Veterinary Assistant
Are you interested in a career that can help animals and their owners? Do you like to work with your hands and enjoy helping others? Do you enjoy working with animals? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then an internship as a Veterinary Assistant is the perfect fit for you!
As a Veterinary Assistant, you will assist veterinarians by performing tasks such as preparing treatment areas and equipment, handling animals, drawing blood samples, taking x-rays, administering medications and injections, preparing vaccines, cleaning cages or other animal housing areas, performing general cleaning duties such as sweeping floors and vacuuming carpets or upholstery. You may also be required to drive a company vehicle for delivery purposes. A typical day could include attending to animals’ needs such as bathing them or grooming them; feeding them; walking them; giving them shots; keeping records of their health care needs; administering medications such as insulin injections into the thigh area (thigh shots); cleaning cages or other animal housing areas; performing general cleaning duties such as sweeping floors and vacuuming carpets or upholstery.
You will have the opportunity to work directly with clients while they are visiting their pet at our hospital by assisting them with whatever they need while they are here – whether it
Internship For Veterinary Assistant
Who’s to say a vet tech internship can’t be educational, rewarding, and cool all at once? Internships provide current students and recent graduates the opportunity to gain real-world experience while still learning closely under the supervision of more experienced vet techs and veterinarians. They may provide you the opportunity to dive deeply into a specialty of veterinary medicine or even expose you to new and exciting fields.
The internships below skip coffee errands or menial tasks but instead provide students the opportunity to learn by doing. They also provide a twist on traditional vet tech internships, offering the chance to give hands-on care to a variety of species. Many are based in zoos or animal rehabilitation facilities, while others cater to large farm animals or even marine mammals.
For facilities with animal hospitals or specialized clinics, they even provide specialized training in high-demand areas like veterinary radiology, necrology, animal husbandry, emergency medicine, sedatives and anesthesia, surgical care, and more.
Looking for exciting vet tech internships to gain additional experience and build your career? Look no further than the 25 internships below. Note that a majority of the deadlines are in 2022 and 2023. Most of these opportunities are available annually.
The Animal Place
CITY : Grass Valley
STATE : California
APPLICATION DEADLINE : October 1, December 15, February 1, April 1, and June 1
The Animal Place provides two- to three-month full-time (40 hours per week) internships for students interested in learning about animal care, particularly as related to farm animals. There are two types of internships available. The first is in animal advocacy, and the second is in animal care.
Interns learn about feeding and cleaning, assist in providing daily medication, and come to understand proper animal handling. Interns are provided housing, as well as scholarship opportunities to help cover costs for food and medical insurance. Note that interns should be in good physical health and must be at least 18 years of age.
Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation
CITY : Kendalia Or San Antonio
STATE : Texas
APPLICATION DEADLINE : February 1 and April 1
A vet tech internship is available for students with a bachelor’s degree in an animal-related field and an interest in entering a vet tech or veterinary school program. This internship requires a fair bit of manual labor, so all applicants must be in good physical fitness and be able to lift 50 pounds. The goal of the program is to provide participants with “basic knowledge of native Texas wildlife, their natural history, enrichment, dietary and habitat needs while gaining entry-level, hands-on experience in the wildlife rehabilitation.”
Interns can choose between the Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation campuses in either Kendalia or San Antonio, Texas. This internship includes extensive work with native Texas wildlife, including squirrels and songbirds, as well as companion animals. Applicants must commit to a three-month internship, which includes ten to 15 hours per week. In that time, interns also complete an education project of their choosing.
PAWS Wildlife Center
CITY : Lynnwood
STATE : Washington
APPLICATION DEADLINE : Rolling
PAWS offers a twelve-week internship to students who are currently in a vet tech program. Each internship is 40 hours a week, including holidays and weekends. They are available in the spring, summer, and fall, allowing students to gain experience in different areas of wildlife rehabilitation medicine, including species identification, tube feeding, medication administration, proper animal husbandry, lab work, and more.
Students should apply as early as they can before their intended start date, as sometimes it can take a while to receive approval. Note that internships are unpaid and housing or travel assistance is not provided. For those unable to make a full-time commitment, there are limited part-time internships available during the spring and fall.
Peaceful Pastures
CITY : Hickman
STATE : Tennessee
APPLICATION DEADLINE : Varies
Interns working at Peaceful Pastures, an all-natural meat producer and supplier, learn about animal husbandry, housing, and feeding. Among other things, they will also understand how to identify and treat common ailments that may be found in cows, sheep, goats, and swine. This hands-on internship is available during the summer for those over the age of 18. Most interns complete the large animal internship, which is tailored for pre-vet and animal science students.
Peaceful Pastures provides several benefits to their interns including housing, a weekend stipend, and one meal per working day. Interns may also bring their own horse and board it in the pasture at no additional cost.
The Georgia Sea Turtle Center
CITY : Jekyll Island
STATE : Georgia
APPLICATION DEADLINE : Varies
Students in their final year or graduates of an accredited vet tech program are invited to apply for this internship enabling them to work with injured sea turtles, as well as other native wildlife including alligators, birds, and snakes. Internships are facilitated through AmeriCorps and are six months in duration. Because the internship is AmeriCorps affiliated, interns are paid a $5,500 living allowance. Upon completion of the program participants can be awarded up to a $3,172.50 educational award.
Interns may assist in the facility’s diagnostic lab, surgery, radiology, treatment room, and more. This facility is located on beautiful Jekyll Island – a barrier island along Georgia’s southeastern coast. There is optional subsidized housing available for only $200 per month.
Zoo New England
CITY : Boston
STATE : Massachusetts
APPLICATION DEADLINE : Varies
There are several levels of internships at Zoo New England. Some internships are available to students with two or more years of college courses in biology, zoology, or related fields with a 2.5 GPA or higher while others are open to anyone over the age of 18.
The academic-centric internships are available throughout the year for 40 hours per week, lasting three to four months, while the more general ones can be as few as three days a week. Some students may be able to receive college credit. Responsibilities range from working with animals to providing educational programs to the public.
John G. Shedd Aquarium
CITY : Chicago
STATE : Illinois
APPLICATION DEADLINE : January 5
This aquarium, home to more than 32,000 animals, including fish, reptiles, and monkeys, provides opportunities for those who are either currently enrolled in a vet tech program or a graduate of one. Interns primarily work in the clinics or clinical pathology, but could spend time in microbiology or environmental quality lab areas. Applicants need to commit to a minimum of four weeks and be available for at least 36 hours each week.
To apply, candidates will need to submit a letter of intent, a current resume or CV, three letters of recommendation, and availability dates between March and August. This is an unpaid internship with no housing.
Toledo Zoo
CITY : Toledo
STATE : Ohio
APPLICATION DEADLINE : October 15, February 15, or June 15
The Toledo Zoo is one of the top zoos in the country and they have several internship options. The most highly desirable programs are the animal enrichment and welfare ones.
Students can apply for these vet tech internships while a junior or senior in veterinary school or following graduation. Students must complete one project during their internship and work under the supervision of the Curator of Behavioral Husbandry and animal keepers.
There is no compensation or assistance with housing. Interns are expected to work 40-hour weeks. Internships are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
White Oak Conservation Center
CITY : Jacksonville
STATE : Florida
APPLICATION DEADLINE : Rolling
White Oak Conservation Center is a center in northwestern Florida dedicated to the care and conservation of endangered and threatened species. Animals they care for include rhinoceros, okapi, bongos, zebras, condors, dama gazelles, and cheetahs.
Students in this six-month, full-time vet tech internship must have completed a vet tech program and be interested in the zoo field. Interns aid veterinarians and visiting researchers with medical exams, neonatal care, surgical procedures, and radiology. Housing and a small stipend are available. Internships are offered in the spring and summer. Interns receive a $1,466 monthly stipend and free housing. Spouses and pets are not permitted.
Wildlife Center Of Virginia
CITY : Waynesboro
STATE : Virginia
APPLICATION DEADLINE : Fall
This full-time, yearlong internship provides recent vet tech graduates the opportunity to dive into the world of wildlife medicine. Interns assist veterinarians, vet techs, and wildlife rehabilitators and learn about anatomy, anesthesia, hospital maintenance, lab analysis, radiography, the legal aspects of wildlife medicine, and more during their service. Duties can include assisting with surgery, collecting samples, making rounds, and assisting with consultations.
Applications for this program open in the fall and details about how to apply are published at that time. A living allowance and housing is provided.
Staten Island Zoo
CITY : Staten Island
STATE : New York
APPLICATION DEADLINE : September 1, March 1, and June 1
Current students and graduates alike can intern at the Staten Island Zoo. There are several internship opportunities including nutrition, animal health, animal care, children’s center, and wildlife education. Those looking for a vet tech-specific internship can help with daily animal care and veterinary work.
Students do not need to be currently enrolled in an educational program, but it can be beneficial to be attending or have recently graduated from a field like biology, veterinary technology, zoology, or a closely related field. Students must do a minimum three-month internship and be available two full days each week.
Marine Mammal Center
CITY : Sausalito
STATE : California
APPLICATION DEADLINE : January 31
The goal of the Marine Mammal Center is to provide ocean conservation through research, education, and wildlife rescue and rehabilitation. Interns must be in their final year or a graduate of a vet tech program. They should be interested in marine life and able to commit to a two- or three-month internship. In that time, interns will expand their knowledge about marine mammals, the ocean environment, and global conservation. Location and responsibilities can vary.
The weekly schedule includes work on animal care and husbandry, clinical lab and necropsy, and clinical rotations through areas such as administering sedatives and anesthesia.
Hagyard Equine Medical Institute
CITY : Lexington
STATE : Kentucky
APPLICATION DEADLINE : October 1
The Hagyard Equine Medical Institute offers a dynamic, hands-on vet tech internship to students interested in equine veterinary medicine. Internships are full-time and typically run from January to June, as this is the foaling season. As one of the largest equine hospitals in the world, vet tech interns will get the opportunity to work closely with some of the most esteemed equine medical professionals in the world.
Opportunities at this institute are endless with over 6,000 surgeries performed, over 300 critically ill newborns, and 2,500 critical care cases each year. All internships are full-time and may require interns to move between different centers to provide care where it is needed the most.
Littleton Equine Medical Center
CITY : Littleton
STATE : Colorado
APPLICATION DEADLINE : Rolling
With over 150 years of combined equine veterinary experience, the staff at Littleton Equine Medical Center is an outstanding facility prepared to educate the next generation of veterinary techs. This internship program is designed for current vet tech students who are in an accredited program and eventually want to work in a full-service equine hospital. In addition to horses, vet techs will work with cattle, goats, sheep and pigs.
Note that this center also offers veterinary internships and externships. Internship applications are generally due in early October, but may be accepted on a rolling basis.
Ethos Veterinary Health
CITY : San Diego
STATE : California (Other Locations Throughout The Country)
APPLICATION DEADLINE : Varies
Ethos Veterinary Health has a network of veterinary hospitals across the US. They have a specially designed program to help train talented veterinary staff, including an outstanding vet tech internship.
This internship is intended for recent graduates of accredited vet tech programs and features rotations that last over a year. Core and elective rotations and an overnight rotation are also part of the program. Interns will also be on-call and work over holidays as a regular vet tech might.
UF Small Animal Hospital
CITY : Gainesville
STATE : Florida
APPLICATION DEADLINE : TBD
A 54-week vet tech internship is available to graduates of an accredited vet tech program who want to specialize in anesthesia, critical care, or emergency medicine. Core and elective rotations take from one to three weeks each. Overnight and weekend rotations are also part of the program.
The internship includes an annual salary, health benefits, and ten days of paid time off (PTO). Housing is the responsibility of the intern. While this program is on pause for 2022, they will be accepting interns for 2023.
Moody Gardens
CITY : Galveston
STATE : Texas
APPLICATION DEADLINE : May 1, August 31, and December 1
The vet tech training program available at Moody Gardens, a large outdoors animal attraction for the public, is intended for sophomore or above students in good standing at their school. Duties for this internship can include vet tech duties in a zoological setting, learning quarantine procedures, interacting with guests, and providing hands-on care to animals.
Unpaid internships are available during the spring, summer, and fall. Interns must work at least 16 to 20 hours a week for three months or more during the school year and 20 to 40 hours a week during summer. There are no benefits for this position, and interns are responsible for their housing, food, and medical insurance.
Small Animal Teaching Hospital
CITY : Knoxville
STATE : Tennessee
APPLICATION DEADLINE : Varies
This program is primarily aimed at graduates of accredited vet tech programs. Four interns are selected each year and are paid $12.00 per hour. Health insurance is available, and students may be able to live in the University of Tennessee’s College of Veterinary Medicine dorms for $100 per month, including utilities.
Core and elective rotations are part of the program and include after-hours, emergency, ICU, anesthesia, internal medicine, neurology, and oncology. Each internship lasts for a year. Interns are given two weeks of paid vacation.
Wildlife Rehabilitation Center Of Minnesota
CITY : Roseville
STATE : Minnesota
APPLICATION DEADLINE : Varies
Vet techs who are interested in working as fieldwork biologists or with exotic animals may want to consider an internship at the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center Of Minnesota. Both internships and externships are available to students in their final year of a vet tech program and the general public alike.
Interns are expected to work 20 to 30 hours a week assisting veterinarians and certified vet techs in their work and helping treat injured birds, reptiles, and mammals. Interns are accepted to each program for spring and late summer sessions. Interns who want to work with the mammals must have received a rabies vaccine and have a rabies titer prior to beginning their program.
Sea Life Park
CITY : Walmanalo
STATE : Hawaii
APPLICATION DEADLINE : May 1 and September 11
Interns at Sea Life Park do not need to have previous vet tech experience to be able to work with a variety of marine animals such as seabirds, reef fish, penguins, and turtles at the park. They must be enrolled in (or recently completed) a program at an accredited college or university. Internships are 40 hours a week and include a three-phase training program, professional development seminars, and fish preparation. They will assist in treating animals, work in the lab, learn how to process samples, and help with record keeping. There is no pay, but daily lunch is provided.
Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch
CITY : Murchison
STATE : Texas
APPLICATION DEADLINE : February 1
The Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch is an animal sanctuary for exotic and domestic animals alike. Founded in 1979, there are over 800 animals at this ranch. Interns at this ranch—home to horses, burros, bison, antelopes, and more—help with the operation of the sanctuary, learn about animal husbandry, and assist in medical and administrative duties. They aid the veterinarians, vet techs, and animal care staff, as well as complete an intern project. Interns need to commit to a minimum of 32 hours per week for a period of 12 weeks, and internships are available during the spring, summer, fall, and winter.
Schwarzman Animal Medical Center (AMC)
CITY : New York
STATE : New York
APPLICATION DEADLINE : July 30
Since 1985 the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center has offered a veterinary technician internship program. This competitive 52 week internship trains vet techs to provide the highest level of care. With over 54,000 cases a year, the AMC is one of the most highly regarded and busiest veterinary hospitals in the country. Interns are exposed to a wide variety of animals and conditions, providing them with a well rounded hands on experience.
Rotations are required through anesthesia, internal medicine, and emergency and critical care. All interns attend bi-monthly labs and lectures to further their education. Candidates must be graduates or soon to be graduates of a AVMA accredited Veterinary Technology program. Interns receive an hourly wage as part of this program.
Fossil Rim Wildlife Center
CITY : Glen Rose
STATE : Texas
APPLICATION DEADLINE : October 1, March 1, and June 1
Fossil Rim Wildlife Center has a robust internship program that emphasizes training and fostering talented young people in wildlife conservation and rehabilitation. There are two veterinary technician-specific internships. The first is for senior-level students looking to gain animal care experience. This internship is six to eight weeks long and often is filled 12 to 18 months in advance, so planning ahead is imperative. The other vet tech internship is available to those with at least one year of work experience. Both internships only take one candidate at a time.
Housing is provided, and interns receive a $300 monthly stipend. There are other internships available as well in animal care and education for those who do not have vet tech education or experience.
New England Aquarium
CITY : Boston
STATE : Massachusetts
APPLICATION DEADLINE : Varies
Vet techs who are keen to work with marine animals can apply for the aquarium medical center internship at the New England Aquarium. This internship is two full days a week for 12 to 14 weeks. In this internship, students will assist with administering medications, providing treatments, quarantine procedures, data entry, pathology, and laboratory diagnostics. Students will work with amphibians, reptiles, fish, and occasionally mammals and birds. At the end of the internship, students must produce a 15 to 30-minute presentation on an assigned project.
This is an unpaid internship and there is no housing or transportation assistance.
Kindred Spirits Veterinary Clinic
CITY : Orrington
STATE : Maine
APPLICATION DEADLINE : Rolling
Kindred Spirits Veterinary Clinic is a small veterinary clinic in Orrington, Maine. They offer vet tech students in the final year of their program the opportunity to intern with them for four to six weeks at a time.
What sets Kindred Spirits apart is their unique understanding and appreciation of the bond between animals and their owners, and this informs the quality and type of care they provide. Interns at Kindred Spirits will learn all the usual vet tech skills as well as gain a strong sense of compassion and empathy.
METHODOLOGY
The following criteria were used in compiling this list of veterinary technician internships. Not all criteria applied to all internships, but many of the internships met the majority of the guidelines below.
- Broad availability: Most of these internships are available to applicants nationwide and many of them have more than one internship available.
- Interesting: Many internships offer a unique work experience, such as in native wildlife rehabilitation, zoology, or equine veterinary medicine.
- Hands-on experience: All internships included provide robust hands-on experience. Some even offer core and elective rotations working alongside vet techs and veterinarians.
- Advancing knowledge: The bulk of these internships are designed to expand the knowledge of students in the vet tech field through direct clinical and lab experience. Many of the internships included in this list require minimal administrative duties such as copying documents or grabbing coffee!
- Outreach: Many of these organizations featured a social outreach component, working to make the larger community aware of important animal advocacy efforts.
