Internships and fellowships

About the Program

The Dental General Practice Residency at the Malcom Randall VA Medical Center is a one year program which accepts four residents per year and whose main goal is to provide the recent graduate with continued opportunity for professional growth and advancement. It prepares the residents to meet the oral health needs of a wide variety of medically compromised ambulatory and hospitalized patients, plus it advances their knowledge and skill in clinical dentistry by exposing them to a significant number of supervised, comprehensive treatment experiences. The program provides residents with the opportunity to interact with dental specialists, physicians, nurses, social workers and other health care professionals as part of a multidisciplinary health care team.

The Facility

The Malcom Randall VA Medical Center is an acute care medical, surgical and psychiatric facility which is situated adjacent to the University of Florida campus. It maintains affiliations with the University of Florida College of Dentistry. These affiliations result in the training of residents throughout 25 different medical, surgical, and dental specialties presently represented in the medical center. The most significant of these affiliations is with the University of Florida in which some of the professional staff of the VA hold faculty appointments.

This facility provides comprehensive primary, secondary, and tertiary care for Veterans in its service geographical area and is considered one of the most active medical centers within the VA system nationwide. It offers a wide range of specialized medical, surgical, and dental treatment modalities in such specialties as: orthopedics, vascular surgery, cardiothoracic surgery, plastic surgery, ENT, neurosurgery, cardiac catheterization, nuclear medicine, renal dialysis, organ transplant, CT and MRI scanning, hematology/oncology, oral/maxillofacial surgery, fixed and removable prosthodontics, endodontics, dental implants, and periodontics. These treatment programs are complemented by research programs in the fields of cancer, cardiology, pulmonary medicine, gastroenterology, aging, and numerous other areas of patient healthcare.

The hospital dental clinic is located on the second floor of the five-story medical center building. It consists of 16 dental operatories, oral hygiene and preventive dentistry suites, central sterilizing room, conference room and a large fully equipped dental laboratory.

Staff Dentists

Professional Staff Dentists consisting of an Oral Surgeon, Prosthodontist, Periodontist, part-time Endodontist, and General Dentists:

Timothy M. Campbell, DMD FACP 
Service Chief, Prosthodontist 

Rene A. Brignoni, DMD, FACP, FAMP 
Oral & Maxillofacial Prosthodontics, Oral Oncology

Kevin MacNeil, DMD
General Dentistry, Asst General Practice Residency Director

Carlos Alvarez, DMD
Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery

Patrick S. McCulla, DDS
General Dentistry

Cory Canavan, DMD
General Dentistry, General Practice Residency Director

Bernardo Bianco, DMD, MS
Periodontics

Lucero Sanabria-Parilla, DMD
Prosthodontist

Residents

If you would like to visit or shadow the doctors, please contact Dr. Canavan and we will coordinate a date.  

Mailing Address:

Dr. Cory Canavan, DMD
Director, General Practice Residency
Dental Service (160)
Malcom Randall VA Medical Center
1601 SW Archer Road
Gainesville, FL 32608-1197

Phone:

Curriculum

The program curriculum is conducted at the postgraduate level (PGY1) and consists of didactic and clinical instruction in all areas of modern dental treatment modalities under the guidance of experienced professionals. Emphasis is made in the treatment planning and comprehensive treatment of medically compromised patients through frequent formal case presentation sessions where all aspects of patient management are discussed. Ward rounds, operating room cases, and assignment to other services listed below are some of the activities that complement the clinical curriculum. The didactic phase of the program consists of formal postgraduate courses and lectures at the University of Florida College of Dentistry, plus journal clubs, conferences, and demonstrations at the VA Medical Center.

• Anesthesiology - 2 weeks
• Medicine (Primary Care, E.R., Urgent Care, Inpatient Care) - 2 weeks
• ENT - 1 week
• Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Trauma Rotation (University of Florida) - 1 week
• Community Care Dental Clinic - 1 day/month
• Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery (includes OR cases) - 6 weeks
• OR General Dentistry days - 2 or 3 full days (not including oral surgery)
• Implant/Prosthodontics at VA and Dental Student Prosthodontic Clinic Coverage at UF - once per month
• Periodontics - 3 weeks

Hours and Salary

Residents’ salaries are established each year and are competitive amongst the First Year GPR (PGY-1) programs. Residents are entitled to 13 days annual leave as well as sick leave. Administrative leave can be granted to attend CE courses or to take State Board Exams.

Tour of Duty

Patients are scheduled to be seen between the hours of 7:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Application

All applicants should meet the following requirements:

• Be a graduate (by June 30 of start year) of an ADA accredited dental school
• Be a U.S. Citizen

To Apply:

Please apply via the PASS (Postdoctoral Application Support Service) website (see below).  Once you have submitted your application, please send a small (approx. 2" x 2") color photo (head & shoulders) via email to Cory.Canavan@va.gov. 

PASS:

We do participate in PASS (Postdoctoral Application Support Service). If you are enrolled in this service, you may send the required documents by identifying our program as one to which you want a completed PASS application sent. We do not require the Advanced Dental Admissions Test (ADAT).  

Address:

Completed application and materials should be sent to the following address:

Dr. Cory Canavan, DMD
Director, General Practice Residency Dental Service (160)
Malcom Randall VA Medical Center
1601 S.W. Archer Road
Gainesville, FL 32608-1197

Deadline:

For the Residency class of July 1, 2020 - June 2023;
the application deadline is September 15, 2021
Interviews will be held October 18 and 28, 2021.
Selection of residents and letters of notification will be sent no later than January 1, 2022.
Be aware that, if you are applying through PASS, the deadline for submitting all required material to them is approximately two weeks prior to our program’s deadline.

The pharmacy residency program at the North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System consists of both postgraduate year one (PGY1) and postgraduate year two (PGY2) programs. All programs are accredited by the American Society of Health System Pharmacists. Learn more here. 

About the Program

The North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System (NFSG VHS) is proud to announce a one-year post-graduate traineeship for new Nurse Practitioners. The program offers two tracks – Mental Health and Primary Care. Track descriptions and program application processes can be found in the relevant attachments and by contacting the program director for the specialty.

The NFSG VHS Nurse Practitioner Residency Program at Malcom Randall VA Medical Center is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street, NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, .

 

North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System offers post-professional residencies in Geriatric and Orthopedic Physical Therapy in both Gainesville and Jacksonville, Florida.

Full details about available opportunities (overview, mission, curriculum and training, accreditation, board certification, application requirements, important dates) may be found on our Physical Therapy Residency Programs page.

 

Malcom Randall VAMC Occupational Therapy

Hand and Upper Extremity Fellowship

Gainesville, Florida

 

About the Program:

The Hand and Upper Extremity Fellowship Program at the Malcom Randall VAMC is a comprehensive, post-graduate/post-professional fellowship for entry level Occupational Therapists or currently licensed Occupational Therapists that are seeking to become advanced practitioners in the specialty area of Hands and Upper Extremity. The Fellowship is a rigorous 12-month program that will encompass didactic and experiential learning guided by specialist clinicians as well as an Educational Detail that will enhance a comprehensive curriculum culminating in producing an advanced practitioner.

Mission:

The mission of the MRVAMC Hand Therapy Fellowship is:

“Honor our veterans with exceptional therapy that improves hand to shoulder function, to enhance our veteran’s health and well-being and to provide exemplary education and experience in training a specialist fellow”

The program is designed to cultivate advanced patient management skills in the Occupational Therapy specialty of Hand and Upper Extremity. The fellow will be exposed to diverse clinical experience and didactic training under the instruction and supervision of advanced specialty clinicians.  Graduates of this program will become leaders in all areas of advanced practice for Hand and Upper Extremity evaluation and treatment.

Application process:

Applications will be accepted once per year for a fellowship program that will begin in July/August 2023 and end 1 year and 1 day later.  Application should be completed in its entirety, including letters of recommendation and proof of graduation (or eminent graduation) from an ACOTE accredited Occupational Therapy program.  Exceptional Candidates will be invited to participate in a face-to-face interview with the clinical staff. 

Please keep a copy of any application documents you submit, for your reference.

Submit completed application materials in person, by mail, or via e-mail to:

Rachelle DeLucas, MOT, OTR/L, CHT

                        Fellowship Coordinator

                        Rachelle.delucas@va.gov

                        352.376.1611 ext.104790

Schedule:

The Occupational Therapy Clinic is open from 8:00 am – 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday. Fellows will follow this daily schedule with a 30 min. lunch break. There are no ‘on-call’ duties or holiday work hours.  There will most likely be independent work/study outside of this schedule as deemed necessary by the fellow.

Salary/ Stipend:

Fellowship stipends are reviewed and established each year by the Office of Academic Affiliations (OAA) to ensure amounts are competitive with other fellowship programs.  For the current academic year’s stipend, please contact the Fellowship coordinator.  

Benefits

In alignment with VA employees, the fellow will accrue annual and sick leave (4 hours each) biweekly in addition to 11 paid federal holidays.  Authorized absence (leave with pay) is granted for educational conferences that are undertaken outside of the normal scope of the residency.  Liability protection is extended to the residents under the Federal Tort Claims Act.  Health, vision, and dental insurance is available.

Curriculum and Training:

Fellows will participate in a comprehensive curriculum that will include modules encompassing all aspects of Hand and Upper Extremity therapy as well as accompanying didactic and experiential opportunities that will enhance the academic experience.  The fellow will be exposed to an expansive variety of diagnoses of which will require evaluation using the appropriate tools/assessments, clinical decision making including treatment that may include fabrication of an orthosis with/without appropriate HEP, and discern the follow-up needs for maximum return to function for the patient.  The fellow will be provided with a subscription to the didactic portion of the program of which they will earn up to 20 CEU credits by the end of the program that can be utilized for licensing. Additionally, there will be supplemental material (online and hard copy) that will assigned as it corresponds to specific modules.  Lastly the fellow will participate in student instruction in a cadaver lab at the University of Florida (academic affiliation) for a total of 9 days covering hand and upper extremity musculoskeletal anatomy.  Upon successful graduation of the fellowship program the fellow will have earned 1 year and 2080 hours which will contribute towards the required 3 years and 4,000 hours needed to sit for the Certified Hand Therapy Exam.

Contacts:

          Rachelle DeLucas, MOT, OTR/L, CHT

                        Fellowship Coordinator

                        Rachelle.delucas@va.gov

                        352.376.1611 ext.104790

   

            Dawn Crews, OTR/L, CHT

                        Fellowship Mentor

                        Dawn.crews@va.gov

                        352.376.1611 ext.106543

 

            Bruce Mueller, OTR/L, CHT

                        Fellowship Mentor/ OT Supervisor

                        Bruce.mueller@va.gov

                        352.376.1611 ext.104129

 

 

 

The Malcom Randall VA Medical Center offers a 1-year clinical and didactic education program with a focus on adult primary care medicine designed to establish highly competent, well-trained physician assistants.  Learn more on our Post-Graduate Physician Assistant Primary Care Residency Program page.

About the Program

The North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System is proud to offer a one-year paid traineeship to support new graduate nurses in their first year of practice.  The program is designed for the new graduate nurse who has completed an entry level nursing degree at the baccalaureate or master’s level. The site of the program is the Malcom Randall VA Medical Center in Gainesville, Florida. New Graduate nurses with no previous experience as a registered nurse are eligible to apply. The BSN or MSN degree must be conferred within one year prior to start date for the program. The program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).  

Nurse Residents participate in a structured clinical nursing program under the guidance of a qualified preceptor, which includes a qualified preceptor throughout the program year. Residents develop core competencies necessary for practice in any environment on a home unit; additional learning rotations expose residents to a variety of practice settings throughout the health system.  Didactic classroom lectures and experiential learning activities are scheduled throughout the year to facilitate successful transition.  Residents are guided through the completion of an evidence-based practice project, utilizing critical thinking and professional presentation skills, enhancing future leadership skills.

Eligibility

Applicants must meet the following requirements to be accepted into the program:

• Recent graduate (within 12 months of program start date) of a baccalaureate or master’s degree program leading to initial licensure as a registered nurse
• Possess a current, full, active, and unrestricted license to practice as a registered nurse in a state, commonwealth, or territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia
• No previous work experience as a registered nurse, paid or unpaid
• United States citizen

Appointment and Benefits

Program participants are appointed to a federal traineeship, for 2,080 hours, to be completed within one year of start date.  Limited benefits are provided.  Program participants are protected from personal liability while providing professional services at a VA health care facility under the Federal Employees Liability Reform and Tort Compensation Act, 28 U.S.C. 2679 (b)-(d).

Stipend and Benefits

• Stipend: $55,888
• Benefits: Health and dental benefits; paid vacation, holidays, and sick leave
• Active recruitment into open positions within NF/SG VHS and other VA facilities

The Malcom Randall Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Gainesville, in conjunction with the Nova Southeastern University College of Optometry and the University of Florida Department of Ophthalmology, offers a one-year residency program in primary care optometry. The mission of the program is to provide qualified post-doctoral practitioners with an advanced educational experience that will enhance clinical skills in the areas of primary eye care and ocular disease diagnosis and management. Individuals completing the program will be able to deliver an advanced level of optometric care in a clinical setting, practice in co management and multidisciplinary practices, and serve as clinical instructors at optometry schools and other academic settings.

Program Description: 

The resident will be required to participate in a structured educational program whose emphasis is on direct patient care. The resident will attend faculty lectures, grand rounds, journal club, and periodic multidisciplinary lectures. Residents will maintain a log of all lectures attended. The program is designed with an emphasis on exposing the resident to a wide variety of patient encounters. To achieve this, the resident will participate with specialists in their particular fields of expertise. This will include rotating through retina, uveitis, glaucoma, neuro-ophthamology and oculoplastics clinics throughout the year. The resident will also examine a significant number of primary care referrals from other practitioners in the hospital and will participate in the follow-up, referral, and co-management of these patients. The ultimate goal is to enhance the resident’s ability to independently assess and treat primary care patients in a clinical setting. To ensure the goals of the program are met, a log will be maintained listing the number of patients seen, their clinical diagnoses, and any specific procedures performed by the resident.

Typical Weekly Hours and After-Hours Responsibilities: 

Residents perform clinical duties Monday through Friday at either the VA hospital clinic or the off-site Optometry Clinic. Clinic duties start at 7:30 am and finish around 4:00 pm at the Optometry Clinic, and begin at 8:00 am and finish around 4:30 pm at the VA hospital clinic. Residents are expected to stay until all patients have been examined. Residents rotate through the various specialty clinics throughout the year including Contact Lens Clinic (1/3-1/2 of the year), Low Vision Clinic (1/3-1/2 of the year), as well as rotations through Retina, Glaucoma, Uveitis, Neuro-Opthalmology, and Oculoplastics Clinics. Residents see patients presenting for consultative exams, return visits, visual fields, and urgent problems in both clinics on a weekly basis. Residents attend Grand Rounds through the University of Florida Department of Ophthalmology on most Friday mornings at 8:00 a.m. They also attend other lectures within the Optometry, Ophthalmology, and GRECC Services as time and opportunity allow. The residents will meet with the Residency Coordinator on a regular basis to discuss clinical topics, ongoing projects, periodic evaluations or any other residency issues.

 

Program Salary/Stipend:               $44,477 (for 2024-25 academic year)

Program Coordinator,                    Susannah Marcus, OD, FAAO, Program Coordinator 

Program Co-Coordinator,             Robin Thomas, OD, Program Co-Coordinator 

Fax Number:     

Email:                    Susannah.marcus@va.govand Robin.Thomas3@va.gov

Application Procedures and Materials

Candidates must register with the Optometry Resident Matching Service (ORMatch) utilized by submitting a completed application. Applications to ORMatch must be completed by January 31s for consideration. The following must be received by the program director for consideration as a residency applicant: 

1. Name, address, phone number, and email address 
2. Curriculum vitae 
3. Official transcripts of NBEO scores (provided automatically to ORMatch) 
4. Official transcripts of optometric 
5. Minimum of three letters of recommendation from individuals familiar with the academic and/or clinical abilities of the applicant 
6. Letter of intent from the applicant regarding his/her desire to complete this particular residency program.

Interviews will be requested of specific candidates based upon the quality of the credentials and application information. The qualified applicants are interviewed by an interview team, which consists of optometric faculty of the Malcom Randall VAMC, using a standardized list of questions. The Program Coordinator and interview team will rank applicants in order of merit based on the applicant's qualifications as well as personal and professional characteristics. The Program Coordinator will seek input from other faculty members and staff of the VA Eye Clinic. The list will be submitted to the matching service. At the same time, candidates will submit an independent list of their preferred programs. ORMatch will notify both the candidates and programs of the match results. In the event that match does not occur, the Program Coordinator will pursue interested applicants from the remaining unmatched pool or any other qualified candidate.

The North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System Psychology Training Program offers APA-accredited internships to U.S. citizens who are pursuing a doctoral degree in clinical or counseling psychology from an APA-accredited institution. To be considered, students must demonstrate completion of at least three years of graduate course work and a minimum of 520 direct contact hours in assessment and intervention. Applicants must be certified as ready for internship by their Director of Training.  More information at https://www.va.gov/north-florida-health-care/work-with-us/internships-and-fellowships/psychology-training-program/ 

About the Gainesville Area

Gainesville is home to the University of Florida Gators. The University of Florida has a population of more than 41,000 students. This fosters a “large” small-town feel with a vibrant college culture, amenities, and attractions that include sporting events, outdoor recreation, museums, restaurants, and nightlife. The Gainesville area is home to more than 7 natural springs is less than 2 hours from both the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. This makes Gainesville a prime location for nature and water sports enthusiasts. 

About the North Florida South Georgia Veteran Health System Experience

The system cares for more than 140,000 Veterans annually, making the system one of the largest VA systems in the country. The red region identified in the map below marks the region of VA healthcare coverage.  

Clerk & Resident Training Experience

• There is an orthopedic trauma rotation for residents at the University of Florida, Shands Medical Center. Student clerks do not spend time on this rotation. 
• Both clerks and residents spend clinical and operating room time with North Florida Foot and Ankle Associates (northflfootankle.com) to provide a balanced training experience that complements the VA health system experience. The experience provides a private practice and community hospital environment for both clerks and residents. Clerks and residents will not only learn nuances of private practice, billing and coding but also participate in surgery and inpatient care with physicians from North Florida Foot and Ankle Associates. North Florida Foot and Ankle Associates perform surgery at HCA, North Florida Hospital.     
• Both clerks and residents will spend clinical and operating room time with Dr. Chris Reb, Orthopedic Foot and Ankle provider at the Gainesville VAMC. This offers trainees a balanced perspective between podiatric and orthopedic foot and ankle care.
• Clerks and residents will gain clinical experience and mentorship from individuals with leadership experience in academia, research, clinical trials, and professional associations that have included ACFAS, ABFAS, CPME, APMA as well as the fields of Orthopedic Foot and Ankle and Vascular Surgery. 

Training Locations

Clerk and Resident training primarily occurs at two VA Facilities. These are the Malcolm Randall Medical Center located at 1601 SW Archer Rd, Gainesville, Florida 32608, and the Lake City Medical Center located at 619 S. Marion Ave, Lake City, Florida 32025. Clerks and residents will also train at the office of North Florida Foot and Ankle Associates located at 6500 W. Newberry Road, Gainesville, Florida 32605, and participate in surgery at HCA North Florida located at that location as well. 

How to Get to the Gainesville Malcolm Randall Podiatry Clinic:

The clinic is located on the first floor of the main hospital building. Security and information can provide you with explicit directions upon your arrival at the entrance to the building.

How to Get to Lake City Podiatry Department:

Enter the front of the hospital, go straight down the hall, and make your way to the elevators straight ahead. You will be in building 64, take the elevator to the fourth floor (Podiatry), and check in at the nurse’s station where they will assist you and give you the needed instructions. Your POC will be Terence McDonald DPM. 

 

Application to the North Florida South Georgia VA Program

 

Application for Clerkship:

Students interested in applying for the 1-month rotation at the Malcolm Randall facility should apply through the AACPM Clerkship match process. Please refer to dates, deadlines, and process through the following link: AACPM Webpage Clerkship - The American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine (AACPM) Individuals with specific questions regarding the application process and logistics may reach out to the Clerkship and Residency Administrative Assistant, Ms. Rozann Clayton at:

 

                                                                                 Ms. Rozann Clayton

                                                                                 rozann.clayton@va.gov

                                                                                

 

Individuals with questions regarding the rotation training experience may reach out to Dr. Robert Joseph, DPM, PHD, FACFAS, Program Director, Malcolm Randall Veterans Health Podiatry Surgical Residency Program Director at:

 

                                                                                 Dr. Robert Joseph

                                                                                 Robert.joseph2@va.gov

 

Application for Residency:

Students interested in applying for residency must apply through the CRIPS process. Residents will be preferentially selected from individuals who rotate with the program. Please refer to the AACPM CRIPS process for details of the application.  AACPM Webpage CASPR & CRIP Programs - The American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine (AACPM)