The Calgary Zoo Animal Health Centre offers externships for veterinary students in their final year of study. Externships are a minimum of three weeks in length and are generally four week blocks of time. Successful applicants will gain experience in zoological medicine, surgery, nutrition, preventive medicine, and pathology in a wide variety of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and inverts in a collection of approximately 1,100
animals representing over 140 species. Students also will have the opportunity to work with the zookeepers one morning per week to gain exposure to the high level of husbandry, nutrition, and training and enrichment that goes on in an accredited zoological facility. The externship is an unpaid position and extern students must provide their own transportation and other living expenses while in Calgary.
Applications are accepted on a year-round basis, but due to the volume of applications, most applicants need to apply at least one year in advance of the expected externship date. Blocks of time are only available from September 1st to November 30th and from January 1st until April 30th annually.
The veterinary team at the Calgary Zoo Animal Health Centre consists of three veterinarians, one veterinary intern, three animal health technologists,
and two zookeepers.
Students are integrated into the daily veterinary routine includng visual and physical examinations, blood collection, treatments,anesthetic monitoring, and pathology duties. Expected days of work are Monday to Friday (usually 8 hours/day). No on call duties are expected, but students are always offered to be able to come in on weekends should an interesting case arise for them.
Accommodations ($70 Cdn per week) are usually available in a one-room bachelor suite at the Animal Health Centre which includes a full kitchen (fridge, stove, microwave), double bed, TV, and other amenities (computer and internet access, laundry facilities).