Our paid Externship Program is designed to be highly hands-on, giving you exposure to a wide variety of cases while helping you build confidence in your skills as a future doctor. Whether you’re a 2nd-year student or preparing to graduate, we will tailor the experience to fit your needs. We encourage active participation and believe you will get out of the program exactly what you put into it. You will never be left on your own—our team will support you every step of the way. An externship with us is also a great opportunity to explore a potential future position.

We offer externship sessions ranging from 2 to 8 weeks. Based on feedback from past externs, we recommend a 4-week stay; however, even a 2-week experience will be valuable and rewarding. Many students who begin with 2 weeks choose to return for additional time.

During your externship, you will be paired with a doctor and rotate through each department of the practice. You’ll be scheduled for 40 hours per week, including rotations on weekends, as well as both daytime and evening shifts.

Outpatient Medicine

Outpatient Medicine centers on daily appointments, including Urgent Care, giving externs the chance to observe and participate in a variety of cases. Each doctor is scheduled for 20-minute appointments and rotates through blocks of Urgent Care appointments, which are scheduled for 30 minutes each. This structure allows students to gain hands-on experience, develop confidence in patient interactions, and see a broad range of medical conditions in a real-world clinical setting.

Internal Medicine

Internal Medicine is an in-house service designed to enhance patient care and does not typically accept outside referrals. Under the guidance of Dr. Dave Burgerner, DACVIM, who specializes in internal medicine, cardiology, and oncology, externs have the opportunity to observe and participate in a variety of complex cases. The Internal Medicine department is located on the second floor, where students receive hands-on experience and close mentorship throughout their rotation.

Our surgical and dental procedures run Monday through Friday, giving externs the opportunity to observe and assist in a wide range of cases. On a typical day, we perform about 20 routine surgeries and 6–10 routine dental procedures. Selected orthopedic and non-routine surgeries are also performed as needed, providing exposure to more specialized cases. The Surgery & Dentistry department is located on the second floor, where externs are actively supported and guided throughout each procedure.

In-Hospital & Critical Care Medicine focuses on hospitalized and critical cases, giving externs the opportunity to observe and assist in advanced patient care. This department also supports the Outpatient Department with diagnostics and treatments to ensure efficient appointment flow, providing students with hands-on experience in both urgent and complex cases.

We offer special procedures such as endoscopy, ultrasound, laparoscopy, and cancer treatments, scheduled on an as-needed basis. When these procedures occur, you will have the opportunity to work alongside your paired doctor, managing hospitalized cases and gaining hands-on experience with advanced diagnostic and treatment techniques.

If you are interested in owning a practice or pursuing a management role, gaining insight into how our hospital operates behind the scenes can be extremely valuable. Spending time with our leadership team allows you to learn how key areas such as human resources, hospital scheduling, and production are managed, providing a broader understanding of running a successful veterinary practice.