VCA Animal Specialty and Emergency Center (ASEC), LA, CA

Description of Elective Experience: 

VCA ASEC offers student externships in surgery, internal medicine, cardiology, diagnostic imaging, and emergency/critical care.  These rotations allow students to shadow board-certified specialists and experienced emergency clinicians in their given departments, attend and participate in daily rounds, and ask questions. 

Institutional and Educational Resources - staffing, equipment, etc.: 

Board certified specialists: internal medicine (2), cardiology (2), radiology (2), surgery (6), ECC (2).  Stellar technical staff 24/7.

Our modern hospital is equipped to perform extensive diagnostic investigation, with in-house lab instrumentation (including the latest in thromboelastography technology), digital radiography and fluoroscopy, video-endoscopy, ultrasonography, helical CT, and echocardiography.  Our large surgery service performs orthopedic, spinal, soft tissue, and minimally-invasive procedures seven days a week. Our internal medicine service performs all manner of endoscopic procedures, tracheal and urethral stent placement, laser lithotripsy, laser ablation of ectopic ureters, laparoscopic liver biopsies, along with more routine medical management of complex disease processes.  Newport e360 critical care ventilation is available with our critical care service.

Student Responsibilities - what is expected of students in terms of hours, days of the week, shadowing or actual support?: 

Students are expected to spend 40-50 hours per week, depending on the department they are completing the externship with.

Cardiology and diagnostic imaging: Monday-Friday 7am-5pm.

Internal medicine: schedule varies but is typically 4 days/week, from 7am-6pm.

ECC and surgery: Tuesday-Friday 7am-6pm

Responsibilities are primarily shadowing.

Student Housing (include costs, amenities, pet friendly, contact info if different from elective contact info): 

Not available.

Supervisor: 
Joan Dolance, DVM
Website: 
www.asecvets.com
Contact email: 
Address: 
1535 S. Sepulveda Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 91355
United States
Specialties: 
Practice or Institution Type: 
Is student housing available?: 
No
Hours of supervision by a licensed veterinarian per week: 
40