Veterinary Referral Associates

One year apart. Same group. A very different chapter. 💙

A year ago, Dr. Carli Gentile, Dr. Natasha Welch, Dr. Gabriela Medrano, Dr. Emma Fralin, and Dr. Kira Veach stood together at the beginning of their rotating internship at VRA. Now, as they prepare for tomorrow’s intern graduation ceremony, we get to look back at how much can happen in one year.

Internship year is not easy. It asks a lot from young doctors — long days, hard cases, late nights, constant learning, and the kind of growth that happens one patient, one shift, and one decision at a time.

Over the past year, this class became part of our hospital. They worked alongside our emergency and specialty teams, cared for patients and families, supported one another, and continued becoming the doctors they set out to be.

This class will also always be a special one for VRA. They were Dr. Sindu Manoharan’s first intern class as Intern Director, and Dr. Matthew Lechner’s first intern class serving as Medical Director after his time leading the program as Intern Director.

Tomorrow, they will be formally recognized by their mentors and receive their certificates and flowers, but today we want to pause and say how proud we are of the year they have completed.

To our 2025–2026 interns: thank you for your dedication, your curiosity, your humor, your resilience, and the care you brought to VRA every day. We are proud of you, grateful to have been part of your journey, and so excited to see where you go from here.

Congratulations, doctors. You will always be part of VRA. 🐾

Today, Veterinary Referral Associates celebrates Father’s Day.

For many, this is a day to celebrate the fathers, grandfathers, father figures, caregivers, and mentors who have offered love, guidance, strength, and support.

It can also be a day of remembrance, gratitude, and reflection for those honoring someone they miss, navigating complicated relationships, or holding space for the many different ways family can look.

To the fathers and father figures in our VRA community — including our team members, clients, referring partners, friends, and neighbors — we see you, we appreciate you, and we are grateful for the care you give to the people and pets who depend on you.

Today, we pause to celebrate the love, patience, and steady presence that fatherhood and father figures can bring.

Today, Veterinary Referral Associates recognizes Juneteenth.

Juneteenth is a day rooted in freedom, resilience, and the long-delayed recognition of liberation for enslaved Black Americans in Galveston, Texas on June 19, 1865.

This day carries history, meaning, reflection, and hope. It's a time to honor Black communities, recognize the importance of freedom and dignity, and continue learning from the history that shaped this day.

To the members of our team, clients, referring partners, friends, and neighbors for whom Juneteenth holds personal meaning: we see you, we appreciate you, and we are grateful for the people, perspectives, and experiences that make our community stronger.

At VRA, care begins with respect — for every person who walks through our doors, every family trusting us with their pet, every veterinary team that partners with us, and every team member who helps make this hospital what it is.

Today, we pause to learn, reflect, and recognize Juneteenth together.

In specialty medicine, complex cases often bring multiple teams together.

These behind-the-scenes moments show members of our Neurology and Surgery teams working side by side at VRA, including Dr. Jessica Reese, Dr. Greg Kaiman, and Dr. Nicole Bonaventura.

Neurologic cases can involve the brain, spine, nerves, mobility, pain, weakness, seizures, or difficulty walking. When advanced care is needed, our Neurology team works closely with Surgery, Anesthesia, Imaging, Critical Care, and our nursing teams to build the most thoughtful plan possible for each patient.

This is one of the strengths of a specialty hospital: having multiple disciplines under one roof, working together with one patient’s outcome in mind.

We are proud to provide this level of care for pets, families, and referring veterinarians throughout our region. 💙

Some reminders belong in the places we walk past every day. 🌈

During Pride Month, we’re reminded that compassion, respect, and belonging are part of the care we provide — not just for pets, but for the people who love them and the team members who care for them.

At VRA, that matters in every part of the hospital. Whether someone is here for an emergency visit, a specialty appointment, a referral, or a long overnight shift caring for patients, everyone deserves to feel respected and supported.

To our LGBTQ+ team members, clients, referring partners, friends, and community: you are welcome here. 💙

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Gabriela Medrano as she completes her internship at Veterinary Referral Associates and begins an exciting next chapter at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine.

Dr. Medrano has been selected as a Cornell resident in the American Kennel Club / AKC Canine Health Foundation Canine Sports Medicine & Rehabilitation Residency Program.

During her time at Veterinary Referral Associates, Dr. Medrano brought curiosity, compassion, and dedication to her patients, clients, and team. We are so proud to have been part of her journey and cannot wait to see the impact she will continue to make in sports medicine, rehabilitation, and the lives of athletic and working dogs.

Congratulations, Dr. Medrano! Your VRA family is cheering you on. 🐾 :::

Are you an overnight tech who wants to use your skills in a true emergency and critical care setting? 🌙🐾

Veterinary Referral Associates in Gaithersburg is hiring an Overnight Emergency & Critical Care Veterinary Technician.

Our overnight ECC team cares for some of the hospital’s most critical patients — from triage and patient monitoring to IV placement, phlebotomy, radiology, medication administration, CPR, blood transfusions, ECG monitoring, oxygen support, and more.

This is a role for someone who is comfortable in a fast-paced ER environment, works well with a team, and wants their technical skills to be used every shift.

A few details:
• 3 overnight shifts per week
• Signing bonus available for qualified applicants
• Overnight shift differential
• Emergency and critical care cases
• AAHA-accredited specialty hospital
• Support from board-certified specialists, including Critical Care
• Cross-training opportunities across specialty departments

2+ years of veterinary technician experience is required. LVT/CVT/RVT preferred.

If you’re looking for an overnight role where your work truly matters, we’d love to meet you.

Apply through the link in our comments.