Exhaustive Academic Study Notes on Veterinary Medicine Internships and Career Path

Biology Colloquium Overview and Internship Opportunities

• Colloquium Administration and Objectives

  • Steve Hawk serves as the internship coordinator and colloquium director.
  • The colloquium hosts presentations every Wednesday featuring Millersville University (MU) alumni who share career trajectories and practical applications of a biology degree.
  • The primary goal of bringing back alumni is to guide current biology students who are uncertain about post-graduation career steps.
  • Attendance is tracked weekly via a sign-in sheet.

• Internship Career Outcomes

  • Internships provide students with critical insight into personal preferences, professional strengths, and operational environments (e.g., client relations, paperwork, and clinical rotations).
  • Approximately $20\%$ (or less than one-quarter) of students secure direct post-graduation employment as a result of their internship placements.

Internship Case Study: Nestville Veterinary Clinic

• Clinic History and Operational Infrastructure

  • Nestville Veterinary Clinic was established in 1970.
  • The clinic operates with a team of approximately $70$ staff members and $10$ licensed veterinarians.
  • Primary patient populations consist of canine and feline care.
  • River Run Fire Incident:
  • A major fire started from a river run and spread through the building's roof blades within five minutes.
  • All human and animal occupants evacuated safely.
  • Post-fire re-establishment led to structural adaptions: the lobby was replaced with a single desk, medication pickup was configured using a desk sourced from Facebook Marketplace, and surgical/operating spaces were scaled down to match the size of standard appointment rooms.
  • The clinic operates with $5$ appointment rooms, limiting daily patient capacity.

• Three-Part Internship Rotations

  • Client Relations and Medical Records Rotation (4 Weeks):
  • Involved patient record processing and shadowing medication/prescription requests.
  • Due to clinic operational constraints following the fire, hundreds of patient records were transferred simultaneously from external emergency clinics.
  • Updating complex medical records provided exposure to diverse clinical scenarios, including foreign body ingestions (e.g., dogs eating non-food items), animal disappearances/returns, and post-treatment follow-up logs.
  • Pharmacy Rotation:
  • Preserved inventory management and dispensing for over $200$ distinct pharmaceutical medications.
  • Identified as the most overall beneficial and educational rotation within the internship experience.
  • Inpatient Clinical Rotation (Final 4 Weeks):
  • Focused on advanced patient handling and clinical restraint.
  • Without a Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT) license, specific diagnostic procedures (such as performing blood draws or blood cholesterol testing independently) could not be performed, but advanced clinical restraint and procedure assistance were performed.

Academic Foundation and Undergraduate Course Alignment

• Undergraduate Coursework Applications:
  • Knowledge gained from undergraduate courses directly informs inpatient clinical tasks:
  • Animal Physiology (Dr. Horton): Applied core physiological principles to active inpatient management.
  • Cell and Developmental Biology: Provided cellular mechanisms underlying pathology.
  • Serology: Informed diagnostic test interpretation and immune system assessments.

Veterinary School Application and Admissions Process

• Application Strategy and Timeline:

  • Initial application process commenced in the summer of 2019 (between junior and senior undergraduate years at Millersville University).
  • Applications were submitted to $19$ distinct veterinary medical schools across the United States out of approximately $30$ accredited institutions.
  • All applications were processed through the Veterinary Medical College Application System (VMCAS / MCAS online portal).
  • Prompt customization was required for every application; distinct essay responses had to be tailored for each institution's specific essay questions.

• COVID-19 Pandemic Disruptions:

  • Applications were officially submitted early in the fall 2019 semester.
  • Following spring break in March 2020, all coursework transitioned to remote Zoom instruction due to COVID-19 protocols.
  • School acceptance notifications were received in April 2020.
  • Undergraduate degree conferral occurred in May 2020 without an in-person ceremony (the formal ceremony was postponed to 2021, which conflicted with ongoing veterinary school coursework).

• Undergraduate Academic Metrics & Holistic Review:

  • Final cumulative undergraduate GPA: $3.45$ (below the $3.5$ mark).
  • Science and Math GPA was calculated separately by admissions committees and was higher than the cumulative GPA, despite earning two 'C' grades in science coursework at Millersville University.
  • Veterinary admissions committees evaluate candidates holistically, prioritizing well-rounded profiles, leadership, extracurricular involvement, and pre-veterinary clinical experience alongside academic metrics.
  • Out-of-state admissions at state institutions (such as Auburn University) carry higher competitive thresholds due to limited seat allocations for non-residents.

Didactic Training at Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine

• Relocation and Orientation Logistics:

  • Relocation from Pennsylvania to Auburn, Alabama took place in mid-July 2020, involving a $14$-hour drive.
  • Belongings were moved using a large truck and trailer, followed by a $2$-week settling-in period before orientation.
  • Total veterinary class size was approximately $125$ to $130$ students.
  • To adhere to COVID-19 social distancing protocols, the class was split into Group A and Group B based on residential proximity.

• Instructional Delivery Methods:

  • Classroom instruction alternated on a daily schedule:
  • Group A: In-person lectures on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday of Week 1; Tuesday and Thursday of Week 2.
  • Group B: Followed the opposite alternating schedule.
  • Distance learning was facilitated using Panopto software rather than Zoom, recording live lecture capture for real-time and asynchronous review.
  • Anatomy Laboratory Adaptations:
  • Professors pre-dissected and pre-labeled muscle groups on canine and feline specimens prior to lab sessions to minimize student density and exposure time.

• NAVLE (North American Veterinary Licensing Examination) Preparation:

  • Dedicated study began approximately $3$ months prior to taking the NAVLE.
  • Primary Resources Used:
  • Course lecture notes and custom faculty presentation slides highlighting key pathology points.
  • VetPrep subscription, utilizing concise summary documents called Power Pages to review specific disease processes and diagnosis guidelines.
  • Case-based learning during clinical rotations, applying daily patient management directly to licensing board topic areas.

Clinical Fourth Year and Specialized Field Service Internship

• Fourth-Year Clinical Rotations:

  • Clinical year involves continuous bi-weekly ($2$-week) rotation cycles across clinical specialties.
  • Auburn University incorporates an $8$-week Preceptorship during the final $8$ weeks of the fourth year, placing students in external veterinary practices to function under senior doctor supervision.
  • Formal graduation took place in May 2024.

• Food Animal Field Service Internship:

  • Completed a non-mandatory post-doctoral internship in Auburn University's Food Animal Field Service Department from July 1, 2024, through late June 2025.
  • Scope of Practice: Ambulatory farm calls managing production livestock, including cattle, sheep, pigs, and poultry.
  • Instructional Responsibilities: Served as lead clinician and educator responsible for instructing fourth-year clinical veterinary students during their rotations.

• Financial and Housing Considerations:

  • Attending an out-of-state veterinary program involves significantly elevated tuition rates.
  • Full-time employment during veterinary school is discouraged due to rigorous academic loads; small student worker positions (e.g., equine student worker) provide minor supplementary income.
  • Educational costs were funded primarily through maximum federal student loans and Grad PLUS loans.
  • Housing strategy included purchasing a mobile home/trailer for residency during the program, with plans to sell the property post-graduation to recoup equity.

Professional Practice: Equine Practice and Small Animal Care

• Equine Veterinary Practice (First Position):

  • Commenced in August 2025 at an equine specialty clinic following completion of the preceptorship program.
  • Clinical Highlights:
  • Performed field surgical and restraint procedures, including full limb casting on a miniature donkey.
  • Managed severe ocular emergencies (e.g., severe conjunctival edema, globe swelling, and active discharge).
  • Clinical Rule: Ocular pathologies ("eyeballs") must always be treated as immediate medical emergencies.
  • Contract Changes and Transition:
  • Faced challenges regarding promised professional mentorship and workplace culture.
  • Received an unprompted contract amendment in December 2025 reducing position status to part-time.
  • Initiated a search for new employment in January 2026.

• Small Animal General Practice (Second Position):

  • Transitioned on February 26, 2026, to a small animal practice located in North Alabama.
  • Clinical Case Examples:
  • Performed routine small animal spays after a $2$-year gap since fourth-year clinical rotations.
  • Managed post-operative monitoring for Gastric Dilatative Volvulus (GDV) surgical emergencies, including staple removal alongside veterinary assistants.
  • Conducted wellness examinations on rare, solid-brown feline breeds.
  • Managed diagnostic workups for feline anorexia secondary to underlying conditions following treatment for urinary tract infections (UTIs), including client communication regarding prognosis and end-of-life care.

Questions and Discussion

• Question: How did Dr. Nickel prepare for the NAVLE examination?

  • Answer: Preparation started $3$ months before the exam using a combination of class notes, VetPrep (specifically using Power Pages for disease synopses), and professor-led review sessions with tailored PowerPoints. Clinical rotations served as active preparation through daily case study and research.

• Question: What advice exists regarding academic GPAs when applying out-of-state?

  • Answer: While an out-of-state applicant faces higher admissions thresholds and higher tuition costs, a GPA below $3.5$ (such as $3.45$) does not prevent acceptance. Admissions committees evaluate candidates holistically, weighing science grades, extracurricular activities, and veterinary experience alongside overall GPA.