Offsite Electives

Externs need and want hands-on experience from a doctor’s perspective. VCA is committed to creating an experience that will help them in their transition from student to doctor. The VCA facility will make every effort to provide opportunities to students to perform the following: • Observe/assist doctors in providing care to hospitalized patients • Observe and participate in office calls with staff doctors • Observe special procedures - e.g. endoscopy, ultrasound • Scrub in as second assistant in surgeries on a case by case basis o Students may not be left unsupervised, must have licensed DVM present in surgical/anesthetized cases • Attend daily hospitalized patient rounds • Assist hospital team with exceptional patient and customer care • Assist with patient management • Observe and participate in client communication • Attend all hospital seminars and rounds • Learn pain management guidelines and discuss analgesia protocols • Perform venipunctures, place catheters, and assist with anesthetic induction with appropriate oversight • Create a diagnostic plan, treatment plan and financial plan for patients of interest • Follow-through with cases from start to finish • Examine drop-off patients and develop treatment plans • Enroll in WOOF University and explore available courses

Mixed animal practice providing general medicine/surgery, ER care to both small and large animals.  Clinic environment, with 2 fulltime veterinarians and support staff.  Will provide hands-on experience in all aspects of care, up to but not limited to surgery (spay/neuter, foreign body, mass removals, etc), routine care , and other services as needed.  In reference to large animal, i.e., equine bovine, caprine, ovine, camelids, porcine and some poultry, a good deal of ambulatory and preventative medicine 

Equine and bovine reproduction

This experience will be a rotation in the pathology and veterinary diagnostic laboratory of the University of Illinois Veterinary School. Students will participate in rounds, be present on necropsy and biopsy duty, and otherwise participate in activities in the department. 

The extern will be expected to assist the veterinarian, perform examinations, work up differential diagnoses lists, review labwork and diagnostics, and discuss treatment methods and protocols. Participation in daily rounds, discussion of cases encountered and research of cases is expected.

The student will be exposed and be able to participate in dystocias on cattle, uterine, vaginal and rectal prolapses. Neonatal care of calves. Semen testing, pregnancy diagnosis of cows via rectal palpation and ultrasound. Brucellosis vaccination of heifers. There will be regular GP work in the small animal clinic and some emergency equine exposure as well. 

RAVS veterinary students will be a part of a team of veterinary professionals, both volunteers and RAVS staff, providing free, high quality veterinary care in a rural, field clinic setting. These clinics are held in locations that are in communities impacted by systemic inequity and clients often have no other access to veterinary care outside of annual RAVS clinics.  
Veterinary students will rotate through clinic assignments of receiving, anesthesia and surgery. While on receiving students will perform physical exams, administer treatments (including but not limited to vaccinations and parasitic treatments), develop a list of differential diagnoses and treatment plans under the supervision of a veterinarian. Students will also manage client communication for medical and surgical cases including surgery discharges. During their time in anesthesia students will practice clinical skills such as administering injetions, placing intravenous catheters, intubation and monitoring of anesthesia as well as applying tools such as multimodal analgesia, and techniques for maintaining anesthesia in a safe manner. Students will also monitor patients in recovery. In surgery students will scrub into multiple surgical procedures one on one with a licensed veterinarian and develop an understanding of common surgical procedures such as canine and feline spays and neuters and techniques to accomplish these surgeries and minimize complications. Students will also assist in patient and surgical pack preparation and aseptic technique. Students will be closely supervised in all areas of the clinic by veterinarians and credentialed technicians.  Rounds will be held to review cases to further apply knowledge and skills in medicine, surgery and anesthesia.
RAVS field clinics are also an opportunity for students to learn to practice incremental care and with a spectrum of care approach due to the lack of diagnostic testing available in the field. Students will build skills and knowledge necessary to provide high quality care in a low resource setting. Students will also develop client communication skills and a hands on understanding of the importance of practicing with cultural humility. 
Student learning objectives:
• Build and strengthen clinical skills- physical exam, anesthesia, surgery
• Develop client communication skills- during wellness exams, pre-surgical and surgery discharge communications, and in discussing treatment plans with clients
• Understand common surgical and anesthetic complications and ways to prevent and manage them.

The extern will have the ability to observe examinations, surgery, non-anesthetic procedures and treatments, and potentially assist with treatments and/or surgery if deemed appropriate by the on duty DVM.

VCA’s Externship Program allows students to gain valuable real-world experience by taking what you’ve learned in the classroom and bringing it to the clinic.  Veterinary students and Veterinary Technician or Assistant students in their qualified year of education can apply with VCA Animal Hospitals as part of their formal externship blocks. Our Externship Program gives you incredible access to a network of over 700 hospitals and more than 3,000 practitioners and specialists, all excited to meet and mentor future talent of the Veterinary profession. By participating in our Externship Program, you have the opportunity to network with our teams and experience what makes VCA unique.  Take the opportunity to promote yourself in becoming a veterinary associate, part of the medical team or to pursue an internship. Place your career on the right path and let us build upon your experience with VCA.

At VCA we are committed to diversity, equity and inclusion and want to be a place where a diverse mix of talented people want to come, stay and do their best work.

This externship opportunity is available to current veterinary students who have an interest in laboratory animal medicine. Externs will have the opportunity to shadow members of the department, including the current veterinary residents, veterinary technicians, faculty, and staff as appropriate.  During clinical rounds, externs will have the opportunity to see and participate in the care of various species including mice, rats, hamsters, rabbits, sheep, calves, swine, and zebrafish. Externs will have the opportunity to participate in the hands-on training program where they will learn rodent handling skills and other techniques such as blood collection and injection methods, anesthesia, surgery, breeding management, euthanasia, and necropsy. Externs may have the opportunity to attend the monthly IACUC meeting and join resident didactic courses. Virtual learning modules are available to enhance the learning experience. Externs will be given a project or topic and will be required to give a presentation to members of the department at the end of the rotation.