Externships
Students in the Veterinary Technology Program are required to complete one semester-long externship. Externship experience must total a minimum of 480 hours. These externships provide students with real-life experiences before graduation.
Calling all veterinary practitioners!
We are looking to expand our externship opportunities across the nation for our students. If you would be willing to host an extern, please contact Christine.Hoskinson@tamuk.edu with your practice's information. We are looking for all types of opportunities!
Do you need an extra set of hands?
We would love to send you a veterinary technology student (or several!) to help your practice during an externship opportunity. Our students are expected to function as part of your team.
What can the students do?
Depending on the time of year, our students will have specific skill sets they have already acquired before coming to your practice. See the lists below for skills they should know.
Students going out on their first externship opportunity have completed the following courses:
Veterinary Anatomy
Veterinary Physiology
Introduction to Veterinary Technology
Veterinary Disease Management I & II
Veterinary Nursing Technology I & II
Veterinary Diagnostic Imaging
Veterinary Clinical Pathology I
Veterinary Parasitology
They should be expected to perform basic office procedures and recordkeeping, speak with clients, perform restraint and physical examinations of small animals, phlebotomy, injections, digital and film radiographs, basic clinical pathology evaluations including reading blood smears, fecal flotations for identification of intestinal parasites, and external parasite examinations and identification.
Students going out on their first externship opportunity have completed the following courses in addition to above:
Veterinary Disease Management III
Veterinary Nursing Technology III
Veterinary Pharmacology
Veterinary Clinical Pathology II
Veterinary Anesthesia and Surgical Nursing I
They should be expected to perform all of the above tasks plus basic anesthetic monitoring, surgical assisting as both circulating and scrub nurse, as well as preparing medications. Students at this point should be familiar with working around and performing basic procedures on horses, cattle, sheep, goats, and swine patients.