Recent AAEP data indicates that over 70% of the new equine graduates in a given year elect to do an internship. While not a requirement, many new graduates feel they might benefit from participating in an internship program for additional work on clinical skills and client interactions.
The intent of the internship, of course, is to be an educational experience and while the hours may be long and the compensation typically less than that of an associate, the experience can be a valuable one and can set the new graduate up for a successful career.
The Internship Subcommittee has developed a number of resources for both the prospective intern as well as the practice hosting interns:
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Best Practices for AAEP Internship Practices - These best practice recommendations are a valuable basis for internship goal setting, designed to foster long-term success for new veterinarians entering equine practice.
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Green flags/Red flags – a checklist to help the internship seeker find the right fit for them.
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Core competencies – a guide for practices and interns alike on the skills needed to help thrive in practice.
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Evaluating the intern – Entrustable Professional Activities. The EPAs are used to give feedback to the intern during the year.
If you are participating in the Avenues Career Night at the AAEP Annual Convention, the subcommittee has also developed the following tools to help you navigate that process.
• Taking the Reins – Common questions to help you get the most out of your time with each practice.
• Career Night Feedback Chart – to help you better evaluate the different experiences.
More resource development is in the works. Additionally, in the 2024 internship year, we plan to have a new web site with a much more user-friendly database you will be able to use to search available internship opportunities. In the meantime, that information can be found here.