The Department of Large Animal Medicine at the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine invites applications for a one-year rotating large animal ambulatory internship with in-hospital rotations. 

The internship is a post-DVM training designed to provide the successful candidate a broad base of clinical experience in many aspects of large animal medicine including but not limited to sports medicine, medicine and surgery, and critical care with the predominate caseload being in an ambulatory setting and supervised by board certified specialists. This program is intended to prepare individuals for either high-quality private practice or residency training programs in large animal medicine (ACVIM), surgery (ACVS), general practice (ABVP), sports medicine and rehabilitation (ACVSMR), theriogenology (ACT) or diagnostic imaging (ACVR) with a high success of matching candidates. 

Objectives 

• Interns should expect to advance their technical skills, clinical decision-making, imaging skills, and clinical teaching skills in a service-oriented format under the direct supervision of senior clinical faculty and/or residents.
• Interns will assist with daytime caseload, help manage any in-house patients admitted through the service, as well as share after-hours emergency care with the other Field Services house officers.
• Hospital portion of the internship will consist of rotations in hospital and can be customized based on area of interest. Candidates most commonly elect Large Animal Surgery and Large Animal Internal Medicine; however, additional opportunities for electives on other services can be arranged as desired (Theriogenology, Ophthalmology, Anesthesia, and Diagnostic Imaging).

The Large Animal Teaching Hospital caseload including outpatients and inpatients is between 2750 and 3500 per year. It is approximately 80% equine and 20% cattle, small ruminants, pigs, and new world camelids. The Hospital is well equipped with endoscopic equipment (flexible and rigid endoscopes), shock wave, ultrasound, radiography, nuclear scintigraphy, CT, and MRI. 

• Opportunities for research involvement and publication exist for interested candidates, however, is not required.

Prerequisites 

• DVM degree or equivalent
• Successful candidates must obtain a license to practice veterinary medicine in Georgia. A faculty license may be obtained without examination for $20. The faculty license allows the intern to practice only in the Teaching Hospital. How to Guide: DVM Faculty | Georgia Secretary of State (ga.gov)
• To obtain a regular license in Georgia, the individual must take the Georgia State Board examination and be a graduate of an accredited institution or have completed the requirements of the ECFVG program of the AVMA
• Additionally, a U.S. Driver’s License is required prior to entering the program.
• The internship is a non-degree graduate program leading to an official University certificate of internship. Tuition for this program is reduced to $25 per semester, but fees are the responsibility of the individual (approximately $3,250 in 2020).
• Successful applicants must apply to the University of Georgia Graduate School online. Details can be found at Prospective Students - UGA Graduate School.  There is a one-time application fee ($75 domestic students/ and $100 international students in 2022-2023). Foreign students will be required to take and pass the TOFL examination.

Employment and benefits 

• Professional liability insurance is provided by the University.
• Health insurance is mandatory and is the responsibility of the individual.
• Proof of immunization for measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus, chicken pox, hepatitis and rabies is required.
• A health policy is offered through UGA Health Services with United Health Care for students Information for Graduate Students - University Health Center (uga.edu) for which they must enroll for unless they have received an approved waiver. If the applicant enrolls in the University Health Policy, they are advised that it does not begin until August 1, 2023, therefore, interns are responsible for securing their own health insurance that is effective through July 31, 2023.
• Ten days of annual leave and 12 days of sick leave are available.

As required by University of Georgia policy, the successful candidate will be subject to background investigation. The University of Georgia is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, genetic information, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation or protected veteran status. 

Application 

The application deadline is January 31, 2023, 11:59pm Eastern Standard Time. Late applications will not be accepted. 

If after reviewing your CV, the committee members agree that you would be a suitable candidate, we will contact you regarding potential interview dates because we have a large number of candidates interested in our internship and we cannot accommodate every request for an interview.

The starting date is 06/17/2023 and ending date is 06/30/2024.

An internship certificate is granted to interns successfully completing their internship program.

To officially apply the applicant must send the following: 

1. Curriculum vitae
2. A letter of intent that states why the UGA Large Animal Field Services (Equine Emphasis) internship program is desired and how it will help the applicant achieve future career goals
3. Transcript of grades including documentation of graduation
4. Three letters of recommendation from persons that are familiar with the applicant’s qualifications
5. TOEFL scores if the applicant is not from a country where English is the primary language
6. Applications will NOT be submitted through the Veterinary Intern/Residency Matching Program. Instead, all application materials and reference letters should be sent directly via email to the intern coordinator Dr. Allison K. Dockery, allison.dockery@uga.edu.

About University of Georgia

All of our programs are clinical-based and allow you to gain valuable hands-on experience by assisting our board-certified clinicians with the care of animals presented to the large animal side of our Veterinary Teaching Hospital. The large animal caseload includes around 3,000 animal visits per year with approximately 85% of those being equine. The remainder of the patients you will see vary from cattle and small ruminants to new world camelids and the occasional pot bellied pig.

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