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 through July and are scheduled in 2, 4, to 6-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 mares utilizing palpation/ultrasonography, hormonal treatments, uterine infusions and lavages, cultures, 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 whereby practitioners at ERC will discuss certain techniques and/or cases with the externs.

Duties/Responsibilities:

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 include taking records during US exams, holding jump mares, preparing for semen collection, 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 to 12 hours per day, 5½ days a week.