Program Overview

Program Overview

The Small Animal Rotating Veterinary Internship is a Graduate Certificate (G.Cert.) program designed to provide graduates of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.) programs with supervised training opportunities. This experiential, clinical training program aims to better prepare students for either general practice or continued specialty education.

Program Structure

The program begins on July 1st each year and has a duration of one year. Over the course of the program, students will rotate between the following clinical areas:

• Internal medicine
• Surgery
• Emergency
• Anaesthesia
• Diagnostic imaging

Under the guidance of senior clinicians, students will be exposed to a wide variety of technical skills, clinical situations, and varied caseloads. Students will also receive training in communications and public speaking through seminars.

Program Details

The program structure includes:

• Nine credits of courses and associated non-credit training
• The following courses:
  • Biosafety
  • Safety Orientation for Employees
  • VSAC 831.3 Clinical Practice Rotating Internship I
  • VSAC 832.3 Clinical Practice Rotating Internship II
  • VSAC 835.3 Small Animal Emergency Medicine
  • VSAC 980.0 Clinical Practice
  • VSAC 990.0 Seminar

Faculty

The faculty members for this program have diverse research interests, including:

• Total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA), pain management, and anesthesia in exotic species
• Imaging science
• Electrocardiography, blood pressure, and platelet function
• Small animal internal medicine
• Veterinary Ophthalmology
• Avian and canine orthopedic and soft tissue injuries
• Resuscitative techniques, Fluid resuscitation, Acute kidney injuries, Sepsis
• Patient quality of life, human-animal bond, novel cancer therapy development, comparative oncology
• MRI technology, degenerative myelopathy in the German Shepherd dog

Tuition and Funding

The College of Western Veterinary Medicine will provide salary support for qualified students. A fellowship is available from the College to cover a portion of tuition costs for both Canadian and international students.

Tuition

Students in course-based programs pay tuition for each class they take. The cost per graduate credit unit is:

• $293.00 CAD for Canadian students
• $659.20 CAD for international students

Student Fees

In addition to tuition, students also pay fees for programs like health and dental insurance, a bus pass, and other campus services. The amount depends on whether the student is taking classes full-time or part-time and if they are on campus or not.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must be accepted for an internship to be eligible for admission to the certificate program. The requirements include:

• A Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.), or equivalent, from a recognized college or university
• A cumulative weighted average of at least a 70% (USask grade system equivalent) in the last two years of study
• Eligibility for restricted, educational SVMA licensure to practice veterinary medicine in Saskatchewan
• Language Proficiency Requirements: Proof of English proficiency may be required for international applicants and for applicants whose first language is not English

Application Process

Interested students can begin an application through the American Association of Veterinary Clinicians residency matching program. Once matched to the program, students will be asked to begin a formal application to the University of Saskatchewan.