Residency Information

Residency Program in Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care
This is a three year, postdoctoral, non-degree training, program. Minimum qualifications include graduation from an accredited school of veterinary medicine and a one-year internship or equivalent practice experience. Acceptance into the second and third years is based on merit, desire, and successful completion of the earlier year. The selection of residents is made on the basis of academic achievement, career objectives, letters of recommendation, interpersonal skills, clinical skills, personal narrative, and pertinent experience.

Objectives
  • To provide postdoctoral, non-degree training in the discipline of emergency and critical care.
  • To prepare the resident for examination for board certification by the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care.
  • To prepare the resident for employment in the specialty of emergency and critical care.
  • To provide experience in designing a research project, finishing the project, analyzing the data, and publishing the results in a peer-reviewed journal.
  • To provide experience in the clinical and didactic training of students of veterinary medicine in the clinical aspects of emergency and critical care.
  • Development of a critical thought process and use of the problem oriented approach to patient care.
  • Development of clinical skills and expertise in emergency and critical care.
  • Development of a critical understanding of the current veterinary and human literature, and proficiency in library research skills.
  • Demonstration of an ability to teach, communicate, and present information
  • Demonstration of exceptional ethical standards and ability to act as a professional role model.

General
The residency is sponsored by the Emergency and Critical Care Service (ECCS) of the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (VMTH) at the School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis. The ECCS is composed of an Emergency Service which registers about 30 new admissions per week and the Intensive Care Unit, which registers about 25 new admissions per week. The VMTH has a broad range of veterinary specialties including: emergency and critical care, diagnostic imaging, surgery, nutrition, cardiology, neurology and neurosurgery, anesthesia, oncology, renal medicine and hemodialysis, internal medicine, dentistry and oral surgery, genetics, dermatology, ophthalmology, clinical pathology, and anatomic pathology.

Description
Sixty-six percent of the residency is clinic duty in emergency receiving and intensive care, under the direction of an emergency and critical care specialist. The resident will have case-based interactions with specialists in diagnostic imaging, surgery, nutrition, cardiology, neurology and neurosurgery, anesthesia, oncology, renal medicine and hemodialysis, internal medicine, dentistry and oral surgery, dermatology, ophthalmology, clinical pathology, and anatomic pathology.

Fifteen percent of the residency is rotation in other specialty services. First and second year residents share after hours emergency receiving with residents in other receiving services.

Nineteen percent of the residency is professional development time for study, preparation and completion of a research project, attending scientific meetings, and vacation.

In Emergency Receiving the resident will have primary case responsibility under the direction of the supervising clinician. The resident will follow, and coach students to follow, the Problem Oriented Approach to the practice of medicine, perform all the usual clinical procedures, participate in clinic rounds, and manage receiving so that patients are received on time, teaching goals are met, and communication with clients and referring veterinarians is maintained at the highest standards. The VMTH is committed to building strong relationships with its colleagues. A major part of the resident's duties, therefore, includes timely communication with referring veterinarians and clients.

In the Intensive Care Unit the resident will participate in the management of patients under the care of the ECCS, advise and consult with other clinicians who have admitted patients to the Unit, participate and eventually teach student rounds, supervise ICU nursing activities, and participate in emergency receiving when needed and if ICU duties permit.

The resident must identify a project and develop a research protocol (generally during the first year of the program) and complete the project (generally during the second year). The data must be analyzed, prepared for publication, and submitted to a peer reviewed journal. Completion of the project and submission of the manuscript is a requirement for successful completion of the residency. Presentation at the Annual House Officer's Seminar Day is mandatory.

Participation in weekly ECCS Journal Club is required except when the resident is on vacation.     

A certificate of completion will be awarded to the candidate on successfully completing the program.

 

Selection will be made in accordance with the guidelines of the Veterinary Internship/Residency Matching Program. For application procedures, salary and benefits, and other information about the residency program, please see General Information on the VMTH web site. Although not mandatory, a personal or phone interview is highly recommended before December 21, 2007 to receive highest consideration. Contact Karl Jandrey, DVM, DACVECC (E-Mail) to arrange an interview.

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.

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

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.