Equine Reproduction Concepts, LLC (ERC) offers a program whereby veterinary students are able to come to our facility and be exposed to various techniques and procedures dealing with stallion and mare reproductive management. Positions are available every year from March 15th through July and can be scheduled in 2 or 4 week increments. Scheduling is structured with the intention that only a single participant is present at any one time in order to maximize theoretical and practical exposure. The goal of this program is for participants to gain experience and a working knowledge of general and advanced equine reproductive management.
Involvement:
Exposure will include reproductive management of mare utilizing palpation/ultrasonography, hormonal treatments, uterine infusions and lavages, cutlures, cytologies and biopsies, artificial insemination with fresh, cooled, and frozen semen, embryo recovery and transfer. stallion procedures consist of semen collection, evaluation, and processing for immediate insemination, cooling, or freezing, reproductive evaluations, and stallion handling. Participants will gain practical experience in palpation/ultrasonography, artificial insemination, semen collection, evaluation and processing for immediate insemination or cooling and stallion handling. Periodic sit-down sessions will occur wherby practitioners at ERC will discuss certain techniques and/or cases with the externs.
Duties/Responsibilites:
Externs are expected to assist with normal management practices at ERC. They will be involved with administering treatments, teasing mares, handling stallions, assisting practitioners with procedures such as preparing mares for uterine lavages, embryo recoveries, surgeries, etc. Other responsibilities will included taking records during US exams, holding jump mares, preparing for semen collections, helping process semen for shipment. Upon coming to ERC, a work schedule will be created for each participant. The schedule will be based on when help is needed and what times or days are available for the extern. A typical schedule will consist of being at the clinic for 10-12 hours per day 5 1/2 days per week.
Equine Reproduction Concepts is a full service equine reproduction facility that is designed to meet the increasing demands of the horse breeding industry. It is a 50 stall facility located on 25 acres in northern Virginia's horse country. We are also used as a referral clinic by other practices to provide clients additional reproductive services. We are able to provide services to all breeds of horses and clients from local, regional, and national communities. Our staff includes a reproductive physiologist, three veterinarians, and other support staff.
