Small Animal Clinical Nutrition Residency

The Small Animal Clinical Nutrition Residency Program is a 2-year program designed to provide advanced clinical training in nutrition leading to ACVN board-certification. Residents are required to participate in patient care, daily rounds, consultations, seminars and clinical conferences. The residency also provides the opportunity to attend lectures and rounds at Boston and Worcester’s many neighboring human medical and nutrition centers. As part of the training program, the residents will participate in veterinary student training through clinical, laboratory, and didactic teaching. Residents in the Department of Clinical Sciences are required to teach students on clinical rotations, assess student performance through student grades and clinical competency tracking, and instruct students in clinical skills laboratories.

Training will occur at Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine in North Grafton, MA, which is approximately 40 miles west of Boston. Nutrition residents will spend approximately 75{521180f15dd2027168675d163050da1d8b0b17eced28e0e8276c7111b943c8aa} of the time on clinics with an emphasis on clinical nutrition. Some weeks will include students participating on a clinical nutrition elective. Student teaching is an important goal during all on-clinic weeks. Time will be provided for scholarly activities including self-study and research. An opportunity for some elective time in other specialties (e.g. medicine, surgery, emergency/critical care, and cardiology, etc.) also is available. Residents are also encouraged to spend elective time with the Nutrition Support Service at area medical centers.

Responsibilities

Clinical

Residents will participate in the Nutrition Support Service at Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine and the Obesity Clinic. This service provides consultations primarily for inpatients and outpatients in the Foster Hospital for Small Animals, with a smaller number of equine consultations from the Hospital for Large Animals. Referral nutrition appointments and consultations for referring veterinarians also are provided. Residents are expected to participate in Nutrition Support Service rounds, as well as rounds with other clinical services.

Teaching

Residents will be expected to actively participate in clinical training of 4th year veterinary students and in first year nutrition laboratories. One lecture will be required yearly as part of the hospital’s continuing education series.

Research

Residents are required to conduct a research project during their residency and submit a manuscript for publication in a peer-reviewed professional journal before completing their program. Failure to meet this publication requirement may delay signing of the residency certificate.

Courses

Courses are not a required part of the residency. However, training rounds (journal club, academic rounds, board review rounds, etc) are scheduled on a weekly basis and residents are expected to attend regularly.

Appointments will be made for 12 months with annual renewal based on satisfactory completion of the previous year. A certificate of residency is awarded to the candidate upon successful completion of the training program.

Residents participate in the University benefits programs, including health and life insurance. Annual vacation, a travel allotment and professional liability insurance is provided.

Interviews are strongly encouraged. If a visit is not possible, a telephone interview can be arranged.

For further information contact Dr. Lisa Freeman, Director of Nutrition Residency Program, email lisa [dot] freeman [at] tufts [dot] edu.

The applicant should submit his or her application through AAVC’s Veterinary Internship and Residency Matching Program.

Tufts University is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer.