Your clinical year will be one of the most exciting and intensive experiences of your veterinary studies. You’ll be exposed to multiple veterinary specialties and can even pursue an externship that allows you to focus on the specialty of your choice. As a DVM student at Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine (Ross Vet), you’ll complete your pre-clinical studies on the beautiful island of St. Kitts. You’ll have the opportunity to complete your clinical year in the U.S. or abroad to gain hands-on experience caring for, diagnosing, and treating animals under the supervision of licensed, experienced professionals.
Why Clinical Rotations Matter
Working alongside a licensed clinician, you’ll examine, diagnose, and treat real patients in need of your care. It’s during clinical rotations where you’ll transition from student to doctor, learning new procedures, managing caseloads, and tending to animals in a variety of settings.
This time isn’t solely to tick a box off your graduation checklist. It is a chance to show you can tackle the complex world of veterinary medicine. Your clinical year at Ross Vet includes a minimum of 20 weeks in core clinical experiences and 25 weeks of electives, externships, and any additional requirements of your clinical site.
To give you as much exposure in veterinary medicine as possible in your clinical year, you’ll spend at least:
- Four weeks in small animal medicine
- Two weeks in emergency medicine
- Two weeks in diagnostic pathology
- Four weeks in small animal surgery
- Two weeks in anesthesiology
- Two weeks in diagnostic imaging
- Four weeks in any of the following:
- Food animal medicine and/or surgery
- Equine medicine and/or surgery
Gaining Experience Through Externships
Externships give veterinary students an opportunity to explore interests and gain practical experience under the supervision of a qualified veterinarian. They also provide the chance to network with professionals in a student’s desired field. Externships may also be used to strengthen areas of weaknesses for students.
Finding externships in your clinical year takes some time and planning on your part, but the results are worth it.
You can find externship opportunities through resources like the RUSVM Employment Opportunities page, which maintains a list of externship opportunities, and your affiliate school’s externship lists. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) also offers an externship locator that allows you to find opportunities based on your interests and where you want to work.
The beauty of completing externships lies in the variety they bring to your learning experience, since you can pursue veterinary interests outside of what’s required in your clinical year. Externships also allow you to practice medicine in different settings, such as a fast-paced clinic with high patient volumes or a rural practice where you can deepen your understanding of production animal medicine and food safety. If you’re interested in treating wildlife or exotic animals, an externship in a zoo or at a conservation organization will allow you to evaluate and treat species you don’t typically encounter in a veterinary teaching hospital.
Networking and Professional Development
Building connections with experienced veterinarians and joining professional organizations before graduation can be a good way to get your foot in the door. While you can leverage your school’s resources to explore potential externship opportunities, you can also take initiative during your clinical rotations. Supervisors could become trusted mentors who help bring out your potential.
Additionally, attending industry events like AVMA events and American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC™) annual conferences will expose you to the latest developments in the field and connect you with professionals across the nation. AVMA also offers in-person and online continuing education opportunities that allow you to incorporate the latest knowledge into your professional life after you graduate from veterinary school.
Social media platforms like LinkedIn can also be a great way to expand your network and connect with peers and industry leaders. When building these connections, make sure to nurture them; they can be invaluable as you grow into your own as a veterinarian.
Resources and Support for Ross Vet Students
Our Student Success Center (SSC) is available throughout your studies to provide additional academic support. Our workshops cover everything from note-taking to study tips to a mid-semester mood boost. You can book private tutors or reinforce your knowledge by teaching other students as a teaching assistant.
In your sixth semester at Ross Vet, our Clinical Affairs team will work closely with you to identify a list of clinical affiliates that suit your career goals. After clinical placements are announced, you will complete your required core rotations, electives, externships, and additional requirements at your clinical affiliate.
Ross Vet has partnerships with 32 clinical locations across six countries to give students more options when transitioning to clinical medicine.
Navigating clinical experience in the U.S. as a Caribbean vet student may seem overwhelming at first, but Ross Vet aims to make the experience as seamless as possible. With the right resources and support, you can start building a solid network within your practice interests before starting this exciting time in your education.
Ross Vet offers ample opportunities and connections—including an extensive alumni network—that can help you pursue your desired practice goal.
With start dates in January, May, and September, you don’t have to wait a full year before starting your veterinary journey. Ready to get started? Apply to Ross Vet today or submit this form to request more information.
