Students are able to shadow any of the doctors and staff in the hospital. With up to 10 doctors seeing appointments at any given time and up to 2 performing surgeries, ultrasounds, and up to three performing dentals the student is able to choose cases and presenting complaints that interest them. All shifts and days have a wide variety of cases and species with a typical day having 5-10+ species being seen. Students are welcome to shadow in the rooms and in surgery and can scrub in for surgeries or other procedures. Students are welcome to ask to participate in any techniques or diagnostics they wish. While the rotation is filled with numerous options, it is imperative that a student speak up and attempt to make use of the different opportunities that are available. The extern can choose to do day, swing, nights, and/or weekends depending upon their availability, interest, and other externs at that time. The hospital limits the experience to 3 externs at any given time/shift.
CVVH has ~165 employees, 24 vets including 3 interns, 10+ RVTs and dedicated night staff of a minimum of 1 vet and 3 technicians/assistants and often up to 3 vets and 8 staff members. We have rigid endoscopy, 2018 high end ultrasound with cardiac and soft tissue settings. Tonopens, slit lamps, diamond burr, digital dental and regular radiology with seperate equipment for exotic small mammal dentistry care. Monitoring includes ECG, BP, EtCO2, SpO2, and Temp. Records are digitial including treatment sheets.
Each doctor has areas of specific interest that include behavior, ophthalmology, aquatic, exotic, dermatology, surgery, ultrasound, cardiology, wildlife, and others. We have a feline only room, a comfort room and 10 other exam rooms. We have a feline only ward, exotic only ward, negative pressure isolation, and positive pressure surgery suites with close circuit TV for monitoring if needed and full service in house lab with dedicated lab technician during the daytime.
Students are not expected to restrain or perform procedures but are welcome to jump in and assist if they would like. We ask that they ask first to make sure they are not being utilized for routine restraint and assistant responsibilities. They are expected to find cases to shadow and to follow but can either follow a single doctor or switch by case to different doctors. Hours are encouraged about 50 a week including breaks but can be done daytime, swing, night, and/or weekend depending upon the student. We are used to teaching and learning at all hours and swing and night time can allow more opportunities for direct interaction due to less numbers of people being present. The exact schedule is determined between the student and CVVH for each case.
Students are expected to arrange their own housing.