Externship

Arbor View Animal Hospital has a unique externship program open to any veterinary students currently enrolled in veterinary school. Our goal is to provide our externs with as much hands-on experience as possible to help them become more prepared for their future veterinary careers.

How Long Is The Externship?

The externship can be for credit if allowed by an extern school and non-credit. We only allow 1 extern at our practice at any time to maximize the experience each extern receives. Typically, externships are 2-8 weeks long but are customizable to how long an extern would like to stay. Externships are also offered year-round.

Strong Emphasis On Exotic Pet Medicine

Our client base is not your typical small animal clinic clients. Currently, our patients are ~38% exotic and 62% canine/feline. All of your veterinarians are passionate about exotic pet medicine and love to share this knowledge with our externs.

Our exotic patients typically consist of rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas, ferrets, Patagonian cavies, pot belly pigs, foxes, skunks, parrots, snakes, lizards, amphibians, fish, invertebrates, some zoo species (such as wallabies, otters, and non-human primates), etc…

Wildlife Rehab

We also have a wildlife rehab license and this allows us to treat and rehabilitate local injured wildlife. Our externs are responsible for triaging, developing diagnostic plans, and treatment for our wildlife patients. Our staff and veterinarians are available to assist with these wildlife cases but the externs ultimately are the lead on the case. We typically have between 300-500 wildlife cases per year and they tend to be heaviest in the spring, summer, and early fall. Typical, wildlife cases include raptors (hawks/owls), songbirds, small mammals (squirrels, rabbits, opossums), reptiles (turtles/tortoises), and amphibians (toads/frogs).

What Do Externs Get To Do?

Our externships are customized towards areas our externs want to grow their skill set. For example, if an extern has a strong interest in surgery we can schedule them in surgery with one of our veterinarians Monday-Friday. In the past, we have had externs perform canine/feline OVHs and castrations, rabbit OVH/Castration, dental procedures on dogs/cats/exotics, laceration repairs, tumor removals, limb amputations (including exotic pets), wound management/debridement, tail amputations, enucleations, cystotomy’s, foreign body exploratory surgery, biopsies, etc…

Externs are paired with a veterinarian each day and work through the cases those veterinarians are assigned each day. Externs are responsible for assisting veterinarians with their case research, examining the patients, collecting diagnostics, and interpreting those diagnostics with their assigned veterinarian. The goal is to provide externs with experience in developing treatment plans and effectively communicating these treatment plans with owners. In addition, exotic pet husbandry is extremely important in managing their health and externs will be involved in educating clients on husbandry recommendations for the exotic pets we treat.

Typically, our externs are scheduled Mon-Fri from 8-5 pm. These times can be varied if needed for travel or for special circumstances.

Externship Program Highlights

38% Exotic, 62% Canine/Feline
The externship focus is on hands-on experience
On-site housing
Multi-Doctor Practice
Appointment-based, general practice
Wildlife rehabilitation on site
Externs responsible for real cases
Average externship length 2-8 weeks
Only 1 extern is allowed/per week
Weekly stipend

On-site Housing & Stipend

Our externship includes on-site housing and a weekly $100 stipend paid for each completed week (M-F 8-5p) of the externship.

Our on-site housing consists of a private bedroom with a full attached bathroom. Externs have access to a mini fridge and our breakroom. We have utensils, cups, bowls, plates, etc… Our breakroom has a microwave, air fryer and convection oven (there is no stove top), and full-size fridge/freezer, which externs can use if they need more space beyond their private mini fridge. Externs have access to free Wifi at the clinic and the extern room has a smart TV, which externs can use for local stations or log in with their own subscription services (Disney +, Amazon Prime, Netflix, etc). Externs are welcome to use the washing machine/dryer in our grooming facility after hours. Detergent/dryer sheets is available to our externs. Parking is also available if an extern should choose to bring their vehicle.

Can Externs Bring Their Pets?

At this time we ask that externs do not bring their pets.

Can Externs bring a friend, children or significant other?

We only allow externs to stay at the clinic in our extern suite and we do not allow externs to have guests accompany them due to liability concerns.

What should externs bring and liability insurance?

The dress code for externs is either business casual or scrubs. Externs are welcome to bring their own stethoscopes but all the other supplies and equipment we provide. Externs are required to have their own student liability insurance and should check with their schools to see if they provide it for their students. Veterinary students that are members of SAVMA have access to FREE student liability coverage. To sign-up or for more information check out:

https://www.avmaplit.com/products/student-liability/