Externship Description:
4th year veterinary student externs at VSH gain experience working in a specialty department of a high-volume referral hospital. Externs will work closely with our rotating interns, residents, and specialists, as well as our veterinary nursing and client care teams. Responsibilities vary by department but may include participating in rounds, SOAPing patients, treatments and diagnostics, scrubbing in for procedures, House Officer Lectures, case presentations, observing client interactions and learning about case management and the workings of a multi-department hospital.
Externships are available with our Dermatology, ECC, Internal Medicine, Medical & Radiation Oncology, and Surgery departments on a regular basis as well as with our Anesthesia, Ophthalmology, and Neurology departments on a limited basis.
Examples of externship learning goals:
• Become confident in history taking and strengthen client communication/interactions
• Hone your knowledge on disease processes, species differences, treatment options, and outcomes
• Familiarize yourself with and understanding important diagnostics: CT, MRI, x-rays, blood work,
cytology/biopsy reports
• Using pattern recognition and using history to aide in formulating a list of plausible differential diagnoses,
followed by an appropriate work up to arrive at a more definitive diagnosis, and formulation of a plan for
treatment
About Veterinary Specialty Hospital San Diego
The Veterinary Specialty Hospital is located in a state-of-the-art three story, 28,000 square foot facility that includes five treatment wards, eighteen exam rooms, two digital radiography suites, six operating rooms, an onsite blood bank, and a state of the art ICU. Our hospital provides referral services in the specialties of Dermatology, Diagnostic Imaging, Surgery, Ophthalmology, Medical and Radiation Oncology, Neurology, Cardiology, and Internal Medicine. In addition, as a VECCS certified Level II Trauma Center, VSH provides our community with veterinary emergency and critical services 24/7/365.
Specialty equipment includes several video endoscopes, bronchoscopes, laparoscopes, on-site MRI and CT scanners, linear accelerator, fluoroscopy unit, four ultrasound machines with color and power Doppler capability, electrodiagnostic unit, cardiac telemetry units, Holter monitor, cardiac event monitor, ventilator, operating microscope, diode laser, CO2 laser, and phacoemulsification unit. Each of the six operating rooms is equipped with a multifunction bed-side monitor with capabilities for arterial blood pressure monitoring, pulse oximetry, capnography and ECG.
Our staff consists of 40+ boarded specialists & ER clinicians, rotating & specialty interns/residents, a robust nursing team over 125 strong including 60 RVTs, 40+ client care specialists and department liaisons, a veterinary social worker, and a fully staffed veterinary pharmacy headed by a clinical pharmacologist.
Externships are typically 1-4 weeks in duration (depending on veterinary school and student choice).
Rotations are 5 days per week, may include a Saturday, and schedules vary depending on department location. Generally externs are expected to arrive no later than 8
am to participate in SOAPs, treatments, and rounds. Appointment schedules are typically 8am-4pm and externs can expect an 8-10 hour day
Although VSH is not able to provide a stipend or extern housing at this time, we do maintain a list of staff members with potential short term rentals available for students. FYI a car is a must in San Diego as our public transportation options are pretty limited although the hospital is located less than a mile from a NCTD Coaster train station. Our externship coordinator is happy to help provide additional info regarding our beautiful destination city of San Diego :-)
10435 Sorrento Valley Rd
San Diego, CA 92121
United States