Offsite Electives

Our practice offers a wide variety of experiences for a student.  We work on Thoroughbred race horses at Thistledown and Mahoning Valley Racetracks as well as have an extensive farm practice.  Our farm practice encompasses everything from miniature ponies to draft horses.  We are back yard pets, show horses, driving horses and work horses.  In addition to our daily workload, we also offer emergency services after hours.  Our practice is entirely mobile.   Students get a wide range of exposure and experiences.

You can fully customize your MVES externship to your interests and academic needs. We accommodate students in two- to eight-week rotation blocks in the department of your choice that will anchor your experience, but allow you to spend time on other services and go where the cases take you. When you enter the program, we will design an experience that includes time in our sister hospital in Overland Park and participation in rounds with our rotating interns. All veterinary student levels are welcomed. Possible concentration areas include: Emergency, Surgery, Internal Medicine, Cardiology, Anesthesia/ pain management, and Neurology.

Strictly racetrack practice operating at Canterbury Park Racetrack during the duration of the student’s externship.   Our practice cares for the majority of the racehorses stabled at Canterbury Park Racetrack for the racing season.  

This externship is provided as a collaborative effort with the RMTC to help give veterinary students exposure to both private practice and regulatory roles at the racetrack.  

This is the second year of the collaboration with the RMTC.  Last year was a big success among the students and veterinary practices.  Interest this year has been even greater than the prior.  

On the private practice side, students spend the entire day with our practice, for a minimum of 7 days.  Exposure and involvement includes lameness exams and subsequent diagnostics and treatment (diagnostic blocks, digital radiography, ultrasound, PEMF therapy, shockwave therapy, etc), general wellness exams and care, upper airway endoscopy, acute care, internal medicine, sports medicine, etc.  

In general, we are a sports medicine focused practice that provides 24/7 care to our equine patients during the duration of the Canterbury Park race meet.  We refer to a local hospital for colic surgeries, and to various hospitals throughout the country for orthopedic surgery.   

Join the Oakwell Animal Hospital Externship Program!

Why We Offer This Opportunity:

At Oakwell Animal Hospital, we are passionate about shaping and improving the veterinary field by mentoring the next generation of veterinarians. We believe in the power of hands-on experience and long-term mentorship to foster the growth of future veterinary professionals. By offering our facility as an externship site, we aim to contribute to the development of skilled, compassionate, and innovative veterinarians. Additionally, we are committed to promoting better trends in veterinary medicine, emphasizing the importance of self-care and mental health for veterinarians.

Why Choose Oakwell Animal Hospital?

• State-of-the-Art Facility: Learn in a modern clinic equipped with the latest technology and resources.
• Highly Trained Staff: Work alongside experienced veterinarians and support staff dedicated to your growth and development.
• Comprehensive Experience: Our program includes guided, hands-on experience in general practice, surgery, dentistry, urgent care, and emergency services.
• Mentorship: Benefit from long-term mentorship opportunities, guiding you through your learning journey and beyond.
• Well-being Focus: Learn the importance of self-care and mental health in veterinary practice, ensuring a sustainable and fulfilling career.

Externs at McAbee Veterinary Hospital will be given the opportunity to experience the day-to-day life of a busy, multi-doctor AAHA-accredited small animal general practice. McAbee Veterinary Hospital has been located in beautiful Winter Park, FL for over 60 years, and it was one of the first AAHA-accredited hospitals in the greater Orlando area. The clinic is a full-service general practice, and the extern will see a mix of wellness visits, sick appointments, ER/Urgent Care appointments, surgeries, and dental procedures. As a multi-doctor practice, students would be able to learn from multiple small animal practitioners with varying levels of experience and interests. 

IndeVets is a veterinary staffing company that provides relief services to over 4,000 practices across the country. We have over 250 veterinarians on our team who are either part-time or full-time and enjoy all the flexibility and variety that relief work has to offer, while also being supported by full benefits and a leadership team of veterinarians. While working with one of our Associate IndeVets in an elective rotation, students will have one mentor doctor, with whom they will visit multiple hospitals. The majority of our partner hospitals are small animal general practice clinics. The students will get to see how a variety of practices are run (corporate, privately owned, and possibly shelter) as well as how different teams work together.

This rotation is designed to provide fourth year veterinary students with exposure to a variety of species and clinical presentations of injured, ill, or orphaned wild raptors admitted to The Raptor Center. This rotation will focus on applying clinical skills from domestic veterinary medicine to wild raptors, including the importance of a thorough physical exam, history (if available), developing and prioritizing problem lists, and coming up with diagnostic plans, all while considering the major differences in approaches between domestic animals and wildlife (including stress levels, resources, desired outcomes, natural history, and finances). Students will be provided the opportunity to practice interpreting avian radiographs and may have the opportunity to practice common bandages for birds. Pending student interest/experience and current caseload, students may be given the opportunity to practice a variety of clinical skills, including venipuncture, administering subcutaneous fluids, administering injections, gavage feeding, and handling.

During an externship, a veterinary student can expect to experience all aspects of working in a non-profit Community Medicine environment.  Stand for Animals serves the Greater Charlotte area with three locations that offer HQHV spay/neuter, dentistry, general practice, wellness services and soft-tissue elective surgical procedures.  Externs will work with staff doctors to perform physical exams, scale and extract teeth, administer and monitor anesthesia, observe soft tissue surgical procedures, observe and/or assist in spay/neuter procedures. 

The hospital is a elective and referral surgical hospital which will provide the student with hands on learning in surgery,  The student will work one on one with board certified surgeons and ambulatory clinicians - performing field treatment under direct supervision and Veterinarian mentorship.

Animal Dermatology Clinic- Pasadena is a high-volume referral clinic specializing in dermatology in southern California. Students will have the opportunity to learn from multiple board-certified dermatologists, in addition to associate and resident doctors, while supported by an experienced staff in an outpatient setting. The elective experience is limited to a single student at a time, allowing for high levels of direct supervision and training and many opportunities for more "hands-on" experience with various procedures. Students will learn the fundamentals of dermatology and allergy management in addition to several aspects of pharmacology, internal medicine, oncology, neurology, and other, related disciplines that overlap with dermatology.