Horsemed SA Internship Program, South Australia, Sponsorship Assistance Provided

Horsemed SA Internship Program

1st June 2023 - The Directors of HorsemedSA and Morphettville Equine Clinic invite applications for an 18-month internship program based in a busy specialist equine only veterinary practice in Adelaide, South Australia. The applicant must have a degree in Veterinary Medicine and Surgery registerable in Australia.

The Practice

Horsemed SA operates at two sites, HorsemedSA Hills in the Adelaide Hills, and Morphettville Equine Clinic in Adelaide South Australia.

Morphettville Equine Clinic is a large, high profile specialist equine clinic operating out of a well-equipped hospital facility. The Clinic is located adjacent to Morphettville racecourse. The Practice was founded in 1983 and is South Australia’s premier specialist Veterinary facility for horses.

A wide variety of medical and surgical cases are admitted to the hospital each year, both by primary access and by referral from other veterinary surgeons from South Australia and interstate and from within our own practice.

The Staff

We have a large team of equine veterinarians with six veterinarians based at the Morphettville clinic and seven veterinarians based at the Hills clinic with a total of thirty-five staff including support staff and nurses.

The Hospital Caseload

The hospital case load encompasses a wide variety of equine medical and surgical cases and currently comprises approximately 60% of thoroughbred racehorses in training, with the remainder of the caseload consisting of a combination of standardbred racehorses, eventers, showjumpers, ponies and pleasure horses.  Approximately 500 inhalation anesthetics are performed annually facilitating an interesting variety of equine medicine and surgery.  Standing surgery is also routinely performed and intensive care is a large component of our in-hospital care. We provide a service 365 days a year with a shared out of hours roster.

The Role

The successful applicant will receive training and practice in equine anaesthesia, surgery, lameness investigation and diagnostic imaging (including but not limited to radiology, endoscopy and ultrasonography).You will be involved in the day-to-day treatment of hospitalised medical and surgical patients including intensive care along with some routine treatments of racehorses in training and ambulatory calls as required. You will administer equine anaesthetics on a daily basis as required and will perform some routine surgery, lameness evaluations and colic and medicine case assessments. There is opportunity to spend time in our Hills Clinic undertaking ambulatory work and being exposed to a variety of first opinion cases.

You will initially be supervised for out of hours work when you initially join the team, which includes (but is not limited to) afterhours consultation - both hospital based and ambulatory and out-of-hours treatment of hospitalised cases as well as performing anesthesia for out-of-hours equine emergencies. Once you are considered capable and confident you will join our out of hours roster equally with the other veterinarians (usually one in 4 or 5) plus one night a week and shared public holidays. You will be always supported by senior veterinarians and our specialist surgeon on call. We value our veterinarian’s work life balance, and you will work a 4.5 week with an RDO for a weekend or public holiday worked.

You will communicate twice daily with senior veterinarians on hospital cases and be provided with ongoing imaging and case analysis by our surgeons and senior veterinarians.  You will be expected to assist in publishing at least one case report in a peer reviewed veterinary journal during the internship and contribute to various other ongoing clinical studies within the practice, the results of which will be given the opportunity to present at regional or national conferences.

The Person

Applicants should ideally have 1-2 years’ experience in mixed or equine practice; however, applications are encouraged from outstanding new graduates.  You should be a good team player, have excellent communication skills and have a strong work ethic.

Equipment and Facilities

The Morphettville equine clinic currently provides facilities for the hospitalisation of 10 horses and has full surgical facilities including a dedicated operating suite, arthroscopy, laparoscopy and AO/ASIF fracture repair equipment.  There are in-house laboratory facilities along with digital radiography and ultrasound, video endoscopy including gastroscopy, an extracorporeal shockwave therapy unit and access to a high-speed treadmill facility for endoscopy and overground endoscopy.

Expected Outcomes

At the end of the internship program the applicant will be proficient in equine anaesthesia, examination of horses for lameness, evaluation of medicine cases, equine diagnostic imaging, general racetrack practice and ambulatory calls. The applicant will also develop a through understanding of equine surgical principles.

At the end of the program the applicant is expected to be well-positioned, encouraged and assisted to apply for an equine residency position either here or abroad.  Many of our previous interns have gone to complete university residency training programs or careers in specialist Equine practice, both here and abroad.

Applications

Applications should be directed to The Directors, Morphettville Equine clinic along with a current curriculum vitae along with the contact details of three referees.

Please send your CV via the Apply Now button. 

Terms of Employment

Applications are invited for an 18-month fixed term employment contract. 

Salary will be dependent on experience ranging from AU$65K (new graduates) to AU$75K (experienced graduates) plus car, phone, superannuation and out of hours bonus.

We are happy to assist sponsorship for the successful applicant if it’s required. 

Further Information

Please contact Dr. Holly Lewis or Dr. Todd Booth for further information regarding the post.

Email: ceo@horsemedsa.com

Telephone: +61 (8) 82948900.