Info on externships???

Has anyone at vet school either completed an externship or have any info on any externships offered either in england or abroad? e.g. rossdales or greenwood and ellis in Newmarket, Liphook?

Reply 1

Dave Singleton

I know someone who completed an externship at Rossdales who qualified from Bristol 3 years ago. I am personally hoping to do the same... but that is a few years away!

At Bristol they accept a couple every year - a lot of people (as you would expect) go for it so acceptance onto the externship is based on your CV and a particular CV/reference prepared by the vet school. To get into it you need to be GOOD - this particular guy qualified second in his year to give you a rough idea of the quality expected.

There is a section on the Rossdales site on externships - don't know if you have seen it yet?

I believe some of the other places are more relaxed about the process ~ an ask yourself rather than officially apply sort of thing. Not sure on that though!

PS Forgot to mention --- in his words "it was <insert appropriate word here> hard work!!" As he was staying on-site he was expected to monitor the in-patients as well as assist with emergencies and work during the day. It basically meant little sleep

Reply 2

Annaconda

thanks for that info! working for a place like that would be my ideal job!

Reply 3

smithjed

Hey thanks Dave, I don't suppose you have the guy who did the externships email? If you could ask him whether I could ask him more about it. I have looked into many various externships, Do you know which externship he did at rossdales as there are hospital, diagnostics and stud ones?

All the externships are very long hours and you are expected to do night weekend calls and checks etc.

Have you heard anything on any others eg Greenwood and Ellis or Liphook, Kentucky?

Reply 4

Dave Singleton

I'll ask when I next see him, if I remember! It maybe a little while as I am bouncing in the lambing direction for a few weeks ~ is that ok? I believe he did it in diagnostics, though there is something in the back of my mind which says that he may have spent a week in hospital. If I may ask, are you at vet school at the moment? If so, which one?

I can't say I've heard much more from the others, apart from what's on the websites of course. I do know someone who has seen practice at the Animal Health Trust, Newmarket for a couple of weeks - though that is obviously different to an externship. He did say though that it was worthwhile - though biosecurity is apparently really high in places.

Talking of which -- Beaufort Cottage? Maybe worth a try...

Reply 5

smithjed

Yeah I am at vet school, I am currently in my third year at RVC, trying to organise an externship for my final year as after uni I am hoping to undertake an internship and continue a career in equine practise. My predominant interest being sports medicine! At rossdales I was also looking at the diagnostic externship, although I don't want to be too restricted in the area of my externship. I will probably apply to a few and at that stage i may have no choice as to which I go. I have seen practice etc at a very good referral practice near me (O'Gormans Slater and Main...) they are not lacking in the area but an externship looks better on the old CV and I think the structure of them also means that although you are worked ridiculously hard you get a lot from them.

Are you also at vet school? Which?

Reply 6

Dave Singleton

Darn that is a good referral practice you've got there! I'm jealous of that MRI, lol.

Does Rossdales have a treadmill? I know the AHT does which maybe better for you if you're interested in sports med? Any idea where you want to intern?

I'm guessing the RVC doesn't organise externships for you/collect applications? They may do, though Bristol is obviously different given that they organise all placements for students.

I'm going to vet school in October ~ Bristol (offer) or liverpool (waiting). I am also looking in the horsey direction!

Reply 7

smithjed

MRI is good for diagnostics but bloody boring if you have to sit there doing it for hours! I am not sure whether rossdales have a treadmill, I don't think they do, not many place s have them yet, but I don't think that particularly makes you miss much at a practice! Not sure where I would like to intern, over the next couple of years I want to go to a number of diff practices to see which suits me most and salary, what comes with the job etc...I may work for a year before I do an internship, it all depends on what is on offer when I finish uni, I think it would be handy to do a mixed job to start with then do an internship after then if you ever wanted to do smalls after the internship you would still feel confident doing the smalls surgery, where as if yoiu did the internship then went straight into a mixed job because there was nothing else you would practically be a new graduate to the smalls as you would have no experience! Once I'm into a horse job I will prob never look back, that is why I would maybe want to do a bit of small/ farm work early on!

RVC doesn't organise placements which I think is for our benefit, it is tricky when you can't find placements esp when you ring a practice and they say sorry we are a foster practice for bristol grrr! But we do get to apply to do EMS anywhere....all over the world, all over the country or very very close to home! Best of both worlds!

So are you at college at moment? Where is your first choice? Not RVC tut tut!

Reply 8

Dave Singleton

I've heard that it is an advantage to do a year or two in mixed general practice before going for an internship - in fact something in the back of my mind says that some of the hospitals/practices require it. Even if they don't, I agree that you definitely want to be a generally competent vet before going definitely in one direction. I'm certainly planning on finding a mixed practice somewhere first; though you can never tell for certain where you'll end up!

I'm on a gap year at the moment - heading for vet school in Sept/Oct. I've got offers from Bristol & Liverpool so I'm currently trying to decide between them! I'll probably go for liverpool though as that has been my constant favourite; though I'm still going through the process of deciding.

Reply 9

AlmostAVet

Externships are crazily hard work (not for the faint hearted) and not totally necessary to get an internship later on. Sometimes they can be more hard work than actually valuable learned experience, so don't just do it to get brownie points for staying up all night to take temperatures etc!! Some externships better than others.
Good places to see practice for equines - Orthopaedics -> Newmarket equine hospital (formerly Greenwood Ellis & Ptnrs); equine medicine and soft tissue surgery - Liverpool (Leahurst) - fab colic surgery experience plus colic work-ups pre surgery.
Any of the places allied to the rescue centres cos you get loads of hands-on practice - (WHW in Norfolk, Redwings in LIncolnshire(?))