Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Wellington offers a 53 week in-hospital internship with a focus on surgery, medicine, lameness, theriogenology, emergency medicine and anesthesia services.  Primary responsibilities will include care of hospital patients, emergency duty, assisting with surgery, anesthesia, medicine procedures, imaging and lameness exams.  The responsibilities of the interns vary between the services and the amount of seasonal work.  During the busy season, the work day is routinely 12-13 hours long plus emergencies, but off-season work days can be much shorter.  Each day those interns with in-hospital patients, assess and are responsible for basic care, perform minor treatments and bandage changes before morning rounds. After rounds, more extensive examinations and procedures are done with the clinician e.g., lameness, endoscopic, ultrasound and radiographic exams, etc. The vast majority of interns' time is spent in the hospital, but occasionally they may go on farm calls.  Emergency duty is a significant part of the internship experience. Our internship allows for a great deal of mentorship and hands on experience. Outgoing interns and incoming interns are staggered to provide overlap and experience as the incoming class gets settled and trained. There are four internship positions available to qualified applicants, with the goal of providing a strong foundation for application to a residency program or entering private practice.

The hospital staff at Rood & Riddle Wellington includes one board-certified surgeon, one surgeon, one board-certified theriogenologist, and one consulting board-certified internist. Dr.’s Steve Reed (internal medicine), Raul Bras (podiatry) and Brad Tanner (dentistry) from our Lexington practice come to Wellington on a regular basis during the winter months to also see patients. Interns will provide assistant surgeon, anesthesia, and technical support for after-hours emergencies.  All treatments, including after-hours and holidays, are performed by technicians. 

The imaging modalities in our hospital include Nuclear scintigraphy, PET scan, digital radiographs, and ultrasound.  We are currently expanding our hospital to also include a CT scan as well as an overhead x-ray machine. Other specialty therapies include regenerative medicine and shockwave. 

Outgoing interns and incoming interns are staggered to provide overlap and experience as the incoming class gets settled and trained. 

About the area: Equestrian enthusiasts descend upon Wellington each winter season to enjoy their love of the sport. Wellington in the winter attracts elite show jumpers, dressage riders and host the largest field of high-goal polo teams. We are also fortunate to be conveniently located close to major Thoroughbred and Standardbred training centers and racetracks. Our case load is split 50/50 between Sport horses and Racehorse

About Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Wellington

Rood & Riddle began as an ambulatory practice in Lexington, Kentucky in 1982 and established a full-service equine hospital in 1986. Today the practice is known and respected throughout the world for innovative and highly skilled treatment of horses. Rood & Riddle continues their tradition of excellence into the twenty first century serving as a referral center for horses requiring specialized medical and surgical care and providing ambulatory care for all breeds and disciplines. With the original hospital in Lexington, Kentucky and satellite hospitals in Saratoga Springs, New York and Wellington, Florida, Rood & Riddle maintains an unwavering commitment to quality, both in the care of horses and in our relationships with clients and the community.

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