Homewood Veterinary Care (Homewood, IL)

Description of Elective Experience

Student will shadow tech to gain knowledge of how rooms and appointments work. Will then go back into room with vet to work up the case if sick or perform preventative exam and vaccinations.

Student will learn how to draw blood and then will draw blood on their own if they are comfortable.  Blood is drawn away from the client so there will be no pressure on the student.

Main focus is to learn how to approach sick pet, how to perform annual exam and get the patient on vaccination schedule rather than having them come 3-4 times a year.  Also how to talk to client about diagnostic work up and why, not just running every blood test.  I always ask students and new vets what they are looking to gather from blood work.  I find a lot of vets end up looking for abnormalities and then seeing if that can be tied the pet's issue.

I want the student to feel comfortable with the client and to talk at their level and not over client's ability to understand. I feel being able to communicate with client is the most important part of veterinary medicine.  Anyone can give shots but if there is no open communication then the client is not likely to return. 

Institutional and Educational Resources - staffing, equipment, etc.

3 FT veterinarians

4 FT vet techs, 2 PT vet techs

2 vet assistants

Handheld ultrasound, digital radiographs, digital dental radiographs, 2 - Cardell monitoring machines with TPR, BP, CO2, SpO2.

In house blood machines:  Procyte, Catalyst, Sedivue, Idexx Digital Cytology machine.

Microscope for cytology

Most of the blood work is sent out to Idexx unless it is an emergency.  

Student Responsibilities - what is expected of students in terms of hours, days of the week, shadowing or actual support?

9:00am to 5:00pm with 1 hour lunch break, Monday - Friday.

Shadowing at first, then gathering history information.  Going in with the veterinarian and working up the case together with a treatment plan.  There will be a practicing Veterinarian available for student to ask questions and make decisions at all times.

Monitoring in surgery. Understanding premedication and post medication with surgeries.

Supervisor
Dr Dale Ritter, Managing DVM
Contact email
Address

18265 Dixie Hwy
Homewood, IL 60430
United States

Animal Type
Practice or Institution Type
Is student housing available?
No
Hours of supervision by a licensed veterinarian per week
40
Global engagement opportunity
No
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