Equine Medical Center resident travels path from Brazil to a highly prized career in equine surgery and sports medicine

Bruno Malacarne grew up on a family farm in a small rural town in Brazil, near the Paraguay border. His multigenerational family still lives on the farm, where they grow crops and raise beef cattle.

Malacarne is an equine surgery resident at the Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center (EMC), a 24/7 equine emergency clinic and Leesburg-based teaching hospital of the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. 

From an early age, Malacarne helped on the farm, often driving tractors to transport crops or riding one of the farm horses to distant pastures with medical supplies. With a work partner by his side, he would traverse the breadth and depth of the farm to care for the cattle. Initially, Malacarne thought he would follow in his father's and grandfather's footsteps, continuing their legacy on the family farm.

Traditionally, Malacarne's family members attended an out-of-state agricultural and livestock high school specializing in training students to run a farm. At 11, Malacarne was sent to the boarding school where he learned to produce crops and care for livestock such as beef cattle and poultry. He eventually graduated from high school with a qualification as a livestock and agriculture technician. 

His high school experience inspired him to pursue a college degree, but he had to decide between veterinary medicine and staying in the agricultural field. Initially focused on working with beef cattle, he spent the first two years of college concentrating on animal production, focused on cattle nutrition and reproduction.

While attending Universidade Catolica Dom Bosco in Campo Grande, MS, Brazil, Malacarne discovered his passion for equine veterinary medicine. Although many of his peers were pursuing careers in cattle medicine, Malacarne decided to focus on the equine field. 

"Equine veterinary medicine was considered a challenging path to survive and accomplish, especially as a surgeon, which I took as a motivational challenge," Malacarne said.

Experiencing his first colic surgery and the extensive aftercare required solidified his decision to focus on equines. "I was so proud to help finish the surgery and save the horse's life," he said. 

In Brazil, veterinary medicine is a five-year bachelor's degree program. After completing the program, Malacarne began searching for a suitable hospital internship.

Specialized training in Brazil differs significantly from the United States. An equine residency in Brazil, akin to an internship in the U.S., requires candidates to pass a comprehensive practical test to ensure competent handling and basic surgical skills. Malacarne completed two years of specialized training focused on large animal surgery at Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. 

Upon completing his specialized internship, Malacarne was offered an opportunity to pursue a master's degree with a focus on equine podiatry, studying feral horses' feet in Brazil. His mentor, Rafael Faleiros, a prominent laminitis researcher in Brazil, has a large research group focused on determining the mechanisms of development and treatment of laminitis in horses. This research area is of particular interest to Malacarne.

During his master's degree training, Malacarne spent six months at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. After earning his master's degree, he dreamt of returning to the United States to expand his knowledge and clinical skills. 

After defending his master's thesis in Brazil, Malacarne joined a mixed large animal practice in Texas, working with beef cattle and horses while honing his surgical skills and improving his English. He then applied for an equine internship to prepare for an equine residency.

Malacarne joined the EMC in 2021 for a one-year rotating medicine and surgery internship. He completed a surgery fellowship at the EMC in 2023 and was invited to stay on as an equine surgery resident. 

During his time at the EMC, Malacarne has appreciated being given more responsibility and feels a deep sense of achievement. He enjoys the team dynamic and working closely with EMC clinicians, interns, residents, and veterinary students, which has helped him grow faster as a clinician. He values the diverse and expansive caseload and appreciates his faculty mentors, who offer a wide range of knowledge, expertise, and clinical interests.

Malacarne particularly values the comprehensive range of high-end diagnostic modalities available at the EMC and the willingness of Virginia horse owners to have their horses evaluated and treated in a hospital setting. 

Malacarne hopes to continue his career focusing on orthopedic surgery, sports medicine, and diagnostic imaging and to work in an environment with senior surgeons who can mentor and support his career progression. Although he would consider private practice, he prefers to stay in academia, as he loves instructing students and working on research projects.

"It is my destiny to help horses, either with the surgical skills I am developing or doing research to improve the quality of medicine we practice!" Malacarne said. 

Malacarne will complete his equine surgery residency at the EMC in 2026. In the meantime, he is enjoying life in Virginia and has grown to love Leesburg, which he now considers home.