Internship Programs
In 1998, the AAVC established an ad hoc committee to survey academic clinical programs regarding the essential elements of their internship programs. Discussion of this information was expanded further at the 1999 annual meetings of both the ACVIM and ACVS. While a broad range of opinions exists for the specific standards for internship programs, there is general agreement on a subset of core elements that we believe may form the basis of guidelines for these programs. The matching program was created solely to centralize announcements for available training positions and to provide a centralized matching system that is equitable for applicants and institutions/private practices. Participation in the matching program has always been on a voluntary basis. The AAVC is an association dedicated to promoting postgraduate clinical education, and does not regulate or certify internship and residency programs that are included in the VIRMP.
The AAVC Internships Standards Committee has developed the following questions that may help applicants when evaluating programs of interest to them. Each participating institution/private practice is asked to respond to these questions. Applicants may want to consider these points when ranking internships. The AAVC encourages applicants to research their selected programs thoroughly.
This information is included in the description of internships listed on the VIRMP.
Internship Program Disclosure Form
- Do your interns have primary case responsibility?
- Do your interns have an assigned mentor and/or receive performance evaluation?
- Do you conduct teaching rounds with your interns?
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Are interns permitted to attend Continuing Education Courses?
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Are your interns required to present formal seminars?
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Do your interns participate in a journal club?
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Do your interns have 24 hour access to library and computer facilities?
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Are your interns provided with a computer to use?
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Do your interns perform surgery?
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Does the practice have a 24-hour emergency care service?
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What percentage of the internship does the intern spend on emergency duty?
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Does the practice employ licensed/certified/registered veterinary technicians?
- Do your interns have access to the following equipment/technology, either on-site or outsourced?
- Blood Pressure Monitoring
- Bone Plating Equipment
- CT Scan
- Digital Radiography
- Echocardiography
- Electrocardiography
- Endoscopy
- MRI
- Ultrasound
While most internships
are rotating and offer instruction in several disciplines,
some internships only offer training in a single
discipline. Applicants should be aware that some
internships listed may be single discipline.
