College of Veterinary Medicine

Our veterinary hospital is interested in hosting fourth-year veterinary students in an externship program. Founded in 1984, the hospital holds a four year AAHA accreditation and received a Practice of Excellence Award from Veterinary Economics in 2000. We have previously hosted senior veterinary students from numerous veterinary colleges in the Midwest, the East Coast and overseas. Our interests include exotics (avian, reptiles, ferrets, rabbits, and other small mammals), orthopedics (including bone plating), feline medicine and surgery, behavior, geriatrics and advanced dentistry. Our hospital is equipped with a double surgery suite, four isoflurane/sevoflurane anesthetic machines, Abaxis Vet Scan Chemistry and Hematology analyzers, digital radiology, a variety of anesthetic monitoring equipment including capnography, pulse oximetry, ECG monitoring and Doppler blood pressure, a tonopen and a multipurpose rigid endoscope. We see a wide variety of cases-we may see a140 pound Great Dane for one appointment, and the next appointment may be a 50 gram hamster. The doctors have a good camaraderie and enjoy learning from each other. We would welcome the extern and would enjoy learning from them as well.

Dr Fisher is credentialed for ABVP, Exotic Companion Mammal, and will sit for the exam November, 2012

We have a complete up-to-date library of texts and journals, practice evidence based medicine and have clinical rounds twice daily

It is the goal of our veterinary and technician staff that the extern receive as much practical experience with small animals and exotics as possible. Our 4 doctors keep up on their CE and practice good quality small animal medicine with a clientele that generally goes for thorough workups. Students should anticipate assisting doctor in small animal and exotic species medical workups and offering opinions. Expect to be quizzed! We have three licensed veterinary technicians that can be very helpful in the art of venipuncture, catheter placement, clin path and anesthesia. All students should be able to experience and hopefully perform these techniques in a variety of exotic species as well as dogs and cats. Students should anticipate doing routine surgeries (spay, neuters) in dogs and cats and be able to assist with more difficult soft tissue or orthopedic procedures. This depends on comfort level and experience of the individual. We work with cat, ferret and rabbit rescue groups and student should anticipate being exposed to cat spays and neuters (students do many of these), ferret adrenalectomies, rabbit spays and neuters. Exotic mammal medical caseload is significant. Our avian caseload is fairly heavy as well and we see anywhere from 3-8 avian cases a day. Reptiles- 1-2 case per day. We are always seeing something unique on a daily basis when it comes to our surgeries, so exposure will vary with what comes in the door.

Our hospital is open 8-7 Mon- Thurs., 8-5:30 on Fri and 7-12 noon on Sat. We take Sun off. Extern would be expected to work as many of those hours as they desire. Minimal requirements as outlined by your individual university should be followed (currently minimum is 40 hours per week).