Working Student Program
Program Details
Performance Equine Vets is a progressive multi-doctor practice in Aiken, South Carolina. The main areas of the practice include reproduction, sports medicine, lameness and surgery. Aiken comprises a large, versatile community of horses. This allows the students exposure to a variety of diagnostics, procedures and treatments. Rotation through the departments offers a diversity in the team members experience and interests, this allows varied opinions and approaches to case management. Lameness evaluations, reproductive examinations, general practice visits and emergencies are seen both in the Hospital and on Field Service. This allows for an assortment of interest throughout the day. All of our rotations provide an opportunity for learning. Concepts and techniques will be discussed and reviewed at the end of each day. Our working student program has grown over the years and allowed PEVS the opportunity to form a customized schedule for our students. We pride ourselves on practicing excellent medicine and wish to pass along knowledge allowing students of our program to grow in their future endeavors.
During the program the student will be working under the supervision and guidance of our highly trained equine technicians as well as our staff of Veterinarians. The student will gain skills and knowledge in handling of the mare and foal, assisting with breeding of the mare, assisting with delivery of the foal, recipient mare herd care and management, assistance with management of the post-partum mare as well as care of the critically ill mare and foal. Students will be involved with initial assessment, treatments and management of the reproductive equine patient while hospitalized. In the Hospital, the student will assist with nursing care including grooming, feeding and turnout, as well as proper treatment and care of laboratory samples. Students will be expected to participate in sanitation, restocking and preparation of the examination areas. On the Field Service rotation, the student will gain valuable knowledge in patient restraint and patient preparation for procedures while assisting the veterinarian. The student will have primary call duty and will be expected to help the veterinarian and technician with emergencies after hours on a rotational basis.
Working Student Expectations
Our working student program requires dedicated individuals that are committed to hard work and long hours. Our hospital and staff operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days per year (including all holidays). Days off will rotate and night shifts will be involved in the schedule as needed. Throughout the work week students should anticipate working 50 – 70 hours. During this time students will have the opportunity to experience all aspects of the reproductive veterinary practice. We expect uniformly ethical conduct and excellent communication skills. All students will be expected to complete projects assigned in a timely fashion. Seek assistance from your supervisor or other staff members when needed, we look forward to providing mentoring whenever it is desirable. The ability to work as a team with a positive attitude and good people skills are requirements.
About Aiken
In the late 19th century, Aiken gained notoriety as a winter playground for the rich and famous. This “Winter Colony”, often credited to Thomas Hitchcock, Sr. and William C. Whitney, became a seasonal home for many notable people. George H. Bostwick, James B Eustis, Madeline Astor, William K. Vanderbilt, Eugene Grace, Allan Pinkerton, W. Averell Harriman, Seymour H. Knox II, Dorothy Goodyear Rogers heir to the Woolworth fortune, Devereaux Milburn, C. Oliver Iselin and others owned farms in Aiken.
Evidence from those historic days of old can be found in Aiken’s Hitchcock Woods, the largest urban forest in the nation. Once owned by Louise and Thomas Hitchcock, these impressive woods sprawl over 2,000 acres of forestland with more than 70 miles of sandy trails to explore. In 1939, the Hitchcock family committed 1,191 acres into “The Hitchcock Woods Foundation”, a nonprofit organization established to protect these woods for generations to come. In recent decades, the Foundation acquired an additional 900 acres expanding the use of this pristine and natural landscape. More than 100 years of equestrian sports continue in these woods.
Numerous disciplines are represented in Aiken lending to a truly unique equestrian community. Fox Hunting, Eventing, Polo, Combined Driving, Hunter/Jumper, Dressage, Cutting, Barrel Racing, and Thoroughbred Training to name a few. In addition, Aiken’s close proximity to the metropolitan offerings in Columbia, Charleston and Augusta make this area a best-of-both-worlds place to live.
Established in 2005, Performance Equine Vets has grown into one of the largest clinics in the South Eastern United States. A state of the art Surgical Center, Critical Care Hospital and world class Reproduction Facility make Performance Equine Vets the only choice for professional horse owners and trainers seeking total care.
Join us as we grow PEVS into the future. Be a part of our success!
Housing
Accommodation, including utilities, is available to working students. Students are, however, responsible for their own meals.
Salary Package
$200/wk.
Applications
Click the Applicant link below. Your Curriculum Vitae and cover letter must be attached to the application. For more information, please email contact@equinefertilityinstitute.com
Closing Date
Applications close February 1
Walking out of my sophomore year and into new experiences, Performance Equine Vets was one of the most pivotal experiences in my undergraduate career development. The first day at the clinic, I was welcomed by the staff with open arms and I even got to live right on site so I was only ever a few steps away from the excitement at the clinic!
I was not eager to enter a reproductive medicine internship but decided to follow that route because of the more flexible hours that would allow me to continue training for my collegiate sport. I was more interested in surgery and clinical medicine (at least that’s what I thought). Working closely with Marcella and Emily, I applied the reproductive equine cycle to real life situations. Marcella and Emily were incredible teachers, helping me to learn when to administer which drugs so that horses would ovulate at the correct time or when to perform treatments on different mares.
During my time at PEVS, I learned how to perform and interpret rectal ultrasounds on the large herd of recipient mares. Palpating my first mare, I still cannot believe how easy Marcella and Emily made it look. When I first started, I would celebrate finding just one ovary before handing the ultrasound off to the real professionals. By the end of my time at PEVS, I gained so much confidence in everything to do with equine reproduction. Not only was I able to ultrasound mares, but I actually understood what I was looking at and what to do for that mare. PEVS gave me more confidence in the equine world than I could have ever imagined during my undergraduate education. Leaving the clinic, I am certain that reproductive medicine is an interest of mine solely because of the incredible experience I had.
I would also like to point out how amazing the staff and veterinarians are at PEV. I was given the opportunity to learn from board certified veterinarians and ride along with some of them. Because the staff knew I liked the hospital, they would send me up when something “cool” was happening and I was given the opportunity to see lots of NICU foals, colic surgeries, etc because of the extremely accommodating staff. Everyone at PEVS is happy to have students helping for the summer and excited to see students learn. I was blown away by the positive culture at PEVS and hope one day I can work at a clinic with so many talented veterinarians!