Ocean State Veterinary Specialists (OSVS) is an official site or external rotations or externships at many of the country’s veterinary schools. Students are welcome to come to OSVS during their third or fourth years. OSVS is a large and busy 24 hour emergency and specialty referral center located in East Greenwich, Rhode Island. The hospital is a 26,000 sq. ft. facility offering referral and emergency services to the RI, eastern CT, and southern MA areas. There is no general practice associated with the hospital. Equipment includes digital radiography, ultrasound, CT, MRI, fluoroscopy, laparoscopy, mechanical ventilation, telemetry, and state-of-the-art monitoring equipment. There are fifteen specialists currently on staff in the disciplines of surgery, medicine, critical care, cardiology, neurology, radiology, ophthalmology, oncology and exotics. The emergency clinicians are all internship-trained and experienced. There are residents  in Emergency/Critical care and Surgery, as well as interns. The externship program offers students an opportunity to learn about the emergency/specialty referral private practice environment. Externs will have ample opportunity to strengthen their medical knowledge base and clinical competency while here. Any student considering the internship program at OSVS is encouraged to spend time here as an extern to learn more about the hospital and the program. Externships can be scheduled for as little as one week or as long as four weeks.

     Externs do not have assigned responsibilities, but instead are expected to participate in any areas of specific interest to them. Externs can choose to work with the emergency clinicians or specialists, and can do something different every day if they so choose. The externs are expected to attend and participate in morning case rounds, as well as weekly intern rounds and any other continuing education sessions during their stay. Externs work five days per scheduled week. They can choose to work day shifts (8a to 6p), or evening shifts (2p to midnight), and are expected to work a weekend shift each week. While the extern is not required to spend more than the 10 hours per day assigned, it is hoped that they will want to stay until the doctor with whom they are working is done for the day. They are also welcome to participate in any interesting procedures that might be continuing beyond their scheduled hours. Externs willing to spend the extra time here will learn the most from the program.

     Housing is not provided, but there is a potential rental unit available for interested students. Any student interested in participating in the externship should email Dr. Justine Johnson at jjohnson@osvs.net with the dates of interest. There is no application required.