Wildlife Conservation Society Residency in Zoological Medicine and Surgery

The Wildlife Conservation Society’s (WCS) Zoological Health Program offers a three year post- graduate veterinary residency training program in Zoological Medicine and Surgery. The program is divided into clinical responsibilities and research, 100% of which relate to zoological medicine. Clinical experience will occur at all five of the facilities in City managed by WCS (Bronx , NY Aquarium, Zoo, Zoo, and Zoo). Opportunities for both prospective and retrospective research exist throughout the five parks. The program provides training and mentorship to an individual with the goal of graduating a professionally competent clinical veterinarian who will significantly contribute to the field of zoo and wildlife medicine as a Diplomate of the American College of Zoological Medicine (ACZM).

WCS’s facilities maintain over 12,000 individuals of over 1300 species of fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and both terrestrial and aquatic mammals. These collections provide a varied and large patient caseload (approximately 15,000 records are written on over 2300 active cases annually). The goal of the residency is to provide extensive case-based clinical zoological training in a structured environment supervised by four ACZM Diplomates and one ABVP- Avian Diplomate. The resident will participate in all phases of the clinical practice (preventive medicine, quarantine and preshipment procedures, medical and surgical care, and necropsy). State of the art equipment allows for advanced procedures including laser surgery, microsurgery, laparoscopy, endoscopy, and ultrasonography. The program consists of a five-day work week with shared additional night and weekend on-call duties.

Although initially the resident will accompany a staff veterinarian on zoo rounds, during the course of the program the resident assumes increasingly independent case responsibility. During the first 2 years the resident is primarily based at the 's Wildlife Health Center, a 30,000 square foot medical and surgical facility. In the third year there is increased involvement with the clinical practices of the other three and the aquarium, each of which have their own medical clinics or hospital.

The resident is required to develop an independent research project relating to Zoological Medicine, submit the research design for IACUC approval if indicated, and submit the project results for publication and presentation at a scientific meeting. The resident will be encouraged to fulfill the publication requirements for ACZM board eligibility. On average, six hours per week will be allotted for independent study time and manuscript publication. The trainee is also allotted time to partake in continuing education opportunities or conferences each year and to rotate through the WCS pathology service.

Housing for the resident is provided on site within the grounds of Zoo and it is required that the resident live on-grounds for the duration of the program.

Applicants must be graduate veterinarians with at least one year of clinical experience, preferably in a structured program. Applicants from both foreign and American colleges of veterinary medicine are welcome to apply, but the applicant must be able to obtain a license to practice in NYS before the start date of the program. Preference is generally given to applicants from AVMA accredited colleges. The Wildlife Conservation Society is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer. Residents are required to live in an apartment on zoo grounds and to be available for night emergencies and night treatments. The salary is $35,000 yr1, $36,250 yr2, and $37,500 yr3.

Interested applicants are invited to attend one of three information sessions: Nov 15, Nov 18, Nov 22, 2013. Please RSVP to [email protected].

Please submit your application through the Veterinary Internship and Residency Matching Program: www.virmp.org. Application deadline is Dec. 9, 2013. For information, please contact Dr. John Sykes ([email protected]).