VMCVM Equine Track

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AuburnVet

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Could someone talk me through how the equine tracks work?

Thanks!

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Hello, equine tracker here that recently graduated from VMCVM. It's not what I would think of as a split campus unless they're changing something. There are two teaching hospitals, if that's what you're referring to? There's the large animal hospital on campus in Blacksburg and the Equine Medical Center (EMC) in Leesburg (northern Virginia).

As far as curriculum goes... everyone takes the same core courses first and second year. Third year you take track courses plus a few electives. Clinical year equine trackers are required to rotate through the EMC at least once (3-week block) and housing is provided. You also do rotations in the large animal hospital in Blacksburg and with Equine Field Service, also out of Blacksburg. Then you do two of those rotations an additional time, your choice.

My experiences at the EMC and the large animal hospital in Blacksburg were wildly different. I was at the EMC during the busy season (May) and there was little downtime. They see a lot of fancy warmbloods and thoroughbreds. In Blacksburg the large animal hospital has primarily hospitalized and outpatient equids, but they also see camelids, occasional pigs, and ruminants. I rotated through the large animal hospital in Blacksburg twice, once in the fall and once in the spring, and felt the caseload was sufficient both times. Equine Field Service was by far my favorite of the three, but I love ambulatory!

Also, VMCVM is one of few schools that has an equine podiatry service! The farrier does some pretty incredible stuff with therapeutic shoeing. As an equine tracker, you get to learn from him in a dedicated equine podiatry course during third year and also have the opportunity to spend 3 weeks with him as an official rotation during clinical year. He's a wealth of knowledge and so much fun to work with!

Feel free to reach out if you have additional questions about the school! :)
 
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