Veterinary Extern - General Practice

Leader Heights Animal Hospital; Toronto; On-site; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits program

Travel stipend

Work-life balance

Flexible scheduling

Job summary

National Veterinary Associates in York and North Yorkshire is offering an externship for veterinary students seeking hands-on experience in a quality small-animal practice. This opportunity emphasizes strong mentorship and exposes students to a wide range of clinical skills.

Join a supportive team with a focus on work-life balance, flexible scheduling, and diverse case opportunities, including high-volume surgeries and close collaboration with local rescues.

Eligible students may receive a travel/living expense stipend and benefits including medical and dental coverage.

Qualifications

• Veterinary students in the clinical portion of their education.
• Ability to engage in hands-on experiences and learning.

Responsibilities

• Participate in high-volume surgery and dentistry.
• Engage with small mammal medicine, surgery, and dentistry.

Job description

Are you a veterinary student looking for hands‑on experience in a supportive, high‑quality small‑animal practice? Join our team for an externship focused on real learning, strong mentorship, and exposure to a wide range of clinical skills.

Staffing

• 4 FTE DVMs (3 full‑time, 2 part‑time) — with plans to add another full‑time doctor
• 6 Certified Veterinary Technicians, 3 unlicensed techs (two preparing for boards)
• 5–6 veterinary assistants

Equipment and Facilities

• Digital radiography, ultrasound, and dental radiography
• Radiosurgery unit and electrocautery
• Cryosurgery unit
• Class IV therapeutic laser
• A brand‑new dental suite with two dental tables and full Midmark drill/scaling units
• Two new surgical suites outfitted with Cardell or Vetcorder monitoring (ECG, BP, CO₂, temp, pulse ox)
• Lift tables in 6 exam rooms and fold‑away tables in 2 feline‑friendly rooms

Why Students Love Rotating With Us

• Long‑tenured staff, including several team members with 30+ years at our hospital
• A true learning environment — we’ve trained and hired multiple tech externs over the years
• A fun, relaxed team with a workspace designed to reduce stress (sound‑separated from exam rooms = music and teaching without disturbing clients!)
• Strong belief in utilizing technical staff fully — our techs manage anesthesia, client education, and major technical procedures
• Students benefit from seamless exam‑room workflow with technician or advanced assistant support
• A genuine emphasis on work‑life balance for everyone — flexible scheduling, generous time off, 4‑day doctor workweeks, and no weekends or on‑call
• We’re located in an affluent, highly educated community with clients who value and trust medical recommendations — meaning excellent compliance and diverse case opportunities.
• Easy access: right off the highway and a major southern York County thoroughfare
• Close to three ERs and several urgent care centers, keeping emergency burden low
• Fantastic for outdoor enthusiasts and still within easy reach of Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Harrisburg

What You’ll See & Learn

• High‑volume surgery and dentistry
• Small mammal medicine, surgery, and dentistry (optional for students)
• Integrative medicine: acupuncture, herbal medicine, laser therapy, and soon, chiropractic care
• We work very closely with a local cat rescue, as well as other dog and cat rescues, so you’ll get a lot of hands‑on shelter medicine
• Care for the majority of police K9s in York and surrounding counties
• Diverse medical approaches thanks to a multi‑generational team that loves teaching

Most externship experiences at Leader Heights range from two to eight weeks depending on student and hospital schedules. All veterinary students (regardless of class year) are encouraged to participate in NVA externships.

Veterinary students who are in the clinical portion of their education are eligible for a travel/living expense stipend. Click HERE* to view list of stipend amounts and HERE for details on the stipend program. *An additional $500 travel stipend is offered to the amount listed in the link for externships at this hospital.

NVA offers a comprehensive benefits program including medical, dental, vision, a 401k with employer match, and paid time off (including sick time) for all eligible employees. The team can provide more information about compensation and benefits for your specific location during the process. For positions based in Colorado, NVA provides eligible employees with paid sick and safe leave and public health emergency leave in accordance with the requirements of Colorado's Healthy Families and Workplaces Act.

NVA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, and any other state or local hiring regulations, we will consider for employment any qualified applicant, including those with arrest and conviction records, in a manner consistent with the applicable regulation.