UF CVM Careers September Newsletter

Welcome to the September edition of the UF CVM Careers monthly newsletter! We hope the first few weeks of classes went well for everyone. This month, we're going to focus on internships and the Match.

We encourage you to keep up-to-date by following our Facebook page and watching for emails about dinners, workshops, and more!  

Veterinary Internships

Deciding whether or not to do an internship could be one of the choices that veterinary students face before they graduate. There are several reasons why students may consider completing an internship after graduation. Students who want to pursue a specialty, and therefore a residency, are sometimes required to complete an internship before they can be considered for a specific program, though there are some exceptions (e.g. pathology). Some students may be under the impression that completion of an internship will lead to an increase in salary; however, according to the AVMA, completion of an internship alone does not lead to significantly higher or lower salaries. Individuals who complete a residency, though, do earn "considerably" more than those who have not but data does not show that this increase in salary after training equates to the loss of salary one endures by not making a higher salary during the time of completion for the internship and residency requirements. 

The vast majority of interns (85%) are satisfied by their experience, according to a 2012 study conducted by the AVMA. Interns reported working longer hours (81% worked 60 or more hours per week) and earning significantly less compared to individuals who entered clinical practice their first year of employment.  You can find more data regarding internship evaluation on VIRMP website.

Finding Available Internships

If you've decided that you want to look into an internship after graduation. What next? The most common resource that students use is called "the Match," though there are some other options.

The Veterinary Internship and Residency Matching Program (VIRMP) or the Match is a large database of veterinary colleges and private veterinary practices compiled by the American Association of Veterinary Clinicians. Prospective interns and residents rank their preferred programs, while the institutions simultaneously rank the applicants. Then, the program matches applicants with the highest ranking institution that also ranked them. At the end of the matching period, not all applicants will have matched. If this is you, don't worry! There is an event called "the Scramble," where unmatched applicants are able to contact any unmatched institutions to find a position. For more information about the Match and a detailed list of deadlines, please visit the VIRMP website here.

Equine-oriented students have an additional resource provided by the American Association of Equine Practicioners (AAEP). The Avenues Program exists as a database solely for equine internships. Students must be an AAEP national member to access the database.  We encourage you to check with your mentors to find where internships or residencies in your area are advertised.

Choosing an Internship

Currently, there is no regulatory body that governs veterinary internships. The VIRMP collects data regarding the programs they offer, including information like how many interns went on to become residents or if teaching rounds are conducted on a weekly basis, but it is up to the applicant to investigate each program and decide if it is right for them. To help with this, the AVMA has published a broad list of guidelines that students should consider when researching internship programs.

1. Employment Information. This includes basic information such as specific working hours, on-call responsibility, compensation, benefits (or lack thereof), and specific regulatory requirements (like the need for a DEA license).

2. Orientation/Supervision/Mentoring. Ideally, an internship program should have a formal orientation to describe specific hospital policies, specific learning objectives, and the performance evaluation process. An experienced veterinarian should be assigned as a mentor.

3. Didactic Training. A strong didactic component is important for an effective internship. This includes activities such as teaching rounds, journal club, or funding to attend a professional meeting.

4. Clinical Experience and Responsibility. An individual's clinic experience depends on whether the internship is rotating or concentrated on a specialty. For a rotating internship, interns should have primary case responsibility for first-opinion and emergency cases, as well as the opportunity to act as the primary surgeon in elective and entry-level procedures. Throughout all of this, mentorship by a more experienced veterinarian is essential.

Some content collected by the AVMA (full article here)

Looking Ahead to Events

Learn more by clicking the links and don't forget to RSVP for food events!

Class of 2019 Resume Book - Friday, September 14, 2018; This is the last day to submit your resume to be published in the UF CVM Resume book. This book will be distributed to employers at Career Day and other conferences/alumni receptions attended by UF CVM this year. Please click on the link for detailed instructions on how to submit your resume. 

Specialist Panel - Monday, October 1, 2018, 5:30 p.m.; Are you thinking about pursuing a specialty after graduation? The Diversity and Inclusion Alliance is holding a specialist panel, where veterinarians will answer questions about how they got to their current position and why they chose their specialty.

LinkedIn Lunch & Learn - Wednesday, October 10, 2018, 12:20 - 1 p.m. UF CVM New Auditorium; Come join us as we talk about LinkedIn and how it relates to the veterinary profession. Lunch is provided, registration required and coming soon!

UF CVM Career Day Mock Interviews & Resume Reviews - Thursday, October 11, 2018, UF/IFAS Extension Straughn Professional Development Center. Registration Required

UF CVM Career Fair - Thursday, October 11, 2018, 3 - 5:30 p.m. UF/IFAS Extension Straughn Professional Development Center; Registration not required.  This event is open and highly encouraged for students of all years.

Career day is split into two separate parts.  The first portion of the day is filled with a lunch panel on professional communication, mock interviews, and resume reviews by veterinary professionals. This is open to students of all years, but fourth year students have first priority during this portion of the day. Check out our Facebook event for more information about this portion of Career Day.

Highlighted Gator CareerLink Job Postings

We have over 130 jobs currently listed on our job widget, below are the three most recent.  Click on the button below to view all of them.

Associate Veterinarian

Doral Centre Animal Hospital (Miami, FL)

Posting Date: Aug 29, 2018

 Shelter Veterinarian

Hillsborough County Pet Resource Center (Tampa, FL)

Posting Date: Aug 27, 2018

Associate ER Veterinarian

Hiawassee Veterinary Clinic (Orlando, FL)

Posting Date: Aug 21, 2018

For the full list of all current job postings, please click the link below

UF CVM Careers Facebook Page

Interested in staying up to date with career opportunities and other career related information that is accessible to you? Consider following us on our Facebook Page!  Check out the three most recent visitor posts below:

For requests to receive this newsletter or include information or events in this newsletter please contact KJerles@ufsa.ufl.edu