Where Can I Find Pre Vet Internships?

If you’re like most pre-vet students, you are looking for experience! Why? Because Pre vet internships can help you earn the veterinary hours that you will list on your VMCAS (the vet school application). They can also help you get to know a vet who can write your recommendation letter for vet school and get to try out new aspects of a veterinary career and see if they might be a good fit for you.

And, of course, if you can’t wait to be a vet, you might just feel like you can’t wait to get more experience, start learning more, and start helping animals!

But looking for pre-vet internships can be frustrating! Here are ten ideas for where you can start your search to find pre-vet internships abroad or at home.

1. 1. Talk to vet clinics in your area. Prepare a cover letter and resume and visit some clinics in your area to drop off a copy and ask if you can do some shadowing. If you don’t hear back, follow up! Most veterinarians understand that pre-vet internships are important, and they are often willing to help out. (You can do this by email, but you’ll have more success if you visit in person.)
   2. Talk to your pre-vet club. If your school has a pre-vet club, make sure that you’re a member! Your club can be a great asset for pre-vet internships and for sharing opportunities, so be sure to ask.
   3. Talk to your pre-vet advisor. Your pre-vet advisor may have a list of local vets who accept interns or may have suggestions as to who you can contact. It’s definitely worth asking!
   4. Join a pre-vet internships abroad program. Programs such as Loop Abroad offer the opportunity to join programs targeted toward pre-vet students and work under the supervision of a vet to learn new skills. Many times, your school will grant course or internship credit for such a program, and you’ll also earn your veterinary hours in a fun setting. Pre vet internships abroad can be a great option if you want to explore working with animals that are uncommon in the US, gain international experience, or have a guaranteed experience during a set period of time.
   5. Reach out to nearby farms, zoos, and sanctuaries. Remember that vet clinic aren’t the only game in town! Look for other nearby organizations or facilities that may be able to offer pre-vet internships and get in touch!
   6. Join social media groups for pre-vet students. Be sure to join the Facebook or other social media groups for the APVMA, your pre-vet club, and other animal-based clubs at your school. Pre vet internships may post availability in these groups.
   7. Reach out to your contacts. Don’t forget to ask the people you know. Your friends’ parents and your parents’ friends can be great assets to you! A short email that lets them know you are looking for pre-vet internships and would appreciate any connections they can help you make could be the first step toward finding the perfect internship.
   8. Consider other areas over summer or winter break. Remember that where you go to school isn’t the only place you can look for pre-vet internships. Think about opportunities you see or contacts you might have in other towns or cities and consider spending your break elsewhere to take advantage of a great opportunity.
   9. Contact veterinary professors at your school. It’s always worth touching base with professors in your major and letting them know you are looking for pre-vet internships and would appreciate any contacts they can give you. A short, polite email or in-person conversation is sufficient.

1. Organize a travel experience for your pre-vet club. If you’re interested in pre-vet internships abroad, think about talking to your pre-vet club to see if you’d be able to put together a group of students to participate together. Traveling as a group can make the experience more fun, and it can also be free for the student organizing the group – that’s you! (If you want more information on organizing a private group and traveling for free, contact us!)

When it comes to looking for pre-vet internships, it pays to be organized and plan ahead! Write short but thoughtful emails indicating your interest and follow up by email or call if you don’t hear back. Begin your planning early so that you have time to take advantage of opportunities that come your way and have a resume ready in case pre-vet internships contact you back or you see a last-minute opening available.