Veterinary Student Externship

Job Description

Veterinary Extern – General Practice – $2,500 Stipend | NVA General Practice

The Tone:
This is an externship at North 10th Street Animal Hospital, an NVA practice, located in McAllen, TX. NVA General Practice is a network committed to excellent medicine and exceptional client service across its hospitals. This externship role is crucial for fostering the growth of future veterinary professionals by providing invaluable hands-on clinical experience and mentorship in a supportive environment. The program aims to equip students with practical skills and real-world exposure to diverse veterinary cases.

The TL;DR
• Role: Externship
• Type: Temporary (two to eight weeks)
• Location: In-person, McAllen, TX

• Team: Works closely with veterinarians and an experienced support team.
• Mission: To provide veterinary students with comprehensive hands-on clinical experience and mentorship in a general practice setting, including small animal and limited exotics medicine.
• Tech Stack: in-house IDEXX diagnostics, digital radiography, dental radiography, ultrasound, endoscopy, cold laser therapy, acupuncture.

What You’ll Actually Do
• Patient Assessment: Develop skills in evaluating patient health, identifying symptoms, and gathering medical histories for a diverse caseload.
• Diagnostic Procedures: Work with advanced tools to conduct and interpret in-house IDEXX diagnostics, digital and dental radiography, ultrasound, and endoscopy.
• Treatment Planning: Collaborate with veterinarians to formulate comprehensive treatment plans, including surgical, dental, and therapeutic interventions like cold laser therapy and acupuncture.
• Client Communication: Enhance abilities in effectively communicating with clients regarding patient care, diagnoses, and treatment options.
• Clinical Exposure: Gain hands-on experience in wellness care, urgent care, general surgery, dentistry, and optionally, exotics medicine.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Current enrollment as a veterinary student in an accredited program. This role is considered Entry-Level, preparing future veterinary professionals.
• Experience: Eligibility for the travel/living expense stipend requires students to be in the clinical portion of their veterinary education; however, all veterinary students, regardless of class year, are encouraged to participate in NVA externships. Externship experiences typically range from two to eight weeks based on student and hospital schedules.
• Skills: Demonstrated ability to learn and apply patient assessment techniques; aptitude for understanding diagnostic procedures and treatment planning; developing strong client communication skills; foundational knowledge or interest in small animal and general practice veterinary medicine.
• Bonus: A keen interest in or prior exposure to exotics medicine for optional specialized learning opportunities.