Offsite Electives

Shadowing and assisting the doctor and staff in general small animal integrative holistic practice appointments and surgical procedures.  Improving communication skills with clients by discussing treatment plans, differentials, client concerns and cost of treatment.  Potentially counseling clients through quality of life assessment and end of life decisions.

We are a certified gold Feline Friendly 4-DVM feline only urban practice. We have  heavy internal medicine and dentistry case loads. Students will shadow DMVs in rooms and in surgery. One DVM does regular abdominal ultrasounds. We have a traveling cardiologist who comes in several times monthly. They will have access to the computer software system to look at cases and come up with assessments and treatment plans. They can often practice exam skills on drop-off patients. They can shadow technical and reception teams if desired. They can discuss practice management with the practice manager if desired. 

We are a rural, independently owned small animal general practice located in Northwestern Vermont.  Our team is passionate about animal care and client relationships, and we strive to provide quality medical care, a low stress environment, and preventative care strategies to keep our patients happy and healthy throughout their lifetimes.  Our practice includes 2 veterinarians and 5 veterinary technicians.  We offer wellness appointments, general surgery and dentistry, and same day urgent care appointments when available. We are happy to help coordinate and support our clients when the situation requires a referral to a specialty or emergency practice.

Students will be mentored by experienced DVMs and the Medical Director. Supervision is tailored to the student’s current proficiency level and university requirements, moving from direct observation to supervised hands-on participation as competence is demonstrated.

During the externship, students will focus on four primary areas of professional development. First, they will build Diagnostic Proficiency by refining their ability to perform thorough physical examinations and develop comprehensive diagnostic and treatment plans. This is complemented by gaining hands-on Clinical Skills through common procedures such as venipuncture, catheter placement, and surgical assisting. Beyond technical tasks, the program emphasizes Client Communication, allowing students to observe and practice the delivery of medical recommendations and participate in sensitive client discussions. Finally, externs will gain a deep understanding of Professional Workflow within a high-volume practice, mastering the administrative and operational side of veterinary medicine, including professional medical record-keeping (SOAPs) and essential inter-departmental coordination.

Student will shadow tech to gain knowledge of how rooms and appointments work. Will then go back into room with vet to work up the case if sick or perform preventative exam and vaccinations.

Student will learn how to draw blood and then will draw blood on their own if they are comfortable.  Blood is drawn away from the client so there will be no pressure on the student.

Main focus is to learn how to approach sick pet, how to perform annual exam and get the patient on vaccination schedule rather than having them come 3-4 times a year.  Also how to talk to client about diagnostic work up and why, not just running every blood test.  I always ask students and new vets what they are looking to gather from blood work.  I find a lot of vets end up looking for abnormalities and then seeing if that can be tied the pet's issue.

I want the student to feel comfortable with the client and to talk at their level and not over client's ability to understand. I feel being able to communicate with client is the most important part of veterinary medicine.  Anyone can give shots but if there is no open communication then the client is not likely to return. 

General practice hospital focused on the spectrum of care for small animals in Puerto Rico. 

Guided Mentorship

Work one‑on‑one with experienced veterinarians who help set goals aligned with your interests and future career plans. You’ll have the chance to discuss real cases, treatment options, and the reasoning behind clinical decisions.

Customized Learning

Your externship experience is tailored to meet both your academic requirements and personal learning goals—whether you’re interested in general practice, client communication, surgery, or clinical decision‑making within a spectrum‑of‑care framework.

Externship Details

• Open to DVM students who have completed their first year
• Must be currently enrolled in an accredited veterinary medicine program
• Ideal for students interested in general practice, community‑focused medicine, or exploring spectrum‑of‑care approaches

Assist in the examination of livestock and poultry for the purpose of detecting diseases or abnormalities which would render the meat unfit for human food purposes. Work with line inspectors to perform visual, tactile and incisory inspections of heads, viscera, carcasses, and edible offal.

• Assist a program veterinarian in making dispositions on abnormal animals, carcasses, or birds retained for veterinary examination. These dispositions will include infectious diseases, neoplasms, trauma, contamination, poisonings, residues, metabolic disorders, etc.

• Assist a program veterinarian in performing activities to verify that animals are handled and treated humanely.

• Observe conditions in the plant to ensure that sanitary conditions meet prescribed requirements.

• Observe conditions in the plant to ensure the plant is following its Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOPs).

This is a general practice in Huntington Beach, CA that has all of the services of a classic small animal GP clinic. 

TSVC is a high volume, fast paced clinic that acts as both a general practice and a secondary referral and emergency center. 

Over the course of your students 2 - 4 weeks at TSVC, we will have them shadowing doctors and participating in our clinic’s daily practices. They will rotate through general practice, surgery, emergency, and our spay/neuter clinic during their time here. They will help perform physical exams, create treatment plans and anesthesia protocols, perform vaccines and treatments, and take part in clinic rounds under the direction of the doctor they are assigned to shadow for the day. They will also get to observe and experience some of our unique treatment options such as Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and Ozone therapies.