Residency Information

The resident in Large Animal Medicine is a participant in our practice, and under faculty supervision has clinical responsibility for cases assigned to the medical section of the Large Animal Clinic and to the Equine Medicine Field Service. Under the direction of the senior faculty of the Large Animal Medicine Service and appropriate clinical specialty units, he/she examines, conducts diagnostic procedures, and prescribes treatment for outpatients and for patients admitted to the Large Animal Clinic. The resident will participate in all phases of the operation of the equine medical and food animal medical/surgical outpatient clinic and the equine medicine field service. He/she provides medical consultation service for hospitalized patients assigned to the equine surgical section. He/she assists faculty members in the clinical instruction of fourth-year veterinary students. He/she organizes and schedules patients for daily programs of the Large Animal Clinic including the weekly Large Animal Grand Rounds. Residents share out-of-hours emergency duty on a rotational basis and are on call approximately 1 night and 1 weekend out of every 3. Residents must be able to arrive at the Hospital within 15 minutes of an emergency call, therefore, residents must plan to live within 15 miles of the Hospital. Out-of-clinic time for development of a clinical research project and creative writing is scheduled.

The resident works with several faculty members who are diplomates in the ACVIM. The residency program is designed to provide broad medical experience and to fulfill requirements for taking the internal medicine boards. Lectures are provided to develop clinical expertise and to assist in preparation for the ACVIM examinations. Participation in the Annual House Officer Seminar Day is mandatory.

• To provide post-graduate advanced training in Large Animal Medicine of the broadest scope involving all large animal species, with an emphasis on equine internal medicine.
  
  
• To develop practical clinical expertise in large animal internal medicine.
  
  
• To provide clinical teaching experience in internal medicine.
  
  
• To provide an opportunity for limited experience in the design and conduct of investigative projects in a clinically related area.
  
  
• To qualify the resident for eventual board certification in internal medicine.
  

Internal medicine in large animal species has developed into a recognized clinical specialty. The clinical training program to be described is essential to provide the nucleus of veterinary internists trained in the wide scope of large animal medicine, and to the level of sophistication the specialty requires.

The large animal internal medicine residency program provides intensive post-doctoral training in large animal internal medicine with an equine emphasis of three years' duration. The completed residency will fulfill one of the major requirements for qualification to the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, and its subspecialty groups.

The facilities and clinical case load of the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital provide an ideal environment for this residency program.

The residency provides broad clinical exposure in Equine Field Service Medicine which includes lameness, minor surgical procedures and some reproduction and In-House Medicine (Equine), with lesser exposure in In-House Food Animal Medicine and Surgery. Persons thus trained should be well prepared for positions as clinical academic faculty or to enter progressive and specialized practices requiring advanced training. Faculty from the School of Veterinary Medicine will provide clinical instruction to the resident with collaborative assistance of other schools and departments.

The residency program shall be of three year's duration with the second and third years subject to renewal on the basis of evaluation and satisfactory performance.

• The resident will spend 11 months of the time in the Large Animal Medicine Service of the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. The resident will develop an understanding of the general concepts of disease processes, case management and client communications in all large animal species. This will include clinic rotations through the equine in-house , food animal in-house, and equine field service sections of the large animal medicine service including regular night and emergency-weekend duties on a rotating basis. The resident will have primary patient care responsibilities under the supervision of the senior clinician. This will include all routine cases as well as referred cases with specific medical problems. Although the emphasis is on the equine species, the case load will involve all large animal species presented with problems referable to all body systems. The clinical exposure is designed to develop the broadest experience in large animal internal medicine. Full and complete competency in all routine and special diagnostic procedures shall be developed under the supervision of the senior clinician of the specific rotation. A primary objective of the first and the second year of the residency will be the development of clinical maturity and judgment. The resident will be provided with the opportunity to develop his/her teaching skills. One of the resident's major roles is that of clinical instructor. He/she will perform this duty in the clinical area by assisting in the tutorial teaching of junior and senior veterinary students, and...
  
  
• conducting rounds. The resident will receive from supervising faculty guidance, advice, and assistance in the preparation and delivery of papers and lectures.
  
  
• The resident will develop abilities to critically evaluate veterinary literature and to obtain a broad scientific base for the understanding of medical problems. The resident program will include school and campus associated seminars and conferences, as well as full use of the available library resources. The resident will participate in the Large Animal Medicine resident weekly seminars.
  
  
• All residents are strongly advised to obtain a California license within the first year of the residency in order to write prescriptions.

• The clinical and teaching duties will be similar to those of the first year program with increasing clinical responsibility and independence in patient management. He/she will function as a senior resident in the hospital and equine field service, and will maintain some supervisory responsibility for the first year residents during their clinic rotations.
  
  
• The resident should develop expertise in a specific area of internal medicine. He/she will be encouraged to attend and participate in seminars and conferences presented by the veterinary and medical schools that are oriented toward his, or her, particular area of interest. Guidance and direction in the development of this special area of expertise shall be the responsibility of the service faculty mentors.
  
  
• The resident will undertake a critical clinical investigation. The second year-resident will be encouraged to undertake an investigative project approved by his/her Chief of Service. The completion of a paper suitable for publication is expected. Presentation of the results of this investigation on House Officer Seminar Day is mandatory.

The VMTH is committed to building strong relationships with its constituents. A major part of the resident's duties, therefore, includes timely communication with referring veterinarians and clients.

FOR APPLICATION PROCEDURES, SALARY AND BENEFITS, AND OTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE RESIDENCY PROGRAM, PLEASE SEE GENERAL INFORMATION ON THE VMTH WEB SITE. SELECTION WILL NOT UTILIZE THE MATCHING PROGRAM.

ALL RESIDENTS ARE STRONGLY ADVISED TO OBTAIN A CALIFORNIA LICENSE WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR OF THE RESIDENCY IN ORDER TO WRITE PRESCRIPTIONS.

RESIDENTS MUST BE ABLE TO ARRIVE AT THE HOSPITAL WITHIN 15 MINUTES OF AN EMERGENCY CALL, THEREFORE, RESIDENTS MUST PLAN TO LIVE WITHIN 15 MILES OF THE HOSPITAL.

The University of California, Davis, and the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital are interested in candidates who are committed to the highest standards of scholarship and professional activities, and to the development of a campus climate that supports equality and diversity.