Externship & Fellowship
EXTERNSHIP
Virginia Equine Imaging (VEI) is an elite equine sports medicine clinic located in the rolling hills of The Plains, Virginia. We pride ourselves in providing the highest caliber diagnostics and treatments in assessing and supporting your equine athlete. We are pleased to offer comprehensive services including decades of combined experience in lameness and performance concerns ranging from pleasure horses to FEI competitors. We offer both in clinic appointments and farm calls, M-F 8-6. Students will work alongside veterinarians and staff to gain understanding and experience with sports medicine. It is an intensive overview of equine anatomy and diagnostic imaging.
An externship is usually a two-week period in which veterinary students are exposed to all phases of the practice and assist veterinarians and technicians in various exams and procedures. Externships are given on a space available basis and can be completed in exchange for academic credit.
To attend an externship at VEI, you must have experience handling horses. Most of our patients are competition fit equine athletes. To ensure everyone’s safety, all students must be competent handling large horses. VEI would not be the clinic to attend as your first horse handing experience. Your letter of reference should state your level of horse handling expertise.
A student apartment with a kitchen, basic amenities, and a washer and dryer are available at the clinic. Please refer to the section below labeled “Extern FAQ’s” for additional information.
In order to schedule an externship, please fill out the application and email your resume or CV, unofficial transcript, and one letter of recommendation to student@vaequine.com with your preferred date(s). Some dates fill up as early as a year in advance, so please email as soon as possible so that we may accommodate your schedule the best we can.
Virginia Equine Imaging
2716 Landmark School Rd.
The Plains, VA 20198 USA
Phone: (540) 687-4663
Fax: (540) 687-4665
Email : vaequinestudent@gmail.com
Website : www.vaequine.com
FELLOWSHIP
A full-time Fellowship at Virginia Equine Imaging is a 12-month position, beginning in July or August. We are a multi-doctor equine veterinary practice located in beautiful Northern Virginia that specializes in lameness, sports medicine and diagnostic imaging of the horse. Our facility features state of the art equipment such as digital radiography, nuclear scintigraphy, ultrasonography and ultrasound tissue character (UTC scan). There is a covered lunge arena, sand lunge arena, tarmac jog strip, and large sand arena on site for lameness workups. Practitioners consist of doctors A. Kent Allen, DVM, Certified ISELP; Susan Johns,DVM, CVA; Jack Caldwell, DVM. The case load is comprised of horses of multiple disciplines including three-day event horses, hunter/jumpers, dressage, foxhunters, western pleasure, driving, racing, and others, being seen for lameness and/or poor performance evaluations and treatments. We are expecting to add CT and PET in the coming months. We also see a number of horses for pre-purchase exams. The majority of clients are seen in-clinic, however there is often travel to several local performance horse farms for out-clinic appointments.
We are looking for a highly motivated Sports Medicine Imaging Fellow. Qualified applicants will have an outgoing personality, strong work ethic and excellent communication skills. Candidates must possess at least one year of postgraduate equine clinical experience.
VEI can be a fast-paced environment, so individuals must possess the ability to self-motivate, multitask and handle direction professionally. We are a Monday through Friday practice with no emergency or on-call hours.
The Imaging Fellow position will assist Dr. Allen and senior Veterinarians in the daily operations of Virginia Equine Imaging by providing exceptional sports medicine veterinary care. Skills with intra-articular injections and diagnostic imaging are preferred. Advanced diagnostics imaging will be taught during the fellowship. The fellow will also be expected to assist in generation of papers from prospective or retrospective studies with VEI data as directed by Dr. Allen. As well as working with Dr. Allen in preparation of talks.
Extern FAQ’s
“What should I wear?”
-Khaki pants, a collared shirt (typically dark green or any other conservative color), and comfortable, closed-toed shoes appropriate for working with horses are recommended.
“Who is eligible for an externship?”
-Veterinary students (preference given to 4th year students) with equine experience.
“What are your hours of business?”
-Monday-Friday from 8am-5pm, however you may be expected to work outside of typical work hours depending on appointments. We do not see emergencies at our clinic, however you may be asked to perform a night check for horses staying overnight in the clinic.
“Where will I stay during my externship?”
-We do provide housing for our externs. There is a one-bedroom apartment above the clinic with two twin beds, a full bath, small kitchenette with a stove, fridge and microwave. There is a washer and dryer in-clinic that is available for student use. It is not required of students to stay in the clinic. You may stay with friends or family nearby, we only require that you participate fully in all the daily activities at the clinic.
“Are there weekend responsibilities during the externships?”
-During the event season, our doctors may attend competitions. If your stay coincides with a competition, students are welcome to attend as spectators only, provided they have their own accommodations and transportation.
“What will my responsibilities at VEI include?”
-Observe and assist in lameness evaluations, including, but not limited to: participating in bone scans, holding and jogging horses, holding plates for radiology, and reading bone scans and MRI images with the doctors, along with other various responsibilities.
“What can I do to best prepare for my stay?”
-Review anatomy, joint injection techniques, and common athletic injuries and proper management.
Fellow FAQ’s
“How long is the fellowship?”
-One year.
“Do I need to live close to the clinic?”
-No, although when the days get long, it is nice to live within about 20 minutes of the clinic.
“Can I bring my pets?”
-Yes, if you can find housing that allows them. You will have to make other arrangements for them for that time period.
“Do you take recently graduated veterinarians for the fellowship program?”
-We do not. We require at least one year of post graduate equine veterinary practice
