Offsite Electives

Students doing an externship at Charles River Ashland will spend time learning about laboratory animal medicine as well as pathology. Working with the laboratory animal veterinarians, they will observe surgeries and/or treatments of laboratory animal species including but not limited to canines, rodents, and non-human primates. Additionally, students will spend time in necropsy observing post mortem examinations on these species. Time spent in pathology will include independent review of current and/or past study material followed by discussion with study pathologists over findings including common background lesions in laboratory animal species. Additionally, the student will spend time in the clinical pathology department discussing various laboratory tests and reviewing study material. Time permitting, the student will have an opportunity to interact with study directors to learn about study design at prestudy meetings.

We are a four-doctor mixed animal practice in Wayne County, Ohio.  A significant portion of the practice is bovine reproduction and herd health work.  In addition, we also work routinely with equine, goats, sheep and alpacas and typically have two veterinarians working out of their mobile units on farm visits. Two veterinarians are usually scheduled in the office serving the companion animal needs of the practice. The practice generally encompasses three counties with much of the mobile services being large dairy farms as well as the backyard client. The clinic is located in West Salem, Ohio and serves many of the rural community.  As a student, you will be observing, and participating in- when appropriate, the numerous responsibilities of the veterinarian whom you are scheduled to shadow. 

Appointments

• The VSI can run appointments with supervision. 
• Cases that Senior Veterinary Student Intern (VSI) may manage will approved by the veterinarian on the case. 
• The Client will be informed by reception that the VSI will be playing a role in the case.
• Very complex or time-consuming cases may be better run by the Veterinarian, with secondary involvement from the Senior Veterinary Student Intern.
• Difficult clients may be better managed by the Veterinarian.
• To save time, the VSI will perform the intake history in place of the assistant. 
• The VSI will then perform a complete 16-point examination with the Veterinarian.
• The Veterinarian on the case and the VSI will discuss the case in private and then the VSI will present the plan to the owner with the Veterinarian present. 
• The VSI will record full history and invoice products as needed. 
• The supervising Veterinarian will be the doctor listed as the provider.  The Veterinarian will approve the SOAP language for accuracy and completeness. 
• The VSI does not receive compensation for internship hours worked. 

Surgeries

• The VSI can perform minor surgeries with supervision at the discretion of the veterinarian. 
• Ability to involved in surgeries will be based upon the student’s surgical skill level and the safety of the patient.  It is possible that the student may not have appropriate skills to safely participate in procedures.
• VSI may be involved in certain aspects of surgery or the entire case from start to discharge (i.e.- may be asked to evaluate an anesthetic protocol and medical protocol, help with prepping, performing the surgery, performing closure of the surgery, assist with recovery if needed, and/or assist in discharging the patient to the owner, or just individual parts of this).
• Anesthetic program will be approved by the Veterinarian on the case.
• All surgical procedures will be discussed prior to the actual surgery with the Veterinarian. 
• The Veterinarian will be present at all times during the surgery.
• The client will have been given full disclosure that a VSI will be involved in part or all of the surgical case under strict supervision. 
• A waiver will be signed by the client prior to the surgery or the VSI will not have permission to do any of the actual procedure.

We are a 6-7 vet large animal clinic in northern Vermont taking care of clients in two counties.  Our dairy farms range from 1-3000 cows, with a fair amount of organic dairies.  Depending on the time of the year we also see a large number of equine clients.  We have several swine herds, goat dairies and lama and alpaca clients, plus backyard poultry pigs and beef.

We are a busy 4 doctor small animal/exotic veterinary hospital located in Chester, NJ.  Our hospital is very well equipped with the latest in ultrasound, digital dental x-ray, digital x-ray, K-laser therapeutic laser, Toshiba ultrasound, full in house Idexx lab equipment, and much much more.  We have a traveling board certified internist and traveling board certified surgeon that visits our hospital 1-2 times a week.  All proceedures are monitored by licensed veterinary technicians, or the veterinarian.  Student will be exposed to all aspects of a busy small animal hospital

Companion Animal Hospital is a 4.5 veterinarian small animal hospital.  We have a large support staff including CVTs, veterinary assistants, and client service representatives.  There are two sections of our hospital: out-patient (appointments) and in-pateint (ICU: hospitalized patients and surgeries).  Students will shadow either the appointment doctor or the ICU doctor each day and be responsible for SOAPing patients with the doctor, including a list of problems and differential diagnoses.  Communication, both with clients and staff, will be emphasized.  On ICU days, students will also assist the doctor during surgical, dental, and medical procedures.  Students will be involved with drug dose calculation, radiographic interpertation, endocrine assay interpretation, dental charting, and surgical procedures.

Granville Veterinary Clinic is a full-service general practice that specializes in small animal surgery and dentistry. Students will work with the clinicians on staff to see client pets, perform appropriate testing to identify disease, and refine their surgical techniques. Granville Veterinary also offers limited emergency hours, and provides hospitalization overnight and on weekends.

This experience allows veterinary students an opportunity to learn and work with a diverse number of exotic animals from psittacine birds, poultry to rabits, reptiles and other small mammals.  We are a full service exclusivley exotic animal hospital.  The student will learn husbandry of these species along with common medical conditions.  They will perform histories, common life-saving procedures, including fluid administration and gavage feeding.  They will help with grooming and have an opportunity to watch surgeries being performed.  They will attend our Journal Club and have an opportunity to present a case report.

Our practice is a mostly small animal practice, with surgeries scheduled every week day.  We do some large animal work, along with some primates and exotics.  We have ultrasound, digital radiography, in house laboratory and lasers (both cutting and therapy lasers).  We also offer acupuncture, Chinese Medicine, rehab, manual and mechanical (VOM/VMR) chiropractic and we rely to an extent on nutrition and supplements instead of solely on medicines.  We have office hours until 9 pm during the week and until 4 on Saturdays with 1 part-time and 2 full-time veterinarians.  We employ 1 part-time and 6 full-time technicians.  What all this means to the student is that we offer a broad experience with lots of mentorship from both veterinarians and technicians.  Our goal is to have the student see cases, make and present treatment plans and do anesthesia and surgery. 

We are a predominantly canine and feline general practice.  We focus on providing general medicine, surgery, preventative and wellness care, and try to do so at affordable costs.  Client communication skills are important at our clinic as fostering and supporting the human animal bond are important to us.  Students here will have the opportunity to see cases through completion while polishing their communication skills, radiology knowledge, dental care skills, physical exams, and basic surgeries.  The students will be exposed to a realistic daily schedule to practice balancing a normal case load.  In the spring we do a low cost feline spay day.  If here for this event they will participate in examinations and sterilization of felines in a spay clinic like setting.