Matching passion with practice in equine medicine

Dr. Eveline Juce, a clinical associate with the Equine Field Service team at the WCVM Veterinary Medical Centre (VMC), knows firsthand the benefit of these programs. She accepted her current job after completing a one-year internship with the same team in 2024.

Originally from Hamiota, Man., Juce grew up surrounded by horses. She first rode her father’s horses before getting her own pony, Midgey, at age four. Caring for and showing horses throughout her childhood set the stage for her career in equine medicine.

“Horses were kind of born in my blood,” reflects Juce. “Being a horse vet just made sense.”

After earning her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree from the WCVM in 2023, she chose to pursue an ambulatory-focused internship — a decision rooted in her passion for working directly with clients and their horses on farm.

“I like being on the client’s farm and working directly with them,” says Juce. “With field service I can see exactly what the owner can and can't do, so then you can come up with a better management plan for the horse.”

The WCVM’s internship program is designed for recent DVM graduates, providing them with intensive, hands-on training in several areas of equine health: field service, medicine, surgery or theriogenology (reproduction). The one-year internships are structured to give participants a broad foundation of technical and clinical skills by working with a wide variety of cases, preparing them for careers in private practice or setting the stage for further specialization through a residency program.

The equine field service internship allowed Juce to act as a primary clinician while benefiting from the support of her peers and mentors at the college. Her days were diverse, from spring herd health visits and sports medicine cases to performing rare procedures, such as removing a large bladder stone from a horse in the field — experiences that taught her just how much you can do on a farm.

But her journey to the internship program wasn’t always certain.

While Juce was applying for the internship during her fourth year of vet school, many of her classmates were negotiating and signing lucrative contracts with private practice clinics across Canada and the United States.

“I'm not going to lie, when my classmates were signing their contracts and they were telling me what they were getting paid, there were definitely a few moments where I had to swallow hard and consider what I was doing,” says Juce.

However, what attracted Juce to the WCVM internship was the program’s focus on mentorship.

“I knew there would be someone who would mentor me — someone that I could call at 2 a.m. and would happily answer my question when I was struggling with a case,” she says. 

“Talking to certain colleagues who went straight into private practice, they mentioned there are some really sharp and fast learning curves. With the internship, the learning curve was still steep, but I had someone there the whole time helping me climb it.”

For Juce, a key influence was Dr. Nora Chavarria, a clinical associate in equine field service at the WCVM.

“I owe a lot of what I learned — whether that be veterinary medicine, work-life balance, just how to be a good person — I owe a lot of that to Nora.” says Juce. “She didn't tell you what to do, but she worked with you … to come up with the right answer yourself.”

Dr. Valentina Ragno, an equine internal medicine specialist at the WCVM and one of the program’s supervisors, believes the equine internship and residency programs play a critical role in training specialized veterinarians.

“When you graduate from vet school, you’ve basically only scratched the surface of something that you're passionate about,” explains Ragno. “If you want to specialize a bit more, you really need that mentorship, and that’s what these programs provide.”

The WCVM offers residency opportunities in large animal internal medicine, surgery, theriogenology and equine field service. The residency is combined with a Master of Science (MSc) program during which residents complete a research project. 

Ragno highlighted the importance of students in the program being able to balance the demands of research, coursework, and hands-on clinical work.

“We need to know that they're hard workers and can handle going back and forth between research, classes, and clinical cases. We’re looking for very dedicated people,” says Ragno.

The WCVM receives applications to their programs through the North American Veterinary Internship and Residency Matching Program (VIRMP), a system that facilitates placements for aspiring interns and residents both from North America and abroad. Applicants and institutions alike rank their preferences, with matches announced in February-March each year.

Ragno has personal knowledge of both the matching program and the unique opportunities at the WCVM.

Originally from Italy, Ragno received her DVM degree from the University of Turin in 2012 and then worked in private practice internships across Europe and the United States. Intrigued by North America’s model for veterinary specialty training, Ragno applied for residency opportunities through VIRMP and began her combined Master of Science-residency program in large animal medicine at the WCVM in 2016.

“In Europe, there are fewer large animal residencies and internships,” says Ragno, who went on to achieve board certification with the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine. “I knew I had to move around if I wanted to follow my dream. I came for a three-year program and then ended up staying.”

Now, she’s part of the WCVM team of specialists leading the same program and continuing the collaborative, interdisciplinary approach that initially attracted her to the program.

“It’s a pyramid of knowledge — the residents can teach both interns and undergrad students. And then we as specialists, faculty clinicians, can train everybody,” she explains. “One case can be discussed at many different levels and across disciplines.”

Registered veterinary technologists (RVTs) and RVT students from Saskatchewan Polytechnic also work alongside WCVM interns and residents, providing essential support. 

While the programs are challenging, the WCVM is committed to improving work-life balance for interns and residents. Recent changes to the program have aimed to reduce fatigue from night shifts and align with international wellness guidelines, ensuring participants don’t burn out.

The value of these programs extends beyond the participants themselves, ensuring clients and patients have access to the best possible care.

“You are working with a massive community of specialists and everyone has their special areas,” says Juce. “So, you have access to these incredible specialists literally at your fingertips. It’s pretty special.”