Mentorship Committee

 

Ask a Mentor!

To complement its outreach mission to the veterinary community in San Diego County, the SDCVMA has created the Mentorship Committee. This Committee is composed of people in the veterinary profession with a special interest in sharing their expertise and experience with new veterinary school graduates, veterinarians with an interest in practice ownership, practice owners with financial and managerial concerns, as well as practitioners with questions about approaches to general medicine and surgery. 

Each of us on the Committee feels thankful and honored to be a part of the veterinary world and we would like to share the knowledge and skills we have acquired in the practice of this great profession. We encourage you to contact us with any professional questions or concerns you might have. 

Start by accessing the bios on the Mentorship Committee on the next Intercom page. Select the mentor you feel will be most able to be of help to you. Email Michelle Hornick (Director of the SDCVMA) at SDCVMAMichelle@aol.com and ask to be put in contact with that mentor. She will send you the contact information. You can then call or email that person and begin the dialogue, which we sincerely hope will be of great value in your professional career.

(To view mentor bios, scroll down.)

Become a Mentor!

To complement its outreach mission to the veterinary community in San Diego County, the SDCVMA has created the Mentorship Committee. This Committee is composed of people in the veterinary profession with a special interest in sharing their expertise and experience with new veterinary school graduates, veterinarians with an interest in practice ownership, practice owners with financial and managerial concerns, as well as practitioners with questions about approaches to general medicine and surgery. 

If you have a desire to share your professional wisdom and enthusiasm, serving on the Mentorship Committee is an extraordinary way to help others in our profession. To become a member of the Mentorship Committee, please contact Michelle Hornick (Director of the SDCVMA) at SDCVMAMichelle@aol.com. She will forward your request to the Committee. 

 

MENTOR BIOS

 

Arica Cayton, CVT, RVT, VTS (Clinical Practice – Canine/Feline)

Education:  Arica is a graduate of The Bel-Rea Institute of Veterinary Technology (2008) and The Academy of Veterinary Technicians in Clinical Practice (2021)

Currently:  Veterinary Technician Specialist and Treatment Supervisor at Cardiff Animal Hospital & Wellness Center.

Experience/Interests:  Arica has been working in the veterinary field for over 20 years. Having started out as a Technician Assistant, Arica dedicated herself to veterinary medicine and elected to attend and graduate from one of the top veterinary technician programs in the country, the Bel-Rea Institute of Veterinary Technology. Arica became licensed as a Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT) in Colorado (2008), and later as a Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) in California (2017). Arica relocated to San Diego to step into the role of Treatment Supervisor at the Cardiff Animal Hospital & Wellness Center. As a Veterinary Technician Specialist, Arica can offer guidance to other technicians seeking specialty credentials. When she is not working, she spends her time hiking or adventuring with her two adoring Miniature Australian Shepherds, Sidekick and Oslo.

 

Miguel Constantino, DVM:

Education:  Graduated in 2005 from veterinary school in Mexicali, Mexico. He moved to the USA in 2007 as a veterinary assistant. In 2009, he got his RVT license, and in 2015, received his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine through the AVMA-ECFVG program.

Currently:  Working in a private small animal practice.

Experience/Interests:  Dr. Constantino's main areas of interest are surgery and ultrasound. His mentorship focus is to help new and prospective veterinarians adapt to the “real world” environment. He also has a wealth of experience and a special interest in guiding foreign veterinarians who are interested in going through the ECFVG program.  He is fluent in Spanish.

 

Tonya Gossard, DVM: 

Education:  Graduated from Western University of Health Sciences in 2013, and then completed an internship in small animal medicine and surgery. This began her career in small animal GP and emergency medicine. 

Currently:  Owner of Kensington Veterinary Hospital

Experience/Interests:  Dr. Gossard is trained in TCM and acupuncture, and has a special place in her heart for geriatric medicine. Dr. Gossard's priority as a veterinarian is to honor and share in the sacred human-animal bond. Her focus as a practice owner is being a part of a positive movement in the culture of our profession; while working to promote a joyful workplace where every member has value and purpose. She is a native Minnesotan and earned her under-graduate degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. It was there that she met her future husband, Greg. Looking for a change of scenery, they ventured to San Diego, and 20 years later, are still happy to call this city home. They find themselves very busy with their three children, George (7.5), Sam (5) and Jackson (2). They also have a golden retriever, named Stevie, and a one-eyed cat, named Gatsby. Life is full and beautiful. Outside of work, the Gossard family loves to travel and enjoy all the outdoor lifestyle that San Diego has to offer. 

 

Bruce Lindsey, DVM: 

Education:  Graduated from UC Davis in 1967

Currently:  Owner of Lindsey Veterinary Care in Kearney Mesa, San Diego

Experience/Interests:  Dr. Lindsey is the previous owner of WindanSea Veterinary Clinic in La Jolla. He has been President of the SDCVMA, a member of the CVMA House of Delegates, and a member of the CVMA Board of Governors.  Dr. Lindsey would like to share his expertise in starting a practice from scratch, rather than buying one. He has a wealth of knowledge and advice on how to choose a building, location, and floor plan.  He has lots of financial tips, including preparing to get a lender. He also has great tips for hiring the right staff, keeping your clients happy, and being a respected and productive member of the veterinary community.

 

Grant Mayne, DVM, MBA: 

Education: Dr. Mayne is a veterinary graduate of Cornell (1971) and a business school graduate of Boston University (1990).

Currently:  Retired since 2022

Experience/Interests:  Dr. Mayne has been in private and corporate practice, as both an employee and an owner.  He has practiced on both the east and west coasts. His special interests include general surgery, architectural design & floor plans, efficiency management & streamlining skills, and staff satisfaction as a prerequisite to client satisfaction.

 

 

Terry Paik, DVM: 

Education: Dr. Paik graduated from veterinary school at UC Davis in 1974. 

Currently: In addition to regularly participating in HQHV (High Quality High Volume) Spay Neuter clinics, Dr. Paik enjoys sharing his knowledge and techniques with local veterinarians both at home and abroad. 

Experience/Interests: Dr. Terry Paik was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA.  After graduating from UC Davis, he joined El Cajon Valley Veterinary Practice, a mixed-animal practice specializing predominantly in equine.  He became a partner and Practice Administrator in 1980 and sold his partnership interest in 1998. After selling his practice share, Dr. Paik has been able to devote more of his time to reducing animal suffering through his participation in spay/neuter projects at home and around the world.  He has been involved with spay/neuter projects in Turkey, Poland, Greece, Guam, Ukraine, Guatemala, and extensively in Mexico. He was also very active in disaster preparedness, response, and training, served as Co-Chair of the CVMA Disaster Preparedness Committee, was a long-time member of the National Veterinary Response Team (NVRT, aka VMAT), and has been on multiple deployments, including the U.K. Foot and Mouth Disease Outbreak (2001), World Trade Center Attack, the 2003 and 2007 SD Firestorms, and Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Ike.  He has received numerous awards, including SDCVMA’s Distinguished Service Award (2004), CVMA’s Outstanding Service Award (2009), UC Davis Alumni Achievement Award (2010). Dr. Paik is very happy to share his experience in HQHVSN as well as disaster preparedness, response, and training. 

 
 
Patricia J. Ungar, DVM, CVA:
 
Education: Graduated from the Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1984, with a primary interest in equine medicine (shifted to small animal after a back injury in 1985). Completed IVAS Basic Acupuncture Certification in 1990, followed by many advanced acupuncture classes. Completed the Pitcairn Homeopathic Training in 1992, followed by numerous other integrative medicine courses over the years, allowing the development of a high quality full-service  integrative and conventional practice.
 
Currently: In mid-2021, Dr Ungar founded Scent Solutions, a company devoted to training public health sniffer dogs. The dogs’  first challenge was Covid, which they excelled at. Who knows what will be next- perhaps a pivot to screening for particular cancers, emerging public health risks, or ??? 
 
Experience/Interests: Moved to San Diego in 1984, initially to work in a small mixed animal practice, then 6 years of relief work- one of the best educations ever.  Founded Kensington Veterinary Hospital as a start-up in 1991, a neighborhood based practice, and grew it to a very successful and respected integrative and conventional medicine hospital, known for providing a very high level of patient care and customer service. This was achieved by building a strong support team of capable staff who were passionate about our goals and mission. Dr Ungar was on the SDCVMA board from 1993-98, and has volunteered as a ‘lobbying delegate’ for AVMA on occasion. The practice was sold in 2021, after 30 very successful years, to allow time for a ‘rewire and redirect’. Areas of expertise include growing and managing a values-based mission- driven busy practice, staff hiring and management, developing an integrative practice and where that ‘fits’ in the professional world, and finding creative ways to balance a busy life with a busy practice. Also creative approaches to ‘rewirement’ (sorry, I do not like the term ‘retired’!).