Length for Residency programs

[prissy1818]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

I was wondering what would be the length of specializing in exotics farm and small animal? Would a residency program be required for all or can you just take the boards and go by that to be able to practice for all three areas?

 

[LyraGardenia]

You're not required to specialize for any of those, you could be a mixed animal practicioner straight out of vet school as long as you pass the NAVLE (and your state boards). Most specialties involve a one year internship followed by a three year residency, although some people do a one year rotating internship followed by a one year speciality internship before residency, or for some specialties like lab animal you can go straight into residency.

If you eventually decide you want to specialize, you would need to choose one area such as zoo medicine, small animal internal medicine, etc. Very few people become boarded specialists in more than one thing since it's such an intensive process (not to mention intern and resident salaries are very low).

 

[prissy1818]

You're not required to specialize for any of those, you could be a mixed animal practicioner straight out of vet school as long as you pass the NAVLE (and your state boards). Most specialties involve a one year internship followed by a three year residency, although some people do a one year rotating internship followed by a one year speciality internship before residency, or for some specialties like lab animal you can go straight into residency.

If you eventually decide you want to specialize, you would need to choose one area such as zoo medicine, small animal internal medicine, etc. Very few people become boarded specialists in more than one thing since it's such an intensive process (not to mention intern and resident salaries are very low).

Im asking cause I've seen vets practice a mix of all of them and was wondering if theyve gone to that extend. But I've also seen that becoming a surprise specialist you actually get paid more than the average small animal practice

 

[LyraGardenia]

Im asking cause I've seen vets practice a mix of all of them and was wondering if theyve gone to that extend. But I've also seen that becoming a surprise specialist you actually get paid more than the average small animal practice

Yes, boarded specialists do usually make more than GP vets. I would guess a mixed practice vet (which is what you're describing) wouldn't have done a residency or else they'd probably be practicing just in their specialty, but it's possible. It's also an option to do an internship after vet school but not go onto a residency.

 

[prissy1818]

Yes, boarded specialists do usually make more than GP vets. I would guess a mixed practice vet (which is what you're describing) wouldn't have done a residency or else they'd probably be practicing just in their specialty, but it's possible. It's also an option to do an internship after vet school but not go onto a residency.

What's the difference between the two? I know more about the internship/residency program for medical field since I was originally gonna do that but don't really know much about veterinary field

 

[KCgophervet]

What's the difference between the two? I know more about the internship/residency program for medical field since I was originally gonna do that but don't really know much about veterinary field

Most GP veterinarians (treating any species, small animals, farm animals, exotic pets, etc) go straight into practice after graduating, without needing to do an internship or residency.

SA rotating internship = this is the "typical" introductory internship. The pay is crap, the hours are long, but many people choose to do this after graduation. 1 year long, you typically "rotate" through different specialized departments (such as surgery, internal medicine, emergency, etc). This is typically required before applying to most residency programs. (with exceptions in things like lab animal - thank Bob - and pathology)

Specialized internship = this is basically what it says, a 1 year internship in a specific specialty (so like a surgery internship), typically happens the year after the rotating internship. This is not necessarily "required" but may end up being practically necessary as people are competing with those who've had that extra training.

Residency = this is the real deal, where you actually complete your specialized training and become eligible for board certification. Most specialty boards require either experience or an approved residency program be completed (or in progress) before you can even sit for the board exam (and it depends on the specialty). This can be anywhere in length from 2 to 5 years (partially depending on the specialty or if additional degrees are combined with it such as a PhD)

All of these things are done after graduation (either right after or, if you decide to come back to it, few years down the road), but none of them are necessary to work with small animals or exotics in a general practice setting. Specializing can eventually increase your salary, but it depends on the specialty. Not to mention the years of additional training at typically much lower pay than you would make if you just joined general practice.

Hope that helps.

 

[OGCatLady]

Most GP veterinarians (treating any species, small animals, farm animals, exotic pets, etc) go straight into practice after graduating, without needing to do an internship or residency.

SA rotating internship = this is the "typical" introductory internship. The pay is crap, the hours are long, but many people choose to do this after graduation. 1 year long, you typically "rotate" through different specialized departments (such as surgery, internal medicine, emergency, etc). This is typically required before applying to most residency programs. (with exceptions in things like lab animal - thank Bob - and pathology)

Specialized internship = this is basically what it says, a 1 year internship in a specific specialty (so like a surgery internship), typically happens the year after the rotating internship. This is not necessarily "required" but may end up being practically necessary as people are competing with those who've had that extra training.

Residency = this is the real deal, where you actually complete your specialized training and become eligible for board certification. Most specialty boards require either experience or an approved residency program be completed (or in progress) before you can even sit for the board exam (and it depends on the specialty). This can be anywhere in length from 2 to 5 years (partially depending on the specialty or if additional degrees are combined with it such as a PhD)

All of these things are done after graduation (either right after or, if you decide to come back to it, few years down the road), but none of them are necessary to work with small animals or exotics in a general practice setting. Specializing can eventually increase your salary, but it depends on the specialty. Not to mention the years of additional training at typically much lower pay than you would make if you just joined general practice.

Hope that helps.

Could you potentially give more insight on how to combine a residency with a PhD program? Is it frowned upon to forgo a residency for a PhD program following graduation from a DVM program?

 

[KCgophervet]

Could you potentially give more insight on how to combine a residency with a PhD program? Is it frowned upon to forgo a residency for a PhD program following graduation from a DVM program?

Sooo this question kind of depends on what you're looking to do with the PhD. When I think of PhD/residency programs I'm mostly thinking of some lab animal residencies and pathology residencies. If you're looking to run a lab and be in charge of performing actual research, then you may not need to get board-specialization and would be best just going for a PhD. If you're looking to be a specialist in a field, then the residency part is the important part (+/- PhD).

A PhD itself won't be an acceptable substitute for a residency if looking to get board certified.

Not sure if that's what you're asking or helpful.

 

[OGCatLady]

Sooo this question kind of depends on what you're looking to do with the PhD. When I think of PhD/residency programs I'm mostly thinking of some lab animal residencies and pathology residencies. If you're looking to run a lab and be in charge of performing actual research, then you may not need to get board-specialization and would be best just going for a PhD. If you're looking to be a specialist in a field, then the residency part is the important part (+/- PhD).

A PhD itself won't be an acceptable substitute for a residency if looking to get board certified.

Not sure if that's what you're asking or helpful.

Yeah thats helpful! Thanks! Definitely interested in pathology or preventative medicine, but I guess I'll have time to figure out the logistics of it all when i get to that point. I was hoping for a DVM/PhD acceptance, but I'm trying to figure out a back up plan since that didn't pan out.

 

[Lupin21]

Yeah thats helpful! Thanks! Definitely interested in pathology or preventative medicine, but I guess I'll have time to figure out the logistics of it all when i get to that point. I was hoping for a DVM/PhD acceptance, but I'm trying to figure out a back up plan since that didn't pan out.

Pretty sure WTF will also tell you, but it is better to do Residency PhD rather than DVM/PhD. I was doing DVM PhD, and PhD was much more time consuming and overall harder than vet school, plus the time off switching between the two is just a bit awkward. I feel you get better quality work done waiting for residency, or even better still, residency then PhD.

 

[OGCatLady]

Pretty sure WTF will also tell you, but it is better to do Residency PhD rather than DVM/PhD. I was doing DVM PhD, and PhD was much more time consuming and overall harder than vet school, plus the time off switching between the two is just a bit awkward. I feel you get better quality work done waiting for residency, or even better still, residency then PhD.

Yeah, I have talked to her about it. The more people I talked to, the more worried I became about having a shortened/low impact PhD as part of the dual program. I'm still not completely discrediting it as a possibility (i.e. if I were to get off the waitlist at the schools I applied to or accepted after matriculation), but I definitely see the advantages to waiting and pursuing them separately. I just didn't know residency/PhD programs existed until I came upon this thread, so I think it is great that that is an option I could explore moving forward! 🙂

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

Residency-acquired PhDs are also generally shortened to 3-4 years after residency (although you begin to become involved in your second and third years of residency itself with rotations, etc) and there remains the possibility of lower impact, depending on what lab you choose...but I do think they tend to be better integrated.

I feel bad referring to labs that are very veterinary/clinical oriented as "lower impact" as that certainly is not always the case in terms of research quality...but funding can be an issue unless you can really spin the zoonotic thing (which you're into anyway so that might be a plus!)