Would you like to work at the cutting edge of veterinary medicine? At Davies Veterinary Specialists our rotating internship programme gives you the opportunity to unleash your full potential.
We are recruiting for one-year rotating internship roles at our multi-disciplinary referral centre. Internships at Davies provide career development opportunities in a supportive and forward-thinking environment. The majority of our interns go on to complete discipline specific internships and residencies. It also provides an outstanding experience for those wishing to return to general practice. All our interns have a veterinary degree registerable with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) and have at least one year of postgraduate experience in small animal practice.
The programme is designed for highly motivated veterinary surgeons, who wish to expand their clinical knowledge, skills and experience, working under supervision in a multi-disciplinary referral hospital and providing an emergency out-of-hours service. Involvement in clinical research, CPD and externships is actively encouraged. This is complemented by journal clubs, in-house specialist lectures, seminars and small-group teaching.
Davies offers a wealth of experience and expertise in different specialities, vast learning opportunities and a great team and culture that supports career development tailored to the individual.
Why join Davies?
Davies Veterinary Specialists is one of Europe’s largest and most diverse animal referral hospitals. We are based in Hertfordshire and have a team of over 200 dedicated, experienced and passionate veterinary surgeons, nurses and support teams. We promise to deliver outstanding patient care while committing to being a gold-standard, sustainable workplace. We are a friendly, welcoming practice that leads the way in multi-specialist care. Davies is also part of Linnaeus, comprising of the largest network of Specialist-led referral practices in the UK and Ireland, with over 120 interns and 90 residents working across the group with endless career opportunities. As a company that is part of Mars Veterinary Health, we are committed to excellence and making A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS.
Meet our Rotating Internship Director
Dan Thompson
MA VetMB PgCertVPS CertAVP DipECVIM-CA MRCVS
Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
RCVS-recognised Specialist in Veterinary Internal Medicine
Intern Director
.
Dan graduated from the University of Cambridge in 2013. He then spent 16 months in a small animal general practice in Suffolk, before returning to the Queen’s Veterinary School Hospital to complete his one-year rotating internship. A further year was spent at a Tier 3 hospital in Bishop’s Stortford, followed by completion of a Residency in Small Animal Medicine at the University of Cambridge. Dan joined Davies in November 2019, and became our Intern Director in 2024.
What does a Davies intern do and what you should expect?
Here’s where you begin: on a 12-month Linnaeus rotating veterinary internship with Davies, one of Europe’s largest, most exciting small animal referral hospitals. Learn from the best, gain hands-on experience and start on a journey towards a career that’s as rewarding and fulfilling as successful.
Our 12-month rotating internship has been running for over 20 years, offering rotations through orthopaedics, soft tissue surgery, diagnostic imaging, anaesthesia, emergency/ICU and nights. There is also an elective week where time can be spent with any discipline, including internal medicine, neurology, ophthalmology, cardiology, oncology, dentistry or dermatology.
Davies offers a range of excellent facilities, including advanced diagnostic imaging, anaesthesia/ICU monitoring and electrophysiology studies/ablation. Our multi-disciplinary approach enables interns to support the management of complex cases.
The programme involves clinical training with our team of specialists, and interns are encouraged to participate in our regular journal clubs and seminars. A strong mentorship programme offers support and guidance, helping interns get the most out of their year at Davies.
Many of our interns go on to achieve residency training positions.
Our Rotating Internship Director, Dan Thompson, said: “After several years at Davies I bring great experience and insight into this role. I spent a year as an intern myself, and as a result I have a real understanding of how internships can benefit from strong teaching and training within the framework of a busy practice. Our interns are an integral part of the team at Davies, and we aim to support them at this important stage of their careers.”
Applications for our Summer 2025 internship programme are open.
How else will you benefit?
We are passionate about enabling you to develop yourself and your career. A high percentage of our previous interns have progressed into discipline-specific internships and residencies. There are many opportunities to progress into residency training at Davies or across the group.
Alternatively, we can support you to become a highly-skilled clinician and progress your career within primary care practice.
Whatever path you choose, you will also benefit from the following:
- Excellent in-clinic training from Specialists in our multi-disciplinary practices
- 1:1 mentoring with a trained mentor within a framework of monthly mentoring sessions
- Regular check-in meetings with the Linnaeus Internship and Residency Manager
- Small group seminar teaching
- Monthly intern film reading sessions
- Professional skills development
- Research skills training
- Support to undertake clinical research
- Access to Mars Veterinary Health Medical library
- RECOVER online basic and advanced life support training
- Career development workshop
- Unrivalled network of Specialist-led referral practices and over 120 Specialist pathway internship and residency training posts
- Access to careers within our network of excellent primary care practices.
Want to find out more?
Applications for our Summer 2025 internship programme are open.