Thank you for demonstrating interest in our program. We have been providing a Internships at the GVEH since 1994. Past interns have been admitted to Residencies in the United States and have also been placed at private specialist referral institutions. In addition, some interns have been given the opportunity to work for a 3 or 6 month period in other private referral hospitals in the United States. We are very proud of our previous graduates and wish to encourage people with similar good attitudes and excellent motivational skills to apply.
Where are they now?
The GVEH offers up to seven internship positions each year. Four of the positions will have an 12 month (or longer) appointment, depending on starting dates etc. These are our normal internships. The other three are just for the breeding season and they are particularly popular with foreign graduates. Meet the current interns? The seasonal internships start in September (September - February appointment). Applications are due in by March and candidates are notified in April. The normal intern positions do not have a specific application dates as they have varying starting dates. Many start in December after graduation here in Australia and finish in February or March (13-14 months later). The positions of the normal internships are filled by October. Commonly we identify interns by working with them as students. If you are serious about becoming an intern here then it is best to visit. 

General background

The hospital was built on an 85 acre irrigated farm in 1988 and was staffed initially by the two present partners (Jim Vasey and Angus McKinnon) with a single combined receptionist / veterinary nurse. During the 2007 year the hospital has 12 senior veterinarians and 5 interns  supported by 21 full time staff. In 2006, over 1000 surgeries were performed under general anaesthesia and over 1400 horses were radiographed. The practice services around 2500 broodmares (~ 65:35 Thoroughbred and Standardbred) for routine work. In addition frozen semen is held from over 250 stallions and > 150 embryo transfers were performed in the season 2007. The hospital has a research/recipient herd of ~200 mares

Practice Aims:
1) Provide the best possible care for patients.
2) Provide the best service possible for clients and referring veterinarians.
3) To be accessible and polite at all times.
4) To understand and contribute to the ever expanding wealth of veterinary information.
5) To encourage the development of all members of the practice.

Specific goals of the Internship

1) Provide an environment conducive to excellence in a clinical setting.

2) Provide an opportunity to develop strong professional associations with veterinarians currently demonstrating a high level of commitment.

3) Provide an opportunity to learn through involvement with a large and diverse cases load.

4) Provide an opportunity to teach research principles, collect data and publish conclusions from a project chosen by us but interesting to you.

5) To help create specific career path opportunities for the highly motivated.

About the Internship

1) Salary.

$40,000 equivalent. The salary package is a combination of weekly wages, study leave and accommodation and travel allowances.

2) Working hours.

Interns are expected to work long and hard. The clinic is open at all times. Generally speaking hours will vary with case load and time of year. During the breeding season (September to February) we expect to work routinely from 7.00 AM until 8.00 PM on most days. Interns are expected to work every second weekend. Interns are not expected to go to cases out of clinic as the primary veterinarian. During the non breeding season an equivalent of two weeks study leave is offered to interns. This time is usually available as a day per week, however on occasion it may be necessary to have a specific time period for research.

3) Accommodation.

The hospital provides a house at the practice for interns to encourage easy access to the hospital, however, interns may chose to live off the premise. Married interns are requested to find accommodation away from the cottage. A bungalow located next to the house is used to provide temporary residence for visiting foreign veterinarians and/or students.

4) Holidays.

Four weeks annual leave for the normal intern programme. No holidays for the seasonal internships. Holidays are normally taken between the months of April and August.

5) Registration.

Preferably interns would have a degree that enables them to register with the "Veterinary Board of Victoria". Many countries outside Australia, New Zealand the UK have no reciprocal rights for registration, however we do have a system of registration of foreign veterinarians on training programs that has been introduced, however this is difficult to obtain. This will only allow the intern to treat cases with the hospital or under direct supervision of one the practice’s senior veterinarians. From the year 2001 North American graduates from AVMA accredited veterinary schools have the ability to register in Australia.

6) Work permits

Interns from foreign countries must have appropriate documentation that allows them to be paid legally for working in Australia for a one year period. We can help facilitate this.

7) Intern Responsibilities

The hospital is NOT a veterinary teaching hospital, however we provide an excellent setting for interaction in a clinical environment. Out-patient cases are usually examined by a senior veterinarian and an intern, providing a "one on one" exchange of ideas. "In patients" are discussed during weekly rounds and individually at other times. We hold annual seminars for either veterinarians or the general public. Expected enrolment is from 50 (veterinary courses) to 100 ( annual reproduction short courses for breeders).

Interns are responsible for the well being and monitoring of all hospitalised and pastured cases.

The interns will rotate through different areas on a weekly schedule. The areas are:

a) Hospital admitting and surgery. The intern will assist in the diagnosis and work up of as many cases as possible and on as many occasions as possible scrub for surgery.

b) Hospital treatments and anaesthesia. The interns are responsible for all routine hospital treatments at the earliest possible time. Following treatments they are primarily responsible for anaesthesia. The number of anaesthetics given varies from 0 to 10 per day, although on busy days multiple people will provide anaesthetic support.

c) Reproduction. One intern will travel with one of the senior veterinarians for the period and the other will be responsible for the research mares and the "in clinic" reproduction cases.

d) Night Duty. One intern will be responsible for monitoring and treating cases during the hours between 7 pm and 7am. This is only during the breeding season.

Records

Interns are responsible for recording all data on cases admitted or those just in for daily work-ups. These include all treatments administered to both "in" and "out" patients.

1) The ability to see large number of referral cases.
2) The opportunity to interact in a clinical setting with experienced and dedicated veterinarians.
3) The wide and diverse range of cases.
4) The ability to develop both professionally and personally.
5) The opportunity to go on to other institutions and obtain residencies or specialised practice positions.
6) The ability to perform and publish clinical research. Opportunities exist to perform small clinical trials using our research mares and prospective or retrospective studies on the large hospital case load.
7) The opportunity to work in an enthusiastic workplace, with a team approach to problems and day to day activities and support from experienced veterinarians.

A CV
Attached list of at least three people who would be willing to act as referees for you. Phone numbers or e-mail addresses must be supplied.
A letter of intent explaining your background, and career goals.

How to apply:
Applications should be sent :
        by mail to

A.O. McKinnon
Goulburn Valley Equine Hospital
905 Goulburn Valley Highway
Congupna
Victoria,
Australia, 3633

or by Fax to 61 358 299307

or by e mail