Internships vs. Private Practice for Residencies

[Electrophile]

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So I think I may be interested in a residency in either nutrition or behavior. It seems that a rotating internship after graduation would be very helpful for a highly competitive surgical residency or something similar. As nutrition is not as competitive as surgery for instance (does everyone but me find it boring? ), would it really behoove me to try to go for a rotating internship versus going out into private practice for a year or two first? I seem to hear nothing but bad things about the awful hours and pay as an intern on VIN. Is the internship experience really worth it?

 

[AuburnPreVet]

This topic came up briefly in our vet business management meeting tonight - actually. Our speaker (who is in the 3rd year of her residency) said that she strongly disagrees with the "everyone needs an internship" approach that is gaining popularity (endorsed by groups like AAEP, etc). She felt strongly that only those who really NEEDED an internship should do one (those hoping to go into highly sought after residencies which pretty much require it). So, if others are getting into Nutrition/Behavior post-grad residencies w/o doing the internship you might do a few years in private practice instead, and save your loans from accruing that much more interest.

I still plan on doing an internship - because it's pretty much req'd for the small animal residencies that I think I'd want to do. 🙁

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

*does the i-love-nutrition dance*

I agree that the "less popular" or "less visible" residencies probably don't require an internship. To me it seems (seems, I don't know for a fact) that internships are an additional thing necessary to weed more out of the huge number of small animal IM residency/surgery residency candidates that apply. Not many people go for nutrition. Heck, in my case pathology doesn't even use the matching program. That's how much the AVMA cares (boo hoo).

Now, this may be off-set by the fact that there simply are more surgery residencies than path or nutrition, and therefore the "competitiveness" level stays the same....BUT I don't think it balances out - Even if there are three times are many surgery residencies as nutrition residencies, you had better believe that the total number of surgery apps is more than three times the number of nut apps.

 

[Bill59]

Heck, in my case pathology doesn't even use the matching program. That's how much the AVMA cares (boo hoo).

The AVMA doesn't have anything to do with that. The various pathology residencies have made the collective decision to not be in the match.

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

*smacks forehead*

Meant the AAVC/VIRMP, not AVMA. Just thought it was funny that they didn't really seem to care that path decided to stay out of the program.

 

[lizivet]

is that an internship is very helpful, and you can start the residency earlier (after 1 year of internship vs 2-3 years of private practice). Regarding the chances though, it depends on the residency, and I think in nutrition/behavior you won't have a problem if you won't do an internship.
I think that this really matters in internal medicine/surgery. One of my associates was just accepted for oral Sx residency, w/o an internship.

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

Do you even really need to go out into practice for a few years or do an internship before residency? Can't you technically do a residency right after school? Unless it is a terribly competitive one, of course. I'd do an internship, but a few years (years, gah!) in private practice would drive me absolutely mad (n offense to those in it...it's just not for me). I was planning to apply for res straight out of school.

 

[VAgirl]

I'd do an internship, but a few years (years, gah!) in private practice would drive me absolutely mad (n offense to those in it...it's just not for me). I was planning to apply for res straight out of school.

Would it have to be private practice? Couldn't it just be a few years of work experience as a vet, not necessarily in private practice? I would be surprised if residency requirements were as restrictive as that given there are so many different career path for vets, some that aren't even clinical in nature, let alone being a private practice.

Does anyone know?

 

[Bill59]

It depends on the residency. Most if not all of the small animal clinical residencies (the ones I'm familiar with) require a rotating internship or equivalent experience -- it's in the job description. In many cases, this requirement is stipulated by the specialty college, not just the individual residency program. So you can't get one right out of school, and you would be unprepared if you did.

And the reality is that for many of them, your chances of getting matched without a rotating internship are minimal, despite saying they will accept "equivalent experience."

Other residencies (for example pathology) don't always require an internship or other experience and you can start right out of school.

 

[alliecat44]

Would it have to be private practice? Couldn't it just be a few years of work experience as a vet, not necessarily in private practice? I would be surprised if residency requirements were as restrictive as that given there are so many different career path for vets, some that aren't even clinical in nature, let alone being a private practice.

Does anyone know?

Also, VAgirl, I assume you're differentiating between "private practice" and, say, research or government work--but I just wanted to remind you that PRIVATE practice isn't necessary for most residencies, but CLINICAL practice is. i.e., an internship at an academic institution fulfills the internship/clinical requirement nicely.

Academic internships are generally regarded as more competitive +/- more rigorous depending on the private practice you're comparing one to. (Rigor varies widely between private hospitals.)

Just wanted to be sure on the private vs. academic internship/government versus clinical experience. 🙂

 

[VAgirl]

Yea, alliecat, that's basically what I was wondering about. Thanks. 🙂

 

[chris03333]

Just wanted to be sure on the private vs. academic internship/government versus clinical experience. 🙂

You can also be a clinical veterinarian in a non-private (or maybe most appropriate, non companion animal) arena.