The Swine Veterinary Internship Program (SVIP) is accepting student applications for two types of summer positions. SVIP will have several “flex” interns based out of Ames, IA and numerous “dedicated” interns assigned to a particular veterinary practice or swine production system for the 12 week long program. These roles provide students a multitude of opportunities to work not only with the Iowa State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory personnel and swine faculty, but also with swine producers and veterinarians across the country, network with other students from various colleges of veterinary medicine, and interact with pharmaceutical industry representatives (including technical services veterinarians, sales force, marketing team, and research and development).
Participants receive extensive training at the beginning of summer in several areas including disease risk assessment, swine biosecurity practices, swine field trials, diagnostic test sampling and monitoring, methods of swine diagnostic collection, testing and interpretation and principles of oral vaccination. Knowledge obtained in the classroom is then taken to the field and applied throughout the rest of the program.
Each veterinary student will conduct his/her own research project under the guidance and mentorship of a veterinarian or faculty member. Projects will be designed, managed, executed and summarized by the student in charge while ISU Program Coordinators and industry veterinarians will assist with planning and labor. Students should work on the project abstract during the summer and will receive feedback and advice from mentors and the SVIP management team with the end goal of submitting the abstract to the American Association of Swine Veterinarians (AASV) Student Seminar competition at the association’s annual meeting.
Some travel throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico may be required and students should be able to make own travel arrangements with minimal assistance from Program Coordinators. They must also be prepared to work in modern hog facilities and work long or irregular hours on occasion. The overall goal of SVIP is twofold – exposure and practical experience in all veterinary health aspects of today’s pork industry as well as to provide an environment that fosters camaraderie and a venue for veterinary students to meet and interact with future colleagues and possible employers and to develop those relationships.
Interested Veterinary Students should submit a resume or curriculum vitae to Dr. Derald Holtkamp (515-294-9611 holtkamp@iastate.edu) as soon as possible. All experience levels will be considered. Early application is encouraged! Interviews will begin as early as December 15, 2012 and applications will be accepted until February 15, 2013. Veterinary students will be paid a stipend of $525/week over the course of the 12 weeks. Additional information is available online.