Options for Seeing Practice at Rossdales
Rossdales is an exclusively equine practice with more than 60 veterinary surgeons and over 120 support staff. We believe that seeing practice is an important part of undergraduate education, and anybody is welcome to see practice with us as long as they are enthusiastic, hard-working and keen to get involved.
There are five options for seeing practice with us:
Hospital Extern
A one month position where you work in the hospital with accommodation provided (see 'Accommodation' paragraph below). You will report to the theatre nursing team under the supervision of the senior intern and hospital-based clinical directors.
This position is available to one student per month who has entered the clinical years of training. The student will live and work in the hospital for the full month, and be closely involved in the work up and treatment of cases referred to the hospital. Selection of students is by application form and with the support of one referee who should be a veterinary surgeon. The student will have a defined role as part of the hospital team and hopefully will benefit enormously from their training. You will usually have the opportunity to scrub in on surgery.
Hospital Student (Intensive Care)
Normally a two-week position where you will work in the hospital, with accommodation provided (see 'Accommodation' paragraph below). You will report to the intensive care nursing team under the supervision of the senior intern, and senior medicine clinicians. On occasion this position may be extended to a maximum of four weeks, subject to availability.
One place is available throughout the year. The student will be based in the hospital and work with the hospital clinicians and nursing staff. Your primary role will be intensive care of inpatients, including neonatal foal care during the stud season. You will also see routine referred cases and also emergency work such as colics and trauma injuries. You may occasionally have the opportunity to scrub in on surgery.
Diagnostic Centre Extern and Student
Two positions are available where you work in the diagnostic centre, with accommodation provided (see 'Accommodation' paragraph below). These positions are either a one month position (extern) or a period of two weeks (student), but on occasions may be extended subject to availability.
The students will be based in the diagnostic centre and will be assigned to one of the senior diagnostic centre clinicians. You are likely to see lameness investigations, nerve blocks, radiography, ultrasonography, gamma scintigraphy, and MRI/CT scans. You may also have the opportunity to see racehorse practice, out and about in the training yards of Newmarket.
Accommodation for Hospital and Diagnostic Centre placements
The Hospital Extern and Student (Intensive Care) and Diagnostic Centre Extern and Student will be provided with accommodation, and you will be on call at night and at the weekend during your stay. This will give you extensive experience in treatment management of hospitalised cases, and also will give you the opportunity to deal with out-of-hours emergency cases.
Ambulatory/Racehorse Practice
One two-week placement is available fortnightly between February and November for students who wish to see not only general ambulatory equine work, but who also want to spend time with our dedicated racehorse practitioners. This allows the candidate a rare opportunity to see the unique veterinary care and management of racehorses in training.
Students will be allocated to an ambulatory surgeon and should report each day to our ambulatory practice in Newmarket (Beaufort Cottage Stables).
Accommodation is not provided, but a list of local accommodation can be emailed to you.
We also have branch practices in Hertfordshire (Hinxworth) and in Lambourn. If you wish to see first opinion practice at either of these locations, please select the option of your choice in the ‘Preferred Assignment’ boxes on our online application form. Please note, however, that due to the locations of these practices, you will need to have your own transport in order to be able to meet the vet at a specified time/location each day. We would advise that it is often not practicable for our vets to drive to the practice to collect students before visiting clients whose premises may be a number of miles in the opposite direction.
We actively encourage students to attend some out of hours calls in order to gain the most from your placement experience with us, and this also will require you to have access to your own transport. This will apply to students on placement at any of our locations - Newmarket, Hertfordshire or Lambourn.
Stud Farm Practice
Two places are available at our Newmarket practice each week during March and April, with one place available each week from May to the end of June. These positions are available for a fixed period of two weeks and you will be assigned to a specific stud vet for the entire time.
Please note that you will need to have your own transport in order to be able to meet the vet at a specified location each day, as frequently it is not practicable for our vets to drive to the practice to collect students before visiting clients whose premises may be a number of miles in the opposite direction. The vet to whom you are assigned will contact you before your placement commences to advise the location where you should meet up on your first day.
You will have the opportunity to see all aspects of stud work and we believe it would be greatly beneficial for your overall placement experience with us if you are able to attend some out of hours call outs, particularly to see some foalings. This will also require you to have your own transport.
Accommodation is not provided, but a list of local accommodation can be emailed to you.
Please note...
We encourage students to see practice for an optimum period of two weeks. This provides sufficient time for you to get to know us and to make the most of your time, but not so long as to preclude others from seeing practice with us.
As we receive many requests to see practice, you are advised to book in at the earliest possible opportunity. These are very popular positions and are often booked for up to two years in advance.
You will be sent written or email confirmation of your dates for seeing practice within a month following receipt of your application.
All applications to see practice at Rossdales must be made by completing our Application for Seeing Practice form.
If you have any questions about any of the above, please email students@rossdales.com.