Learn from the best in large animal medicine

Looking to take your veterinary training to the next level? Then come join our dynamic large animal team and earn an internship or residency certificate. All of our programs are clinical-based and allow you to gain valuable hands-on experience by assisting our board-certified clinicians with the care of animals presented to the large animal side of our Veterinary Teaching Hospital. The large animal caseload includes around 3,000 animal visits per year with approximately 85% of those being equine. The remainder of the patients you will see vary from cattle and small ruminants to new world camelids and the occasional pot bellied pig.

Take a virtual tour of our facilities


Internship programs

Our internship programs take a year to complete and are non-degree graduate programs that lead to a recognized University certificate of internship. We offer several different opportunities.

Rotating Hospital Internship

Rotating Hospital Interns spend their time on the internal medicine, surgery, and anesthesia rotations. They interact constantly with faculty members in the respective services, assist in teaching final year veterinary students and may attend rounds and seminars in other departments.

The interns are an integral part of each rotation and participate in many ways:

  • The diagnosis and treatment of cases on a daily basis under the supervision of faculty members.
  • Assist faculty in the instruction and supervision of veterinary students.
  • Present cases in rounds for students, interns, and residents.
  • Provide emergency care to patients on a rotating basis.

This program is suited to a wide range of recently graduated veterinarians interested in all aspects of general large animal — and more specifically equine — medicine and surgery. Veterinarians who have completed this internship have entered diverse fields. Many have progressed into specialty practice, including surgery, medicine, pathology, and radiology, while others have elected to pursue general practice.

See available internship positions at https://jobs.aaep.org/jobs/13829476/large-animal-rotating-internship-uga-la-vth

How to apply

Applications for our rotating internship program are handled by the Department of Large Animal Medicine. Please send your completed application form, CV, Letter of Intent, and three letters of recommendation to [email protected].

Farm Practice Internship

This internship focuses on the areas of Farm Practice and Theriogenology and is designed to provide training and knowledge in the majority of large animal species including horses, dairy cattle, beef cattle, sheep, goats, and swine (limited to pet animals).The bulk of the intern’s time will be spent with the Farm Practice clinicians seeing animals in the local practice environment and teaching final-year veterinary students. Time also will be scheduled for the Theriogenology and Production Medicine rotations, with the final aim being to provide the intern with a well-rounded year, and exposure to several aspects of large animal practice.

Interns work under the supervision of senior staff members and are responsible for:

  • Primary participation in the daily activities of the Farm Practice service with on-farm calls.
  • Participation in Theriogenology cases on a scheduled basis.
  • Providing assistance in the instruction and supervision of veterinary students.
  • Providing emergency care to patients on a rotating basis
  • Submitting a scientific paper suitable for publication in a referred journal for completion of the internship.

Interns are encouraged to attend, and are scheduled to participate in, Farm Practice and Theriogenology rounds and seminars. Adequate time is allowed for consultation with senior staff members concerning cases, as well as for study and recreation.

How to apply

This program is run through the AAVC’s Veterinary Internship & Residency Matching Program. To view a complete program description and to apply, please visit https://www.virmp.org/.

Internship FAQs

How much time is spent on each service?

Rotating Hospital Internship: Each rotating intern spends 6-7 three-week blocks on medicine; 6-7 blocks on surgery; 2-3 blocks on emergency; 1 block on anesthesia; and 1 block is left for an elective. Generally, our hospital interns do not rotate through our ambulatory units.

Surgery & Emergency Critical Care Internship: The Surgery and ECC intern spends 10 three-week blocks on surgery; 5 blocks on emergency; and 2 blocks on an elective.

Farm Practice Internship: 50% of the internship is spent on Farm Practice, with the rest of the time on Theriogenology / Production Medicine electives.

Is an interview required?

Applicants are not required to do an interview. However, you may request a one-day visit to meet the clinicians and tour our facility by emailing [email protected].

Can I apply if I am not licensed in the U.S.?

Yes. Please note that the successful candidate will be licensed to practice by virtue of a faculty license. This license permits veterinarians from non-AVMA accredited veterinary schools to practice with UGA graduate programs, and may be obtained without examination.

Do my references need to send in letters of recommendation, or will you contact them according to the information that I give?

The Department of Large Animal Medicine will not solicit letters of reference.

If you are applying for the Rotating Hospital Internship, please have your references email letters of recommendation to [email protected].

Letters of reference for the Farm Practice Internship and the Surgery and ECC Internship should be submitted through VIRMP.

Can I still apply without having taken the NAVLE?

In order to obtain the Faculty License required for the Residency, taking the NAVLE is not necessary. If you were interested in obtaining a Georgia Veterinary License (in order to practice outside of the Vet School), passing the NAVLE would be required. The successful candidate will be licensed to practice by virtue of a faculty license. This license permits veterinarians from non-AVMA-accredited veterinary schools to practice within UGA graduate programs, and may be obtained without examination. Whereas the regular Georgia state veterinary license requires graduation from an AVMA-accredited veterinary school or successful completion of the ECFVG program, this is not a requirement for the faculty license. A faculty license enables the license holder to practice only in the UGA Veterinary Teaching Hospital. Professional liability insurance is covered only for work performed at the Teaching Hospital; it is the resident’s responsibility to acquire professional liability insurance for work performed elsewhere, if necessary.

Can I still apply without having taken the TOEFL?

Yes, however, the successful candidate will need to successfully complete the TOEFL (if applicable) prior to the start of the internship.

Residency Programs

Our residency programs take three years to complete and are non-degree graduate programs that lead to a recognized University certificate of residency. The primary objective is to train individuals, who have completed an internship or its equivalent, to become a specialist in a specific area of large animal medicine.

Surgery Residency (Equine Emphasis)

The large animal surgery residency conforms to the requirements of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS) in the Specialty of Large Animal Surgery. The goal is to prepare the resident for board certification in the ACVS in the specialty of Large Animal Surgery (Equine Emphasis). Training is under the direction of the Department of Large Animal Medicine and Surgery, which includes ACVS diplomats in the Specialty of Large Animal Surgery. The starting date is July 15th of the year of acceptance.

Responsibilities include management of out-patient and hospitalized cases and participation in the hospital emergency service. As per ACVS requirements, residents spend approximately 8-10 months per year on the surgical service with the remaining months on elective specialty training, independent research projects, special rotations, writing publications and case reports, and participating to a limited degree in didactic and laboratory teaching of pre-clinical veterinary students.

How to apply

This program is run through the AAVC’s Veterinary Internship & Residency Matching Program. To view a complete program description and to apply, please visit https://www.virmp.org/.

Schedule a visit

To schedule a visit, contact [email protected]. If you are not able to visit, we highly encourage you to contact faculty members within our program and residents currently enrolled in our program.

Internal Medicine Residency

The overall goal of this residency program is to provide training and experience to qualify the candidate for certification by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM). The program is accredited by ACVIM, follows the General Information Guideline (GIG) from ACVIM for training residents, and is directed by LAIM diplomates of the ACVIM.

Although the emphasis of the residency is internal medicine, residents are cross trained in emergency duty (i.e. participate in both medical and surgical emergencies and critical care). Depending on the resident’s career interests, the program has some flexibility to provide limited training opportunities in other disciplines. The program starts on July 15 of the year of acceptance.

The residents are an integral part of each rotation and participate in many ways:

  • The diagnosis and treatment of cases on a daily basis under the supervision of faculty members.
  • Assist faculty in the instruction and supervision of veterinary students, including case rounds presentations.
  • Provide emergency care to patients on a rotating basis.
  • Present a hospital wide clinical seminar annually.
  • Participate in weekly medicine journal club discussions and large animal medicine and surgery morbidity and mortality rounds.
  • Provide service and consultation to clients and referring veterinarians.
How to apply

This program is run through the AAVC’s Veterinary Internship & Residency Matching Program. To view a complete program description and to apply, please visit https://www.virmp.org/.

Schedule a visit

To schedule a visit, contact [email protected]. If you are not able to visit, we highly encourage you to contact faculty members within our program and residents currently enrolled in our program.

Dual Residency / Graduate Degree Programs

In addition to the residency certificate, residents may (but are not required to) concurrently enroll in additional basic science graduate course work and participate in research leading to a Master’s degree (3 to 4 year program) or PhD (4 to 6 year program). These advanced degree programs are not required to participate in our residencies. However, our programs are structured with strong ties to the basic sciences and applied translational research, and have successfully provided advanced research training for residents interested in graduate degrees for future academic or industry opportunities.

We’re UGA Vet Med, and our

passion powers our commitment.