Residency Director/Clinician Investigator/Graduate Studies Coordinator

Dr. Adam Birkenheuer
Phone: 919.513.8288
Email:ajbirken@ncsu.edu

Small Animal Internal Medicine Residency and Clinician Investigator Program (CI)

Program Description Summary for Internal Medicine Residency

The Internal Medicine Residency Program provides advanced clinical training in small animal internal medicine, which meets or exceeds the training requirements outlined by the ACVIM. The primary objectives of the program are to develop clinical proficiency in small animal internal medicine; gain experience in didactic and clinical teaching; and to complete one or more clinical research projects. The duration of the program is three years. Board Certification in the ACVIM is anticipated by the end of the third year.

The program is highly structured and training is achieved through supervised case responsibility (internal medicine and other specialties) and participation in daily case rounds, intern/resident rounds, and the House Officer Seminar Program. Attendance at other college rounds and seminars is encouraged, time permitting. The internal medicine resident functions as a primary attending clinician for general internal medicine cases, sub-specialty clinics (pulmonary and renal), daytime emergencies, and referrals. Responsibilities include the supervision and education of professional veterinary students, interns, and other residents; patient care; progressive diagnostic and therapeutic patient management; consultations and communications with clients and referring veterinarians; and the efficient organization, operation and scheduling of the internal medicine service. Residents are expected to contribute to daily student rounds, clinician case discussion rounds, and provide internal medicine backup for the emergency service and after hours intern. While the residents are given full responsibility for their clinical activities, they are expected to seek the daily guidance and opinions of faculty to ensure a comprehensive educational experience.

During the residency a generous amount of time is allotted to independent research activity. This time should be utilized to research, initiate, and complete a clinical project with at least one publication in press by the end of the residency program. Whenever possible, results of the project should be presented in abstract form at the Annual Forum of the ACVIM.

To apply for a residency in Small Animal Internal Medicine, please visit the online Veterinary Internship and Residency Matching Program: (http://www.virmp.org). To request an interview for the residency program, please e-mail a letter of intent and CV to Jill Schmitter. Interviews will be held on December 10 and 17, 2012.

A Survey of Participants in the Small Animal Internal medicine Residency at North Carolina State University

Name	Date	ACVIM Boards	Position
Rob Goodman	2000	Passed	US Army
Marion Haber	2004	Passed	Private Practice
Tonya Boyle	2004	Passed	Private Practice
Mike Mazzei	2004	Passed	Private Practice
Matt Takara	2005	Passed	US Army
Jim Hummel	2006	Passed	Private Practice
Jason Reeder	2007	Passed	Private Practice
Ashley Cruse	2007	Passed	Private Practice
Jodi Nicklas	2007	Passed	US Army
Cristina Perez	2008	Passed	Graduate School
Rae Hutchins	2009	Passed	Private Practice
Justin DeVanna	2010	NA	US Army
Michael DiCicco	2010	NA	Residency in Progress
Amy Davenport	2010	NA	Residency in Progress
Jean-Sebastian Palerme	2011	NA	Residency in Progress
Jessica Pritchard	2012	NA	Residency in Progress

Program Description Summary for Clinician Investigator (CI) Program

The Internal Medicine Clinician Investigator Program provides clinical training in small animal internal medicine (as described above) and graduate research training toward the PhD degree. The residency portion of the program meets or exceeds the training requirements outlined by the ACVIM for candidates seeking Board Certification in small animal internal medicine. The primary objectives of the program are to develop clinical proficiency in veterinary internal medicine, gain experience in didactic and clinical teaching, and proficiency in basic and applied research. The duration of the program varies according to each student's ability to satisfy program requirements, but will be no less than five years.

The Clinician Investigator Program is highly structured, rigorous, and embodies a spirit of cooperation amongst clinical and basic science faculty. The program was designed to satisfy the needs of those individuals who are seeking a career in academic veterinary medicine, industry, or government, and many past participants of the CI program at NCSU have highly successful academic careers (see below). Successful completion of the program is dependent upon attracting candidates of the highest caliber who are capable of excelling in this demanding program. Because of the breadth and complexity of the program, the clinician investigator will participate in a diverse group of activities with increasing levels of responsibility. Clinical activity is most intensive in the first year of the program and clinical training is as described above for the Internal Medicine Residency Program. During the second and third years, both clinical and research activities are scheduled. The remaining years of the program are devoted primarily to research activities.

To apply to the Clinician Investigator program, click here. Interviews will be held on December 10 and December 17, 2012. To apply for an interview for the Internal Medicine or Clinician Investigator program please e-mail a letter of intent and CV to Jill Schmitter.

A Survey of Participants in the Clinician Investigator Program at North Carolina State University

Name	Start	PhD	Boards	Current Position
Russell Greene	1984	Microbiology	Medicine	Reference Lab/Speciality Practice
Syl Price	1985	Pharmtoxicology	Medicine	Industry, Boston Scientific
Shelly Vaden	1986	Pharmtoxicology	Medicine	Professor, NC State University
Leah Cohn	1987	Morphology	Medicine	Associate Professor, University of Missouri
Heather Jans		N/A	Medicine	Specialty Practice
Rance Sellon	1988	Immunology	Medicine	Associate Professor, Washington State University
Cathy Baty	1989	Virology	Medicine	Faculty, University of Pittsburgh
Julie Levy	1990	Immunology	Medicine	Associate Professor, University of Florida
Kevin Monce	1991	N/A	Medicine	Specialty Practice
Karyl Hurley	1992	N/A	Medicine	Faculty, Bristol University (UK)
Karyn Harell	1993	N/A	Medicine	Clinical Assistant Professor, NC State University
*Paul Hess	1994	Immunology	Medicine	Assistant Professor, NC State University
Jody Gookin	1995	Physiology	Medicine	Associate Professor, NC State University
Adam Birkenheuer	1996	Immunology	Medicine	Associate Professor, NC State University
Karine Savary	1997	N/A	Medicine	Faculty, Ghent University (Belgium)
Robin Hopwood	1998	Immunology	Medicine	Specialty Practice
Amanda Gaskin	1999	N/A	Medicine	Specialty Practice
Barrak Pressler	2000	Immunology	Medicine	Assistant Professor, Ohio State University
Angela Mexas	2001	Immunology	Medicine	Research Assistant Professor, University of Pennsylvania
Jonathan Fogle	2002	Immunology	Medicine	Assistant Professor, NC State University
Michael Wood	2003	Comparative Biomedical Sciences	Medicine	Clinical Assistant Professor , NC State University
Dana LeVine	2005	Comparative Biomedical Sciences	Medicine	PhD in progress (Assistant Professor position accepted at Iowa State University)
Tracy Hill	2006	Pending	Medicine	Senior lecturer, University of Edinborough
Katie Tolbert	2007	Pending	Medicine	PhD in Progress
Elizabeth Lennon	2008	Comparative Biomedical Sciences	Medicine	PhD in Progress
Allison Mazepa	2009	NA	Medicine	Speciality Practice
Kristin Manning	2011	Comparative Biomedical Sciences	NA	Residency in Progress
Jenessa Winston	2012	NA	NA	Residency in Progress

* CI Program receives official recognition

Faculty in Support of the Programs

Adam Birkenheuer, DVM, PhD, Associate Professor of Medicine

Edward Breitschwerdt, DVM, Professor of Medicine and Infectious Diseases (Clinician Investigator Program Coordinator)

Richard Ford DVM, Adjunct Professor of Medicine

Jody Gookin DVM, PhD, Associate Professor

Karyn Harrell DVM, Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine

Eleanor Hawkins DVM, Professor of Medicine

Katharine Lunn BVMS, MS, PhD, MRCVS, Associate Professor of Medicine

Steve Marks BVSc, MS, Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine & Critical Care

Shelly Vaden DVM, PhD, Professor of Medicine

Michael Wood DVM, PhD, Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine

*All faculty are board certified by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine in the specialty of Small Animal Internal Medicine

Residency Program Goals

To become board certified by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Specialty of Small Animal Internal Medicine. The resident will have their credentials accepted and sit for the general exam (Year 2) and certifying examinations (Year 3).
To develop clinical expertise in client and referring veterinarian interactions, patient care, problem-oriented case management, and advanced diagnostic and therapeutic techniques.
To develop teaching skills by leadership and participation in student and house-officer rounds, clinical (on-floor) training of students and interns, and student laboratories, and presentation of lectures to students, peers, and practicing veterinarians.
To acquire experience in research and scientific writing through the publication requirement of the ACVIM and presentation of a research abstract at the ACVIM Forum (during Year 2 or 3), or other scientific meeting.

Approximate Rotation Schedule

Traditional

Clinician Investigator Program

Year 1

6 months Internal Medicine

1 month Triage service

2.5-3 months/year sub-specialty rotations among:

1 month Oncology

1 month Medical Intensive Care

1 month Neurology

1 month Cardiology

2 weeks Clinical Pathology

2 weeks Radiology

2 months IST*

Year 1

8 months Internal Medicine

2 months sub-specialty rotations (Cardiology, Medical Intensive Care, Neurology, Oncology)

2 months IST

Year 2

7 months Internal Medicine

2.5-3 months/year sub-specialty rotations among:

1 month Oncology

1 month Medical Intensive Care

1 month Neurology

1 month Cardiology

2 weeks Clinical Pathology

2 weeks Radiology

3 months IST

General exam credentials due October1
Develop resident clinical & HO Rounds schedules and insure that they meet everyone's approval by June 1; see below

Year 2

4 months Internal Medicine

2 months sub-specialty rotations (Cardiology, Medical Intensive Care, Neurology, Oncology)

6 months IST:

5 months Graduate Program

1 month Board Preparation

General exam credentials due October 1
Develop resident clinical & HO Rounds schedules and insure that they meet everyone's approval by June 1; see below

Year 3

6-7 months Internal Medicine

1-2 months IM Chief of Service

1 month External or Optional rotation