Offsite Electives

E X T E R N S H I P P R O G R A M O U T L I N E

F O R H O S P I TA L S

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

• Create a new generation of amazing veterinarians that will grow your

practice and take ownership of our Industry.

• Continue the growth of knowledge and well-being of our veterinarians

as promoted through the Suveto Externship (SE) and Harbor educational

programs.

• Promote the ideals of the Mentor/Mentee relationship.

• 2–8-week externship/preceptorship programs that champion Veterinary

Medicine in practical real-life situations.

B A S I C S TA N D A R D S / R E Q U I R E M E N T S :

• Immediate (within visual and audible distance) and (in)direct supervision

of a 4th year Veterinary student by a licensed Veterinarian as required by

State Board for activities described in course objectives.

Note: For Universities with 3rd year clinicals we will include these students

• Completion of all required State and University forms to guarantee student

recognized credit for externship in timely fashion

• Complete all course objectives with assessments and evaluations.

• Acceptable staffing, facility, and instrumentation to complete course

objectives.

• Present and discuss online/SMS supplemental instruction as provided by

Harbor staff/Suveto Legacy Owners.

C O U R S E O B J E C T I V E S

• Demonstrate ability to perform basic technical skills (i.e., blood draw, catheter

placement, nursing care).

• Perform a comprehensive physical examination and create a working problem list.

• Show proficiency at applying a systematic approach to differential diagnosis,

selected diagnostic testing, and treatment.

• Become familiar with commonly used medications, calculations, and protocols for

administration.

• Induce and monitor a patient under general anesthesia.

• Demonstrate basic surgical techniques of approach, tissue handling, and suturing.

• Perform a comprehensive oral health assessment and treatment.

• Effectively communicate to a client physical exam findings, wellness programs,

medical treatment plans, diagnostic results, and discharge/follow up instructions.

• Demonstrate knowledge and application of emergency protocols including

assessment, CPR, and life sustaining procedures.

• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of basic business principles applied

to Veterinary medicine.

M E N T O R / S T U D E N T E X P E C TAT I O N S

• Mentor will be primary contact for Suveto Externship (SE) team during the

externship process and provide any required materials in a timely fashion to

facilitate program success.

• Designated Mentors will have the ability to delegate Student learning

objectives to Associate Veterinarians and support staff at their discretion.

• Mentor will devote themselves to providing Student with direct, hands-on

experiences for learning the course objectives at every available “opportunity”.

• Mentors will use their discretion as to what defines applicable opportunities

that do not risk patient care, client experience, hospital reputation, or

hospital team dynamics.

• Mentor will be expected to spend a minimum of 2 hours per week devoted

to one-on-one mentorship with the student as provided by the SE learning

objectives.

• Mentor will participate with Student in 2 hours per week Case Discussion

selected from the Student’s Case Load as defined below.

• Discussions will include case presentation/recap, the systematic approach to

differential diagnosis, selected diagnostic testing, treatment, recommended

follow up procedures, and client communication.

• Medical/Surgical skill sets necessary for direct/immediate supervision of a

veterinarian will occupy at least 10 hours per week.

• Please refer to your State’s Veterinary Board for required levels of supervision

Ex: Microsoft Word - Vet Supervision Chart (mo.gov)

• Mentor will facilitate one spay or neuter procedure to be performed by the

Student with immediate supervision by a veterinarian.

• Recommended to utilize relationships with local rescue or shelter groups for

patient selection.

• Mentor will facilitate for one comprehensive oral health assessment and

Treatment to be performed by the Student with direct and immediate supervision

by a veterinarian as applicable during Externship period.

• Mentor will allow for Business management practices to occupy at least 1 hour

per day or 1 day per week.

• Ex: Inventory/ordering, payroll, Staff evaluations, clinic meetings, budgeting,

KPI assessment, facility maintenance, etc.

• Mentor will provide written/oral feedback and assessment of Student

performance as supplied by the SE team.

• Final assessment will be given to Student in person nearing the end of the

externship.

• Students will be required to follow a Code of Conduct as outlined by SE team to

ensure non-disruption of Hospital operations and facilitate best experiences.

• Students will provide SE team and ‘matched’ hospital with the student

background pro forma as provided by SE team by required deadlines.

• Students will expect to have direct involvement with at least 5 medical and/or

surgical cases per medically focused day.

• Direct involvement includes direct or observational participation in history,

signalment, vitals/physical examination, differential diagnosis, diagnostic

testing, procedures, fee/estimate creation, client communication/discharge

instructions.

• Students will be required to Lead (direct) case management for 1 medical

or surgical case per week with immediate supervision of a veterinarian from

presentation to discharge including any follow up during Externship.

• Students will be required to provide the Hospital with assistance as needed with

the following: inventory management (restocking, counts, ordering), patient

nursing care, cleaning, sterilization, and/or administrative tasks (call backs,

sympathy cards, reminders, billing, etc.)

• Students will provide written feedback and assessment of Externship Hospital

performance as supplied by SE team during the Externship period.

• Assessment will be discussed with Mentor in person

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.