BluePearl Pet Hospital’s EmERge training program, which aims to boost the number of specialty and emergency veterinarians, has doubled in size over the past year, and the 2025 graduating class is expected to be the largest yet.
EmERge provides one year of immersive training and mentorship to recent veterinary school graduates and current veterinarians and combines online learning, labs and hands-on experience.
“Developing programs that train and mentor the next generation of emergency and specialty veterinarians is crucial in combating the veterinary professional shortage,” said Dr. Lenore Bacek, vice president of clinical affairs for the BluePearl network.
The program has these three phases:
- First: Two weeks of virtual learning, two weeks in a hands-on boot camp, and 10 weeks of in-hospital emergency training
- Second: In-hospital, immersive training guided by clinicians and a mentor
- Third: More in-hospital training and ongoing mentorship
The paid full-time position ensures job security at one of BluePearl’s 100-plus hospitals for at least two years and offers a competitive salary and benefits.
“We’ve had an overwhelmingly positive response from program participants,” Dr. Bacek said.
BluePearl did not specify the number of EmERge participants.