Surgical Internship

Animal Trust Referrals are excited to open a 12-month surgical internship with our specialist-led referral team in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire. We have created a surgical internship programme to provide a broad and high level of case exposure, supported by three referral surgeons including an EBVS European Specialist in Small Animal Surgery. This is an exciting opportunity for a motivated and driven veterinary surgeon to play a key role in the support and treatment of the soft tissue and orthopaedic patients referred to the hospital. The selected candidate will be involved in case responsibility, surgical assistance and continued development through journal reviews and case discussion.

About the Internship

The role will be mainly theatre-based, including assisting surgical procedures, aiding and coordinating workflow of cases, performing pre- and post-operative radiographs, liaising with advanced imaging services, assessing hospitalised patients and communication with clients. Time will also be allocated to support and conduct consults, and to discuss recent literature with clinicians through journal club.

The goal is to provide a thorough and broad experience which gives the chosen candidate an opportunity to develop referral skills in a rewarding and high-paced environment to set them up for future roles in referral or advanced level first opinion practice. Surgery interns would be expected to work 8am to 6pm on Monday to Friday with no out-of-hours or weekend responsibilities.

Why choose a surgical internship with Animal Trust?

Animal Trust stands out from other veterinary services. Firstly, we are a unique Community Interest Company, being the only veterinary CIC in the UK to date. Our primary focus isn't solely on maximising profits; instead, we are dedicated to delivering on our mission and ensuring enough profit to sustain our business in the long term.

Our vision is clear: No pet should go untreated or face euthanasia when there is a viable treatment option. We firmly believe that pet ownership should be accessible to all, acknowledging that individuals earning the Real Living Wage may encounter challenges in affording veterinary care when their pet falls ill. In response, we aim to assist. Our free consultations and transparent pricing enable our vets and nurses to break down the barriers that stand in the way of pets receiving the treatment they need

The specialist-led referral service in Ellesmere Port embraces the ethos of Animal Trust to deliver affordable and high-quality care for a large number of patients across the United Kingdom. We provide a wide variety of orthopaedic and soft tissue surgery procedures, including but not limited to fracture repairs, TPLOs, thoracic surgery, portosystemic shunts, and many more. The service is supported by the in house 24/7 A&E service which delivers the out-of-hours care required for many of our patients.

What you’ll need:

• Member of the RCVS


• Previous rotating internship and experience in general practice


• Good English Language, both verbal and written


• Good professional and communication skills.

Benefits:

6 weeks Annual leave (including bank holidays)

RCVS, VDS and RCVS Knowledge memberships

Funded CPD.

Visa Sponsorship available 

Working Hours:

5 days per week. Monday - Friday

No weekends 

No Nights 

08:00-18:00hrs