Offsite Electives

East Market Veterinary Center is a privately owned small animal general practice located in Blairsville, Pennsylvania. The practice focuses exclusively on dogs and cats and provides comprehensive care including wellness visits, sick patient management, diagnostics, dentistry, and soft tissue surgery. The clinic serves a diverse client base in a small-town community setting, offering students exposure to a wide variety of medical, surgical, and dental cases.

The goal of this elective experience is to provide veterinary students with hands-on exposure to general practice medicine while developing confidence in clinical reasoning, client communication, and surgical skills. Students are fully integrated into the daily workflow and work closely with the veterinarian and support staff throughout their time in the clinic.

Externs will participate in routine wellness visits, sick appointments, and urgent care cases. Students may assist with obtaining patient histories, performing physical examinations, and developing diagnostic and treatment plans under the guidance of the veterinarian. They will also gain experience interpreting laboratory results and understanding how diagnostics influence clinical decision-making.

Surgical experience is an important component of this externship. Students will have the opportunity to observe, assist with, and potentially perform surgical procedures—including spays, neuters, and other soft tissue surgeries—depending on their level of training and comfort. Emphasis is placed on surgical preparation, anesthesia protocols, and perioperative care.

Students will also be exposed to dental procedures, including prophylactic cleanings and extractions, with the use of a dedicated dental suite and dental radiography. This provides an opportunity to understand the role of dentistry in overall patient health and to gain familiarity with dental diagnostics and treatment.

Students who are further along in their program and demonstrate appropriate competency may take primary appointments under supervision, allowing them to lead cases, communicate directly with clients, and make clinical decisions with guidance.

The practice operates with a strong technical support team, allowing students to experience efficient workflow and team-based care. Teaching is incorporated into daily case management through discussion and real-time feedback. This elective is designed to be flexible and tailored to each student’s goals, whether they are seeking to strengthen foundational skills or gain more independence in a clinical setting.

Students would shadow a board certified dermatologist in both initial and recheck appointments. Cytology and skin scrapes would also be discussed and evaluated. 

Additionally, we would discuss current dermatology management strategies and treatment protocols for small animal practice. Other teaching experiences would include journal club or textbook rounds. 

Banfield is nationwide small animal hospital that primarily focuses on preventative care and surgeries. We also focus on diagnostics and medicine.

We are a private small animal general practice, 5 doctor, AAHA approved hospital with a Fear Free Certified Medical Director who trains all our staff on Fear Free practices.   We offer soft tissue surgery, limited orthopedics, dentistry, wellness and sick pet care.   On an externship, the vet student will scrub into all surgeries and dentistries in the morning with dvms, and in the afternoon, will see appointments with our doctor team.  We will do case reviews and have the student participate in planning for anesthesia drugs, post op care and recommendations and create a differential diagnosis and treatment plan for appointments.  

Students will have the opportunity to work in a high-volume, privately owned veterinary hospital offering 24/7 emergency and critical care, general practice, and specialty services. Located in Lakewood Ranch, Florida, our hospital is well-equipped with advanced diagnostics and therapies including CT, endoscopy, mechanical ventilation, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

Students are encouraged to be actively involved in patient care and will work closely with our team of emergency doctors, criticalists, and specialists. Depending on comfort level and experience, students may participate in physical exams, diagnostics, case discussions, and procedures, as well as observe and assist in the management of a wide range of cases.

Our caseload is diverse and often complex, providing a strong learning environment for students interested in emergency medicine, critical care, or specialty practice. We strive to create a supportive and collaborative atmosphere where students feel comfortable asking questions, building confidence, and growing clinicall

Following DVM on appointments and procedures. Student will get hands on learning as well based on their current experience/skill set and DVM comfort level. We hope for her to gain experience suturing , doing basic wound care, interpreting lab work and radiographs, using ultrasound, assisting in surgery, suturing and possibly some emergency procedures such as handling U/O cats, performing chest or abdominal taps. 

Th veterinary student externship is an active hands-on experience within our Surgery and Ophthalmology services.  Students will work directly with our doctors and teams supporting small animal (cat and dog) patient care  needs.  The goal is to provide veterinary students with the ability to practice clinical skills such as physical exams, client communication, diagnostic interpretation, etc., while also experiencing practical clinical caseloads.

Student will be following the veterinarians in either Dentistry, Surgery, and/or Emergency. Students can observe, speak with clients, perform PE, scrub in surgery, and perform procedures with supervision. 

Students will gain hands-on experience in a busy rural general veterinary practice serving a diverse mix of small animals ( primarily dogs and cats), with occasional large animal and exotic cases.   They will participate in routine wellness exams, preventative care, medical workups, soft tissue surgery, dentistry, and emergency triage.  This setting provides broad exposure to the realities of mixed general practice in a rural community, inculuding client communication, practice management challenges, and the importance of building long-term client relationships in a tight-knit agricultural area.

Student will accompany veterinarians on ambulatory routine and emergency calls to treat horses, cows, and other farm animals. Student will receive instruction and practice performing clinical skills in accordance with comfort and ability. Student will also be exposed to / assist with bill writing, client communications, lab work, and inventory management.