AVC Class of 2023 joins the veterinary profession

If you were to describe the Atlantic Veterinary College (AVC) Class of 2023 in one word, it could be “resilient.” 

When the 65 graduating members joined the AVC Class of 2023 four years ago, their studies were impacted by a global pandemic, a natural disaster, a labour disruption, and waves of tests—not of the academic kind. 

Fast forward to today, this resilient group triumphed, making their official entry into the profession of veterinary medicine on May 16, 2023.

“To earn a doctor of veterinary medicine degree requires a great deal of perseverance, discipline, and dedication—and that’s when there isn’t a global pandemic and a hurricane that disrupts your education,” said Dr. Greg Keefe, Interim President and Vice-Chancellor of UPEI during the ceremony.

The AVC White Coat Celebration is the official induction of the AVC graduating class into the profession of veterinary medicine. The iconic white lab coats, monogrammed with their names, were presented by their family, friends, and mentors. A special thank you to Royal Canin for donating the white coats.

In addition to the white coat ceremony, a number of awards were presented to the graduates.

“We handed out 50 awards at the White Coat Ceremony, which is a truly awesome number,” noted Dr. John VanLeeuwen, Interim Dean of AVC. “From academic achievement to transforming lives, these awards reflect a class of graduates who are committed to the well-being of animals and advancing veterinary medicine.”

Dr. Sydney Boychuk won the prestigious R.G. Thomson Academic Achievement Award for the highest cumulative grade average for all courses taken during the four-year program. Also receiving awards at the White Coat Ceremony were the following faculty and staff:

• Rob DeWolfe, medical radiology technician, Class of 2002 Technician Appreciation Award
• Dr. Emily Ball, post-graduate certificate student, Small Animal Surgery,  Vetoquinol Award in Pain Management
• Dr. Zoe Rutledge, resident, Small Animal Medicine, Class of 2006 Intern/Resident Mentorship Award
• Dr. Charlotte Pye, assistant professor of dermatology, Boehringer Ingelheim Award of Excellence in Clinical Teaching

Earlier in the day on May 16, 2023, the Class of 2023 received their Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degrees at the Convocation ceremony for the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. Also, six AVC graduate students were granted their degrees:

• Master of Science-Faculty of Veterinary Medicine: Dr. Jaclyn Kaufman and Dr. Rasaq Abiola Ojasanya
• Master of Veterinary Science: Dr. Nicolas Decelles and Dr. Brodie Reinhart
• Doctor of Philosophy in veterinary medicine: Dr. Joo Romero and Dr. Daniel Muasya. Dr. Muasya won the UPEI Faculty of Graduate Studies Award of Distinction for veterinary medicine. He came to UPEI from Kenya for his PhD through a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Scholarship.

Congratulations, Class of 2023! View the list of graduates and the list of awards. To watch the ceremony, click here.