Small Animal Internal Medicine Focus Rotating Internship

Small Animal Internal Medicine Focus Rotating Internship

The UC Davis William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (VMTH) offers a 1-year (53 weeks) Small Animal Internal Medicine Focus Rotating Internship for one veterinarian seeking advanced postgraduate clinical training. The program provides a structured, mentored experience across core and specialty services. The internship runs from June 21, 2027 through June 28, 2028.

Objectives of the Program

The primary objective of the Small Animal Internal Medicine Focus Rotating Internship is to help a veterinarian transition from entry-level clinical training to advanced clinical practice or specialty residency training. 

The intern will spend the majority of their time within the Small Animal Internal Medicine Service and rotate through other core rotations—emergency medicine, medical oncology, cardiology, and neurology—as well as elective rotations through other specialty services within the VMTH. 

This internship is suited for a recent graduate who intends to pursue specialty training in small animal internal medicine and emphasizes progressive autonomy, clinical reasoning, professional communication, teaching, teamwork and supervised management of small animal specialty and emergency cases.

The program prepares an intern for a career in specialty residency programs, academic clinical practice, referral medicine, or high-quality private practice. The internship will provide the broad clinical foundation expected of competitive residency candidates.

Clinical and Teaching Responsibilities

The intern will participate in supervised clinical duties in several aspects of small animal internal medicine. They will assume primary responsibility for cases appropriate to their experience, knowledge, and level of comfort. Faculty support and supervision are provided throughout the year, with increasing responsibility and autonomy as the intern demonstrates greater clinical proficiency.

The intern will be exposed to a diverse caseload of first-opinion, referral, specialty and emergency cases. Primary case responsibility is expected for first-opinion, emergency and specialty cases as the intern’s capacity and experience develops. Complex cases will be assigned under board-specialist supervision according to competence. 

The Small Animal Internal Medicine Service is generally a high outpatient, inpatient, and procedural caseload. The majority of the inpatient caseload is comprised of daily transfers from the emergency service and patients admitted for procedures. The service performs a high number of endoscopic and interventional procedures.

The intern will also participate in the clinical education of veterinary students under faculty supervision. They are expected to develop as a clinical teacher and team leader while supporting a collaborative learning environment.

Small Animal Internal Medicine clinic weeks include occasional weekend responsibilities; likewise emergency rotations may include overnight and weekend responsibilities. The intern will never be the sole clinician on duty. Duty schedules will provide appropriate rest periods and one full day in seven (average over 4 weeks) free of in-hospital clinical work and scheduled educational activity.

Clinical Competencies

The internship uses a competency-based approach organized around Entrustable Professional Activities. By the completion of the program, the intern is expected to demonstrate competence in:

• Performing comprehensive assessments of new patients
• Developing and modifying diagnostic and treatment plans
• Communicating effectively with clients, including during complex or emotionally challenging discussions
• Prioritizing care according to patient needs and client resources
• Maintaining accurate and timely medical records
• Communicating effectively with the medical team and referral community
• Teaching and leading clinical-year veterinary students

Mentorship and Professional Development

The intern will participate in a structured mentor-mentee program and meet quarterly with a mentor from the Rotating Internship Committee to review their progress, professional goals, and evaluations. Faculty members from each participating service provide direct clinical supervision, teaching, feedback, and formal assessment during their respective rotations.

During the first weeks of the program, the intern will participate in didactic and hands-on sessions addressing topics such as clinical teaching, giving and receiving feedback, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, wound management, and the initial management of shock. Throughout the year, the intern will participate in service-specific and hospital-wide rounds, journal clubs, seminars, grand rounds, hospital-wide educational activities, and professional development lectures as permitted by their clinical schedules.

Course of Activities

The 53-week program includes:

Elective opportunities may include research, rotations in anesthesia, clinical pathology, dentistry, dermatology, intensive/critical care, ophthalmology, radiology, radiation oncology, anatomic pathology, behavior, nutrition, primary care, and accessible veterinary care services, or additional rotations within participating services. The rotating structure promotes interdisciplinary collaboration and will allow interns to explore individual clinical and academic interests.

Research and Scholarly Activity

Completion of a research or scholarly project is encouraged but is not required for successful completion of the program. An intern interested in research may use up to two weeks of elective time to pursue a clinical research project, case report, or other scholarly activity with faculty mentorship. Attendance at a veterinary conference may also be permitted during research elective time.

Facilities and Resources

The intern will have access to the clinical facilities, diagnostic and therapeutic equipment, information technology systems, and library resources available to UC Davis house officers. Dedicated office space is provided for interns within the VMTH.

Process of Evaluation

Intern performance is assessed through:

• Rotation-specific written evaluations
• Direct observation and formative feedback
• Quarterly meetings with a mentor from the Rotating Internship Committee

The intern also formally evaluates their rotations and the overall internship program. UC Davis VMTH policies are followed if remediation, probation, or dismissal is required.

Certification

A certificate of successful completion is awarded to an intern who:

• Successfully complete all required rotations
• Meet professional conduct and clinical duty expectations
• Complete required program evaluations and an exit interview
• Deliver the required formal seminar
• Receive final approval from the Rotating Internship Committee

Application

The interns will be selected through the Veterinary Internship and Residency Matching Program (VIRMP). Phone/Zoom interviews will be upon invitation only. Detailed application requirements, deadlines, eligibility criteria, and interview information will be included in the annual VIRMP program listing. The application process begins November 1, 2026, and remains open until January 4, 2027 (9 p.m. ET).