• Small Animal Surgery

  Preceptors rotating through the Small Animal Surgery section will be exposed to a variety of surgical cases with either soft tissue or orthopedic conditions. Preceptors will learn proper aseptic techniques, instrument identification, proper instrument care/preparation, and sterilization methods.

   They will shadow and assist the surgical technicians in their daily routines which include: 

  • Receiving surgical appointments and getting patient histories
  • Helping restrain and assisting with physical exams, bandage changes, etc.
  • Scheduling  pre-operative exams for blood work, sedation, radiology, ultrasound, CT, MRI
  • Helping set-up operating rooms and assisting in surgery

• Small Animal Anesthesia

  The small animal anesthesia department coordinates, creates plans for, and performs anesthesia for orthopedic surgeries, soft tissue surgeries, ophthalmologic surgeries, neurology surgeries, MRIs, CT scans, endoscopies, dentistry procedures, and others. Primarily, preceptors will observe pre-medication, induction, maintenance of inhalant anesthesia, and recovery. Preceptors may have the opportunity to assist LVTs and residents with tasks such as:

  • Creating an anesthetic plan (look up history, bloodwork, physical exam, choose drugs, etc)
  • Helping calculate drug dosages and drawing up drugs
  • Helping pre-medicate, place IV catheter, induce, intubate, administer inhalant anesthesia, and recover patient
  • Helping place monitors on the patient and recording information on the anesthesia record
  • Restraining patients for physical exams, pre-medication, and IV catheter placement.

• Ophthalmology

  On the ophthalmology service, preceptors will be able to observe surgeries and assist LVTs with appointments. Common procedures on this service include cataract surgery, lens luxations, nictitan gland replacements, laser pexy, ERG, and others, primarily on small animals. Preceptors also have the opportunity to sit in on rounds or short lectures with the students. Some tasks the preceptor may perform include:

  • Restraining patients for examinations, medications, and blood draws
  • Administering medications, such as eye drops
  • Drawing blood
  • Setting up equipment for procedures

• Medical & Radiation Oncology

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

  Medical Oncology Expectations:

  • Helping hold patients for exams, blood collections, catheter placements, chemotherapy administration, etc.
  • Blood collection (jugular and peripheral)

  • Medical Oncology is a service where you will have many opportunities for hands on experience.  This service will best suit a motivated interactive individual.

  • Catheter placement for sedation and fluid administration
  • Basic animal care (walking, feeding, nail trims, etc.)
  • Understanding proper chemotherapy handling
  • Observing Melanoma vaccines, fine needle aspirates, cytology, etc
  • Client communication

Medical Oncology is a service where you will have many opportunities for hands on experience.  This service will best suit a motivated interactive individual.

Radiation Oncology:  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. Preceptors will observe IV catheter placement, induction by injectable anesthesia, placement of endotracheal tubes, patients maintained under general anesthesia, anesthesia recovery, port films, patient positioning, radiation planning and radiation side effects.  If the patient is stable, the preceptor may be able to assist in the process.

• Small Animal Internal Medicine

  Internal medicine’s role in the hospital is to take over or receive patient transfers from ER, receive stable patients via appointments, and perform procedures.  The patients are usually seen for either acute organ injuries (i.e. fatty liver, leptospirosis infection, etc.) or for chronic disease processes (i.e. IBD, Cushing's, diabetes, etc.).  The patients usually require ultrasounds and full blood work at the minimum.  Common procedures done on internal medicine are: FNA's (blind and ultrasound guided), joint taps, bone marrow aspiration, CT, rhinoscopy, cystoscopy, endoscopy (upper, lower, foreign body removals), laparoscopic liver biopsies, skin biopsies, esophagostomy tube placement, gastric feeding tube placement, balloon dilation, among others. Preceptors may have the opportunity to assist with:

  • Blood collection, IV catheter placement, or cystocentesis
  • Restraining patients
  • Setting up for procedures
  • Assisting with procedures
  • Administering sedation and monitoring sedated/anesthetized patients
  • Processing laboratory samples

• Exotics:

  The exotics department performs a variety of functions, from routine physical exams to surgical procedures on exotic patients such as rabbits, rodents, reptiles, and birds. While on exotics, preceptors can expect to observe handling and restraint of various species, client communication, blood collection, medication administration, sedation/anesthesia, surgical procedures, radiographs, and other various procedures. Preceptors should be aware that they may only be able to observe on this rotation, as some patients become stressed easily or are critical. If possible, preceptors may be able to participate in tasks such as:

  • Blood collection and quick assessment tests
  • Assisting with anesthesia, radiology and surgical procedures
  • Assisting with subcutaneous fluids, oral medications, and injections
  • Feeding patients and other patient care
  • Maintaining cleanliness of facility and restocking of area

• Community Practice Service

  Community Practice Service (CPS) operates similarly to an independent general practice. The preceptor on this rotation will observe physical exams, vaccinations, surgeries such as spays and neuters, blood tests, and referrals. The preceptor may also have the opportunity to observe spays and neuters at the local shelter. While on CPS, preceptors may be able to participate in tasks such as:

  • Restraining for physical exams
  • Blood collection
  • Vaccinating
  • Assisting LVTs prepare for surgeries
  • Observing anesthesia protocols

• Maddie’s Shelter Medicine Service

  The Maddie’s Shelter Medicine Service is a multi-faceted service which provides direct and consultative care for animals in animal shelters.  The goal for the student on this rotation is to get an overview of daily and weekly shelter operations in a limited admission, no-kill shelter in a rural area; to learn procedures and skills common to vet techs in animal shelters, including software and administrative tasks.

  The majority of the technician student’s time will be spent assisting and observing in the direct care of individual shelter animals, as well as participating in shelter-level population oriented activities, with an additional focus on introducing the student to population management principles of shelter management.  Topics for learning will include, but are not limited to, infectious disease recognition and management; wellness protocols; high quality, high volume spay-neuter, dentistry, and other anesthetic procedures; shelter data management; sanitation and disinfection; public health and humane education, intake and adoption processes; and behavior and safe handling techniques for cats, dogs, and small mammals.  Other aspects of sheltering may be covered depending on the shelter activities at the time, including off site visits and shelter consults.  The daily schedule will include clinical work, shelter rounds, and time for online learning.

  This rotation will include travel to and from various shelters. the majority of the student's time will be spent at the SPCA of Tompkins County, which is an approximate 5-mile drive from Cornell University. Transportation to and from the SPCA of Tompkins County will be the responsibility of the student, but transportation for any special trips to other shelters in the area will be provided by the Shelter Med Program. The shelter has transportation to and from the shelters that students and faculty ride in, and is available to the preceptors as well.

The SMR service assists companion animals of all ages and activities including: injured sporting and working dogs, conditioning of elite champions and athletes, geriatrics with arthritis and poor mobility and recovering patients with a variety of ailments.  Preceptors shadowing on this rotation may:

• Restrain and perform orthopedic and neurologic exams
• Restrain and assist in electoacupuncture
• Sit in on clinical rounds
• Assist LVT in preforming common modalities to patients including Laser therapy, electrical stimulation, therapeutic ultrasound and underwater treadmill (must bring shorts with them)
• Assist LVT in preforming physiotherapy exercises with patients
• Assist LVT and DVM in administering therapeutic and regenerative injections to patients