Employment Information
Practice name
Northern Lakes Equine Practice
Last Updated
November 1, 2024
Internship Type
Ambulatory
Northern Lakes Equine Practice (NLEP) is a three-doctor equine ambulatory practice servicing Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin. Our team is passionate about mentoring and growing the next generation of equine practitioners while maintaining a healthy work-life balance. The goal of this internship is to gain practical, hands-on experience to prepare for a lifelong career in equine veterinary medicine. Following successful completion of the internship, an associate position with the practice is a possibility.
NLEP has a strong focus on preventative medicine, sports medicine, dentistry, offers complimentary services in veterinary spinal manipulation (chiro) and acupuncture, and has started to grow the reproductive portion of our practice. We are fully equipped with state-of-the-art diagnostics including digital radiography and ultrasonography, class 4 therapeutic lasers, shockwave therapy, gastroscope, ProStride unit, and PowerFloat dental equipment. We value close working relationships with our clients and their horses, with an emphasis on client education and point-of-care service.
Our intern will begin the internship with continuous, rotating mentorship between all doctors in the practice, riding along with each doctor in the first several months to gain confidence with clinical skills and patient workup. All doctors travel with full time veterinary assistants allowing the intern to focus on the clinical portion of practice in a safe and supported way. Once independent work is ready to begin, the intern will be provided a stocked veterinary truck and veterinary assistant. The intern will begin all emergency call rotations with a senior doctor and will not see emergencies independently until both the intern and senior doctor feel comfortable. Once the intern is ready to see emergencies independently, the intern will be rotated into the on-call schedule that is shared by the doctors.
In addition to the base internship salary, NLEP offers competitive benefits including healthcare reimbursement, all licensing/membership dues, PLIT coverage, CE stipend, paid vacation, and 100% of after-hours emergency call fees once independent ER work is established.
Interested individuals are strongly encouraged to complete and externship with our practice, or be available for an in-person interview. Applicants can submit their cover letter, resume, and references to office@northernlakesequine.com.
1
- Equine general practice
- Sports medicine practice
- Dentistry residency
Start date
June 9, 2025
End date
June 8, 2026
Application Deadline
November 1, 2024
Does the practice offer externships?
Yes, please email the practice contact for details
Is an in person visit or externship with the practice required to be considered for an internship?
Yes, required
Contact Information
Wauconda
[USA] Illinois
United States
60084
1205 Karl Court
Practice Mailing Address
PO Box 998 Lake Zurich IL 60047
Clinical Experience and Responsibilities
Yes
Service rotation description
Intern will rotate between our full time doctors spending 1 week each month with a different clinician. We have found this allows for the best follow up on critical cases and ability to see a case through.
No
Yes
No
No
75-90%
Patient rounds held daily with senior clinicians
Yes
Teaching rounds held
Yes
Frequency of teaching rounds
Monthly
Weekly journal clubs held
Yes
M&M or other specialized rounds held
No
Intern has opportunity to attend a professional CE meeting
Yes
Intern has opportunity to complete a study or publication
Yes
Intern has access to current medical textbooks
Yes
Intern has access to online journals
Yes
In the past 5 years, how many studies/cases have been published by interns as the primary author from work pursued primarily during their intern year?
Equipment the intern has exposure to within the practice
- Gastroscopy
- Endoscopy
- Digital radiography
- Ultrasound linear probe
- Ultrasound macroconvex probe
- Ultrasound microconvex probe
- Ultrasound endorectal probe
- Shockwave
- Stall side orthobiologics
- Advanced podiatry/therapeutic farriery
- Power dentistry
- Other (please list)
Tonovet, Laser, Acupuncture, Veterinary Spinal Manipulation
Any additional information the practice would like to share on their internship program:
We host a biannual Dinner with the Doctors where we invite clients to a meal and present on a topic. The intern will (with plenty of help from senior clinicians) prepare a talk and present it to clients. We also put out a quarterly newsletter, intern will write 1-2 articles for the newsletter. We also are very active in hosting the regional Illinois Equine Practitioners Association CE meetings and the intern is able to help and attend with that. Open to hosting a castration or gastroscopy clinic at the interest of the intern.
Caseload
Total number annual cases
1500
Total number ambulatory cases
500
Total number in-house cases
Avg number of after hour emergencies per week in the busiest time of year
10-25
Avg number of after hour emergencies per week in the least busy time of year
5-10
Significant seasonality to the caseload
No
Species other than equids
No
Number of specialty certified clinicians
Number of clinicians in direct support of program
3
Diplomats of the following specialties (including their European Equivalents)
Other personnel of note (outside specialists, farriers, dentists, etc)
We work closely with the local referral hospitals for surgery, we have a farrier that we work with advanced podiatry cases and we have a close equine veterinary dental specialist who we also work closely with.
Additional certifications/area of expertise represented in the practice
Acupuncture certification
Technician present on ambulatory calls
Yes
Overnight technical staff (if hospital present)
N/A
Other details about technician support of intern doctors
Technicians do not have after hours responsibilities. Intern will have a technician for daytime procedures and emergencies but will see after hours emergencies without a technician (as all of our veterinarians do). Intern will always have a senior clinician either on farm for emergencies or as confidence grows available by phone.
Compensation
Annual Salary
$46-50k
Additional opportunity for emergency compensation
Yes
100% of the after hours emergency fee will be paid to the intern when they go on solo calls.
Opportunities for additional income (production bonuses, working horse shows, etc).
Yes
We occasionally are approached to be the veterinarian for local horse shows and if the intern would like to be the on grounds veterinarian they will be compensated separately for their time.
Benefits
Benefits offered
Yes
Value of total annual compensation
77,000
Housing offered
No
Housing Type
Other
Housing Amount
$
Paid time off (PTO) offered
Yes
# of PTO days
14
PTO stipulations
N/A
Health insurance offered
Yes for employee
Amount of health insurance premium intern is responsible for
We participate in a health care reimbursement group. Intern will be eligible for up to $400 per month
Dental insurance offered
No
Life insurance offered
Yes
Short-term disability insurance offered
No
Long-term disability insurance offered
No
Liability insurance offered
Yes
CE stipend offered
Yes
License/DEA fees reimbursed / stipend offered
Yes
State license required
Yes
USDA license required
Yes
DEA license required
Yes
Association fees reimbursed / stipend offered
Yes
Student loan payments reimbursed / stipend offered
Yes
401K program offered
Yes
Employer matching offered
Yes
We participate in a profit sharing retirement benefit. Intern will be eligible for up to 25% of their annual salary, completely employer funded.
Clothing / logo wear stipend offered
Yes
Phone or phone stipend offered
Yes
Maternity / paternity leave offered
Yes
Discounted pet care and / or a pet medications policy offered
Yes
Practice vehicle or mileage reimbursement offered
Yes
Other benefits offered
N/A
Contract
Non-compete clause required
No
Non-US residents may apply
No
Method internship offers are made
Phone call with follow up email
Earliest date of internship offer made in the last 3 years
N/A
Latest date of internship offer made in the last 3 years
N/A
Average time provided to internship candidates to consider an offer
N/A
Outcomes Assessment
How long has the practice offered internships?
1 year
Avg number of interns who completed the program per year for the past 5 years
1
Number of interns from this program who applied for a residency in the past 5 years
Number of interns from this program who entered a residency position directly out of the internship in the past 5 years
Number of interns from this program who accepted a second or specialty internship in the past 5 years
Number of interns from this program who accepted a residency position in the past 5 years
Number of interns retained by the practice as associates in the past 5 years
1
Of the interns that started the program in the past 5 years, how many are still in equine practice (and/or in an advanced training program targeted at specialty equine practice)?
100%
Number of former interns currently employed by the practice
1
Are current or former interns from the practice available for reference?
Yes, email the practice contact for details.
Additional information about the internship program
N/A
