Residency Programs
RESIDENCY PROGRAM IN LARGE ANIMAL
MEDICINE: LIVESTOCK EMPHASIS
- To provide advanced training in large animal medicine of the broadest scope, involving all large animal species, with an emphasis on food animal species.
- To provide clinical teaching experience.
- To provide limited experience in the design and implementation of an investigative project in a clinically related area.
- To work with Board Certified faculty and to prepare residents for Board Certification in Internal Medicine (ACVIM).
- To develop expertise in clinical large animal medicine and food animal surgery and reproduction.
Justification
Excellence in livestock practice and herd health
management is still largely based upon the
practice of high quality diagnostics, medicine,
surgery and utilization of computerized records.
Treatment of diseases in small ruminants is
an important aspect of many livestock practices.
Internal medicine of large animal species has
developed as a recognized clinical specialty.
The clinical training program described herein
is designed to produce veterinary internists
who are trained in a wide scope of livestock
medicine and surgery, and to impart sufficient
information to fulfill the requirements for
ACVIM certification. The program stresses case
management which is adaptable to farm livestock.
Some aspects of production medicine are introduced,
especially in the areas of reproduction, calf
health and milk quality, in the problem-solving
of referred medicine cases, and utilization
of computerized records. Graduates should be
well prepared for clinical academic positions
or for practice.
Qualifications
Applicants for a residency in Large Animal Medicine:
Livestock Emphasis must have a DVM or equivalent
degree and must have completed a one-year internship
or comparable post-graduate training or practice
experience.
Duration
The duration of the residency program is 3 years. Renewal for the second and third years will be contingent upon satisfactory performance. The resident may be able to continue in a Master's or PhD program in an area of interest following completion of the residency. Funding for such a program is secured through extramural grant requests and is not part of residency funding.
General Scope and Nature of Training
First Year Program:
- The resident is provided one month of
scheduled paid vacation. The remaining 11
months are allocated approximately as follows:
5-6 months in the in-clinic Food Animal Medicine
Service, 1 month in radiology/ultrasound,
2 months in the Livestock Reproduction
and Herd Health Service, 1-2 months in the
Equine Medicine Service, and 1 month of professional
development time out of clinics. Residents
shall have primary patient care responsibilities,
under the supervision of a senior clinician,
and will develop an understanding of the
general concepts of disease processes and
case management in cattle, goats, sheep,
pigs, and to a lesser degree, horses. This
will include management of routine cases
as well as referred cases. Since the case
load will involve several species of large
animals and problems involving all body systems,
the clinical exposure should develop the
broadest possible competency. Skill with
the use of ultrasound will be developed both
for pregnancy diagnosis and to aid with medical
diagnoses. Ancillary facilities such as radiology
are frequently used. Management of livestock
surgical cases by the resident will develop
surgical proficiency. Initially, surgical
procedures will be performed with a senior
clinician. As proficiency is gained by the
resident, the routine procedures will be
performed autonomously. Full and complete
competency in all routine and special diagnostic
procedures will be developed. Another primary
objective will be the development of clinical
maturity and judgment.
- Residents will gain experience in evaluating
reproductive problems and in the management
of reproduction programs on large dairy farms,
sheep flocks, and goat herds. Residents will
acquire palpation skills, skills with ultrasound,
and gain experience in the surgical treatment
of male reproductive problems. Residents
will become familiar with and have limited
responsibility for computerized data storage
and retrieval, calf health monitoring and
milk quality.
- Residents will have the opportunity to develop their teaching skills and will have a major role as clinical instructors. This duty will be performed, in part, by assisting in the tutorial teaching of junior and senior veterinary students and conducting rounds. Experience lecturing to large groups will be provided in the seminar/rounds format. Residents will receive assistance and guidance in the preparation and delivery of papers and lectures.
- Residents will develop the ability to critically evaluate veterinary literature and will obtain the broad scientific base which is critical to an understanding of medical problems. The resident is encouraged to use the medical library and computer-assisted learning programs, and to attend as many campus seminars as possible. A trip to a major meeting such as the AABP or ACVIM is encouraged and funding may be provided from resident training funds to help defray expenses. When scheduling trips, priority is given to second and third year residents when conflicts arise.
- Residents share out-of-hours emergency duty on a rotational basis.
Second and Third Year Programs
- Duties will be similar to those of the first year, but with increasing responsibility for patient management. Residents will have some supervisory responsibility for training and supervision of first-year residents. One month of paid vacation is allowed each year. The second year resident will have 1 to 2 months and the third-year resident 2 months of out-of-clinics professional development time for research and studying (in addition to 1 month vacation). Professional development time is to allow the resident time to complete projects and prepare for specialty Board examinations.
- Residents will develop expertise in a specific area of internal medicine. Residents will be encouraged to attend and participate in seminars and conferences oriented toward their particular areas of special interest. Guidance in the development of this special area of expertise shall be the responsibility of the Chief of Service or another medicine service faculty member with allied interests.
- The second and third year residents will
be required to undertake an investigational
project in some phase of livestock medicine.
The project should have approval from the
Chief of Service. Publication of a paper
in a refereed journal is expected. Second
and third year residents must deliver a paper
at the VMTH House Officer Seminar Day program,
and are encouraged to present a paper at
the annual ACVIM Meeting.
- Residents share out-of-hours emergency duty on a rotational basis.
The VMTH is committed to building strong relationships with its constituents. A major part of the residents duties, therefore, includes timely communication with referring veterinarians and clients.
FOR APPLICATION PROCEDURES AND OTHER INFORMATION
ABOUT THE RESIDENCY PROGRAM, PLEASE SEE GENERAL
INFORMATION ON THE VMTH WEB SITE. SELECTION
WILL BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE GUIDELINES OF
THE VETERINARY INTERNSHIP/RESIDENCY MATCHING PROGRAM. To request a visit, contact Katie Dunn at kedunn@ucdavis.edu.
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 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.
