Internship & Externship

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, as well as expertise in neurology, gastrointestinal, and airway medicine to evaluate and manage the whole horse. 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 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. Preference will be given to 3rd year students who are interested in pursuing an internship. Your performance will be evaluated at the conclusion of your externship. An externship must be completed in order to be considered for an internship in the future. 

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.

Housing with a small kitchen, basic amenities, and a washer and dryer are available at the clinic for up to two externs. 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

vet students
computer vet training

INTERNSHIP

** The intern application deadline is October 1st **

The internship at Virginia Equine Imaging is a 12-month position, beginning each June. It is designed for new graduates and requires a high level of talent and commitment in order to acquire proficiency with a wide variety of advanced imaging technologies. We expect our interns to acquire a high level of competency in the following technologies and techniques by the end of their internship: nuclear scintigraphy, taking and interpreting digital radiology, advanced musculoskeletal ultrasound, lameness exams, FES therapy, MRI, ESWT therapy, mesotherapy, endoscopy exams, nerve blocks, etc. Interns will not see emergency cases as we do not do emergencies at VEI. We do some sports medicine emergency and general practice in the course of the weekly schedule.

Interns will spend the majority of the internship at our Virginia location, with the possibility of some travel with one of our associates to winter locales and competitions. Interns will be required to provide their own housing while in Virginia, however housing will be provided for all travel. We do not allow pets to accompany during travel or during the weekday schedule. Interns will accompany doctors to major competitions and will often be contractually required to work these events, which include the Land Rover Kentucky Three Day event, Great Meadow International, and the Upperville Horse and Colt Show. The philosophy of this internship program is for the student to gain exposure and experience in performance horse medicine and managing the equine athlete. The student will become comfortable with numerous diagnostic techniques including interpreting nuclear scintigraphy and performing and interpreting radiograph and ultrasound imaging. They will assist with and become competent in performing lameness workups, poor performance workups and intra-articular and ancillary therapies.

There are normally two interns accepted each year. All internships will be well supervised and performance evaluations will be done periodically by our doctors. You may be expected to complete a paper, study, talk, and/or presentation during your time at Virginia Equine Imaging.

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; Dr. Paula Bradley, BVM&S. 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 also see a number of horses for pre-purchase exams as well as internal medicine diagnostics and treatments. The majority of clients are seen in-clinic, however there is often travel to several local performance horse farms for out-clinic appointments.

Interns receive a salary of $40k for the year that they work, professional liability insurance, a clothing allowance, two weeks paid vacation, a $1000 CE stipend, and medical insurance options. Interns will be required to obtain a valid VA license to practice veterinary medicine, as well as register to become an FEI permitted treating veterinarian.

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. 

Intern FAQ’s

“How long is the internship?”
-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 in Virginia but you may not bring them with you to work or on your two-month rotation in Florida. You will have to make other arrangements for them for that time period.

“Do you take second year interns for the internship program?”
-We do not, as that would require us to reteach certain methods and techniques according to our procedures and customs.

“Who is eligible for an internship?”
– Any recently graduated veterinary medical student who has previously completed an externship here at VEI. 

intern housing
student apartment
extern apartment
student kitchen
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