Offsite Electives

Students participating in an elective experience at our veterinary clinic will gain hands-on exposure to small animal medicine in a fast-paced, team oriented environment. The  experience may include observing and assisting with physical exams, diagnostics, surgery preparation, dental procedures, client communication, treatment planning, and patient care. Students will work alongside veterinarians, technicians, and support staff to develop a better understanding of daily clinical operations, medical decision making, client communication, and compassionate patient care. Opportunities for learning are tailored to the student's level of experience and education goals. 

Iowa Select Farms is the 4th largest pork producer in the United States. The student will spend their time with various veterinarians throughout the system, as well as spend time with other support departments to learn what is involved in producing pork. The student will be hands on during farm visits, necropsies, sample submission, understanding vaccination and treatment protocols, participate in decision making, and follow-up on cases. In addition they will have the opportunity to spend time with other support departments as fits their interest, this could include: Health and Care Assurance, Transportation, Nutrition, Nutrient Management, Production, Supply Chain, and others.

The student will work with a veterinarian to get a comprehensive general practice experience. They will see appointments, report lab results, manage prescription refill requests + other miscellaneous tasks, do dental procedures, and do soft tissue surgery. During any downtime, students will be expected to come up with topics they wish to learn more about so the veterinarian can lead related discussions. 

All doctors except one doctor manage a caseload of approximately 50% dogs and 50% cats. One doctor largely sees exotics patients (small mammals, birds, and reptiles). The student may work with this doctor if they wish. 

Extern will see cases under the direct mentorship of our criticalists and experienced emergency clinicians. While the focus of this externship is emergency and critical care, our multi-specialty hospital offers exposure to and collaboration with internal medicine, nephrology/urology (including extracorporeal therapy), surgery, neurology, diagnostic imaging, oncology (medical/surgical/radiation), anesthesia, dentistry, and ophthalmology. Externs will work on developing into confident diagnosticians and strengthen their verbal/written communication skills.

This clinic offers both high-volume spay/neuter and other soft-tissue surgeries as well as general practice services. Hands-on and/or shadowing experience in all of these departments will take place during the designated externship time.

We enjoy mentoring students and tailor externship experiences to meet each student’s goals for their time with us. We encourage each student to think about their goals and objectives for their externship with us before they come. Students are encouraged to participate and ask questions while they are with us.

Veterinary DVM students will get an even mix of working with our doctors in appointments and in surgery. Veterinary students will get to present cases, differential diagnoses, desired diagnostic testing and review diagnostic results and treatment plans. Students will discuss preventative medicine and practice talking with clients about the value of preventative care. Students can practice setting IV catheters, intubating, and discussing anesthesia protocols. We are happy to allow students to perform spays and neuters (under supervision) on dogs, cats, and rabbits based on their comfort and skill level. Students also have the opportunity to scrub in and assist with other surgeries as well.

If students have an interest in learning more about pocket pet/exotic pet medicine and surgery, orthopedics, business management, or reproductive medicine, they will have the opportunity to have extra focus in those areas.

We will work hard to ensure all school criteria is met during the externship. If there are any specific criteria that needs to be completed during your externship, please make sure we are aware of it prior to or at the start of your time with us.

This elective externship provides a comprehensive, hands-on clinical learning experience. The externship is designed to enhance clinical competence, diagnostic reasoning, and professional communication skills through active participation in daily veterinary operations.

During the externship, the veterinary student will work closely with the medical lead as well as support staff in a fast-paced, small animal practice environment. The student will participate in outpatient appointments, physical examinations, and case workups, with progressive involvement based on skill level and supervision. Exposure will include preventive care, sick-patient evaluations, and chronic disease management for canine and feline patients.

Clinical learning opportunities may include:

• Assisting with patient histories, physical exams, and diagnostic planning
• Participating in morning rounds to discuss cases for the day
• Participation in routine and advanced diagnostic procedures (e.g., laboratory testing, imaging interpretation, cytology)
• Observation and assistance with common surgical and dental procedures
• Development of treatment plans and client education under veterinary supervision
• Exposure to anesthesia monitoring, pain management, and post-operative care
• Collaboration with the veterinary team to support high standards of patient care and hospital workflow

Emphasis is placed on clinical reasoning, evidence-based medicine, client communication, and ethical decision-making. Students are expected to demonstrate professionalism, curiosity, and a strong commitment to learning while adhering to practice policies, safety protocols, and veterinary medical standards.

This externship is well-suited for veterinary students seeking real-world experience in small animal general practice and those interested in building foundational clinical skills in companion animal medicine.

This off-site elective provides veterinary students with a comprehensive clinical experience in an adequate-volume small animal general practice setting. Students will participate in day-to-day operations alongside veterinarians and support staff, gaining hands-on exposure to preventative care, diagnostics, and treatment of a diverse caseload.

Responsibilities include assisting with physical examinations, developing diagnostic plans, interpreting laboratory results, and observing or assisting in routine surgical procedures. Students will also gain experience in client communication, including discussing treatment plans, wellness recommendations, and follow-up care.

The elective emphasizes practical skill development, clinical reasoning, and efficient workflow within a team-based environment. Students will be encouraged to take an active role in case discussions and decision-making while working under direct supervision.

Board Certified: Neurology, IM, CC, Surgery, Ortho, Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation, Anesthesiology, Oncology

Emergency

We are a 4 doctor primary care facility. We treat a range of medical and surgical conditions with a heavy weight on dentistry and preventive care. Students will see a wide variety of cases including routine wellness, chronic disease management, and end of life care. Students will see appointments and development treatment plans for a wide variety of causes under the supervision of our veterinarians. Students will have opportunities to both observe and participate in anesthetic procedures. We also hope to help students with an interest in practice ownership see how a privately owned clinic operates.