What is a Veterinary Specialist?
Not all veterinary specialists are board certified
Becoming board certified is no easy feat! At a minimum a board certified veterinarian has:
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Four years of veterinary school
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One year of internship
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Three years of residency in a program meeting the standards of their specific specialty
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Passed a series of rigorous examinations and certifications.
Once all the requirements have been completed the veterinarian is then a Diplomate of the specialty college in which they studied.
Specialists bring an enhanced understanding of internal medicine, cardiology, oncology or neurology. They have greater knowledge of the unusual, uncommon or rare in both large and small animals. Additionally specialists may have expertise using diagnostic equipment and performing procedures that are not common for general practitioners.
What is a Large Animal Internal Medicine Specialist?
LAIM Specialists support primary care veterinarians to ensure the best possible outcomes for all patients and owners.
LAIM specialists are armed with extensive knowledge of anatomy, physiology and internal medicine that allows them to diagnose and manage a large variety of conditions in all species of large animals. However, most concentrate their practice on one or a few species.
General practitioners diagnose and treat mild versions of many diseases very well. However, in cases of complicated, unusual or rare presentations of diseases the LAIM specialist can assist with diagnosis and treatment due to their diverse knowledge base and experience
