Can I Get Paid for my Externship?

We do not regulate this. This will be up to your externship site. If they want to, we are fine with that!

When Will I Get My Paperwork for the Externship?

You’ll receive this information as part of your program as you get ready for your externship. You can also view more details in the Veterinary Academy Center (requires student login). Requirements and skills are established by the AVMA and occasionally go through revisions, so be sure to check back near to the time you’ll be completing your externship for the most up to date information.

How to Find A Veterinary Externship Site

Q: What are the Veterinary Technician Externships Requirements?

Your first externship in Semester 2 focuses on skills related to office procedures and routine small animal procedures that must be performed at a companion animal general practice. Your second externship in Semester 4 focuses on radiology, advanced small animal procedures, and some large animal and small mammal skills. In order to complete all skills with required species you may need more than one externship site, and that’s ok! Both externships require that you gain experience as a veterinary technician under the supervision of an AVMA graduate that is a credentialed veterinary technician or certified veterinarian.

Q: What is a Fast Track Lab?

A location where students can complete all Large Animal Externship Skills over a weekend or a couple of days at the student’s expense.

To find a site to fulfill the externship requirements for your Veterinary Technician program or Veterinary Assistant program, you can use this tool to find potential sites near you. All listed sites are preapproved, meaning externship approval paperwork will be quicker. You may also choose a different hospital and work with them to become approved.

Locate an externship site near you

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Step 1: Search

Enter your zip code to find potential externship sites near you. Already working at a clinic or hospital? Search for your employer to see if they're preapproved. You may also work your employer to become an approved site.

Step 2: Refine

Looking for an externship 1 site? Filter using All Ext. 1 Skills to see sites where you can complete all of externship 1. For externship 2, filter by All Ext. 2 Large Animal Skills or by Large Animal Fast Track Lab to see sites where you can complete large animal skills.

Step 3: Contact

Call, email, or fill out an application to express your interest. Treat this like an interview and be ready to discuss expectations for completing your externship. It's up to the site and you to decide if you're a good fit for each other.

Can't find an externship site near you?

We're here to help! Contact us with any questions regarding your externship and finding a site at 1-888-427-1500 or by emailing [email protected].

For students enrolled through their employer, reach out to us at 1-833-VET-PENN.

Are you a veterinary clinic or hospital interested in taking Penn Foster externs?

Fill out this form and our team will contact you about becoming a preapproved externship site: https://form.jotform.com/241155461077151

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the Veterinary Technician Externships Requirements?

Your first externship in Semester 2 is 150 hours and focuses on skills related to office procedures and routine small animal procedures that must be performed at a companion animal general practice. Your second externship in Semester 4 is 200 hours and focuses on radiology, advanced small animal procedures, and some large animal and small mammal skills. In order to complete all skills with required species you may need more than one externship site, and that’s ok! Learn more about your Vet Tech Externship here.

What are the Veterinary Assistant Externship Requirements?

The clinical externship portion of the Veterinary Assistant program is the last part that must be completed before graduation. The externship is 100 hours and you will perform skills related to exam room procedures, client communication, surgical preparation and assisting, and more.

Are There Any Medical Requirements?

Yes, students must have health insurance in order to be approved to begin. You will submit proof of health insurance with your approval paperwork.

Veterinary Technician students are required to either become vaccinated for rabies or sign a waiver and participate in a rabies mitigation plan during your externship, which includes not working with patients of unknown vaccine status. We strongly encourage you to become vaccinated for rabies as it offers protection and simplifies the skill submission process. Check out this blog to learn more.

Do I Get Paid for my Externship?

Penn Foster does not dictate whether you are paid for your externship hours. It's at the site's discretion whether or not to pay our students for their time.

Can I use my current workplace as an externship site?

Many Penn Foster students already work at a vet clinic or hospital, so if your employer allows it, you can use your current workplace as an externship site. Discuss with your workplace to confirm that they meet the requirements and expectations for hosting your externship. If your employer is not preapproved, you may fill out this form to start the site approval process.

What if I need more than one site to complete my externships?

Veterinary Technician students may use multiple sites to complete externship 1 or externship 2. You must complete agreements with all sites to cover all required skills for externship 1 or externship 2 before being approved to start your externship. It's common for a site to not have all the required equipment or species to complete externship 2, so you may need to look for other options such as attending a Fast Track Lab.

What is a Fast Track Lab?

A Fast Track Lab is a teaching facility that partners with Penn Foster to provide our Veterinary Technician students with a location where you can complete all large animal skills required for Externship 2 over a weekend or a couple of days. The cost of participating in a Fast Track Lab is at the student’s expense.