The Licensed Veterinary Technician Internship Program is a rotating Internship throughout the Equine and Nemo Farm Animal Hospital. The goal is to equip our interns with the knowledge and experience to be a well rounded and successful LVT in practice.

Rotations

Rotations last about four weeks and include some overnights/evenings, as well as weekends and holidays.

• LA ER/Nursing Care
• LA Anesthesia
• LA OR
• LA Orthopedics
• LA Soft Tissue
• LA Dentistry
• LA Internal Medicine
• LA Specialty Medicine
• LA Theriogenology
• LA ECC Course
• Imaging
• Pharmacy
• Customer Service Representatives

Elective rotation options

• The services listed above
• SA core rotation
• Neurology
• Cardiology
• Sports Medicine
• Dermatology
• Exotics
• Theriogenology
• Ophthalmology
• Clinical Trials
• Janet L. Swanson Wildlife Hospital
• Ruffian Equine Specialists located in Elmont, NY

The Licensed Veterinary Technician Internship Program is a rotating internship throughout the Companion Animal Hospital. The goal is to equip our interns with the knowledge and experience to be a well rounded and successful LVT in practice.

Rotations

Rotations last 4-6 weeks and include some overnights/evenings, as well as weekends and holidays.

• SA ER
• SA Intensive Care Unit
• SA Intensive Nursing Care
• SA Anesthesia
• Imaging
• SA Surgery
• SA Community Practice + Primary Care Surgery
• SA Dentistry
• Pharmacy
• Customer Service Representative

Elective rotation options

• The services listed above
• LA core rotation
• Neurology
• Cardiology
• Sports Medicine
• Dermatology
• Exotics
• Theriogenology
• Ophthalmology
• Clinical Trials
• Maddie's Shelter Medicine Program
• Janet L. Swanson Wildlife Hospital
• Cornell University Veterinary Specialists located in Stamford, CT

The Licensed Veterinary Technician Internship Program is a rotating internship throughout the Equine Nemo Farm Animal Hospital and the Companion Animal Hospital. The goal is to equip our interns with the knowledge and experience to be a well rounded and successful LVT in practice.

Rotations

Rotations last 4-6 weeks and include some overnights/evenings, as well as weekends and holidays.

• LA ER/Nursing Care
• LA Medicine
• LA Anesthesia
• Pharmacy
• Customer Service Representative
• SA ER
• SA Intensive Care Unit
• SA Intermediate Nursing Care
• SA Anesthesia
• SA Internal Medicine
• Imaging

Elective rotation options

• LA core rotation
• SA core rotation
• Neurology
• Cardiology
• Sports Medicine
• Dermatology
• Exotics
• Theriogenology
• Ophthalmology
• Clinical Trials
• Maddie's Shelter Medicine Program
• Janet L. Swanson Wildlife Hospital
• Ruffian Equine Specialists located in Elmont, NY
• Cornell University Veterinary Specialists located in Stamford, CT

Coming soon

The Pharmacy Service provides exemplary customer service to our clients, both internally and externally.

We address customer requests, questions, and concerns, including Cornell and non-Cornell veterinarians, students, staff, and clients. The service works in accordance with state and federal regulatory requirements.

Learning objectives

• Prepare medications
• Prepare chemotherapies
• Manage customer requests
• Maintain detailed medical records
• Assist in inventory management

The Dermatology Service provides specialty care for companion animals with skin and ear conditions. We offer state-of-the-art diagnostic techniques and treatments, including digital video ear examinations, intradermal and serologic allergy testing, cryotherapy and have CO2 laser capability.

Learning objectives

• Restrain patients for physical exams, treatments, sedation, blood collection
• Monitor patients during and after sedation
• Prepare and stain cytology slides
• Facilitate the workflow of cases and procedures

Maddie's Shelter Medicine Program at Cornell works directly at the local Tompkins County SPCA to provide care for the homeless animals in the area. In partnership with Cornell, the shelter provides daily medical care including intake exams, surgeries, preventative medicine and post-adoption support to its patients.

Learning objectives

• Restrain patients and complete intake examinations
• Perform vaccinations and venipuncture
• Administer medications
• Intubate and prep patients for surgery
• Monitor patients post-operatively

The Neurology Service meets the needs of patients both medically and surgically. We receive appointments on a scheduled basis as well as emergency receiving. Some of the most common reasons we see patients are intervertebral disc disease, epilepsy, pain management, long term seizure management, trauma (brain and spine), inflammatory and infectious diseases and so much more! We utilize different imaging modalities to diagnose our neurologic patients such as radiographs, CT scans and MRIs.

Learning objectives

• Restrain for cerebrospinal fluid collection
• Perform basic venipuncture
• Place intravenous catheters
• Perform bladder expression and cystocentesis
• Place urinary catheter
• Perform neurologic examination
• Perform physical examination
• Perform operating room duties
• Perform blood pressure
• Perform physical therapy
• Manage patient post operatively

The Cardiology Service offers dedicated consultation and treatment in our state-of-the art facility with board certified cardiologists, skilled residents, interns and licensed veterinary technicians. The service provides medical and interventional therapy for small and large animal patients locally and nationally. The most advanced diagnostics in veterinary medicine are provided, including echocardiogram (ultrasound of the heart), electrocardiogram (ECG), radiographs, CT scan, angiocardiography, 24 Hour Holter monitor and laboratory diagnostics.

In addition to the most current medical therapies, our service also provides interventional therapies, including, but not limited to, pacemaker implantation, PDA (patent ductus arteriosus) occlusion, balloon valvuloplasty, heartworm extraction and cardioversion of atrial fibrillation and radiofrequency catheter ablation of arrhythmias. We schedule routine appointments, are on call for emergent cardiac cases through the emergency service and provide interventional therapies. The most common chief complaints are heart murmur, syncope, collapse, exercise intolerance, enlarged heart on radiograph and heart worm positive dogs.

Learning objectives

• Perform blood collection and process laboratory samples
• Obtain blood pressure
• Place/edit Holter monitor
• Restrain patients
• Setup OR for procedures
• Place IV catheters
• Administer sedation
• Assist with a bubble study

The Dentistry and Oral Surgery Service provides specialty procedures for dogs, cats and exotic patients. These can include any of the following procedures: root canal treatments, jaw fracture repairs, maxillofacial reconstruction, mass removals in the oral cavity, vital pulp therapies, periodontal treatments, full mouth extractions, and active and passive force appliances to realign teeth.

Learning objectives

• Restrain patients
• Perform treatments
• Perform periodontal treatments
• Perform dental radiology
• Set up for procedures/surgery
• Practicing sterile technique
• Communicate with clients
• Discharge patients

The Ophthalmology Service helps all different species with their ophthalmology problems, from emergencies such as proptosis and perforating ulcers, to more elective cases, such as cataracts, entropion and cherry eyes.  Most commonly, we see dogs, cats and equines, but will also see some exotics, wildlife and other types of large animals.  

Learning objectives

• Restrain patients
• Calculate drug dosages
• Run bloodwork
• Perform eye tests (reflexes, schirmer tear test, fluorocein stain and tonometry)
• Manage flow of appointment
• Set up OR for surgeries and assist during surgery

The Radiology Service consists of LVT/RTs, residents and faculty. We perform radiographs, computer tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), scintigraphy and ultrasound for inpatients. We have an outpatient ultrasound service for rDVMs on Fridays. We work with a wide range of patients including dogs, cats, exotics and large animal species.

Learning objectives

• Position patients for radiographs
• Holding patients for ultrasounds
• Obtain quality diagnostic images in all our modalities

Medical Oncology is a fast-paced service where you will see diagnostics, staging, treatment planning, treatment and monitoring of our cancer patients firsthand.

Radiation is a treatment therapy for some types of cancer. The patients need to be under general anesthesia in order to be immobilized for treatment. The technician’s roles include anesthetizing the patient and performing the radiation treatment. 

Learning objectives

• Restrain patients
• Perform blood collection (jugular and peripheral)
• Place catheters for sedation and fluid administration
• Perform basic animal care (walking, feeding, nail trims, etc.)
• Calculate drug doses
• Administer sedation and monitor sedated patients
• Demonstrate proper chemotherapy handling
• Observing melanoma vaccines, fine needle aspirates, cytology, etc.
• Client communication
• Anesthetize patients, monitor and recover
• Plan radiation and side effects

The Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Service is a multi-doctor service meeting the needs of a wide range of patients including sporting dogs, working dogs, geriatrics, service dogs, companions and occasionally cats. The service focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of non-surgical lameness, neurologic disease and pain management. We have the capability to run diagnostics including musculoskeletal ultrasound and gait analysis. We provide treatments ranging from joint injection, to physical rehabilitation and treatment modalities such as underwater treadmill. We work closely together as a team to provide the best care to our patients.  

Learning objectives

• Perform physical exam and nail trims
• Restrain patients.
• Perform phlebotomy and IVC placement
• Monitor patient under sedation
• Place urinary catheter
• Communicate with clients
• Perform gait analysis
• Operate under water and land treadmill
• Perform therapeutic exercise
• Perform laser and shockwave treatment
• Perform TENS/NMES treatment
• Perform therapeutic ultrasound treatment
• Perform cryocompression therapy
• Change bandages

The Small Animal Reproductive Medicine Service provides fertility and obstetric care to small animal patients (primarily dogs) in the Companion Animal Hospital. Our caseload is largely made up of long-term responsible breeding clients, as well as providing emergency assistance for dystocia cases (difficult birth). Interns will be able to engage with cases that involve preparation for breeding, advanced breeding techniques, dystocia management, puppy resuscitation and semen cryopreservation with one LVT, one resident and one faculty member.

Regularly performed procedures include trans-cervical insemination (via video endoscope), semen collection, semen freezing, abdominal ultrasound and diagnostic endoscopy.

Learning objectives

• Perform phlebotomy and place IVC
• Restrain patients
• Set up for procedures
• Assist with procedures
• Assist with puppy resuscitation
• Process laboratory samples

The Small Animal Community Practice encompasses two services, the Community Practice Service and the Primary Care Surgery Service. Both of these services provide fourth-year veterinary students their opportunity to be the primary D.V.M. on the appointments and procedures over a two week rotation. The Community Practice serves the local communities’ patients for annual wellness care and chronic disease management. The Primary Care Surgery Service partners with local animal shelters, providing spay and neuter opportunities to fourth-year veterinary students-focusing on exams, anesthesia, surgery, pre and post-surgical care. Both of these rotations provide in house bloodwork, radiology and ultrasound learning opportunities.

Learning objectives

• Perform TPR
• Administer vaccines
• Perform venipuncture
• Restrain patients
• Perform microchip and IV catheter placement
• Assist with operating room duties

The Small Animal Emergency Service triages, provides stabilization and supportive care as indicated, and coordinates and executes outpatient care or inpatient transfer as indicated on a variety of cases. We do not make appointments, so caseload can be unpredictable. We are especially busy during evenings/weekends/holidays.  Primarily, interns will learn and participate in patient triage and stabilization, client communication and fulfilling treatment plans.

Learning objectives

• Restrain patients
• Position patients for radiographs
• Perform phlebotomy and place IV catheters
• Calculate drug doses and administer medications
• Performing POC (point of care) bloodwork
• Monitor sedation/patient during procedures

The Small Animal INC team is an 11-technician service that provides round the clock in-patient care for all other specialty services at the Cornell University Hospital for Animals. This means that we have the opportunity to see a large variety of patients with many different disease processes. 

Learning objectives

• Complete treatments ordered by clinicians
• Calculate and administer intravenous, intramuscular, subcutaneous and oral medications
• Place intravenous and urinary catheters and maintain
• Perform phlebotomy
• Perform point-of-care bloodwork
• Set up and use monitoring equipment such asmulti parameter blood pressure units and pulse oximeters
• Communicate with veterinary students and clinicians
• Use and maintain nasogastric and esophagostomy feeding tubes

The Small Animal ICU is a nursing care unit that provides care and support of critically ill patients. This unit is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and is currently staffed by eleven full time LVTs plus two full time critical care service LVTs. 

Learning objectives

• Develop critical thinking skills
• Set up and operate various types of oxygen supplementation
• Set up and use different types of ECG
• Set up and us various types of monitoring equipment such as blood pressure, SPO2, capnography and multiparameter
• Place peripheral IV catheters and phlebotomy
• Set up for and learn steps for placing central line catheters
• Administer vasopressors
• Prepare and administer blood products
• Maintain patients with a trach tube
• Maintain mechanically ventilated patients
• Maintain dialysis patients

The Small Animal Internal Medicine Service visualizes and treats the body as a whole. We consult and coordinate with each hospital specialty to improve outcomes for our patients. Our service primarily receives stable to critical Cornell emergency patient transfers, stable to urgent referral appointments with acute and chronic disease and perform consultations. We perform high level diagnostics and procedures to provide the highest level of care for our patients and to gain a better understanding of differentials and disease processes.

Regularly performed procedures include FNAs, joint taps, bone marrow aspiration, radiation Iodine therapy with nuclear scintigraphy, ultrasound, radiology, CT, rhinoscopy, cystoscopy, endoscopy (upper, lower, foreign body removals), laparoscopic liver biopsies, skin biopsies, esophagostomy tube placement, gastric feeding tube placement, balloon dilation and much more.

Learning objectives

• Perform blood collection, IV catheter placement or cystocentesis
• Restrain patients
• Set up procedures
• Assist with procedures
• Administer sedation and monitor patients
• Process laboratory samples

The Small Animal Anesthesia Service coordinates, plans for and performs anesthesia for all services, including orthopedic, soft tissue, dentistry and imaging procedures, on a scheduled and emergent basis.

Learning objectives

• Perform physical examination
• Create an anesthetic plan
• Calculate drug dosages
• Draw up drugs
• Pre-medicate and place intravenous catheter
• Induce patient
• Attach monitoring equipment (SpO2, ECG, NIBP, IBP)
• Monitor patient and recording information on the anesthesia record
• Recover patient

The Small Animal Surgery Service consists of both the Soft Tissue and Orthopedic teams. Both teams oversee the surgical and non-surgical management of many conditions, including but not limited to mass removals, laryngeal paralysis, cruciate ligament disease, hip dysplasia, airway disease, urinary tract disease and angular limb deformities. Both teams also manage emergent surgical needs such as foreign bodies, GDV, C-sections, fractures and luxations. We see appointments two days a week, with the opposite days being surgical days. We utilize most of the hospitals imaging modalities, such as radiology, CT and ultrasound to best treat and manage our patients. 

Learning objectives

• Restrain patient
• Perform physical examination
• Perform venipuncture
• Monitor patient under sedation
• Prepare OR for surgeries
• Prep patient for surgeries
• Perform sterile technique
• Perform OR nurse duties
• Perform scrub nurse duties

The Large Animal Emergency and Nursing Care Service provides medical and surgical treatment to severely injured or ill animals 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We also provide routine nursing care and treatments to hospitalized patients. 

Learning objectives

• Perform restraint
• Perform physical examination
• Administer medications and treatments
• Perform venipuncture and intravenous catheter placement
• Place nasogastric tubes and reflux
• Run diagnostic bloodwork
• Administer blood transfusions
• Administer advanced fluid therapy
• Set up and assist during all emergency exams and procedures
• Assist in the surgical preparation of emergency cases

The Large Animal Internal Medicine Service (LAIM) works with equine and farm animal patients to diagnose and treat various conditions and care for hospitalized patients. We receive appointments on a scheduled basis as well as emergency receiving. Some of the most common reasons we see patients are colic, dystocia, pneumonia, neurological signs, fevers of unknown origin, weight loss, diarrhea, airway evaluation, gastric ulcers, choke and much more. Common species we work with include equine, bovine, caprine, camelids, porcine and cervidae. We utilize different diagnostic testing to assess our patients, including, bloodwork, ultrasound, radiographs, endoscopy and CT. We also work closely with the Ophthalmology, Cardiology, Theriogenology Services and help with workups of their large animal patients. Our favorite part about LAIM is that each day is different! 

Learning objectives

• Perform physical examination
• Set up and clean up for procedures
• Perform basic venipuncture
• Restrain for ultrasound and other diagnostic procedures
• Provide nursing care of hospitalized patients
• Run point of care bloodwork
• Assist in neurologic examination
• Place IV catheters
• Receive incoming emergencies

The Large Animal Anesthesia Service meets the needs of large animal patients that require anesthesia for many different types of surgical and non-surgical procedures. We accommodate all services (orthopedics, soft tissue, ophthalmology, dentistry, internal medicine, etc.) and many different species on a scheduled and emergent basis.

Learning objectives

• Perform physical examination
• Create an anesthetic plan
• Calculate drug dosages
• Draw up drugs
• Place intravenous and arterial catheters
• Induce patient
• Attach monitoring equipment (SpO2, ECG, NIBP, IBP)
• Monitor patient and recording information on the anesthesia record
• Recover patient

The Large Animal Surgery Service works with a variety of species, such as horses, cows, goats, sheep, pigs, alpacas, llamas, camels, reindeer and more. Our service provides outstanding surgical care for large animals with a wide range of medical conditions both elective and emergency care. Procedures are performed in state-of-the-art surgery suites fully equipped with equipment for both traditional open surgery and for laparoscopic procedures. We work as part of a team with a broad range of specialists, including anesthesiologists, dentists, radiologists and other specialists to ensure our patients receive the most comprehensive care possible. Our experienced staff provides nursing care 24 hours a day. 

The Orthopedics Service is nationally and internationally recognized as a leader in the treatment of musculoskeletal conditions. Our staff includes board-certified veterinarians who have pioneered many of the approaches used for diagnosis and treatment of joint and bone disorders. They are assisted by skilled surgical residents and veterinary technicians.

Common farm animal procedures

• Abomasal displacement or volvulus and hardware disease (Rumenotomy)
• Cesarean section, castration and hernia repair
• Management of urolithiasis 

Common equine procedures

• Exploratory laparotomy (colic), hernia repair, Cesarean section
• Laparoscopic cryptorchidectomy and ovariectomy
• Sinus surgery for cysts, neoplasia and dental disease
• Upper airway surgery including tie back, tie forward, and ceratohyoidectomy
• Fracture repair, arthroscopy

Learning objectives

• Prepare induction room and surgery suite
• Induce, position and prep patient for surgical procedure
• Open instrumentation using sterile procedure
• Identify surgical equipment and sterile procedure
• Learn gowning and gloving techniques
• Assist during surgical procedures
• Properly prepare instrumentation for further decontamination from central sterilization
• Disinfect surgical suites

The Large Animal Reproductive Medicine Service provides fertility, obstetric and perinatal care to large animal patients including horses, cattle, small ruminants, camelids and pigs in in the Cornell Equine and Nemo Farm Animal Hospitals (ENFAH). Our caseload is largely made up of long-term responsible breeding clients, as well as providing emergency assistance for dystocia cases (difficult birth). The service is busiest in the spring and summer, corresponding with the equine breeding season.

Interns will be able to engage with cases that involve preparation for breeding, advanced breeding techniques, dystocia management, initial neonatal care, management of hospitalized pre- and pos-partum obstetric patients and semen cryopreservation, with one LVT, one resident and one faculty member.

Reproductive medicine also works closely with both internal medicine and surgery to provide collaborative care for patients with complex conditions involving the reproductive tract or pregnancy. This gives the intern the opportunity to engage with many of the LVTs and clinicians in ENFAH.

Regularly performed procedures include artificial insemination, semen collection, semen freezing, trans-rectal and abdominal ultrasound and diagnostic endoscopy. 

Learning objectives

• Perform venipuncture and IV catheter placement
• Restrain patients
• Set up and assist with procedures
• Process laboratory samples