2009 5th Year Intern Program

Non-Database Site Nomination Procedures

Students may nominate non-database sites for Electives and Rural Public Practice rotations only. You can undertake you Rural Public Practice Rotation with International Government bodies performing the same functions as the NSW Rural Lands Protection Boards, Australian Quarantine Services or NSW Department of Primary Industries.

Students considering undertaking an Extramural Placement at non-database practices/sites are to adhere to the following procedures and guidelines to seek Faculty approval.

Students are to ensure that the site/practice they are interested in approaching is not on the Faculty’s Veterinary Practices Database, before making any approach to the said site/practice. Any uncertainties as to the site/practice being listed on the database should be checked with the Coordinator, Extramural Placements in the Faculty Office.

Students are not to contact database listed practices/sites and principals with regards to undertaking placements with them without written approval from Faculty. Faculty has contacted all database sites/practice about their availability for 2009, and sites are currently responding with their availability. It is unacceptable and poor manners for individuals to attempt to override this process.

If you are considering nominating a non-database site, for an Extramural Placement (Elective or Rural Public Practice), you will be required to complete and hand in to the Coordinator Extramural Placements the following documents for each non-database site being considered no later than Friday 7th March, 2008, for rotations 1 – 12.

Extramural Site Profile Form

Extramural Site Principal Agreement Form

Students should take into account the following when considering non-database sites/practices:

The major consideration when investigating an Extramural Studies site should be your educational opportunities. You should evaluate if the opportunities at a non-database site are equal or superior to those available at database sites.

Sites being considered must operate a full working week and should not be a part time business.

The species treated
The volume of work / seasonality
The standard of Veterinary Medicine practised and the attitude to continuing education
Is it likely to be a student friendly site
The number of veterinary personnel, (a minimum of two full time vets is preferable)
Site facilities
Peer advice

You should discuss your needs and the program with the Principal. You should provide the Principal with a copy of the unit of study for either electives or rural public practice units of study. (copy of the extramural handbook was sent to you last year by Dr John Baguley, which you can use to enlighten the principal of the site.)

After the principal has reviewed this information and if they are willing to host you for a specified rotation, then you should have the principal complete;

1/ Extramural Site Profile Form
2/ Extramural Site Principal Agreement Form

You should advise the principal that the Faculty will contact them if the placement is considered suitable for you as a student intern.

The originals of the above forms are to be returned to the Coordinator Extramural Placements in the Faculty Office. You are to retain a copy, which you will be required to enter on-line when entering preferences. The Profile Survey and Principals Agreement forms are to be handed in at the same time.

Faculty will then examine your proposal and if it is considered suitable, will contact the Principal for confirmation of their agreement to host you and participate in the Faculty's Extramural Program. If a practice/site agrees to host you, this does not make this practice/site available in the Faculty’s Veterinary Practices Database for other students to attend. The practice/site, must request that they become available to future students to attend, through this database.

Any enquiries with regards to non-database site nominations are to be sent to clinicalstudies@vetsci.usyd.edu.au with the subject title: Non-Database Site Nominations Enquiry.