Vet Externship: Hands-on Small Animal Care + Mentorship

Star Valley Veterinary Clinic; York (York County); On-site; USD 5,600 - 8,900; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Travel stipend

Job summary

Leader Heights Animal Hospital in York County, PA, offers a Veterinary Externship for veterinary students seeking hands-on experience in a high‑quality small‑animal practice with strong mentorship.

Externs gain exposure to high‑volume surgery, dentistry, radiography, anesthesia, and shelter medicine, supported by a stable team of experienced clinicians.

Most externships run two to eight weeks; a travel stipend is available, with an additional $500 travel stipend listed for this hospital.

Qualifications

• Externship focused on real learning with strong mentorship.
• Desire for hands‑on experience in small‑animal practice.”
• Two‑to‑eight week externships, schedules may vary.

Responsibilities

• Exposure to high‑volume surgery and dentistry.
• Experience with radiography, anesthesia, and shelter medicine.
• Collaborative, learning‑driven environment with long‑tenured staff.

Education

Veterinary student

Job description

Hospital Name: Leader Heights Animal Hospital

Job Type: Veterinary Extern

Employment Type: Externship

Description & Requirements

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.

•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

We have a deeply skilled support team that allows doctors to practice at the top of their license. Our hospital is fully equipped to support your clinical development, including:

•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

•Our externs get exposure to a wide range of medical and surgical experiences, including:

•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 amountsand HERE for details on the stipend program.

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 amountsand 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.