Indiana State Board of Animal Health, IN

A two-week veterinary externship with the Indiana State Board of Animal Health (BOAH) offers students an immersive experience in regulatory veterinary medicine, animal disease control, and public‑health–oriented veterinary practice. BOAH’s mission is to protect Indiana’s animal agriculture, safeguard public health, and support a safe food supply through disease prevention, surveillance, and inspection programs. During this externship, students work directly with BOAH veterinarians and staff to gain hands‑on exposure to the unique responsibilities of state regulatory practice. Activities may include:

• Animal Disease Surveillance & Field Investigations: Students accompany BOAH veterinarians on farm visits to conduct disease testing, evaluate livestock health, and assist with sample collection for laboratory diagnostics. These activities support BOAH’s mandate to prevent and control the spread of infectious and zoonotic diseases in Indiana’s livestock populations.
• Regulatory Medicine & Public Health: Students learn how state veterinarians enforce animal‑health laws, respond to reportable diseases, and collaborate with producers, industry partners, and federal agencies. This includes exposure to emergency preparedness planning and response efforts for foreign animal diseases such as avian influenza or African swine fever.
• Food Safety & Inspection Programs: Students may observe BOAH’s meat, poultry, and dairy inspection programs, which maintain a vital link in ensuring a safe food supply for Indiana consumers. This provides insight into how veterinarians contribute to food‑system integrity beyond clinical practice.
• Interagency Collaboration & Outreach: Students gain experience working with other state agencies, extension personnel, and agricultural organizations. Opportunities may include participating in producer education, youth agriculture programs, or community outreach events.

The externship also emphasizes: understanding the role of veterinarians in state government, developing communication skills for interacting with producers and industry partners, strengthening diagnostic reasoning in population‑level medicine, and gaining exposure to career paths in regulatory and public‑health veterinary practice

BOAH’s student programs are designed to provide real‑world insights into veterinary public health, enhance professional readiness, and broaden students’ understanding of non‑clinical veterinary career opportunities

BOAH Field Veterinarians & Staff - Students work directly with: 

• State veterinarians specializing in livestock, poultry, and regulatory medicine
• Field staff who conduct disease investigations and on‑farm assessments
• Meat and poultry and dairy inspection personnel
• Emergency response coordinators

Regulatory and Policy Frameworks - Students learn from:

• Indiana animal health laws and administrative rules
• BOAH and USDA guidance documents, movement requirements, and disease control protocols
• Foreign animal disease (FAD) response plans and emergency preparedness materials

Interagency Collaboration - Externs may interact with:

• USDA APHIS Veterinary Services
• Indiana Department of Homeland Security
• Purdue Extension
• Local emergency management agencies

Disease Surveillance & Epidemiology Training - BOAH provides structured exposure to:

• Reportable disease investigations
• Traceability systems and livestock identification
• Epidemiologic data collection and interpretation
• Biosecurity assessments

Food Safety & Inspection Education - Through BOAH’s Meat & Poultry Inspection and Dairy Inspection Programs, externs learn about:

• HACCP principles
• Humane handling requirements
• Carcass inspection and facility compliance
• Dairy inspection and Grade A milk safety standards

Emergency Preparedness & Incident Command System (ICS) - Externs may receive:

• ICS orientation
• Training modules used for FAD response
• Exposure to tabletop or field exercises when available

Office Hours: Monday-Friday; 8am-4:30pm

 May be opportunities for travel throughout the state, evening meetings, etc. 

Students will be fully integrated into activities, assisting field inspectors, veterinarians, and staff. 

1202 E 38th Street
Discovery Hall, Suite 100
Indianapolis, IN 46205
United States