2016 Externships bloggers
Laura
Constantinescu
and Rachael Needles with Dr. Kerry Lissemore, OVC Associate Dean, Academic.
Over the past few summers you’ve had the opportunity to follow along with a number of OVC student veterinarians as they head out on their eight-week Externship Course.
They’ve shared blogs, posts, tweets and photos as they delve into practical experience at veterinary clinics across Ontario and, in some cases, around the word. These hands-on opportunities are invaluable for student veterinarians, providing an opportunity to practice clinical skills, diagnostics and work one-on-one with clients, while refining their communication, technical and problem-solving skills.
Supported by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural
Affairs (OMAFRA), students must complete an eight-week Externship Course
between third and fourth year in a rural veterinary practice that works with
food animals and/or equine, as well as companion animals.
“This Externship is a critical piece in our student veterinarians’
training as they put the clinical and communication skills they have learned
into practice in a real-world setting,” says Dr. Kerry Lissemore, Associate
Dean, Academic. “These blogs and posts
tell their stories and share their enthusiasm for veterinary medicine with
everyone who sees them.”
Ask the veterinarians involved in the DVM Externship and you’ll hear similar comments –they love hosting the DVM students, their enthusiasm and their knowledge of new research and techniques. They also remember being students themselves and how important this hands-on training was to their careers.
Ask the students themselves and they will list the many opportunities they encounter as they visit farms to treat cows and horses, work with dogs, cats and all manner of companion animals applying the skills they’ve studied.
Last year seven students shared their experiences with blogs and posts throughout the summer.
Are you in the OVC Class of 2018? Are you passionate about sharing your externship experience through OVC’s Externship Project? If so, please send in your application by filling out this form.
Applications are due by February 10, 2017. Limited spots are available. Get as creative as you would like with your application!
We’ve had lots of positive feedback from readers and students about the Externship Project and are looking forward to the 2017 edition!