Palm Beach Equine Clinic’s internship and externship programs offer a unique experience in the practice of veterinary medicine. Our internship/externship/shadowing opportunities are reserved for students who are currently accepted into veterinary school and working to complete their DVM degree.
Wellington is home to the Winter Equestrian Festival. This festival lasts twelve weeks and is the largest and longest-running equestrian competition in the world. Wellington’s highly competitive shows attract the best of dressage, hunter, and jumper riders and horses. Additionally, the polo season in Wellington runs from January to late April and attracts the world’s top players. The surrounding areas boast a wide range of western sport horses supporting veterinarians to practice in an array of disciplines.
This clinic has primarily two main parts: hospital and ambulatory.
Our intensive care hospital barn includes a large surgical and medical caseload, outpatient calls, as well as, a full week of imaging cases for both Nuclear Scintigraphy and MRI cases. We have three Board Certified surgeons on staff for our practice. We also have a Board Certified Internist during season. Surgery days are Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout the winter season. During our busiest months, we perform around 15-25 surgeries per week. These vary from elective castrations and orthopedic surgeries to emergency colic and fracture repair surgeries.
Our Diagnostic Imaging department is one of the best in private practice throughout the country. We have the latest technologies including Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Nuclear Scintigraphy (Bone Scan), Ultrasonography, Digital Radiography Gastroscopy, and Endoscopy. Our Board Certified Radiologist, Dr. Sarah Puchalski, is one of the finest equine imagists in the world and spends her winters on site with PBEC.
Palm Beach Equine Clinic offers 24-hour emergency service for our staff of 30 veterinarians, as well as veterinary referrals from all over South Florida. This allows us to provide the very best in care to all critical patients.
Several veterinarians at PBEC provide largely ambulatory services for their clients. Additionally, many of our veterinarians have personal interests and specialties that they focus on. We have veterinarians that specialize in alternative therapies including Acupuncture, Equine Chiropractic Manipulation, laser therapy, Herbal therapy and food therapy. We also have veterinarians focused on Dentistry, Reproduction and Sport Horse lameness specialists to cover a wide range of patient needs.
In addition to the veterinary hospital and ambulatory services, we host several educational programs that support recently graduated veterinarians and pre-vet students still in high school. Our interns and externs are required to attend morning rounds of hospital cases, weekly journal club and weekly radiology rounds (seasonally). We have created a program for students that is focused on educating, rather than just observing or shadowing.
The externship program is non-stipend. The extern is responsible for arranging accommodations for housing and transportation for the duration of their stay. Additionally, the extern is responsible for providing their own health insurance and VISAs if necessary.
The internship program benefits, salary and accommodations are discussed with applicants within the interview.
FAQ’s
Does the externship offer housing, vehicle or stipend?
Palm Beach Equine Clinic DOES NOT provide housing accommodations for externs. We are unable to provide any vehicle or payment for time while on externship at PBEC. Externs are responsible for organizing this themselves. Unfortunately, assistance can’t be given at this time. For more information please contact Dr. Scott Swerdlin at [email protected].
What do I wear while on externship at PBEC?
We ask externs to dress professionally and appropriately during their time. This includes nice khakis or jeans and a nice button down top or polo shirt. Appropriate shoe choice for working with horses should be worn. Please no sweatshirts (hoodies) or yoga/sweat pants while working with PBEC.
Where do I go the first day?
On the first day of your externship, please meet the interns in the barn just before rounds at 8am. They will be expecting you. Further information on what you will be doing during the externship will be provided that morning.
My school requires a review. Who do I send this to?
All reviews should be sent to Dr. Michael Myhre at [email protected] and Dr. Marilyn Connor at [email protected].
Any concerns during your externship should also be addressed to Dr. Swerdlin.
How do I apply for an internship?
An externship is required prior to an internship. Preference is given to those that have completed an externship and completed an interview with selection committee. All applications for internship program should be sent to Dr. Michael Myhre at [email protected] and Dr. Marilyn Connor at [email protected].
In your request email, we kindly request that any applicants include the completed survey below, a current CV, photograph and reference. We look forward to expanding your knowledge at Palm Beach Equine Clinic!