Equine Internship Opportunity

The Practice:

Genesee Valley Equine Clinic is an intermediate-level diagnostic and treatment center serving the greater Rochester-area of New York. It is a primarily ambulatory clinic with a well-designed clinic facility and an expanding in-patient caseload.

The clinic consists of:

8 stall barn with 4 paddocks


all-weather outdoor arena


examination room/treatment area with stocks


padded surgery stall


laboratory, pharmacy, and darkroom


lounge with small kitchen


extensive reference library.

Equipment available includes:

4 ultrasound units (tendon and repro)


4 portable x-ray units


Eklin digital radiography unit


endoscope


4 power floats


cryosurgery unit


therapeutic laser


tonometer


rescue equipment (rated sling, equine lift, glide).

The Caseload:

Our cases represent all breeds and disciplines, and an interesting variety of clinical challenges are faced every year.

Services provided to our clients include:

preventative medicine

sport horse medicine


reproduction

ophthalmology


emergency medicine

dentistry


prepurchase exams

neonatology


internal medicine

minor elective surgery


acupuncture

In addition, GVEC provides on-site services for local events, including Stuart Horse Trials (3-day event) and the Genesee Valley Hunt Races (steeplechase).

The Doctors:

GVEC currently employs 6 veterinarians and 1 intern. Many of our clinicians have developed areas of special interest.

Dr. Ann Dwyer is well-known around the country for her interest and skills in ophthalmology.

Dr. Amy Leibeck has a special interest in reproduction and neonatology.

Dr. Celeste Boatwright has pursued additional training in sports medicine and alternative therapies.

Dr. Erica Hutten interests are in sports medicine and dentistry.

Dr. Becky Posner maintains a strong interest in general medicine.

Dr. Joan Ayers also has a broad range of interests and is currently continuing to develop her special interests.

All of the veterinarians at GVEC employ each others’ skills and knowledge to collaborate on cases. In addition, GVEC enjoys all of the benefits of a major referral facility (Cornell University) within a 2 hour drive.

The Internship:

GVEC strives to provide a practical, well-rounded, educational experience during the internship year. During the initial 4 months, the intern is assigned to a staff veterinarian each day. The intern assists the staff veterinarian with her daily work, gaining knowledge, skills, and confidence along the way. During this time period, the intern is assigned with the on-call vet every other night and every other weekend. After the initial 4 months, the intern begins performing routine and emergency calls independently. However, a staff veterinarian is always assigned as back-up, and is always available for consultation or assistance with difficult cases. The “solo” work is intermixed with time riding with other veterinarians for continued training.

To complement his/her clinical experience, the intern gains additional skills in communication and client education in the form of short courses and the development of informational client brochures. In addition, the intern experience is further enhanced by opportunities to attend CE, spend time with a local farrier, and assist a colleague for a few days on the backside of a local thoroughbred racetrack.

While the internship year is intense by its nature, we try and make it easier with scheduled time off and a lot of humor along the way!

Why GVEC?

The veterinarians and staff at GVEC are passionate about providing mentorship to young equine veterinarians. All of the staff veterinarians at GVEC are dedicated teachers who enjoy sharing their experience and special interests in equine medicine. The intern always has someone to call for advice, even if you are “solo”. The caseload at GVEC is large enough to provide you with a wide range of experience, but small enough to actually allow you to learn from the cases. Unique to the internship at GVEC, ample time off is provided to the intern to allow you to digest and research cases that you’ve worked with.

All of us at GVEC welcome your interest in our internship program. Please feel to contact us with additional questions or for additional information. The clinic’s website (www.gvequine.com) and the AAEP Avenues website (www.aaep.org) are additional sources of information about our internship (including prerequisites for application). We welcome and encourage prospective intern candidates to visit our clinic. Our contact person for scheduling visits is Laura Johnson (studentinfo-gvec@rochester.rr.com). We look forward to meeting you!

Dr. Laura Perez (2003-2004) instructs eager young students at the children's short course.

Dr. Karen Warriner (2004-2005) utilizing the ultrasound to develop her diagnosis.

Dr. Emily Drake (2007-2008) honing her palpation skills.

Dr. Jennifer Johnston (2000-2001) GVEC's very first intern.

Dr. Laura Perez (2003-2004) giving her fullest concentration to medical examination.

Dr. Joan Ayers (2008-2009) discusses the finer points of
soft tissue injury with Dr. Amy Todd.