Internships

Who should do an internship?

An internship used to be considered very much, for those wishing to head off to do a residency and then specialise, dedicating years to a certain discipline. Many of our interns, who join us, are on this career path. However, we also have vets, who have been in general practice for 1-2years and feel they lack confidence and support, often left in sole charge or moving around branch practices and are perhaps struggling with clinical judgement, planning and management of the more complex cases. This can be a difficult and often a lonely time, with the increased pressures young veterinary professionals are now facing, we can provide you with the skill set, to confidently manage and treat your patients in a variety of cases, especially when referral is not an option. Our internship can give you the support, guidance and confidence to head back into a general practice.

A huge advantage of having my previous clinical experience prior to an internship was that I was able to build a foundation of trust with the clinicians. This allowed me to progress on skills such as endoscopy, chest drain placements, chemotherapies etc as well as the overall management of medicine cases. I was lucky enough to continue my internship into a 2-year placement and completed the majority of my medicine certificate during this time. 

My biggest piece of advice to anyone considering an internship is to ask yourself, ‘what have I got to lose?’. I am so lucky to have made that leap of faith and feel like a completely different first opinion vet because of it.  

Of course, it isn’t all roses. The very nature of an internship is that you will get out of it what you put into it, so you need to be prepared to work hard and be enthusiastic to learn. There is often a lot of (very supported) on call and you of course have to consider the financial implications of a pay reduction (I was lucky, I had a supportive partner willing to move away with me and financially support me).

With the veterinary industry appearing to be in an employment crisis it is more important than ever that we explore our options within the clinical field. If you are questioning your role within first opinion practice, or considering leaving clinical work due to a lack of confidence then really do consider carrying out an internship first. I have always maintained that I do not want to specialise but want to be a good first opinion vet, and the internship has given me the support and progression to feel that I am finally achieving that”.

Sara now works as an experienced vet in our first opinion team at Vale Vets.

What if you want to specialise?

For those, who are wishing to specialise and have a good understanding of the dedication and hard work it takes to pursue a successful career in a specialist field, we are here to help guide and propel you through this part of your journey. Many interns can be supported through their certificate, and with IVC Evidensia's residency programme now in place, Vale Referrals (twinned with Hamilton Referrals), is a promising start for anyone considering a residency.

Our internal medicine team teach and mentor you through full case work up. You will learn how to take a complex medical case. From the initial consultation and history taking, suggested imaging (CT/ultrasound) and blood work, creating your list of differentials and communicating effectively, pragmatically and confidently to the owner, and to then carry out an effective treatment plan, along with providing prognosis and ongoing case management and support to your referring vet, your clinicians will oversee and guide you through each case ensuring you consider and research thoroughly to strengthen your understanding of the cases you are involved in. Leaving you, at the end of your internship with a whole new approach to case management.

Our soft tissue and orthopaedic clinicians require you to be very hands on. Our surgical internships are not a spectator sport by any means. You will be asked to research and plan for surgery. Scrubbed in and partnering directly with our resident and surgeon, you will have a front row seat in learning techniques and skills in approaching a wide range of surgical cases. Analgesic management and post operative care are also vital in recovery and positive outcome of patients, and liaising with owners in how to manage their pet's post-surgery, is equally important.

Ranging from complex fracture repairs, wound break downs, BOAS, lung lobectomies, reconstructive surgeries and a whole host of others, you will be exposed to a busy and varied caseload, learning from European Diplomat Michal Vlasin DVM PhD Dipl.ECVS, MRCVS, and his team of highly experienced surgeons.