Rotating internship in small animal medicine, surgery, ECC, oncology and radiology

Wheat Ridge Animal Hospital

Intern Survey Results

Positions: 12
Survey Responses: 4
Category: Small Animal Rotating
Program Dates: 6/15/2016 to 7/5/2017

Responses except for Question 11

  1. Strongly Disagree
  2. Disagree
  3. Neither agree or disagree
  4. Agree
  5. Strongly Agree

Questions

  1. The internship met the program description as provided in the VIRMP

    Mean: 4.0

  2. The time spent on emergency duty matched the program description

    Mean: 3.5

  3. I received an orientation to the work environment and job requirements at the start of the internship

    Mean: 5.0

  4. I was provided with supervision and opportunity to consult with other doctors at the institution/practice regarding patient care

    Mean: 4.8

  5. Rounds, journal clubs, or other educational opportunities were regularly available during the internship

    Mean: 5.0

  6. Adequate opportunity to study and prepare for clinical cases was provided

    Mean: 3.5

  7. I was satisfied with the clinical training opportunities provided during the internship

    Mean: 4.3

  8. The internship met my learning objectives

    Mean: 4.3

  9. I was treated in a professional manner by staff and other doctors

    Mean: 3.3

  10. I would recommend this internship program to a friend or colleague

    Mean: 4.5

  11. The average number of hours I worked per week

    Mean: 4.0

    1. Less than 40 hours
    2. 40-49 hours
    3. 50-59 hours
    4. 60-69 hours
    5. 70-79 hours
    6. Greater than 80 hours

Program Being Evaluated Follows

Employment Information

Salary: 32,000

Benefits: We pay a portion of your health insurance. We pay for your professional liability insurance. We pay for your state and local veterinary association dues. We provide surgical scrubs and white coats.

Vacation: 5 vacation days plus 2 personal days

Is a contract required? Yes

Is a non-compete clause required? No

Is a State license required? Yes    If yes, what is the licensure fee? $250 for 2 years

Is a DEA license required? No

Is USDA accreditation required? Yes

Caseload

The following information represents the average of cases in direct support of this program

Total No. Annual Cases: 30,000
Average Daily No. Cases Presented to Hospital: 90
Average No. Cases Treated Daily as Outpatients: 75
Average No. of Inpatients Each Day: 15
Average No. Daily Surgeries Performed: 10
Average No. of Emergency Cases Seen Daily: 35

Number of Faculty/Clinicians in Direct Support of Program: 22
Number of Residents in Direct Support of Program: 0

Diplomates in Direct Support of Internship

Full Time Part Time/Consultant Full Time Part Time/Consultant
ABVP 1 ACT
ACVAA 2 ACVD
ACVCP ACVN
ACVO 1 ACVR 3
ACVS 2 ACZM
AVDC 1 ACVECC 2
ACVIM/CARD 1 ACVIM/INTMED 5
ACVIM/NEUR 1 ACVIM/ONC 1
ACVB ABVT
ACLAM ACPV
ACVM ACVP
ACVPM ACVIM/LA
ACVR/ONC ACVSMR 1

Registered/Licensed/Certified Veterinary Technicians

In Direct Support of Program: 50
Assigned to the Emergency Service per shift: 4
Assigned to the Intensive Care Unit per shift: 3

Clinical Experience and Responsibilities

  1. Yes No
    Does the intern have primary case care responsibility for first-opinion and emergency/critical care cases?
  2. Yes No
    Is the intern the primary surgeon on a broad range of elective and entry-level procedures?
  3. Yes No
    Does the intern have primary case care responsibility for complex cases with supervision by a boarded specialist?
  4. Yes No
    Are patient rounds held daily with a boarded specialist in attendance?
  5. 92%
    What is the percentage of time the intern will be directly supervised?

Didactic Training

  1. Yes No
    Are teaching rounds held weekly?
  2. Yes No
    Does the intern deliver a professional presentation or seminar to senior clinicians and peers?
  3. Yes No
    Does the intern have an opportunity to attend a professional meeting?
  4. Yes No
    Is financial support provided to attend a professional meeting?
  5. Yes No
    Is the intern required to complete/submit a publication?

Facilities

  1. Yes No
    Does the intern have access to current medical textbooks?
  2. Yes No
    Is a computer with internet access provided?
  3. Yes No
    Does the intern have access to search engines for scientific literature and online journals?
  4. Yes No
    Does the primary hospital have an intensive care unit?

Equipment

  1. Do interns have access to the following equipment/technology, either on-site or outsourced?
    • Ultrasonography
    • Electrocardiography
    • Blood Pressure Monitoring
    • Echocardiography
    • Endoscopy
    • CT Scan
    • Bone Plating Equipment
    • MRI
    • Digital Radiography
    • Laparoscopy
    • Arthroscopy
    • Basic clinical laboratory equipment
    • Nuclear Medicine
    • Blood Gas Analysis
    • Diagnostic Laboratory
    • Physical Therapy

Scheduling

These percentages may not be cumulative

  1. 12%
    Percentage of program intern is assigned to daytime primary emergency
  2. 8%
    Percentage of program intern is assigned to overnight primary emergency
  3. 16%
    Percentage of program intern is assigned to first opinion (primary care) clinics
  4. 0%
    Percentage of program intern is provided elective time
  5. 0%
    Percentage of program intern is required to work at a secondary (satellite) clinic

Orientation/Supervision/Mentoring

  1. Yes No
    Is a formal orientation program required?
  2. Yes No
    Does the intern have a mentor who is a veterinarian in the practice?
  3. Yes No
    Are written performance evaluations provided?
  4. Yes No
    Is an internship orientation manual provided?

Additional Information about Program

Wheat Ridge Animal Hospital (WRAH) is located in a Western Suburb of Denver, Colorado. The greater Denver metropolitan area provides various cultural, social and sporting events and the Rocky Mountains provide a variety of outdoor activities year round (see our website at www.wheatridgeanimal.com).WRAH has been part of the Denver community since 1954 and has been an AAHA-certified hospital since 1963. In 2008, WRAH became the first AAHA referral-certified hospital as well (certified in canine/feline practice, surgery, radiology, emergency/critical care and internal medicine). We are a general practice, referral/specialty practice and a twenty-four hour emergency/critical care hospital all housed in a 12,000 square foot facility built in 1996. We recently purchased a building that will be converted to a new 32,000 SF state of the art veterinary facility on or before January 2017. We see approximately 30,000 cases/year and average 20 hospitalized cases and 10 surgeries daily. The facility includes intensive care, 3 surgical suites, two special procedure rooms for ultrasound and fiberoptic examinations, two complete dental suites, 2 digital radiology suites, a complete in-house laboratory and a large conference room with a veterinary library. Our lower level includes the 3 surgical suites, an oncology work space with a laminar flow hood, digital radiography, spiral CT unit and an Esaote MRI unit. Equipment includes a TBird AVS III ventilator, CO2 laser, ASIF instrumentation, fiberoptic endoscopy and laparoscopy, ultrasound unit with color flow Doppler as well as digital dental, therapeutic laser and two 300 MA digital radiographic units with DR capture. Monitoring equipment includes EKG’s, pulse oximetry, end tidal CO2, as well as blood pressure equipment. Our current staff consists of approximately 34 veterinarians (including 12 rotating small animal interns and 1 surgery intern), and approximately 95 support personnel including 50 certified veterinary technicians (CVTs). Additional specialist support is provided by a nearby ophthalmology. We have board certified radiologists who are in the hospital 8 hours/day (M-F); they review and interpret all our DR imaging, MRI and CT scans, and perform the majority of our ultrasounds. Our rotating internship is designed to fulfill the prerequisite for all residency programs. Typical duties include daily case rounds, patient appointments, surgery, oncology, dermatology, neurology, cardiology and medical case management, radiology, anesthesia and special procedures (ultrasonography, endoscopy, dentistry, etc.). We recently added specialists in anesthesiology and sports medicine and rehabilitation. During some rotations, the interns also assist with the daily general practice caseload including office calls, wellness visits (including vaccinations), and elective surgeries. The interns share the day, overnight, and weekend emergency duty rotations throughout the year. Approximately 90% of the intern’s time is spent working directly with, or under the supervision of board-certified clinicians, established associate veterinarians, and other resident veterinarians. Didactic lectures from senior staff members are scheduled twice a month. Lectures cover all clinical disciplines as well as some business management and economic issues. Interns are expected to participate in various clinical presentations/discussions including twice monthly Journal Club and Intern Seminars, as well as monthly Grand Rounds Presentations, Morbidity/Mortality rounds and biannual CE Conferences, which is open to local practitioners. Interns are required to give two formal clinical case presentations/year and two lectures to the staff. Though not required, we make an effort to have the interns write and submit for publication at least 1 clinical case article or scientific paper/year. Research projects are encouraged. Staff clinicians will assist with the design and implementation of these papers. In addition, all interns are assigned a mentor for the year. A license to practice veterinary medicine in the state of Colorado (the NAVLE covers this) is required. An externship/visitation is strongly recommended (and must be completed before January 1, 2016). Those interested in externships should contact us at [email protected] for an externship application and information. Interns are expected to be highly motivated individuals who enjoy being challenged both professionally and personally. They must be enthusiastic and committed to learning and practicing quality medicine and surgery.