Category: News
Equine Internships and Externships for Veterinary Students and Graduates
While Palm Beach Equine Clinic may be known for the 28 superb veterinarians who call it home, they are also a driving force in educating the next generation of equine medical professionals. Through world-renowned equine internship and externship programs, Palm Beach Equine Clinic molds new veterinarians every day.
Each year, equine interns work with Palm Beach Equine Clinic veterinarians for a 12-month period. Whether from externships that usually last up to two weeks and serve as an introduction to the practice or by references from top veterinarians across the U.S. and abroad, Palm Beach Equine Clinic attracts the most promising young veterinarians in the field.
Educating Equine Veterinary Students and Graduates From Around the World
Currently, Palm Beach Equine Clinic is host to recently graduated veterinary students from Oklahoma, Scotland, and Argentina. According to Palm Beach Equine Clinic veterinarian and board-certified surgeon Dr. Weston Davis who leads the Internship program, South Florida attracts only the best.
“We really have the cream of the crop because they have big opportunities here,” said Dr. Davis. “A lot of equine internships can offer work with one or two veterinarians, but what’s cool at Palm Beach Equine Clinic is they can pick from the collection of doctors we have.”
Palm Beach Equine Clinic interns rotate through three phases, including hands-on application of hospital anesthetization, imaging – both from ambulatory duty and elective – and working with a doctor of their choice based on their specific interests.
Dr. Davis has been with Palm Beach Equine Clinic for two years and immediately took interest in making the equine internship program the best it could be. In two years, he has made one of the world’s best programs even better.
Benefits of an Equine Internship
“I wanted to make it as organized and structured as it could be so they can get as much out of that year as possible,” he said. “The general rule is that doing a one-year equine internship puts you three to five years ahead of those that come out of school and start out on their own. Interns come out of school with a handle on book knowledge and the internships give them a good clinical appreciation for those same topics. They see a lot and do a lot under the supervision of seasoned veterinarians while they are here.”
While Palm Beach Equine internships offer obvious perks for the interns themselves, it also has added benefit for the veterinarians already at the clinic.
“The value for the interns is they get to see a tremendous amount of cases in short time, but it’s also valuable for us because they come out of school with fresh knowledge, new ideas, and keep us current and on our toes,” said Dr. Davis.
Traditionally veterinary students will fulfill their equine internship requirements and move on to find a full-time position at other practices. Dr. Davis himself did just that after graduating from the University of Florida College Of Veterinary Medicine and interning at Oakridge Equine Hospital in Oklahoma. But, the experiences available at Palm Beach Equine Clinic keep its interns staying put.
Equine Internships Kickstart Veterinary Careers
History has proven that many interns who work for Palm Beach Equine Clinic as interns go on to accept full-time positions at the clinic. One of those veterinarians is Dr. Ryan Lukens. After earning his DVM from The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine, he began an internship with Palm Beach Equine Clinic in 2012.
“I am so pleased that I did my internship with Palm Beach Equine,” said Dr. Lukens. “It was basically another year of school where I got to focus on exactly what I wanted to do.”
Dr. Lukens specialized in sports medicine, lameness, and diagnostic imaging, which is a passion he inherited from his father, a fellow veterinarian. His experience with Palm Beach Equine Clinic solidified that concentration thanks to the latest in veterinary technology.
“When I came to Palm Beach Equine Clinic, I had access to all the newest equipment. That gave me more tools to improve my skills under the direction of a full network of senior veterinarians,” added Dr. Lukens. “When you leave vet school, you have a question every hour of the day, and I had a number of veterinarians who were a phone call away to answer those questions. I never had to second-guess myself because they were there to help me learn. But, there also isn’t always one way to do something correctly. I learned the opinions of so many veterinarians who do things just a little differently, and it helped me to find my own way and what’s best for the horses I treat.”
Thanks to Palm Beach Equine Clinic, horse owners in South Florida and beyond have access to well-educated veterinarians with hands-on experience that is unmatched.
Interested in Applying for an Equine Internship?
Fill out this form to get in contact with the internship and externship department.
Palm Beach Equine Clinic is renowned for its full-service surgical center and intensive care hospital located in the heart of Wellington, Florida. Board certified surgeons, primary care veterinarians and hospital technicians are scheduled 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to treat, monitor and care for critical cases. With world class veterinarians and a full staff of highly trained technicians, both clients and patients of Palm Beach Equine Clinic are in the best hands possible.
Equine Hospital and Surgical Facility
Palm Beach Equine Clinic’s surgical suite and staff is prepared to handle all kinds of emergencies, day and night. The large team of 26 veterinarians includes three Board Certified Surgeons who rotate on-call duties for all emergencies. This aids Palm Beach Equine Clinic veterinarians and all of the Southeast with the ability to treat their emergencies quickly, especially any requiring surgical assistance. The state of the art intensive care hospital is equipped with digital video cameras for the clinicians to easily monitor their patients from any location, at any time. Palm Beach Equine Clinic also has a full-service laboratory on-site equipped with hematology, chemistry, and microbiology equipment to internally evaluate each case and provide rapid results.
Advanced Diagnostic Imaging Capabilities
Palm Beach Equine Clinic prides itself as a consistent leader in horse sport medicine and recently upgraded its scanning technologies to provide better equine diagnostic imaging services for their clients.
Last fall, Palm Beach Equine Clinic installed a state-of-the-art MRI lab containing the Equine Standing MRI manufactured by Hallmarq, which allows scans of the equine foot and lower limb to be done in a standing position requiring only light sedation. Additionally, last year Palm Beach Equine Clinic completed the renovation of a Nuclear Scintigraphy lab with the installation of the new top of-the-line MiE Equine Nuclear Scintigraphy camera. This new gamma ray camera is designed with sharper contours for more precise imaging and lameness diagnosis. The advanced technology provides the ability to acquire high quality images regardless of small patient movements, alleviating the necessity for re-scans and reduces the time required to complete a scan. Both MRI and Nuclear Scintigraphy can be extremely useful in diagnosing lameness origins and determining appropriate, effective treatment for your horse. Palm Beach Equine Clinic has a Board Certified Radiologist on site to interpret images to assist with diagnosis.
For Palm Beach Equine Clinic, 2016 will be an exciting year for expansion of our physical facility. PBEC plans on adding an additional 4,000 square feet of air conditioned examination areas, an additional surgical suite and recovery stall, as well as, climate controlled isolation quarantine stalls. Under the guidance of Dr. Sarah Puchalski, our in house Board Certified Radiologist, Palm Beach Equine Clinic hopes to add the first equine Computed Tomography service (CT scans) to our diagnostic imaging expertise.
Consult Palm Beach Equine Clinic for your Horse Health Needs
For more information on our facility or in case of an emergency, please call (561) 793-1599 to contact an on-call veterinarian.
Palm Beach Equine Clinic is proud to be the Florida distributor of DJM Sole Supports. DJM Sole Supports can safely be used to give instant relief for many common hoof ailments in horses. They are especially helpful for horses suffering from laminitis, punctured soles, infections, foot abscess, pre- or post-surgery support, foot and heel soreness, sole pressure related issues, barefoot trims and extra support to travel long distances.
Facts about DJM Sole Supports
DJM Sole Supports are 100% breathable, easy to apply and provide instantaneous relief due to uniform support for the entire foot. The supports can be used in conjunction with any medicated gel to help an injury or infection. Once the pad has formed its shape, it will not alter.
The supports can be washed in warm salty water, allowed to dry naturally and reused for up to two weeks. The pads can also be left on for several days at a time. However, if there is a discharging wound, the pad should be removed, cleaned thoroughly and reapplied every 24 hours.
The DJM Sole Support engineering was developed by farrier David Mangan, who now solely devotes his time and knowledge into designing innovative products for horses. The Sole Support is unique and superior to other products due to its patented composition. When a horse’s foot is sore and inflamed, the sensitive laminae swells, causing pain from any load or movement. The DJM Sole Support aids in reducing the sole’s movement, evenly distributes the pressure and minimizes the downward movement of the sole from loading.
Proper Application of a DJM Sole Support
Proper application of a DJM Sole Support will give rapid relief to the horse in a majority of cases. In the case of Laminitic horses, DJM Sole Supports can provide relief by supporting the sole to reduce the pull of sensitive inflammatory tissues (Laminae) as it separates from the hoof wall. Sole Supports can also offer full protection and comfort while travelling long distances by trailer or plane. Horses that are preparing or recovering from surgical procedures can benefit from the use of Sole Supports to reduce the loading on supporting limbs and stabilize the injured leg. In cases where horses suffer from corns or stone bruises, the Sole Support can reduce inflammation, provide protection and comfort with, or without, a shoe. The supports will also give instant relief to horses that are sensitive to shoeing and typically require a few days to recover. The sole supports are an excellent, clean alternative to “hoof packing” after a hard day’s work. Additionally, for horses that have lost a shoe and rely heavily on those shoes for soundness, the Sole Support may be used to protect the foot while waiting for the farrier to arrive.
DJM Sole Support pads are available in three sizes to fit most horses.
If the pad is larger than the foot, it is safe to allow excess to cover the heels and or provide a rolled toe. The support pads are available in either “soft” or “firm” types, with the softer compound more suitable for the very tender footed horse.
Always on the forefront of medical advances, Palm Beach Equine Clinic is proud to distribute DJM Sole Supports in Florida. For more information, please visit https://paniolo.online/product/sole-support/ or call the experts at Palm Beach Equine Clinic at 561-793-1599.
The 2015 Pan American Games were held in Toronto, Ontario showcasing exciting equestrian competition in the disciplines of show jumping, dressage and eventing. Countries from North, South and Central America, as well as the Caribbean, fielded teams for the prestigious event which served to secure qualifications for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Palm Beach Equine Clinic was proud to have two of its finest sport horse veterinarians in the middle of the action, providing veterinary support to the world’s elite horses.
Palm Beach Equine Clinic’s Dr. Jorge Gomez was in attendance at the Pan American Games to care for many of his competing clients throughout the event. Dr. Gomez is not only a top sport horse practitioner but is also a board-certified surgeon. Dr. Natalia Novoa was also one of the treating veterinarians at the Games, where she provided conventional veterinary services as well as alternative medicine including chiropractic adjustments and acupuncture for many of the equine stars.
Drs. Gomez and Novoa were witness to great sport and tremendous results during their time in Toronto. The show jumping portion of the Games was held July 18-25, awarding medals for individual and team events. Both veterinarians were fortunate enough to watch the Canadian Show Jumping Team win gold. Argentina went home with the silver medal and the United States earned bronze. They also proudly watched several of their own clients earn top finishes in the individual competition. McLain Ward (USA), Andres Rodriguez (VEN), and Lauren Hough (USA) earned the gold, silver and bronze medals respectively.
There is a great deal of work that is vital to maintaining a world class performance horse in peak condition for an event such as the Pan American Games. Dr. Gomez was selected to be the Team Veterinarian for Venezuela and Guatemala. Dr. Gomez teamed up with Dr. Novoa to provide veterinary support for silver medal winner Darlon van Groenhove with Andres Rodriguez (VEN) and sixth place finisher Hardrock Z ridden by Emanuel Andrade (VEN). Dr. Novoa was honored to work with and care for many of the event’s most successful horses, including Canada’s Tripple X III (Tiffany Foster) and Coco Bongo (Eric Lamaze), Argentina’s Abunola (Luis Pedro Biraben) and Cannavara 9 (Matias Albarracin), and Venezuela’s Darlon van Groenhove (Andres Rodriguez), as well as Hardrock Z (Emanuel Andrade).
“Such success is attained with the contributions of a number of people, including the riders, trainers, owners, grooms, veterinarians, farriers and other support personnel, and I wish to take this opportunity to congratulate each and every person involved,” Dr. Novoa stated. “It is my honor and pleasure to provide veterinary care to such top caliber horses. It is truly exciting to watch these athletes compete at the highest level, earning personal bests, such as Andres Rodriguez winning the Individual Silver Medal for Venezuela! Good luck to everyone in the preparations for the Olympic Games in Rio in 2016!”
Palm Beach Equine Clinic, an industry leader in sport horse veterinary care, features a renowned list of veterinarians who are experts in their respective fields, and available to provide services to clientele throughout North America and around the world in the various horse sport disciplines.
Major Developments at Palm Beach Equine Clinic
Palm Beach Equine Clinic is excited to announce the addition of the most advanced Equine Nuclear Scintigraphy Gamma Ray Camera. Last winter, Palm Beach Equine Clinic announced the grand opening of an eleven-stall barn for intensive and postoperative care. Four new offices were built for the additional seven veterinarians that joined the practice. This fall we will complete the renovation of the Nuclear Scintigraphy (bone scan) lab. In addition to installing the new top of the line Nuclear Scintigraphy camera manufactured by Medical Imaging Electronics.
Capabilities of Equine Nuclear Scintigraphy Imaging
The Equine Scanner H.R. designed by MIE reduces time required to scan the horse and provides more defined images. The new technology behind the Equine Scanner H.R. assists with the ability to produce high-quality images even if the horse moves slightly while taking an image. Image acquisitions will not have to be repeated as frequently which reduces the length of time required for a scan. The camera is equipped with special software that is designed to acquire images with sharp contours. This creates a precise, effective diagnosis of the lameness or specific point of injury. MIE describes their new gamma-ray camera as “an ingenious combination of mechanics, electronics and special software algorithms, which allows unique scanning on standing horses.”
Palm Beach Equine Clinic is one of very few equine practices in the U.S. with a staff Board Certified Radiologist. World-renowned Radiologist, Dr. Sarah Puchalski, is on site to read and interpret images immediately so clients have results as quickly as possible. Dr. Puchalski is excited about the renovation and the new Equine Scanner H.R. machine.
“The addition of this scanner places Palm Beach Equine at the forefront of diagnostic imaging the world over. Excellent motion correction software and the largest field of view allows for accurate, rapid scanning of large parts such as the pelvis, back and neck in addition to the more routinely imaged limbs. It is very exciting to be able to work with these tools in Wellington,” said Dr. Puchalski.
Equine Nuclear Scintigraphy for Referral Veterinarians
Often times horses may have multi-limb lameness that makes it difficult for your veterinarian to pinpoint the problem. Dr. Puchalski gladly accepts referrals from other veterinarians and is happy to assist in the specific diagnosis of your horse’s ailments. Palm Beach Equine Clinic has performed over 3,000 bone scans in the last decade.
We remain the leader in Equine Imaging. Please contact Palm Beach Equine Clinic by calling (561) 793 – 1599 to schedule your horse’s imaging appointment.
Congratulations to Dr. Weston Davis for winning the BEVA Trust Peter Rossdale EVJ Open Award at the 2014 BEVA Congress in Birmingham. The award was for a paper Dr. Davis wrote entitled:
Palm Beach Equine Clinic was proud to be one of the sponsors for the 2014 Pony Derby held at the PBIEC Stadium. In addition to the sponsorship, they donated a day with surgeon Dr. Bob Brusie which raised a record amount of $10,000! Thanks, Dr. Brusie for your support!!
Dr. Brusie graduated from Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine. He completed his surgical residency at the Marion DuPont Scott Equine Center in 1989 and has been in private practice ever since. He became Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in 1994. Dr. Brusie joined Palm Beach Equine Clinic in 1996 as Head of Surgery.
Dr. Bob Brusie is a board-certified surgeon who is recognized for his expertise in colic surgery, as well as for his skill in arthroscopic surgery. His surgical experience expands the clinic’s progressive care in both emergency and elective procedures. He has published articles on numerous topics, including the equine intestinal tract and septic arthritis in horses. Dr. Brusie is married and has three daughters.
PBEC Community News
The latest community news for Palm Beach Equine Clinic
Horse Tales Literacy Program
Dr. Janet Greenfield-Davis will do a hands-on presentation for the Horse Tales Literacy Project at Good Earth Farm on January 24th from 10:00am-12: 00 pm. Sixty-five students from Pahokee and Glades Academy will have the opportunity to see, touch, and learn about horses for the first time. Dr. Greenfield-Davis has donated her time to do several educational talks for the Horse Tales Literacy Program.
Winter Equestrian Festival Lunch and Learn
Drs. Weston Davis and Sarah Puchalski will be speaking at the WEF Lunch and Learn on January 30th in the Wellington Club from 12:00pm-1: 00 pm. Dr. Davis will cover the topic, “Advances in Minimally Invasive Surgery” and Dr. Puchalski will speak on “Diagnostic Imaging for the Modern Sport Horse”. There will be an open discussion after the presentations. This event is open to the public free of charge. Palm Beach Equine Clinic would like to thank Zoetis for sponsoring this event.
PBEC Monthly Contest
Each month, Palm Beach Equine Clinic will be hosting a raffle to give our friends a chance to win great prizes. The winner of the contest will be picked on the last day of each month, every month the prize will be different. The January prize is one month of either training classes at Crossfit Wellington or one month of personal training at Evolution Fitness Wellington, you get to choose! The total value of this product is $250.00.
Tour Palm Beach Equine Clinic and Meet the Veterinarians
From December 1st, 2013 through April 1st, 2014, PBEC is pleased to offer tours by appointment. Guests will have a guided tour of the facility and time to talk with the veterinarians on staff. Tours will include the new hospital, Nuclear Scintigraphy room, and Surgery Center.
Palm Beach Equine Clinic welcomes new veterinarian Radiologist, Dr. Sarah Puchalski, and Surgeon, Dr. Weston Davis. Dr. Puchalski is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Radiology. Her specialty includes the interpretation of radiographs in addition to other diagnostic imaging techniques.
New Team Members
With Dr. Puchalski’s addition, Palm Beach Equine Clinic is pleased to be one of few practices in the country with a full-time board certified radiologist.
Dr. Davis is a Board Certified surgeon specializing in equine sports medicine. Dr. Davis joins Dr. Bob Brusie and Dr. Jorge Gomez at Palm Beach Equine Clinic providing exceptional surgical expertise in orthopedic and soft tissue related problems including emergency colic surgery.
Expanded Facilities
In addition to this exciting news comes the announcement of a new expansion to their veterinary hospital. PBEC is located less than one mile from the Winter Equestrian Festival and across the street from the Global Dressage Festival. The expansion includes a new barn containing 11 intensive care stalls capable of providing advanced medical treatment and post-operative care. The added stalls and office space makes Palm Beach Equine Clinic the most progressive, well-equipped facility in the region for equine veterinary care.
Palm Beach Equine Clinic (PBEC) is the one of the select few equine hospitals in the country with three board-certified surgeons. With 24 veterinarians on staff, they are the most complete hospital in the southeast United States, ready to handle any emergency as well as elective surgery and preventative care.
Exceptional Equine Medical Care
Palm Beach Equine Clinic has locations in Wellington, Florida, Long Island, New York and satellite veterinarians throughout the United States. PBEC provides exceptional equine medical care with an unwavering commitment to the horse for more than 30 years. Working with patients that range from the reliable amateur horse to Olympic athletes, PBEC’s mission from day one has been to provide innovative veterinary services that promote health and happiness in horses while extending their performance careers. With this mission in mind, Palm Beach Equine Clinic remains the leading service provider in equine veterinary medicine.
From December 1st, 2013 through April 1st, 2014, PBEC is pleased to offer tours by appointment. After scheduling an appointment, guests can look forward to a tour of the facility and time to talk with veterinarians. Tours will include the new hospital, Nuclear Scintigraphy room, and Surgery Center. Visitors will have an opportunity to ask questions and meet all the new doctors on staff. PBEC is located at 13125 Southfields Road in Wellington, Florida.
Contact PBEC for more information
Palm Beach Equine Clinic is respected throughout the industry. Well known for an unwavering commitment to the horse and their owners, PBEC offers innovative, advanced medical care. Known as leaders in new diagnostics and therapies, PBEC veterinarians have published numerous articles in equine magazines and journals.
Dr. Scott Swerdlin, President of Palm Beach Equine Clinic was asked to judge trainer, Charlie Moorcroft’s annual Halloween Pony Parade and Costume Contest on Sunday afternoon, October 27th. Each contest won a prize for various categories. The final prize given was two $50 gift certificates to Palm Beach Equine Clinic for the Best of Show awards. The winners were Sophie Studd and Eliza Guero. Congratulations kids and have a Happy Halloween!!!