externship U.S.A.

[eqvet123]

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Hey,

I'm a veterinary student from Belgium.

Since I'm starting my senior year in september, I would like to do an externship abroad (preferably in the USA)...

Does anyone have any tips for good equine clinics who specialize in surgery (orthopedics, cardiology, ...) and have good externship-programs? Or veterinary universities who offer these kind of externships?

I've already applied for the one at the New Bolton Center, but I'm not sure what the odds are of getting in...

Thanks a lot!!

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

Hi!

I would suggest checking out the Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center in Virginia. It's all horses, all the time!

http://www.vetmed.vt.edu/emc/

I'm a VMRCVM alumnus so it's the first thing that comes to mind. Our equine-tracking seniors spend rotations there, and the clinicians are supposed to be very nice 🙂

 

[eqvet123]

Hi!

Ok, thank you, I've just sent in my application🙂.

Do you have any idea what the odds are of getting in in these programs (especially the one at the New Bolton Center and Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center)?

I should hear from the New Bolton Center by the end of february, but I'm not sure how many clinics to contact as a back-up...

Thanks a lot!

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

Unfortunately I don't really 🙁 I wasn't an equine tracker so I wasn't that close to it (VMRCVM, the parent institution, has a tracking curriculum). Equine stuff in general tends to be pretty competitive here in the US, so I would definitely send out as many as you can.

 

[cowgirla]

most of the equine clinics I've looked at aren't competitive per se when it comes to externs- however they do tend to book up very far in advance (12-18mo) so it might depend on when you are looking. many of the ones I've looked seemed to be first come, first served type of thing. that's for private practice anyway. not sure about academia.


Other places that I think have surgical facilities, but not entirely sure. Either way, all have a very good reputation.
New England Equine Center - has a extern program and a few very good surgeons/amazing ortho guys
Mhyre Equine (might not be strictly equine anymore now that they have a mixed animal clinic on the same property - not sure) Most of the big surgeries in the area seem to go to New England though.
Parrott Equine - mostly ambulatory, I think
South Shore Equine
Rhinebeck Equine
Connecticut Equine
Fairfield Equine
Rood and Riddle
Hagyard

 

[Ben and Me]

I spent 3 weeks at Rood and Riddle and 3 weeks at Hagyards this spring/fall. There were a TON of international students at both places the whole time I was there. They call the extern house at Rood and Riddle "The United Nations" for a reason! 😉

You will see a ton of surgery at both places, especially if you visit in the spring. I think a few days, I saw 10-20 surgeries in a day at Rood and Riddle. I didn't actually spend any time in surgery at Hagyards, but at Rood and Riddle, it's a good mix of orthopedic/arthroscopy, soft tissue (lots of tie backs/tie forwards and cervical laceration repairs), repro emergencies, and colics.

The only other REALLY busy private practice that I'm familiar with is Mid-Atlantic in New Jersey. From what I understand from classmates who have visited, you see a lot of surgeries! I've visited a ton of less-busy private practices as well -- but if you're coming all the way over here, you may as well get your money's worth! 🙂

New Bolton is busy (especially compared to the other veterinary schools), but if you really want to see a large VOLUME of cases, Kentucky in the spring is your best bet. On the other hand, if you want more of a learning/patient-contact environment, you'd be better off going with a veterinary school.

Most of the international students seemed to group their visit -- spend 2 weeks at R&R, 2 weeks at Hagyards, 2 weeks at Woodford Equine, etc.

Private practice externships in the US tend to be on a first-come, first-serve basis. I was able to visit every practice I wanted to by planning ahead. There seems to be a kind of funny pattern to it though -- either you need to plan a year in advance, or a month in advance. Lots of people seem to cancel a week or two before they're supposed to show up somewhere! And if you're willing to pay for/find your own housing for your visit, most places are more than happy to let you visit.

I'm not sure how competitive it is to get an externship at New Bolton, honestly. We don't seem to have a ton of externs, but we definitely have them -- a lot of visiting students seem to do the NICU rotation in the spring. I think it depends on how many Penn students are enrolled in each rotation, since we get first priority. If there are still spots open in a rotation, I would imagine that they would gladly take an extern.

NCSU's equine orthopedics service is also pretty busy -- and I had no problem scheduling externships there...so that might be another option.

 

[eqvet123]

Wow thanks,

Any thoughts on ESMS in Weatherford?

I've already contacted quite a few clinics, didn't really think they would reply this fast... so I kind of have an overflow right now🙂. But I'm still hoping for NBC..

At Rood and Riddle they said November/December is slow, so I think I'd be better of in New England Equine Center or ESMS. (But I wonder if slow for Rood and Riddle is maybe the tempo of a normal clinic or is it really slow?)
(I probably have to be at my own school during the foaling season for my thesis, so I'm looking for something in September to December)

 

[Ben and Me]

Wow thanks,

Any thoughts on ESMS in Weatherford?

I've already contacted quite a few clinics, didn't really think they would reply this fast... so I kind of have an overflow right now🙂. But I'm still hoping for NBC..

At Rood and Riddle they said November/December is slow, so I think I'd be better of in New England Equine Center or ESMS. (But I wonder if slow for Rood and Riddle is maybe the tempo of a normal clinic or is it really slow?)
(I probably have to be at my own school during the foaling season for my thesis, so I'm looking for something in September to December)

I would say that most hospitals (veterinary schools and private practices) in the US are pretty slow in November-December. It is just a slow time for the horse industry in general over here (at least on the East Coast).

September-October is still pretty busy, though. If you time your visit to KY correctly, you can match up with the Keeneland fall meet (October) or the Keeneland fall (yearling) sale (September). Try to visit then if you can! If you can't do that, I know that both R&R and New Bolton are for sure relatively busy during the early-mid fall time period. 🙂 Plus, fall in both central Kentucky and Chester County, PA is gorgeous!!

I have heard of ESMS, but don't know anyone who has visited there, so I can't comment on how busy they are (at any time of the year). My guess is that New England would be slow during November-December since most of the horses in that region who are still competing (and would be getting lameness exams, etc) have moved down to Florida for the winter.

If you're thinking of applying for internships, keep a few things in mind. 1) Hagyards seems to take a ton of foreign interns for their surgery internship. 2) The internship application for most private practices in the USA is due late October-early November, so you want to visit before then if you're planning to apply. 3) The internship application for academic institutions in the USA is through the VIRMP and is due in early December.

Hope this helps!

 

[eqvet123]

Hey,

Thanks!

Rood & Riddle only had an opening in November or December, but they said that afterwards I could maybe go to the AAEP convention.

ESMS said they had a huge caseload of orthopedics in November/December. Is this one of the better clinics, it looks quite huge on the pictures...?

There's also a spot available in the Marion duPont Scott Center, but they said it was necessary to arrange personal transport because of the inadequate public transport. But it's probably quite expensive to rent a car for a full month?

About the internship, my school isn't AVMA accredited or is that only necessary to work as an actual vet? (In Belgium interns are considered students)

Thanks a lot!

 

[Ben and Me]

Hey,

Thanks!

Rood & Riddle only had an opening in November or December, but they said that afterwards I could maybe go to the AAEP convention.

ESMS said they had a huge caseload of orthopedics in November/December. Is this one of the better clinics, it looks quite huge on the pictures...?

There's also a spot available in the Marion duPont Scott Center, but they said it was necessary to arrange personal transport because of the inadequate public transport. But it's probably quite expensive to rent a car for a full month?

About the internship, my school isn't AVMA accredited or is that only necessary to work as an actual vet? (In Belgium interns are considered students)

Thanks a lot!

Well, if ESMS says they're busy, I would believe them! Most places are pretty willing to tell you if it's a slow time of year for them. And as for how big they are...I've definitely heard of them, for whatever that's worth!

My guess would be that for 99% of equine externships in America, you're going to need to rent a car (or rely heavily on the kindness of fellow externs!). Very few rural places over here (which is where horses are...and hence where the equine veterinary practices are) are accessible by public transportation. I think folks at Rood and Riddle and Hagyards have made it work without cars in the past because 1) there are a ton of externs at both places and you can usually find someone to drive you somewhere and 2) they are close enough to Lexington proper that you can take a cab from the airport, or a cab to the grocery store. I would recommend hotwire.com for rental car prices -- if nothing else, it will give you an idea of what to expect. Rental car prices can vary widely from city to city, without any obvious rhyme or reason as far as I can tell!

Over here, interns are folks who have graduated from veterinary school, are licensed veterinarians, and are (generally) in their first year of practice. It is a one year position -- you take a lower salary (hopefully) in exchange for mentorship and learning opportunities. Many equine graduates over here choose to do an internship; fewer small animal folks elect to do one. In order to apply for internships at most of the private practices, you need to have visited the practice (and often, to have spent 1-2 weeks there).

 

[cowgirla]

If you decide to do New England Equine, there's a bus stop across the street (short walk from the property) and a Mexican restaurant next door. I know a few people who have done externships there with no transportation of their own, but they did rely on other people there/other externs for grocery store runs and the like. it's about 1.5mi to the edge of the main town along a pretty busy road but I suppose if absolutely necessary you could walk.

buses run to Boston, the airport, and a few towns in the area. it's not really convenient for quick errands though.

 

[eqvet123]

Thanks!

Yes, in Belgium, our interns are licensed vets as well. But since they still have some form of mentoring, they are considered students. And I'm guessing it's also a tax thing (there's a huge difference in taxes on the salary of students compared to a "real" employee (it can go up to more than 50%, but for students it's a very small amount))

But I'm guessing you have to have passed the whole ECFVG-process to do an internship?