15 Veterinary Internships for Undergraduates
If you’re an undergraduate student looking for a way to engage in a field outside of college, consider an internship!
Internships are a valuable way to gain practical experience, enhance your resume, and explore professional pathways before entering the job market. If you are an undergraduate interested in veterinary science, internships in the field can offer you firsthand exposure to clinical work, research, and animal care practices.
Whether you are planning to specialize in small animal care, wildlife conservation, animal rehabilitation, or veterinary research, an internship in your area of interest can help you make an informed decision regarding future education and career paths.
Veterinary internships typically involve mentorship, fieldwork, and/or opportunities to gain hands-on experience in real-world veterinary practices, bridging the gap between academic knowledge and practical experience. These experiences can help you build technical and interpersonal skills while working alongside professionals in the field.
Here we have compiled 15 veterinary internships for undergraduates.
1. Purdue Veterinary Scholars Summer Research Program
Location: Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, West Lafayette, IN
Cost/Stipend: $4,500 stipend for undergraduates
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: May 27 – August 5
Application deadline: February 7
Eligibility: Undergraduate students with an interest in veterinary or biomedical research
This 11-week summer program is designed for students interested in exploring research-focused careers within the field of veterinary medicine. As a participant, you will work with a faculty mentor to develop and conduct an independent research project and attend weekly seminars on ethics, lab animal medicine, careers in academia and government, and clinical trials, among other topics. The program also includes group activities such as visits to pharmaceutical companies and peer networking events. The program also offers exposure to research environments and scientific inquiry within the veterinary field. You will prepare an abstract and poster on your summer research project and present your findings to the PVM faculty.
2. Ladder University Internship Program
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Varies; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Multiple 8- to 12-week cohorts throughout the year, including in summer, winter, fall, and spring
Application deadline: August 24 for the upcoming cohort; multiple cohorts run every year
Eligibility: High school students, undergraduates, and gap year students who can work for 10 to 20 hours/week
This virtual internship places students in early-stage, fast-growing startups in fields like health tech and medicine. You will work on real projects under the guidance of your assigned manager and a Ladder Coach, gaining practical experience while contributing to a live company environment. Past host startups have included founders backed by Y Combinator and top-tier tech firms. You will also receive one-on-one mentoring in skills like communication and time management, and participate in cohort-wide group training sessions. At the end of the program, you will present your work directly to the company team.
3. Banfield Pet Hospital NextVet™ Internship
Location: Virtual + in-person at Various Banfield Pet Hospital locations across the U.S.
Cost/Stipend: Paid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Summer (exact dates vary by location)
Application deadline: Applications typically open in early spring
Eligibility: Students above the age of 16 with an interest in veterinary medicine
This part-time summer internship offers undergraduates a behind-the-scenes look at daily life in a veterinary hospital. Here, you will shadow veterinarians and veterinary technicians while gaining exposure to various clinical roles. The program combines in-clinic experience with virtual group sessions led by practice leaders and industry professionals. You will also receive mentorship from local doctors and market leaders.
4. Penn Vet Working Dog Center Internship
Location: University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
Cost/Stipend: Unpaid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Small, competitive cohort
Dates: June – August (10-week commitment)
Application deadline: March 28
Eligibility: All college students and recent graduates who are at least 18 years old
This internship provides undergraduates with experience in the training and care of scent detection dogs at a leading academic facility. You will assist with daily training sessions, data collection, enrichment activities, and health monitoring for working dogs in training. The program also offers opportunities to learn about canine fitness, behavior research, and performance medicine. You will work alongside a multidisciplinary team of veterinarians, trainers, and researchers.
5. UC Davis Summer Enrichment Program (SEP)
Location: University of California–Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine, Davis, CA
Stipend: $750
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 25 – July 25
Application deadline: March 7
Eligibility: Undergraduate students (18+), from disadvantaged backgrounds, with at least one year of completed biology or chemistry and a minimum 3.0 GPA
This full-time, four-week program is designed to help strengthen your veterinary school application through direct academic and clinical exposure. Each weekday, you will spend mornings in clinical rotations and afternoons engaging in lectures, workshops, and site visits. You will engage in tasks like practicing suturing techniques, learning safe animal handling, and participating in discussions about veterinary careers. You will also gain insights into specialties like equine health and wildlife medicine while interacting with faculty, staff, and current veterinary students. In workshops, you will get college application prep guidance, which covers personal essay writing, course selection, and interviews.
6. Washington State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital Undergraduate Internship
Location: Washington State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Pullman, WA
Cost/Stipend: Unpaid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Small cohort;
Dates: Begins each Spring semester; minimum three-semester commitment
Application deadline: Spring application window: October – November (internship begins in January) | Fall application deadline: April 11 (internship starts in August)
Eligibility: Undergraduate students at WSU or the University of Idaho pursuing pre-veterinary studies; preference given to sophomores and juniors
The Veterinary Teaching Hospital Undergraduate Internship places you in clinical rotations, including departments like small and large animal medicine, oncology, exotics, anesthesia, and more. As an intern, you will commit approximately six hours per week during the academic semester, observing and assisting with patient care tasks in various hospital units. As you progress, you will experience advanced rotations and eventually mentor incoming interns. The experience is designed to help you become familiar with hospital operations, clinical protocols, and veterinary specialties through sustained, hands-on exposure.
7. Smithsonian National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute Internships: Primate Animal Keeper Internship
Location: Smithsonian’s National Zoo, Washington, D.C.
Cost/Stipend: Unpaid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: September – December (Fall Session)
Application deadline: July 14
Eligibility: College juniors, seniors, or recent graduates pursuing a related field
This internship can offer you direct experience in primate care at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo. You will assist keepers with daily husbandry tasks—cleaning enclosures, preparing enrichment, and monitoring animal behavior. A commitment of three days a week, including one weekend day, is required. The program offers the opportunity to engage in a small behavior-focused project and get some exposure to USDA and AZA standards. You will also learn the basics of operant conditioning, animal enrichment, and zoo safety protocols.
8. Seneca Park Zoo Pre-Veterinary Internship
Location: Seneca Park Zoo, Rochester, NY
Stipend: $750 per week; housing not provided
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; one fellow selected annually
Dates: Four weeks between May and August
Application deadline: February 28
Eligibility: Pre-vet undergraduates with at least two years of coursework completed, a minimum 3.0 GPA, and 100+ hours of veterinary experience with companion or food animals
This four-week internship introduces you to exotic animal medicine and zoo-based conservation through a structured, hands-on program. You will rotate through the zoo’s various animal care areas, working with species such as marine mammals, primates, carnivores, birds, and reptiles, to understand husbandry routines and behavioral observations. You will work with veterinary staff, assisting them in conducting clinical rounds, surgeries, necropsies, and preventive care procedures. Each week, you will dedicate time to a research project developed with the zoo’s lead veterinarian and submit findings to the Zoo Animal Hospital Library. In addition to clinical and research experience, the program can offer insights into welfare, diagnostics, and preventive health in a zoo setting.
9. Fossil Rim Animal Discoveries Internship
Location: Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, Glen Rose, TX
Stipend: $300/month + free on-site shared housing
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Spring: January – May; Summer: May – August; Fall: August – December
Application deadline: October 1 (Spring); March 1 (Summer); June 1 (Fall)
Eligibility: College students or recent graduates who are 21 or older and have at least two years of undergraduate coursework in wildlife science, biology, or related fields
This full-time internship gives you hands-on animal care experience with both domestic and exotic species in a public education setting. You will be involved in both animal-focused tasks and guest engagement as an intern, getting detailed insights into zoo and wildlife education work. You will also spend time engaging in outdoor tasks in extreme weather conditions. You will work with a range of animals—goats, tortoises, pigs, parrots, reptiles, black-footed cats, and more—and assist with daily tasks involving husbandry, enrichment, training, and medical observation. The internship also offers educational outreach opportunities, through which you will deliver exhibit talks, assist with biofact tables, work with volunteers on animal care and public education projects, and interact with visitors as a representative of the animal care team.
10. Alturas Wildlife Sanctuary Veterinary & Orphan Care Internship
Location: Alturas Wildlife Sanctuary, Alturas, CA
Cost/Stipend: Not specified; on-site lodging available. Check the rates here.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; accepts just two interns
Dates: Rolling intake; minimum 1-month commitment required
Application deadline: No fixed deadline; early application recommended due to limited spots
Eligibility: Students who are 18+, currently studying or graduated in a veterinary-related field, and have clinical experience as well as at least two educational/professional references
This internship provides practical, hands-on experience in wildlife medicine within a rehabilitation setting. During your time at the sanctuary, you will shadow veterinary staff and support the daily care of rescued animals. In your first month, you will assist with feeding neonates, observe triage, surgeries, and necropsies, help administer medications, and maintain care logs. You will also contribute to enrichment, diet prep, and husbandry for species in recovery. If you choose to stay longer, you may find opportunities to build advanced skills like bandaging, catheter insertion, and fluid therapy, as well as participate in supervised surgical procedures and physiotherapy. Educational lectures and workshops are also part of the experience.
11. Blue Ridge Wildlife Center Wildlife Rehabilitation Summer Internship
Location: Blue Ridge Wildlife Center, Boyce, VA
Stipend: $100/week for part-time interns and participants opting for housing | $200/week for full-time interns without housing
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: 12-week summer program; May – August
Application deadline: March 1
Eligibility: College students who are 18+
This internship immerses you in wildlife triage and rehabilitation during the center’s busiest season, offering hands-on training in species identification, disease and toxin recognition, and safe animal handling. You will assist with animal husbandry tasks, including feeding, cleaning enclosures, and preparing diets, and develop biosecurity protocols. You will also observe and assist a wildlife veterinarian with treatment and diagnostic procedures. Through daily casework and guided mentorship, you may build foundational skills in wildlife care and learn about veterinary-adjacent practices during the internship.
12. Zoo Miami’s Zoo Hospital Clinical Internship
Location: Zoo Miami, Miami, FL
Cost/Stipend: Unpaid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: 16-week commitment involving 600+ hours of work; Spring: January – April | Summer: May – August | Fall: September – December
Application deadline: Summer: February 15 | Fall: June 15 | Spring: October 15
Eligibility: Students who are 18+, recent college graduates, or currently enrolled in college
If you are looking to explore veterinary medicine in a zoological setting, this internship places you directly within Zoo Miami’s animal health team. You will shadow veterinarians, vet techs, and clinical staff as they carry out diagnostic procedures, treatments, surgeries, and case management. Work takes place in the on-site hospital and is structured like a full-time clinical rotation, running Monday to Friday from 8 am to 5 pm. The program also includes seminars with zoo professionals to deepen your understanding of zoo medicine, wildlife care, and veterinary careers.
13. Zoo Miami’s Sea Turtle Hospital Internship
Location: Zoo Miami, Miami, FL
Cost/Stipend: Unpaid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: 16-week commitment; Summer: May – August | Fall: September – December | Spring: January – April
Application deadline: Summer: February 15 | Fall: June 15 | Spring: October 15
Eligibility: Recent college graduates and current college students who are 18+
As a Zoo Miami Sea Turtle Hospital intern, you will be part of the rehabilitation team working to treat and release injured or sick sea turtles. You will assist with animal feeding, enrichment, water quality checks, tank maintenance, and biosecurity protocols. You may also get to observe veterinary procedures and assist with hospital operations. While direct medical handling is limited, the internship offers exposure to marine animal care and veterinary support tasks.
14. North Carolina Zoo’s Wildlife Rehabilitation Internship
Location: North Carolina Zoo, Asheboro, North Carolina
Cost/Stipend: Unpaid; on-site housing available (free for 12-week interns, reduced fee for 10-week interns)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Year-round; 10-week option: 200 hours (3 days/week + training) | 12-week option: 360 hours (5 days/week + training)
Application deadline: July 2 (Fall session)
Eligibility: Undergraduate students or recent graduates (within 1 year of graduation) in wildlife rehabilitation, pre-vet, vet tech, animal science, or related fields of study
This internship places you at the heart of wildlife care in a professional rehabilitation center. You will assist with the intake and daily care of injured, orphaned, or ill native wildlife, with responsibilities ranging from feeding and enclosure maintenance to observing radiographs and assisting with treatments under veterinary supervision. You will also participate in weekly training, rescues, enrichment, and enclosure builds. The program qualifies for the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council’s Practicum Accreditation, offering you a completion certificate. You will also explore the administrative aspects of wildlife rehabilitation and act as a liaison to veterinary staff, assist with special projects, and supervise volunteers.
15. Hagyard Equine Medical Institute Undergraduate Internships
Location: Farms in Lexington, KY
Cost/Stipend: Unpaid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: January – June
Application deadlines: Not specified
Eligibility: Undergraduates with prior equine experience, ability to restrain a horse, and a driver’s license
Offered during Kentucky’s peak foaling season, this full-time internship immerses undergraduates in the specialized world of equine veterinary care. You can choose between two tracks: Internal Medicine and Ambulatory Field Care. In the Field Care track, you will be paired with a single veterinarian and rotate across prominent Central Kentucky farms, gaining first-hand exposure to foaling, reproduction, and preventive health. In the Ambulatory Internal Medicine track, you will work with internists and senior technicians on treating mares and critically ill foals. The program offers mentorship, farm-based training, and career-building opportunities through networking.