Veterinary Extern - Specialty & Emergency

Veterinary Student Externship Program

Externships are available to veterinary students in any year of school. Scheduling priority will be given to clinical year students. Student externs gain broad experience working in the emergency department of a busy emergency/referral setting. Full externships or partial time with specialty departments can also be arranged, with schedules more subject to change in solo DVM departments.

Externs shadow emergency and critical care staff veterinarians, veterinary interns and veterinary technicians. Externs are expected to be interactive with the staff, attend case rounds when available, perform physical exams and discuss cases (including differential lists and treatment plans), and actively contribute to the general workload as appropriate. Hands on experiences are an important part of veterinary student education and will be dependent on the individual student, caseload and supervising veterinarians.

Program Location

We currently offer opportunities at our Waukesha location in Wisconsin.

Program Schedule Veterinary student externships are generally a 2-week block, although 1-4 week blocks are also an option.

Externs generally work 8-10 hr shifts, with evenings and weekends being busiest caseload opportunity times for ER. Daytime shifts may also be scheduled to accommodate more than one extern in the same time period or for specialty departments. Overnight shifts are not expected but can be arranged, if desired.

About You

• Applicants must be students of accredited domestic or international veterinary schools, pursuing a DVM, VMD or foreign equivalent. First, second and third-year veterinary students who are interested in emergency/critical care and/or our training programs, are encouraged to apply.
• Students are required to have liability coverage either through their veterinary school or personal coverage through the AVMA's student liability coverage program. AVMA insurance is free to all SAVMA members. Please follow this link:
• Externs must provide their own housing and transportation.

Externship Availability We currently offer externships at our Waukesha location except during new intern orientation mid June though July.

If interested, it may be possible to schedule either intermittent days or a block with a specialty department. Options include Anesthesia, Critical Care, Cardiology, Internal Medicine, Rehab and Integrative Services, Neurology, Oncology, Ophthalmology, and Surgery.

Application information Once we've received your application, you will receive an email confirmation. If your application contains all the necessary information, please allow 2 weeks for us to schedule and confirm your externship.

If you have any questions not answered by this page, please contact Dr. Kari Severson, Medical Director, at View email address on click.appcast.io.

National Veterinary Association