Sports Medicine Fellow - FL

Fairfield Equine Associates is seeking a motivated, early-career veterinarian for a one-year Equine Sports Medicine Fellowship based year-round in Wellington, Florida. This fellowship provides an immersive, hands-on experience focused on the care, management, and performance of the equine athlete, including hunter/jumper and dressage horses, working closely with Dr. Zena Hemmen in a high-volume sport horse practice.

Background

The goal of this fellowship is to provide comprehensive training for veterinarians pursuing a career in sport horse medicine. The fellow will gain direct exposure to the day-to-day management of elite competition horses, with an emphasis on performance care, practical clinical skills, and strong client relationships.

The role also emphasizes collaboration—both internally across the Fairfield Equine team and externally with referral hospitals—to support the highest level of patient care.

Mentorship - Dr. Zena Hemmen – Sport Horse Medicine

Dr. Hemmen earned her Bachelor’s degree from Oregon State University and her DVM from Washington State University, where she received both the Morris Animal Foundation Student Research Scholar Scholarship and the Washington Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Association Scholarship.

She completed an internship at Mid-Atlantic Equine in New Jersey before transitioning into private practice in Wellington, Florida, where she has focused on the care and management of high-performance sport horses.

Dr. Hemmen is also trained and credentialed in equine acupuncture and chiropractic, incorporating these modalities into a comprehensive, multimodal approach to performance and pain management.

Under her mentorship, the fellow will gain experience in:

• Sport horse performance and maintenance care
• Lameness evaluation and treatment
• Integrative therapies including acupuncture and chiropractic
• Client communication and relationship management
• Ambulatory practice efficiency in a competitive environment

Clinical Focus

The fellow will develop practical skills in:

• Lameness evaluation and diagnostics
• Routine and advanced imaging
• Comprehensive treatment protocols, including joint injections, intraligamentous and intrathecal therapies, regenerative medicine, polyacrylamide gels, and corticosteroids
• Pre-purchase examinations
• Preventative and maintenance care programs
• Day-to-day management of competition horses

Responsibilities

• Active participation in a high-volume ambulatory caseload
• Shared daytime and after hours emergency coverage
• Progressive independent case responsibility with mentorship
• Collaboration with other veterinary professionals to co-manage cases
• Building and maintaining strong relationships with referral centers offering advanced imaging and diagnostics (MRI, CT, PET)

Learning Outcomes

At the completion of the fellowship, the candidate is expected to:

• Confidently perform lameness and performance evaluations
• Develop and implement advanced treatment and maintenance plans
• Communicate effectively with trainers, riders, owners, and veterinary colleagues
• Work collaboratively as part of a broader veterinary care team
• Operate efficiently in a high-demand sport horse practice

Ideal Candidate

• Graduate of an accredited College of Veterinary Medicine
• Strong interest in sport horse medicine and performance care
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Team-oriented with a collaborative mindset
• Organized, motivated, and eager to develop confidence in an ambulatory, client-facing role