This year, we welcomed 14 intern veterinarians to our 2023 ER Academy class via an in-person orientation in Austin, TX!
Thrive’s ER Academy was established by National Specialty Director of House Officer Programs, Dr. Leslie Bauer, who also serves as Medical Director for Emergency Pet Clinic San Antonio (EPC), a Thrive Partner.
The program offers a strong foundation for a successful veterinary emergency career through a premiere, one-year internship that trains, develops, mentors, and recruits aspiring ER veterinarians to provide high quality emergency care at Thrive hospitals.
“ER Academy interns should be able to walk into any ER clinic in the country and feel confident enough to run the floor and handle any cases that may walk through the door. We also are very focused on the skills of emotional intelligence, mindfulness, and communication that can help prevent burnout and create more well-rounded clinicians,” remarks Dr. Bauer.
With five locations across the country, we’re here to support the success of talented new veterinarians interested in emergency medicine. Our didactic training program is based on VECCS guidelines and includes intensive mentoring for the candidate throughout the year.
This year’s ER Academy Orientation included a jam-packed agenda, with interns being introduced to the program, participating in FASTVet ultrasound training, and engaging in sessions on veterinary mindfulness and resilience.
“The orientation was an amazing introduction to the veterinary field and ER Academy. My favorite part was the FASTVet training with other interns! We learned techniques that are crucial to helping critical patients and a great kickstart to our veterinary careers and professional relationships,” shares Dr. Sierra Latshaw, a Royal Veterinary College graduate and incoming ER Academy intern with EPC.
Of course, there was also plenty of time for interns to connect and build community with each other through icebreakers and team dinners.
“I got a look into the ER Academy program and how Thrive operates. I was also able to meet my intern mates and have lots of time to get to know each other and form friendships,” says Dr. Natalie Verdi, who recently graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia and is also embarking on an ER internship at EPC.
During the orientation, intern directors also enjoyed their own training sessions on the GROW model — a simple, structured coaching method to help team members identify goals and commit to taking action, resulting in happier and better supported hospital teams.
We can’t wait to see where our interns’ journeys take them as they complete the ER Academy program and go on to pursue their passions in veterinary medicine. As this next generation of veterinary leaders begin making their mark on the profession, we draw inspiration from their energy, empathy, and enthusiasm.
Dr. Bauer remarks, “New grads and vet school students make us all want to be the best and we stay on top of best practices. We want to show them what we may have taken years to learn and help shorten the learning curve, training ER vets to be the best they can be and enabling them to become “lifers” in the field.”
