Are you a passionate veterinarian looking to specialize in equine care? Pioneer Equine Hospital, a leading name in equine veterinary medicine, offers an exceptional internship program designed to provide hands-on experience and propel your career forward. Located in the heart of California’s scenic central valley, Pioneer Equine provides a unique opportunity to learn and grow in a supportive and dynamic environment.
About Pioneer Equine Hospital: History and Legacy
Pioneer Equine Hospital isn’t just a veterinary practice; it’s a legacy built on compassionate care and a commitment to high-quality equine health. Established in 1973 by Drs. Britton and Black, pioneer equine visionaries sought to create the premier equine veterinary clinic in the region. From these foundational principles, Pioneer Equine has evolved into a nationally recognized referral hospital, renowned for its expertise in equine surgery and lameness. While retaining its esteemed referral services, Pioneer Equine also delivers comprehensive primary care on both an outpatient and ambulatory basis, serving a wide range of equine needs.
Pioneer Equine Hospital Logo
State-of-the-Art Facilities: Learn with the Best
At Pioneer Equine, interns benefit from working in a cutting-edge, 22,000 square foot facility situated on 20 acres in Oakdale, California. The hospital boasts two spacious surgical suites equipped with viewing rooms, facilitating an optimal learning environment. Four padded induction/recovery rooms serve both surgical and MRI patients, highlighting the advanced technology available. Seven large examination rooms, including specialized spaces for standing surgery, radiology, ultrasound, and endoscopy, ensure comprehensive diagnostic and treatment capabilities. For lameness evaluations, a covered 140 x 300 feet area with varied ground surfaces allows for thorough assessments. Pioneer Equine distinguishes itself with the only high-field MRI in Northern California and a Pegaso CT scanner featuring an impressive 120cm gantry, providing unparalleled diagnostic imaging resources. Patient housing is thoughtfully designed with two 20-stall barns separating surgical and lameness cases from medical, emergency, and isolation patients. The on-site podiatry center further enhances the hospital’s holistic approach, offering expert farrier services that collaborate closely with veterinarians on therapeutic and corrective shoeing. Reproductive services are extensive, encompassing assisted reproductive technologies, artificial insemination, sub-fertile mare management, foaling, full-service stallion management, breeding soundness evaluations, and semen collection for domestic and international shipping and freezing.
Expert Veterinary Team: Mentorship and Specialization
The strength of pioneer equine care lies in its exceptional team of 7 associate veterinarians. This team includes two board-certified surgeons, a board-certified internist, a certified veterinary acupuncturist, and a certified animal chiropractor, ensuring a diverse range of expertise and perspectives. Additionally, an associate veterinarian specializing in orthopedic and soft tissue ultrasound further enhances the diagnostic capabilities. Alongside multiple intern veterinarians, a large team of skilled equine health technicians and efficient front office staff contribute to a supportive and collaborative work environment. Interns at Pioneer Equine are not just learning, they are becoming part of a dedicated family of equine professionals.
Comprehensive Equine Practice: Diverse Caseload
Pioneer Equine Hospital is a 100% equine practice, primarily focused on performance horses, including Western, hunter, jumper, and dressage disciplines. The hospital also proudly serves the local non-performance horse community, ensuring a broad and varied caseload. Annually, Pioneer Equine treats approximately 5,700 horses, offering interns exposure to a wide spectrum of cases:
- Lameness: 30%
- Emergency/Internal Medicine: 25%
- Surgery: 15%
- Reproduction: 10%
- Primary Care (ambulatory, dentistry, preventative medicine): 20%
This diverse caseload guarantees a rich learning experience, allowing interns to develop skills across various equine veterinary specialties.
Internship Experience: Hands-On Learning and Skill Development
The pioneer equine internship program is structured to provide intensive hands-on learning and comprehensive skill development. Interns begin each day with morning treatments and patient assessments before participating in rounds. Throughout the year-long program, interns rotate through key departments in two-week blocks, including anesthesia/surgery, lameness/ambulatory, and hospital duties, handling daytime emergencies and managing in-hospital case therapy.
A typical intern’s workload is estimated as follows:
- Anesthesia/Surgery: 30% (performing anesthesia or assisting in surgical cases)
- Lameness Evaluations: 30% (assisting with evaluations, including perineural and intraarticular injections)
- Diagnostics: 20%
- Hospitalized Patient Care: 10% (assessing and treating patients)
- Ambulatory Duties: 10%
While technicians handle routine overnight care and monitoring, interns are responsible for daily treatment sheets for hospitalized patients and conducting follow-up calls for each patient seen at Pioneer Equine Hospital. The program emphasizes continuous learning through frequent rounds, including didactic sessions, clinical skills training, and journal clubs. Interns also hone their presentation skills by leading monthly ground rounds, conducting hospital tours, and participating in community equine events.
Your Future at Pioneer Equine: Pathways to Success
Pioneer Equine Hospital’s philosophy centers on providing exceptional patient care within a positive and engaging work environment. Interns are considered vital members of the practice, entrusted to apply their veterinary knowledge and skills in meaningful ways. The internship is designed to provide substantial hands-on experience, ensuring graduates are highly competent in equine surgical, medical, and reproductive skills. The success of the pioneer equine internship program is evident in the outstanding placement of past interns into competitive academic residency programs and associate positions nationwide. For a list of previous interns and to learn more about launching your veterinary career with pioneer equine, please contact us or visit our website at https://pioneerequine.com.
