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Aquatic Veterinary
Medicine Opportunities
Veterinary Student Externship Rotation:
The University of Florida
Tropical Aquaculture Laboratory's
Fish Disease
Diagnostic Lab offers 4 - 8 week externship
opportunities to veterinary students interested
in aquatic animal medicine.
Veterinary externs assist faculty and staff with
all fish health, aquaculture, and non-native
species related activities at the laboratory,
including assistance with extension and
research.
Because the Lab is in the heart
of the aquarium fish industry, our veterinary
externship allows for full engagement with
ornamental (aquarium fish) and other
aquaculture producers, including assistance with
on-farm and laboratory diagnostics, fish health
management recommendations, and extension
outreach programs. Externs spend time working
one-on-one with farmers, faculty, and staff and
gain direct exposure to aquaculture medicine, aquaculture production
techniques, non-native species, and regulatory
concerns. The importance of water quality,
production systems and methodology, and herd
health management are emphasized throughout the
rotation.
The Diagnostic Lab
serves commercial Florida fish producers,
wholesalers, and retailers as well as state
agencies. Services offered include water
chemistry testing, parasitology, bacteriology,
histology, and virology. The laboratory
has a full-time veterinary staff and also works
collaboratively with other veterinary
specialists and laboratories throughout the
state and US. The Lab sees approximately 250
cases a year. Ornamental fish species
comprise the largest number of cases, though
foodfish and baitfish cases are also seen
throughout the year. Other occasional
aquatic cases may include aquatic frogs and
shrimp (especially ornamental species).
Educational opportunities and responsibilities
include developing an understanding and basic
proficiency in:
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Obtaining a thorough case
history
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Testing and interpreting
water chemistry
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Fish necropsy and
microbiology techniques
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Non-lethal fish examination
techniques
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Histological sampling
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Medical case interpretation
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Developing medical and
management recommendations
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Client interaction both in
the diagnostic lab and on farm and facility
site visits
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Common ornamental aquaculture
fish health management methods and
chemotherapeutics
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Basic ornamental aquaculture
production and husbandry techniques,
including system design and management
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Common fish reproduction
strategies and techniques, including induced
spawning methods
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Common aquarium fish families
and species, as well as their general
husbandry and production methodology
Field work with staff may include
site visits to one or more local facilities
including ornamental
fish farms, state fish hatcheries, and/or
public aquaria.
Oral examinations/reviews are conducted on a
weekly or twice weekly basis to assess the
progress of externs. Students are provided with
an extensive resource set of notebooks and are
expected to review this information throughout
the duration of the externship. Depending upon
the time frame for the externship, externs will
be expected to complete a small research
project,
literature review, and/or other project, and present the
findings to faculty and staff. Externs will
work Monday through Friday and are on-call
during weekends and holidays to assist with
disease diagnostics, research, and outreach as
necessary. A vehicle will be required for
travel in the local area.
UF TAL
Ornamental Aquaculture Production & Medicine
Externship Rotation description
(PDF)
Contact Information
For more information regarding opportunities or
for specific questions, please contact:
Dr. Roy Yanong, Associate Professor/Extension
Veterinarian
rpy@ufl.edu
813-671-5230 x104
and
Debbie
Pouder, Diagnostic Lab Manager and Coordinator
of Research Programs & Services
dbpouder@ufl.edu
813-671-5230 x106
Application Requirements
Applications
are accepted year-round. Positions fill
quickly and up to one to two years in advance,
so early application is strongly encouraged. To apply please
submit:
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Letter of intent expressing specific
interests in aquatic medicine
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Curriculum
vitae
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Three (3)
signed letters of recommendation on
letterhead sent directly from references
(via postal or e-mail)
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Official
veterinary school transcript (A copy from
student may be sent while awaiting official
transcript. Official transcript may be
submitted to Debbie Pouder only with copies
to both Roy Yanong and Debbie Pouder.)
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Preferred
rotation dates (minimum four-week blocks)
Please submit
all application materials to:
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