Equine Veterinary Externships

The equine veterinary externship program at the Equine Specialty Hospital is designed for third and fourth year veterinary students who wish to gain more experience in a private practice referral setting. We encourage students to commit 2-4 weeks to their experience. The first week emphasizes orientation and training but students will have an active, hands-on externship from the beginning. Students will be assigned to a specialist for each week of their stay. This may vary pending the case load of each specialist, and the interests of the student (surgery vs. medicine). Professional attire is required, and consists of a collared shirt, khaki pants, and appropriate footwear, all in good condition. Scrubs are not provided.

A $50 stipend is provided per week. Please note that there are no restaurants or shopping venues within walking distance. A 2-bedroom apartment with a private bath and small kitchen including toaster oven and microwave is provided on-site. The apartment is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Laundry facilities are also available on-site. Bed linens will be provided, but students should bring their own towels, etc. Facilities for pets are not available. Since students are staying on the property, they are expected to participate in all after-hours emergencies.

The closest airports are Cleveland International and Akron-Canton Airports. However, the clinic is located 30-45 minutes from each airport, and if flying, the student will be required to provide rental car transportation. Students are encouraged to actively participate in all aspects of veterinary medicine while staying at ESH. Therefore, proof of AVMA PLIT student insurance is required.

Our caseload focuses mainly on sports medicine and the equine athlete. However, a large number of colic's, wounds, neurologic conditions, etc are admitted on routine basis. Some cases, such as critically ill foals, occur mainly during late spring and early summer. The Equine Specialty Hospital also provides CT, MRI, Nuclear Scintigraphy, and digital radiography and ultrasound capabilities. The student is encouraged to become involved in these cases as they arrive at the clinic.

We hope that this provides you with satisfactory information regarding the externship offered by the Equine Specialty Hospital. Additional questions are encouraged, and should be directed to Dr. Melissa Milligan at (440) 834-0811, or use our Contact page and click the button for Externship Program. If ready to apply, please fill out the form below.