Equine Integrative Sports Medicine Internship
Program Overview:
The William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, University of California, Davis is offering an internship program in equine integrative sports medicine. This one-year program is available to individuals who have completed a DVM or equivalent degree.
The aim of the program is to provide advanced clinical training in equine integrative sports medicine. This would be the ideal preparation for a residency in equine sports medicine or a career in equine practice with an emphasis on sports medicine.
Rationale:
Recent advances in sport horse medicine and rehabilitation have made it possible for equine athletes to reach new levels of excellence. Client demand for superior diagnostics and innovative treatment strategies require equine practitioners to be more informed than ever before. In addition to western advances in sport horse medicine, complementary modalities such as acupuncture and chiropractic have become increasingly recognized as being effective and valuable for the equine athlete to treat musculoskeletal conditions associated with the demands of intensive physical conditioning and performance. Blending the best of traditional and complementary medicine provides an integrative approach of treating the whole horse rather than focusing on a specific region or structure.
At UC Davis, the Equine Integrative Sports Medicine Service was recently developed by Dr. Sarah le Jeune, who is board-certified in Equine Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation and certified in acupuncture and chiropractic, as well as being board-certified in Equine Surgery. It is a clinical service that sees cases, both in-house and in the field, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and offers rehabilitation services at the Center for Equine Health 5 days a week.
Clinical and Teaching Responsibilities
The intern will be under the direct supervision of Dr. Sarah le Jeune. Evaluation of equine patients of various athletic disciplines will expose the intern to the diagnosis and treatment of a variety of musculoskeletal and performance-limiting diseases and injuries. UC Davis provides a competitive environment for this internship with the ability to perform advanced imaging (CT, PET CT, MRI, nuclear scintigraphy) and surgical services. In addition to traditional medical modalities (routine lameness work-up and diagnostics), the intern will learn integrative techniques such as acupuncture and chiropractic. The intern will assist Dr. le Jeune with performance/lameness examinations, acupuncture, chiropractic, saddle fit evaluations, shockwave, and laser therapy to in- and outpatients as needed. The intern will also be involved in rehabilitation protocols of hospitalized equine patients within the William R. Pritchard Teaching Hospital and the Center for Equine Health. The intern will work with and individually mentor senior veterinary students and 1 – 2 trained technicians. The intern will also provide clinical teaching and evaluation of these veterinary students. Emergency and overnight requirements include weekend and night duties as part of the Equine Emergency Surgery Service and Equine Field Service. The intern will also be expected to assist the Equine Surgery Service with the work-up of inpatient lameness cases and Equine Field Service with clinical duties when responsibilities to the Equine Integrative Sports Medicine Service have been fulfilled. Arrangements can be made to rotate through specialty services of interest on a case-by-case basis for a total of 3 weeks per year.
The intern will be expected to attend and participate in the Equine Integrative Sports medicine journal club and rounds, the Equine Surgery journal club, Equine Surgery resident rounds, and Large Animal Grand rounds weekly. There will also be opportunities to assist in research activities and to attend the equine sports medicine annual meeting.
Program duration
One intern will be selected annually and the program will be 12 months in duration, beginning on August 1st. The intern is eligible for 24 days of vacation annually.
Salary
The salary for the internship is $50,183 plus benefits.
Qualifications
Candidates for the internship must have graduated from an accredited school of veterinary medicine. The selection of interns will be made on the basis of academic achievement, letters of recommendation, career objectives, experience in the horse industry, clinical skills, interpersonal skills, personal narrative, and pertinent experience. A valid California driver’s license is required and is subject to the California DMV pull program.
The California Veterinary Medical Board requires all veterinarians working at the University of California, Davis with primary patient care duties to hold a full California license or a University veterinary license. To obtain a University veterinary license, veterinarians who are not licensed in the state of California will be required to take a short open-book jurisprudence test, in addition to being background checked. The cost of obtaining the University veterinary license will be the responsibility of the trainee. The limited license only permits individuals to work in California as veterinarians for University-related practice.
Application Materials
- Curriculum vitae
- Letter of Intent
- Three letters of recommendation
- Veterinary Academic Transcript(s)
Application deadline: March 1, 2025
Candidates should be US citizens, US permanent residents, or foreign nationals eligible for a J1 scholar visa (and at the time of application not be subject to holds, bars or in-country rules) or Canadian/ Mexican citizens eligible for a TN visa. We will NOT pursue other visa categories. Candidates will be expected to pay for their visa fees. The offer of a residency may be withdrawn if written evidence of a visa is not provided by July 1, 2025.
How to Apply
All application materials including letters of reference (on letterhead, with signature) may be emailed to vmthhouseofficerapplication@ucdavis.edu.
Additional information regarding the integrative sports medicine internship program may be obtained by contacting Dr. Sarah le Jeune at sslejeune@ucdavis.edu. Personal interviews are strongly recommended and can be arranged by contacting Dr. Sarah le Jeune.
The University of California, Davis, and the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital are interested in candidates who are committed to the highest standards of scholarship and professional activities, and to the development of a campus climate that supports equality and diversity.