UCD Veterinary Hospital
Ospidéal Tréidliachta UCD
UVH Externships
Currently available:
The University College Dublin Veterinary Hospital is a referral clinic built and outfitted with state of the art equipment in 2002 to meet the increasing demand for specialised, integrated veterinary care. Within Large Animal Surgery (LAS) horses are the principle species treated but a variety of farm and occasional exotic animals are also evaluated. Within Equine Medicine (EM) a wide variety of neurologic, respiratory, ophthalmologic, gastrointestinal, muscular, infectious, haematologic, renal and endocrine disorders are investigated as well as poor performance evaluations (treadmill exams) in conjunction with LAS. A wide variety of surgical procedures (soft tissue surgery, fracture repair, arthroscopy, laparoscopy) are carried out in LAS as well as in-depth lameness evaluations. The primary goal of the externship is to give the student an in-depth exposure to the field of equine medicine and large animal surgery. Externs are required to assist the UVH Interns with treatment of hospital cases and to assist clinicians in diagnostic and therapeutic care of hospitalised cases, out-patients and emergency referrals.
Equine Medicine and Large Animal Surgery Externship Goals
- Development of handling and physical examination skills of horses including lameness evaluations
- Development of basic problem–solving and decision making skills
- Development of diagnostic and differential diagnosis skills
- Exposure to the management of a variety of medical and surgical cases including intensive care
- Exposure to basic surgical procedures and techniques
- Use of isolation facilities and bio-security principles
- Exposure to the reproductive examination of the broodmare
Students working within the Equine Medicine and Large Animal Surgery sections are encouraged to take responsibility for their own cases and should be involved in all aspects of case management.
The basic responsibilities of an extern is the same as a final year UCD veterinary student and consists of evaluating and treating hospitalised cases as well as assisting in the admission and evaluation of out-patient and emergency cases. Under the supervision of an Intern, the extern will be able to administer oral, intravenous, intramuscular and subcutaneous medications, draw blood for routine blood work, monitor intensive care cases, administer fluids and prepare patients for clinical procedures.
Morning and afternoon treatments consist of physical examinations and medication administration. Externs are scheduled for after-hours treatments and emergency service on an as needed basis.
1. Active learning – get involved – ask questions – make the most of your externship
2. Patient care and case management:
- Daily care of your assigned cases is your responsibility under the direction of a clinician.
- Treat every single one of your cases as if you were the sole person responsible for it – do not rely on the clinicians to pick up problems but do a thorough complete physical exam on all your cases in the hospital at least twice daily, try to make your own diagnostic and treatment plan to discuss with the clinicians and be active in your case’s care.
- Do not enact any treatment or diagnostic procedure without direction from the clinician.
- You are responsible for all treatments on your cases from 8.00 am until 8.00 pm (or longer if you are on night duty) – this includes administration of medication (under supervision of interns or residents where necessary), examinations, blood draws, catheter flushes, preparing and hanging of intravenous fluids (with an intern/resident) etc. If you are busy in surgery during these hours, it is your responsibility to ascertain that one of your colleagues is taking care of your patients for you!
3. Patient Admission
- Take a history (including vaccination history, especially Tetanus).
- Complete a thorough physical exam (including body weight).
- Take an active part in the patient’s diagnostic work–up and treatment planning.
4. Hospital Rounds
- Each service has hospital rounds to discuss the cases in the hospital and their diagnostic/treatment plan every day at 9.00 am and again in the late afternoon/ evening.
5. Surgery
- Where the situation permits, you will have the opportunity to scrub into surgeries performed on your patients.
- Responsibilities include assistance in preparation of the surgical patient, assisting in induction, surgical preparation, intra-operative assistance.
Externships will be awarded on a first come, first serve basis. To get the most out of your externship a minimum duration of two weeks is recommended. Please check the available dates below and submit your choice of dates via email. If available, the space will be reserved and you will receive a confirmation.
To qualify for the externship you must be a veterinary student in your 2nd year or higher. You must also have good fluency in both written and spoken English.
Graduated veterinarians cannot apply for the externship.
Please include a current curriculum vitae and a statement of pertinent experience in your email application. To apply please email veterinary.surgery@ucd.ie.
Please note that at this time we only offer externships in large animal surgery. You will get confirmation of the clinical experience but no formal grades.
You will be expected to arrange travel and accommodation yourself and must ensure that you carry appropriate insurance.
If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to call ++353 (0)1 716 6060 or email veterinary.surgery@ucd.ie.
Dates available 2010:
- 12th April 2010- 7th June 2010
We look forward to working with you!
