelter medicine at San Diego Humane Society extends to fourth-year DVM students from any AVMA-accredited veterinary college. Students will have the opportunity to participate in hands-on experiences in surgery and medicine throughout the shelter alongside our team of talented veterinarians. Students will also participate in various other activities during their rotation such as patient rounds, educational rounds, scholarly discussions and critical-thinking assignments.
Please note that due to the overwhelming popularity of this program, student scheduling requests can only be accommodated as space allows. Scheduling and availability are subject to change.
For more information or further assistance, please contact [email protected].
Wildlife Medicine Externship
The wildlife medicine externship program at San Diego Humane Society accepts fourth-year DVM students enrolled at any AVMA-accredited veterinary college. Students will learn more about wildlife medicine while working side by side with our wildlife veterinarians to care for many of San Diego’s diverse wildlife species. Students can also expect to participate in patient rounds, educational rounds and scholarly discussions during their rotation and so much more!
Please note that due to the overwhelming popularity of this program, student scheduling requests can only be accommodated as space allows. Scheduling and availability are subject to change.
For any questions or further assistance, please contact [email protected].
Our DVM residents, interns and externs work with a large medical team across five campuses, including:
Zarah Hedge, DVM, MPH, DACVPM, DABVP
Vice President and Chief Medical Officer
As chief medical officer, Dr. Hedge oversees a team of 20+ veterinarians who provide lifesaving specialized surgeries, progressive treatments and long-term care and rehabilitation for animal patients at San Diego Humane Society. Dr. Hedge is one of fewer than 30 veterinarians in the world who hold the distinction of being certified in shelter medicine by the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners. She has more than a decade of veterinary experience and is a graduate of the College of Veterinary Medicine at Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona.
Jonathan Chapman, DVM, MPH, CPH, DACVPM
Director of Veterinary Education
Dr. Chapman oversees our DVM residency, internship and externship programs, and provides mentorship and support to the DVMs in those programs — including one to two residents, three to six interns, and 40 to 50 veterinary students annually. He also collaborates with various universities and veterinary medical programs across the country to train the next generation of veterinarians. Dr. Chapman graduated from Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine and received his master’s degree in public health from the University of Minnesota. He is also among the approximately 10% or fewer veterinarians to hold specialty board certification. Dr. Chapman is board-certified in Public Health and Preventive Medicine by the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine. He is also a clinical associate professor of veterinary medicine in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Western University of Health Sciences.
Meet Our Interns
Dr. Andrea Brkic
Dr. Brkic earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Western University of Health Sciences. Her passion for shelter medicine spans over a decade and has guided her work in both clinical and leadership roles, including managing a feline shelter program, launching trap-neuter-release and One Health initiatives, and serving as president of her school’s American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) chapter. She has experience in high-volume surgical operations, neonatal and critical care and public outreach through organizations like Stray Cat Alliance and Street Dog Coalition. Dr. Brkic is especially interested in improving access to veterinary care for underserved communities, refining her clinical skills in high-caseload settings and applying evidence-based approaches to population health in shelters. She is thrilled to build on this foundation during her internship at San Diego Humane Society.
Dr. AJ Frank
Dr. Frank earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of California, Davis, where he also served as the President of Veterinarians as One Inclusive Community for Empowerment (VOICE). This role taught him the importance of fostering a diverse workplace and strengthened his commitment to championing inclusion in the veterinary field as he advances his career. His passion for wildlife medicine began in 2013, when he volunteered at the Costa Rica Animal Rescue Center and had the chance to care for native wildlife. Prior to joining San Diego Humane Society, Dr. Frank completed a year-long internship at MedVet Silicon Valley and spent his weekends shadowing the medical team at the Lindsay Wildlife Experience in Walnut Creek. Dr. Frank looks forward to working with the Project Wildlife team to develop his clinical skills and use what he learns to promote wildlife conservation and biodiversity.
Dr. Stephanie Hidai
Dr. Hidai earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of California, Davis, where she also completed dual undergraduate degrees in animal science and gender, sexuality, and women’s studies. With over 5,500 hours of shelter volunteer experience, she has a deep-rooted passion for shelter medicine that led her to establish the Shelter Medicine Club at UC Davis and lead a student-run access to care clinic. Dr. Hidai is especially interested in high-volume spay/neuter surgery, disease prevention in large populations and improving access to veterinary care in underserved communities. During her internship with San Diego Humane Society, she looks forward to strengthening her clinical and surgical skills, expanding her knowledge of shelter operations and continuing her work to create meaningful impact for both animals and the people who love them.
Dr. Youkyung (Alice) Jung
Dr. Jung joined San Diego Humane Society’s internship program after serving part-time as chief veterinarian at Irvine Animal Care Center, where she provided high-quality care for shelter animals and collaborated on programs that enhanced animal welfare. Originally trained in South Korea, Dr. Jung completed the Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates (ECVFG) certification and gained experience in both private and corporate veterinary settings before fully dedicating her career to shelter medicine. Her work has included complex medical and surgical case management, high-volume spay/neuter procedures and serving as an expert witness in an animal cruelty case — an experience that deepened her commitment to animal welfare. Dr. Jung looks forward to expanding her knowledge in shelter operations, contagious disease control and animal advocacy, and is excited to continue making an impact through community-centered, evidence-based shelter care.
Resources
Ask an Expert
Veterinarians or shelter professionals are invited to reach out to our shelter medicine residents for expert advice and guidance.
Low-Cost Veterinary Services
Pet families are able to access low-cost veterinary care through our Community Veterinary Program — including spay/neuter surgeries, preventative care and basic sick care. You can also explore our additional resources for assistance with veterinary care.