Offsite Electives

The Mid-Atlantic Equine Medical Center provides exceptional equine healthcare, and remains at the forefront of equine veterinary medicine with state-of-the-art equipment and specialists in the fields of sports medicine, surgery, internal medicine, neonatal intensive care, cardiology, ophthalmology, reproduction and ambulatory medicine.

We strive to give externs the opportunity to observe and assist with all facets of our hospital and make every effort to include you in the care of our patients. Externs will be asked to assist in numerous procedures (e.g. placing catheters, giving medications, observe outpatient appointments, scrub into elective and emergency surgeries, etc). If there are several vet students here, you are encouraged to rotate through services (surgery, medicine, emergency/overnight, and farm calls) to limit the number of people in any one area, and to allow externs equal opportunity to see the areas they are most interested in.

The typical day for an extern starts around 6:30am. During the day, you will be asked to help perform daily exams (including TPRs) and administering medications. Also, externs are asked to help assist the overnight intern and technicians (including midnight treatments).

Due to the varying degrees of experience of our externs, shadowing of the interns and/or technicians during treatments is required before undertaking any treatment responsibilities unsupervised. Your clinical experience will dictate the level of responsibility assigned. If you are unfamiliar or uncomfortable with performing certain treatments or handling horses, please let us know immediately.

Will get experience in surgery and medicine working with mulitple veterinarians.  Assist in cases and go over treatment options.  Will have case discussions as well.  We have a highly trained and very supportive para staff team that make a great learning environment.

Dynamic medical director, visionary, and innovator responsible for leading a team of over 40 professionals and paraprofessionals to provide exceptional medical care to our patients and customer relations to our clients.

Westwood Animal Hospital, a 12 vet mixed animal veterinary practice in Staunton. Our 43-year established practice has modern, well-equipped, large and small animal facilities with an experienced staff of 42, including seven licensed veterinary technicians.

Students have the option to ride-along with our ambulatory large animal veterinarians, or observe our veterinarians in our small animal hospital. We perform routine surgeries in both small and large animal. We have the luxury of having 12 veterinarians to mentor students.

The purpose of the  ASPCA NYC Forensic Sciences Externship is to provide third and fourth year veterinary students and veterinary internship and residency candidates with an opportunity to observe veterinary forensic medicine and the veterinary role in the management of animal cruelty cases.  Prior to January 1, 2014 the majority of animal cruelty complaints in New York City were made to ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement.  As of January 1, 2014 all animal cruelty complaints in New York City go to the New York Police Department.  This is an historic change.  The largest urban police force (34,000 uniformed police officers) in the United States now responds to complaints of animal cruelty 24 hours per day, 7 days a week. In the first year of the partnership, nearly 425 animals were rescued by NYPD and brought to the ASPCA. In 2015, 701 animals were rescued by NYPD and brought to the ASPCA. In 2015, greater than 1,000 animals were rescued by NYPD and brought to the ASPCA. Because animals are so significantly integrated into our society it is appropriate and necessary for local police departments to be responding to complaints of animal abuse.  This will be a model for the country.

6 veterinarians, 2 intern veterinarians (2 surgeons, 4 ambulatory doctors)

Blue Ridge Equine Clinic, located just outside of Charlottesville, VA and next to the Blue Ridge Mountains, is offering a rotating externship opportunity for veterinary students. Our practice is a surgical and medical referral hospital and ambulatory clinic that treats a wide variety of cases, including elective and emergency surgeries, sports medicine, diagnostic procedures, reproductive care and more! Blue Ridge Equine aims to provide students with a well-rounded program where they can experience firsthand what workdays look like for both ambulatory doctors and hospital-oriented veterinarians. Externs can assist veterinarians, interns, licensed veterinary technicians and technician assistants with the daily operations within our hospital. Activities include, but are not limited to, administering medications, performing physical exams, assisting with diagnostic workups and surgeries. Externs can also ride along with each of our ambulatory doctors, observing a large range of cases handled on the farm, from lameness, wellness checkups and reproductive work to emergency visits. Our program gives students valuable clinical experience, mentorship, and access to a large network of passionate and dedicated equine professionals!

Gain real-world experience working in a busy general practice. Learn how to balance finances and client expectations with providing the best possible quality medicine and outcomes. Gain experience tailoring treatment plans to abilities and needs of individual clients. Occasional house call euthanasia services.

An opportunity to gain exposure to a wide range of cases in a private equine practice; provides opportunities for hands-on experience as well as case discussions with DVMs & LVTs.

Multi-location, multi-doctor small animal practice. Exposure and instruction in out-patients, internal medicine, surgery, client and staff relations, and business administration.

Equine Reproduction Concepts (ERC) offers a program whereby veterinary students are able to come to our facility and be exposed to various techniques and procedures dealing with stallion and mare reproductive management. Positions are available every year from March 1 through July 31 and are scheduled in 2, 4, or 6 week increments. Scheduling is structured with the intention that only a single participant is present at any one time in order to maximize theoretical and practical exposure.

The goal of this program is for participants to gain experience and a working knowledge of general and advanced equine reproductive management. Exposure will include reproductive management of mares utilizing palapation/ultrasonogrpahy, hormonal treatments, uterine infusions and lavages, cultures, cytologies and biopsies, artificial insemination with fresh, cooled and frozen semen, embryo recovery and transfer, and foaling. Stallion procedures consist of semen collection, evaluation, processing for immediate insemination, cooling, shipping, or freezing, reproductive evaluations, and stallion handling.

Participants will gain practical experience in palpation/ultrasonography, artificial insemination, semen collection, evaluation and processing for immediate insemination or cooling and stallion handling. Periodic sit-down sessions will occur whereby practitioners at ERC will discuss certain techniques and/or cases with the externs.

Desirable attributes of the participant: comfortable working with horses, basic understanding of reproductive physiology, desire to learn new reproductive techniques, work well with practitioners and staff.