The San Diego Zoo Clinical Medicine Rotation offers a rich experience to veterinary students with a sincere interest in zoological and wildlife medicine. The mission of San Diego Zoo Global is to save species worldwide by uniting our expertise in animal and plant care and conservation science with our dedication to inspiring passion for nature. The San Diego Zoo has a diverse animal collection consisting of large and small carnivores, marsupials and monotremes, great apes, Old World and New World primates, prosimians, hoostock, megavertebrates, over 2000 birds, approximately 1500 reptiles and amphibians and a variety of aquatic species. Students will receive mentorship from a team of veterinarians including ACZM boarded staff and may assist registered veterinary technicians in care of hospitalized patients, anesthetic monitoring and neonatal exams (caseload dependent). Students will have the opportunity for observation and supervised participation in clinical procedures, however the degree of participation will depend on the experience, skill level, interest and preparedness of the student, as well as the medical situation of the animal. Students will gain exposure to many of the aspects of zoological medicine, which may include: preventative medicine, emergency triage, animal shipments and quarantine, behavioral husbandry, remote anesthetic delivery systems as well as other safe methods of restraint. Students will attend daily Veterinary Department rounds, weekly Journal Club and monthly Morbidity and Mortality Rounds (mammal, avian, reptile) as possible.

Students will be responsible for a project that investigates a clinical problem, evaluates past medical cases, or is a topic of interest. A presentation of the topic with its findings to the veterinary and/or husbandry staff is expected during the last week of the externship