Employment Information
Practice name
University of Georgia
Last Updated
October 17, 2024
Internship Type
Combined
% of time spent on ambulatory vs in-hospital
Variable, but approximately 90% in hospital.
The University of Georgia’s Large Animal Medicine Department is responsible for training our students how to provide top-notch veterinary care to horses, cattle and other farm animals while conducting important research projects, serving as thought leaders in their field, and providing services to animal owners as part of our Veterinary Teaching Hospital. Our faculty and staff in this department are passionate about what they do and they work hard to provide a great learning environment while advancing the standard of care.
The Large Animal In-house Clinical Internship is designed to teach and prepare graduate veterinarians advanced clinical medicine, which incorporates three central aspects:
-The recognition of clinical signs, medical problems, differentials, diagnostics, and treatments of a variety of disease processes.
-The role of logic and of the scientific method in the acquisition of clinical knowledge.
-The link between teaching veterinary students, patient well-being, and client expectations in a teaching hospital setting.
Interns rotate every three weeks between different clinical services. While on the service, the intern is assigned cases with students and/or residents to assess. The faculty member assigned to that service completes an evaluation of the intern’s clinical skills, clinical performance, and communication skills.
Depending on the intern’s career interests, the program has some flexibility to provide limited training opportunities in other disciplines. The annual total “in house” large animal caseload ranges from 3500 to 3600 animals/year, and is comprised of approximately 75 to 80% horses with the remaining patients including cattle, goats, sheep, pigs, and camelids.
Additionally, interns participate in formal journal clubs, in which they learn to critical assess the scientific literature in a variety of veterinary fields and present articles to peers and faculty.
Program Specifics
For the 2024-2025 year, the department is seeking to fill 4 positions. The approximated start date is June 13th, 2025.
This is a non-degree graduate program leading to an official University Certificate of Clinical Internship. Our interns are considered a graduate teaching assistant and a part of the UGA Graduate School.
Selected candidates must apply and be accepted to the Graduate School. The application fee is $75 for domestic students, $100 for international students.
For more information about the Graduate School admissions, please visit their website:
https://grad.uga.edu/admissions/
Interns are required to register every semester and will receive a tuition waiver. Student fees (approximately $3400/year) are the responsibility of the individual intern selected for the program. These fees include health insurance (required for international applicants), technology use fees, on-campus parking (including at the VTH), and others. You are responsible for paying these fees through your student account each semester.
There is a pre-employment background check required.
Proof of immunization for measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus, chicken pox, hepatitis, and rabies is required.
Selected candidates will also need to obtain a Georgia State Board Veterinary Faculty License to practice in our Veterinary Teaching Hospital.
Please visit their site for more information:
https://sos.ga.gov/how-to-guide/how-guide-dvm-faculty#How%20To%20Apply
Subject to budgetary constraints, interns will have access to funds which can be used to help subsidize payment for certifications, credentials, and exam fees.
Interns receive 10 days of vacation leave for every 12 months of training and approximately 12 days of sick leave.
Clothing will be provided, in the form of 5 polos and 2 pullovers, with name embroidered.
HOW TO APPLY TO THE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM:
First, you may either request an Internship Application from lamvisit@uga.edu or fill out an online application by using the link below:
https://forms.gle/zRs1UxopqD2QsFuB7
We also require that you send your CV, letter of intent, and two letters of recommendation to lamvisit@uga.edu.
If you’d like to contact a current intern or resident, please email lamvisit@uga.edu.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, founded in 1946, is dedicated to training future veterinarians, providing services to animal owners and veterinarians, and conducting investigations to improve the health of animals as well as people. The college benefits pets and their owners, food- producing animals, and wildlife by offering the highest quality hospital and diagnostic laboratory
services. Equipped with the most technologically advanced facilities located on a university campus, the college is dedicated to safeguarding public health by studying emerging infectious diseases that affect both animal and human health.
The College of Veterinary Medicine values all members of the university community, recognizing that differences in experience and culture can only lead to a more well-rounded, accepting academic environment as embodied in our Principles of Community.
The successful candidate will be licensed to practice by a faculty license. This license, obtained without examination, permits veterinarians from non-AVMA-accredited veterinary schools to practice within UGA programs only. Whereas the regular Georgia state veterinary license requires graduation from an AVMA- accredited veterinary school or successful completion of the ECVFG program, this is not a requirement for the faculty license. Professional liability insurance is provided only for work performed as a UGA resident. If the resident desires to work outside of UGA and the residency program, it is the resident’s responsibility to acquire professional liability insurance.
Proof of medical insurance coverage and proof of immunization for measles, mumps, rubella, chicken pox, tetanus, hepatitis B, and rabies are required. Health insurance is required and is the financial responsibility of the individual. Medical insurance is available through the Graduate School at a reasonable rate but may be waived if the resident provides proof of alternative acceptable medical insurance. Medical insurance through the Graduate School will be available beginning August 1, 2025. Be advised that the UGA policy will not take effect until August 1, 2025, so you will need to independently obtain health insurance from June 14, 2025, until August 1, 2025.
If accepted, applicants are required to provide two official/certified copies of their academic records from each institution of higher education that the applicant has attended. These records must include all course work. Photocopies are not acceptable. Separate proof of degrees is also required.
The University of Georgia classifies residents as graduate students; thus, for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, residents are not considered to be full-time employees. This makes the residency years at the University of Georgia ineligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. Please consider this information if you desire to participate in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness or other loan repayment programs.
INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS
International applicants must provide two official/certified copies of their academic records from each institution of higher education that the applicant has attended. These records must include all coursework. Photocopies are not acceptable. Separate proof of degrees is also required. If the original language of the academic record is not English, a certified English translation must be attached to the original. Applicants who graduated from a non-English language veterinary school must submit official TOEFL scores (see TOEFL.org
for details). These scores must not be more than two years old. Foreign applicants who have completed a year of academic study in the US can provide a university transcript instead of TOEFL scores. A valid US driving license is required. International applicants must arrive three weeks before the residency start date to obtain a social security number, veterinary licensure, and driving license.
International students matching to our program must participate in a mandatory health insurance program provided by the University of Georgia.
Find information at:
https://hr.uga.edu/students/Mandatory_Plan/student_mandatory_plan_home/
International candidates must consider application processing times well ahead of the program start date. Please note that it may take up to 10 days to obtain a social security number.
A social security number is required to apply for a Georgia veterinary faculty license, and it may take up to 30 additional days to receive this license.
More detailed information for international candidates is available through the Office of Global Engagement:
https://globalengagement.uga.edu/
**Offers to international applicants are contingent upon successful application for the appropriate visa.
ATHENS AND THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
The University of Georgia is an Equal Opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status in its programs or activities.
Athens, Georgia captures the true essence of a college town, with its focus being the university’s approximately 40,118 students. It is a friendly place that blends the small town feel with many of the amenities offered by Atlanta, which is only 65 miles away. Athens has a vibrant cultural and music scene, being home to R.E.M. & Wide Spread Panic among others. The weather is relatively mild most of the year, although during July & August, the heat and humidity are very apparent.
For more information on Athens, GA, visit:
VisitAthensGA.com
ADDITIONAL LINKS
Tour our Veterinary Teaching Hospital:
FAQS about our Intern and Residency Programs:
https://vet.uga.edu/education/intern-residency-programs/large-animal-intern-residency-programs/
UGA Large Animal Medicine Department website:
https://vet.uga.edu/education/academic-departments/large-animal-medicine/
4
- Equine general practice
- Racetrack practice
- Sports medicine practice
- Equine/LA surgical residency
- Equine/LA medicine residency
- Equine/LA critical care residency/fellowship
Start date
June 13, 2025
End date
June 30, 2026
Application Deadline
October 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?
No
Contact Information
Athens
[USA] Georgia
Athens-Clarke
30602
2200 College Station Road
Practice Mailing Address
2200 College Station Road - Athens - Georgia - [USA] Georgia - 30605
Clinical Experience and Responsibilities
Yes
Service rotation description
Interns rotate every three weeks between different clinical services. While on the service, the intern is assigned cases with students and/or residents to assess. The faculty member assigned to that service completes an evaluation of the intern’s clinical skills, clinical performance, and communication skills.
Depending on the intern’s career interests, the program has some flexibility to provide limited training opportunities in other disciplines.
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
75-90%
Patient rounds held daily with senior clinicians
Yes
Teaching rounds held
Yes
Frequency of teaching rounds
Daily
Weekly journal clubs held
Yes
M&M or other specialized rounds held
Yes
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?
1
Equipment the intern has exposure to within the practice
- Arthroscopy
- Laparoscopy
- Fracture repair sets
- Intra-operative fluoroscopy
- Gastroscopy
- Endoscopy
- Dynamic airway endoscopy
- Stat CBC analyzer
- Stat whole blood chemistry analyzer
- Blood gas analysis
- On site diagnostic lab
- MRI
- CT
- Digital radiography
- Ultrasound linear probe
- Ultrasound macroconvex probe
- Ultrasound microconvex probe
- Ultrasound endorectal probe
- Nuclear scintigraphy
- ECG
- ETCO2 monitoring
- Shockwave
- Stall side orthobiologics
- Stem cell capability/utilization
- Embryo Transfer
- Advanced podiatry/therapeutic farriery
- Power dentistry
- Other (please list)
Blood Bank, Dental Radiography, Linear Accelerator, Minimally Invasive Surgery Equipment, and Physical Therapy
Any additional information the practice would like to share on their internship program:
We will tailor the program a bit to the interns future goals.
Caseload
Total number annual cases
6847
Total number ambulatory cases
3352
Total number in-house cases
3495
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
10-25
Significant seasonality to the caseload
No
Species other than equids
Yes
Percentages of non-equids by species
For Fiscal Year 2024, the percentages for our hospital, is as follows:
Bovine (9)
Caprine (7)
Ovine (1)
Porcine (2)
Other (1)
Number of specialty certified clinicians
Number of clinicians in direct support of program
19
Diplomats of the following specialties (including their European Equivalents)
ACT – American College of Theriogenologists - 2
ACVA – American College of Veterinary Anesthesiologists - 5
ACVECC – American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care - 3
ACVIM – American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine - 7
ACVO – American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists - 3
ACVR – American College of Veterinary Radiology - 1
ACVS – American College of Veterinary Surgery - 8
ACVSMR- American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation - 3
Other personnel of note (outside specialists, farriers, dentists, etc)
Certified Veterinary Spinal Manipulation
Additional certifications/area of expertise represented in the practice
Acupuncture certification, Certified journeyman farrier (CJF)
Technician present on ambulatory calls
Yes
Overnight technical staff (if hospital present)
Yes
Other details about technician support of intern doctors
The hospital is staffed to provide patient care without the need for interns to do treatments. The interns may help with afterhours treatments when they are on nighttime ECC in an effort to be part of the team. However, if they are unable to help, we are fully staffed to care for our inpatients.
Compensation
Annual Salary
$41-45k
Total benefits package
Download the Benefits Worksheet
Additional opportunity for emergency compensation
No
Opportunities for additional income (production bonuses, working horse shows, etc).
No
Benefits
Benefits offered
Yes
Click here to download the Benefits Worksheet
Value of total annual compensation
$48,933.42
Housing offered
No
Housing Type
Other
Housing Amount
$
Paid time off (PTO) offered
Yes
# of PTO days
10
PTO stipulations
Must get approval of supervisor before leave. No leave granted in last two weeks of program unless special approval.
Health insurance offered
Yes for employee plus dependents
Amount of health insurance premium intern is responsible for
$1,468/yr single student, additional $3,229/yr for spouse or a child
Dental insurance offered
Yes
Life insurance offered
No
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
No
DEA license required
No
Association fees reimbursed / stipend offered
Yes
Student loan payments reimbursed / stipend offered
No
401K program offered
No
Clothing / logo wear stipend offered
Yes
Phone or phone stipend offered
Yes
Maternity / paternity leave offered
No
Discounted pet care and / or a pet medications policy offered
Yes
Practice vehicle or mileage reimbursement offered
Yes
Other benefits offered
Subject to budgetary constraints, interns will have access to funds which can be used to help subsidize payment for certifications, credentials, and exam fees.
Contract
Non-compete clause required
No
Non-US residents may apply
Yes
Is visa support provided?
Yes
If selected for the internship, the candidate must apply to and be accepted into UGA's graduate school. From there, UGA's Office of Global Engagement will advise the student on obtaining their I-20, ultimately aiming for an F-1 visa. More information can be found at their website: https://globalengagement.uga.edu/
Method internship offers are made
Selected candidates are notified by the Internship Program Supervisor.
Earliest date of internship offer made in the last 3 years
November 1st
Latest date of internship offer made in the last 3 years
March 7th
Average time provided to internship candidates to consider an offer
As much time as they need. Usually they make a decision within a week.
Outcomes Assessment
How long has the practice offered internships?
Over 35 years. Our current facility has been open since 2015.
Avg number of interns who completed the program per year for the past 5 years
20
Number of interns from this program who applied for a residency in the past 5 years
14
Number of interns from this program who entered a residency position directly out of the internship in the past 5 years
11
Number of interns from this program who accepted a second or specialty internship in the past 5 years
4
Number of interns from this program who accepted a residency position in the past 5 years
11
Number of interns retained by the practice as associates in the past 5 years
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)?
70-99%
Number of former interns currently employed by the practice
7
Are current or former interns from the practice available for reference?
Yes, email the practice contact for details.
Additional information about the internship program
We pride ourselves on having a friendly environment that strives to create a great internship experience.