Thank you for your interest in the University of Tennessee. Located in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains, the UT College of Veterinary Medicine offers in-depth clinical training, clinical and didactic teaching, and research experience. The Veterinary Medical Center’s patient caseload is strong. In 2023, we saw almost 22,000 dogs and cats, over 2,000 exotics patients, and almost 13,000 large animals. Opportunities are available for residents to complete Masters or PhD degrees alongside residency training, if desired. New to the Knoxville area? We have compiled newcomers’ resources about Knox and eight surrounding counties.
Internships
Large Animal
Applications for this program are only accepted online through the American Association of Veterinary Clinicians (AAVC) sponsored Veterinary Internship and Residency Matching Program (VIRMP). All program information, application, and rank forms are available through the VIRMP web-based system. Applications should NOT be sent directly to the University of Tennessee.
This program is offered every year through the Veterinary Internship and Residency Matching Program.
Visit VIRMP for an Online-Application.
This rotating internship is designed to encourage candidates to strengthen expertise in large animal medicine, surgery, anesthesia, reproduction, herd health, and rehabilitation. Two interns will be selected from the applicant pool. The program is designed to provide a broad, well-balanced exposure to large animal species, including horses, cattle, sheep, goats, swine, llamas, and alpacas. The interns will rotate through farm animal medicine and surgery, equine medicine, equine surgery and rehabilitation, farm animal and equine field services, anesthesia, and emergency and critical care services. Interns may also select rotations of special interest, such as reproduction and ophthalmology. The Interns may choose between a broad program and a program more weighted toward a specific focus in farm animal or equine. They will receive considerable hands-on experience under the direct supervision of senior faculty/board-certified specialists. Interns participate in the clinical emergency schedule; however, they are always backed up by senior staff. The goal of the program is to provide as much case experience as possible by encouraging independent decision making, practice of procedural skills, communication with clients and veterinarians, and instruction of senior veterinary students, all while receiving support and guidance from senior staff.
Interns participate in educational activities including resident/intern seminars, section seminars, college conferences and seminars, and daily rounds. Seminars in various specialties are also offered regularly, such as ophthalmology, cardiology, radiology, oncology and critical care and emergency medicine. Additional exposure to journal clubs, morbidity and mortality rounds, and pathology rounds, is also available. The intern will be expected to present an in-depth case report during faculty grand rounds at least one time during the year. The intern will be expected to assist in teaching veterinary students and veterinary technician students in the field on calls, in the classroom, in daily rounds, and in laboratories. The intern will be expected to develop an interesting equine case into a report suitable for publication by the end of the program.
Interns are given 10 personal leave days per year and share holiday schedules with other interns and residents. Interns are not required to obtain a license in the State of Tennessee. A required orientation program begins each year on June 15; the last day of the internship is June 30. Annual leave cannot be taken in June at the end of the program.
Contact Information
Meggan Graves, DVM – Dept. of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine mtoohey@utk.edu
Small Animal
Residencies
Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences
Residency in Anatomic Pathology or Residency in Clinical Pathology
Large Animal Clinical Sciences
Applications for this program are only accepted online through the American Association of Veterinary Clinicians (AAVC) sponsored Veterinary Internship and Residency Matching Program (VIRMP). All program information, application, and rank forms are available through the VIRMP web-based system. Applications should NOT be sent directly to the University of Tennessee.
This program is offered every year through the Veterinary Internship and Residency Matching Program.
Visit VIRMP for an Online-Application.
The Equine Performance Medicine and Rehabilitation (EPR) residency training program at the University of Tennessee (UT) is a three-year program that meets the requirements as set forth by the American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation (ACVSMR). Upon successful completion of the program, the resident will have completed the ACVSMR residency requirements and will be able to submit their credentials for approval to take the ACVSMR examination. The primary objective of the residency program is to train veterinarians in the didactic and technical aspects of sports medicine and rehabilitation so they may enter academic veterinary medicine or a specialty practice and be qualified for board certification by examination. The program adheres to residency program requirements as imposed by the ACVSMR. The UT Veterinary Medical Center is a modern facility with state-of-the-art equipment for the management of performance medicine and rehabilitation cases, including an in-ground underwater treadmill, therapeutic lasers, Total Body Vibration, neuromuscular electrical stimulation, therapeutic ultrasound, extracorporeal shockwave treatment, and a variety of equipment for therapeutic exercises. The hospital is equipped with a Lameness Locator® system, dynamic videoendoscopy, thermography, Tekscan Pressure Mat system, arthroscopic and laparoscopic equipment, surgical lasers, radiotherapy, digital radiography and ultrasonography, and fracture fixation systems. Motion analysis (kinematic) equipment is also available for gait evaluation. The facility has a full-size indoor arena for performance evaluations and a lameness diagnostic center.
Contact Information
Tena Ursini, DVM, PhD, DACVSMR – Dept of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine tursini@utk.edu
Applications for this program are only accepted online through the American Association of Veterinary Clinicians (AAVC) sponsored Veterinary Internship and Residency Matching Program (VIRMP). All program information, application, and rank forms are available through the VIRMP web-based system. Applications should NOT be sent directly to the University of Tennessee.
This program is offered every year through the Veterinary Internship and Residency Matching Program.
Visit VIRMP for an Online-Application.
The overall goal of this three-year residency program is to provide training and experience to qualify the candidate for certification by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM). This program is approved by ACVIM, follows the General Information Guideline (GIG) from ACVIM for training residents, and is directed by 6 LAIM diplomates of ACVIM (3 equine, 3 farm animal). The annual total “in-house” large animal caseload ranges from 3000-4000 animals/year, and is comprised of approximately 60% horses, 40% Farm animal species (cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, llamas and alpacas). Of the total “in-house” hospital caseload, approximately 50% of the cases are assigned to the equine or farm animal medicine service. Didactic training is available to residents in various forms, including resident/intern seminars, college conferences, and rounds. Seminars in various specialties are also offered regularly, such as ophthalmology, cardiology, radiology, oncology, emergency and critical care. Additional exposure to journal clubs, morbidity and mortality rounds, pathology rounds, and ethics rounds are also available. When appropriate, residents will participate in teaching veterinary students through lectures and laboratory exercises in pre-clinical and clinical settings. The resident will participate in clinical service during all three years of the program with increasing responsibility that includes primary case management and assisting faculty in the instruction and supervision of veterinary students. Time on clinic duty will be divided between the farm animal medicine and surgery and equine medicine services depending on focus, with opportunity for rotations in field services, equine surgery, theriogenology, equine rehabilitation, ophthalmology, and other areas of the hospital. The farm animal medicine and surgery service offers individual animal care for production and pet farm animals, including beef and dairy cattle, sheep and goats, llamas/alpacas, swine, and alternative livestock. There will be approximately 46 weeks on clinics during the first year, and 38 – 40 weeks on clinic duty during the second and third years. Medicine residents perform in-house emergency duties on a rotating basis with other residents (approx. 6) and interns (approx. 3) under the guidance of an emergency clinician. Each resident is required to conduct a research project during the residency. If desired, residents are encouraged to enter a combined residency-graduate program (PhD, MS, MPH).
Contact Information
Melissa Hines, DVM, PhD, DACVIM – Dept. of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine mhines8@utk.edu
Applications for this program are only accepted online through the American Association of Veterinary Clinicians (AAVC) sponsored Veterinary Internship and Residency Matching Program (VIRMP). All program information, application, and rank forms are available through the VIRMP web-based system. Applications should NOT be sent directly to the University of Tennessee.
This program is offered every year through the Veterinary Internship and Residency Matching Program.
Visit VIRMP for an Online-Application.
The objectives of this three-year program are to train specialists in large animal surgery and to prepare them for board certification by the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS). This goal is achieved through working closely with senior faculty, where residents receive considerable hands-on experience with gradually decreasing direct supervision by faculty/board-certified specialists. Successfully completed, this program fulfills the requirements for application to the ACVS. Didactic training is available to the residents in various forms, including resident/intern seminars, section seminars, college conferences, seminars, and rounds. Seminars in various specialties such as ophthalmology, cardiology, radiology, oncology, and emergency and critical care are also offered regularly. Additional exposure to journal clubs, morbidity and mortality rounds, pathology rounds, and ethics rounds is also available.
Contact Information
Mulon Pierre-Yves, DVM, DES, DACVS-LA – Dept. of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine pmulon@utk.edu
Applications for this program are only accepted online through the American Association of Veterinary Clinicians (AAVC) sponsored Veterinary Internship and Residency Matching Program (VIRMP). All program information, application, and rank forms are available through the VIRMP web-based system. Applications should NOT be sent directly to the University of Tennessee.
This program is offered every year through the Veterinary Internship and Residency Matching Program.
Visit VIRMP for an Online-Application.
The Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences at The University of Tennessee offers a three-year residency program in Theriogenology. The program provides a graduate veterinarian the opportunity to gain in-depth knowledge of Theriogenology and its supporting disciplines under the supervision and guidance of Diplomates of the American College of Theriogenologists. The goal of the program is to prepare the candidate for a future career in academic or specialty private practice. Successful residents will fulfill the requirements necessary to qualify to obtain board certification by the American College of Theriogenologists. This program is devoted primarily to participation in the theriogenology clinical service and teaching programs of the Veterinary Medical Center (VMC) and the Veterinary Research and Education Center (VREC). These experiences are conducted mainly on campus but also in field settings. Graduation from an AVMA-accredited college of veterinary medicine and completion of a 1-year internship or equivalent private veterinary practice experience are required. Licensure in the state of Tennessee is not required.
The theriogenology service boasts a dedicated facility including an equine reproduction facility with 8 mare stocks, embryo transfer, artificial insemination, semen collection and preservation, stallion collection facility, and a 10-stall barn equipped with light synchronization. Another dedicated facility serves the cattle caseload and includes 12 palpation chutes, a rotating chute, and bull facilities. The theriogenology service is enjoying an expanding and diverse caseload primarily focused on horses and cattle, but also includes sheep, goats, llamas, alpacas, and a limited number of small animals.
Didactic training is available to residents in various forms, including resident/intern seminars, college conferences, and rounds. The service rotation consists of assisting senior clinicians in reproductive cases, mainly in equine, food animal species, and some exposure in small animal species. Technical skills and clinical judgment will be obtained through supervised case management, participation in teaching laboratories and research projects, and attendance at rounds and seminars. The resident will participate in clinical service during all three years of the program with increasing responsibility that includes primary case management and assisting faculty in the instruction and supervision of third- and fourth-year veterinary students. During the first and second years, the resident may participate in two two-week-long external educational opportunities. The resident will be allowed four weeks of time off from daytime clinical duty immediately prior to the exam. The Theriogenology resident shares in-house emergency duties for all of the large animal hospital on a rotating basis with other residents and interns under the guidance of an emergency clinician. The resident will conduct a research project during the residency. Although graduate studies are not required in this program, residents are encouraged to enter a graduate program (PhD, MS, or MPH). This may be started during or following the 3-year residency.
Contact Information
Tulio Prado, DVM, MS, DACT – Dept. of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine tprado@utk.edu
Small Animal Clinical Sciences
