College of Veterinary Medicine

Overview

The Ohio State University Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences offers a variety of clinical programs for visiting veterinary students, interns, residents, graduate students, faculty, and practitioners. Visitor programs enrich our own clinical program, provide academic growth for visiting participants, and help other institutions meet specific programmatic needs. Visitors provide opportunities for collaboration and sharing of ideas in teaching, clinics, and research. International visitors enhance our cultural diversity and encourage development of professional relationships between OSU and the global veterinary community. In some cases, visiting students and residents from other institutions develop an interest in applying for future intern, resident, or faculty positions in our program.

Visitors are accepted by special arrangement and after approval from the faculty and Chair of the Department. The categories of visitor programs include the following.

Veterinary Students

• Visiting Student Clerkships—Unique clinical rotation experiences for visiting 4^th-year (senior) veterinary students who are enrolled in veterinary colleges in the United States.

• International Visiting Student Clerkships – Unique clinical rotation experiences for visiting senior veterinary students from colleges in countries outside of the United States.

Interns, Residents, and Graduate Students

• Visiting Intern, Resident, and Graduate Student Clerkships—Unique clinical rotation experiences for visiting veterinary interns and residents from post-professional training programs in the United States.

• International Visiting Intern, Resident and Graduate Student Clerkships – Unique clinical rotation experiences for visiting veterinary interns and residents from post-professional training programs in countries outside of the United States.

Faculty Professionals

• Visiting Faculty Professionals—Focused clinical experiences or academic collaborations for faculty members from peer colleges of veterinary medicine in the United States. 

• International Visiting Faculty Professionals Program—Unique experiences for international faculty from countries outside of the United States.

Practicing Veterinarians

• Visiting Practitioner Clerkships—Unique clinical rotation experiences for practicing veterinarians from the United States, including veterinarians in private practice, industry, or nonprofit programs.

• International Visiting Clerkships—Unique clinical rotation experiences for international visitors and observers who are practitioners from other countries.

Specialty Areas Available

Visiting clerkship rotations are usually for one week blocks in a specialty. Available clerkship rotations are listed below. Availability of rotations in a specialty area may be limited based on number of students, faculty staffing and programmatic needs and is subject to change without notice. Other areas of specialty focus may be possible by special arrangement. Visiting faculty professionals generally arrange to collaborate with a specific OSU faculty member. (see faculty listing at http://vet.osu.edu/1025.htm) 

• Small Animal Internal Medicine
• Cardiology and Interventional Medicine
• Neurology and Neurosurgery
• Oncology and Hematology
• Dermatology and Otology
• Comparative Ophthalmology
• Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care
• Community Practice, Shelter & Outreach Medicine
• Diagnostic Imaging (Radiology)
• Radiation Oncology
• Anesthesiology & Pain Management
• Small Animal Surgery (Soft Tissue and/or Orthopedics)
• Equine Medicine
• Equine Surgery
• Equine Emergency and Critical Care
• Equine Field Services (Ambulatory Medicine)
• Food and Fiber Animal Medicine and Surgery
• Theriogenology

Clinical Activities

The daily clinical activities of participants in visitor programs are varied and determined primarily by the hosting faculty in each specialty service.  Opportunities for learning are enhanced by the outstanding faculty, the large and diverse clinical caseload, and the comprehensive facilities of the OSU Veterinary Medical Center. Clerkship participants are encouraged to observe our faculty and students in all clinical activities, including patient exams, rounds, special procedures, and surgeries. Visitors do not have specific primary patient care responsibilities or structured didactic learning experiences. Compliance with Ohio Law, state licensure requirements, and University liability insurance coverage may limit hands-on clinical practice experience.  International visitors who have contact with a farm or farm animals, other cloven-hoofed animal, birds, non-human primates or small mammals (excluding dogs or cats) must also comply with the Policy on Human Entry into College Buildings Following Foreign Travel http://www.vet.ohio-state.edu/assets/pdf/depts/clinicalSci/policy/education/foreignTravelPolicy.pdf.

Guidelines and Information

Clerkship Grades:  Clerkships are not routinely graded or evaluated, but special forms will be completed and grades provided (pass/fail) for veterinary students whose institution requires completion of such forms. Visiting students must provide advance notice of special requirements for grading or evaluation when they submit their application. 

Accommodations:  Clerkship participants are expected to make their own arrangements for transportation and living accommodations. Many motels and hotels are available in the Columbus area through the Yellow Pages (http://www.yellowpages.com/), the Greater Columbus Convention & Visitors Bureau (http://www.experiencecolumbus.com/) or the OSU Housing website (http://offcampus.osu.edu/). International visitors may also get assistance through the university’s Office of International Affairs—OIA (http://oia.osu.edu/ ). 

Insurance:  As visitors may be exposed to zoonotic illnesses and animal inflicted injuries, visitors are encouraged to carry personal health insurance during their clerkship period.  The Ohio State University including its faculty, staff, students, agents and representatives are not responsible for illness or injuries encountered during participation in visitor programs and do not provide payment for any care received.

Liability:  Visitors in clinical areas of the Veterinary Medical Center will be required to complete the Visiting Clerkship & Professionals Program Request & Release form at  http://www.vet.ohio-state.edu/assets/pdf/depts/clinicalSci/policy/education/visitorApprovalForm.pdf.  This form includes a Release of Liability/Statement of Confidentiality.

Fees:  The standard visitor fee is $400 per week.  In some cases, the visitor fee may be waived for up to 4 weeks. Table 1 lists the fee requirements for each visitation category. In addition, a visa-processing fee of $450 payable in US currency is required for all international visitors who are not U.S. citizens, unless they qualify for a standard tourist visa. The visa processing fee cannot be waived. Payment of all fees before the scheduled visit is required in US dollars by bank draft, money order, or cashiers check, made out to The Ohio State University--Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences. Payments may also be made through an Online Payment link located at http://vet.osu.edu/visiting-payment.  Visitors will need to provide the correct payment amount, billing information, service area that the visitor has been approved to visit, and dates of the visit.  This site will allow you to charge the fees to your Visa, MasterCard, or American Express.  Wire transfers are not an acceptable form of payment.  For special circumstances that justify a waiver of the required visitor fee, the sponsoring faculty member must request approval from the Service Head and the Department Chair. Decisions on fee waivers are ultimately made at the department level.  Upon approval of the Visiting Clerkship & Professionals Program Request, the visitor will be notified of the specific fee requirements for their visit.

Application process 

Individuals interested in visiting must submit a complete application and payment for any applicable fees in advance of their planned visit.  Materials required for a complete application are detailed below.  Applications must be reviewed and approved by the faculty member, Service Head and chair of Veterinary Clinical Sciences.  For visitors requesting rotations through 2 or more clinical service areas, the faculty member and Service Head from each clinical service must approve the proposed visit for their specialty area, including the date and duration. Visitor requests may not be accommodated, if the proposed visit is scheduled to occur during a time when a large number of OSU veterinary students or other visitors are expected in the specialty service. Similarly, visits may need to be rescheduled if the proposed visit is to occur when faculty staffing is insufficient to meet programmatic needs.  All visitors must be approved by the Department Chair.   

When a decision is rendered on the application request, the applicant will be notified via the email provided on the Visiting Clerkship & Professionals Program Request and Release form.  If the application is approved, the applicant will be notified of the rotation(s) dates and applicable fees.   Fees, in total, are due prior to arrival and must be paid in US dollars by bank draft, money order, or cashiers check, made out to The Ohio State University--Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences.  Payments may also be made through an Online Payment link located at http://vet.osu.edu/visiting-payment. Visitors will need to provide the correct payment amount, billing information, service area that the visitor has been approved to visit, and dates of the visit.  This site will allow you to charge the fees to your Visa, MasterCard, or American Express.  Wire transfers are not an acceptable form of payment.  The visitor will also receive additional information regarding the visit; including the day and time to arrive on the first day and directions to the Veterinary Medical Center.

To apply, applicants must submit the following:

1. Completed Visiting Clerkship & Professionals Application Form found at: http://vet.osu.edu/assets/pdf/depts/clinicalSci/policy/education/visitorApprovalForm.pdf
2. For international visitors, proof of funding, if a visa is requested.
3. For students, a transcript or letter of verification from Dean of Student Affairs (or other comparable institutional official) verifying that the student is matriculated and in good academic standing in a college of veterinary medicine.
4. For interns, residents, faculty, and practitioners a curriculum vitae or resume.

Application materials should be mailed (preferred) or may be faxed (must be legible) to: 

The Ohio State University
Attn:  Education Program Coordinator
Veterinary Clinical Sciences
601 Vernon L. Tharp St.
Columbus, OH  43210
UNITED STATES
FAX:  (614) 292-0895 

Only complete application packets will be CONSIDERED. 

Fees 

Visitor Fee:  The standard visitor fee is $400 per week. In some cases, the visitor fee may be waived for up to 4 weeks. Table 1 lists the fee requirements for each visitation category. Visitors will be notified via email upon approval of the visit what fee, if any, they are responsible for. Fees are payable in US dollars by bank draft, money order, or cashiers check to The Ohio State University - Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences prior to the visit.  Payments may also be made through an Online Payment link located at http://vet.osu.edu/visiting-payment. Visitors will need to provide the correct payment amount, billing information, service area that the visitor has been approved to visit, and dates of the visit.  This site will allow you to charge the fees to your Visa, MasterCard, or American Express.  All applicable fees must be paid prior to the visit.  Fees are not refundable. 

Visa Processing: International visitors are required to have an appropriate visa and clearance from Homeland Security.  We charge a fee of $450 payable to The Ohio State University, for the administrative processing related to visa eligibility documents.  The visitor is responsible for paying this and all other fees and expenses incurred with the visa application. Processing fees must be received before J-1 eligibility documents and supporting materials will be sent to international visitors.  If a visa processing fee is required, this can be included in the same envelope with your visitor fee, but must be a separate check.

If the fee has not been paid on or before the first day, and satisfactory arrangements have not been made, the visitor will not be allowed to spend time in the department until the financial arrangements have been satisfied.  Once payment is made, the visitor will be allowed to participate in their visit.  If international visitors have not made financial arrangements within 3 days of the start of the visit, the University’s Office of International Affairs (OIA) will be informed that the visit has been cancelled and OIA will contact the appropriate US Agency to advise them that the visit has been cancelled.

Special Institutional Agreements

Formal agreements or contracts may be appropriate for veterinary schools and other institutions that send students or trainees to OSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine on a recurring basis. These negotiated agreements may provide for specific funding commitments or for a reciprocal exchange of students that is mutually beneficial to both institutions. Each institutional agreement is a unique contract that requires thorough consideration by the faculty and administrative approval by the Chair, Dean, and institutional fiscal officer. Our College currently has special institutional contractual agreements with Ross University, St. Georges University, and Rakuno Gakuen University (RGU; Japan).