Externship Request Goof

[KCgophervet]

Okay so here's the situation. I am a 3rd year vet student, interested in lab animal, applying for externships for 4th year rotations. I'm currently doing a summer fellowship in lab animal working with post-doc residents (something I hope to be doing in 2 years) and I took their advice seriously when considering where to go for my 4th year. 3 of them highly recommended the good primate experience they got at MD Anderson Cancer Center. I hadn't really looked into it before, but based on their recommendation I found a lab animal externship at MD Anderson CC on the ASLAP website, applied, and booked a 2 week externship there for January 2017.

Here's where the problem comes up: I applied to the wrong externship. Apparently MD Anderson CC has multiple locations in Texas, and multiple lab animal externships. One in Houston is generic traditional lab animal (which is where I erroneously applied), and the one I meant to apply to is in Bastrop and is the primate-focused one.

So my good colleagues and future colleagues, what should I do?? Do I just accept that I mucked it up and go to Houston for some (probably good, but a bit redundant) lab animal experience? Do I hope that I am granted additional externships (another story, but a possibility) and just apply to go to Bastrop the next block and spend 4 weeks in Jan-Feb in Texas (kind of appealing, but not guaranteed)? Or do I email the people in charge of the Houston experience, explain the situation, apologize profusely, and rescind my application?

I don't want to look like an idiot (though clearly sometimes I reflect one) or come off as unprofessional, but I don't want to miss out on a great primate externship either.

Help!

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[Coquette22]

If there's a chance you can't do both Houston and Bastrop, I would email, apologize profusely and try to get this straightened out so you get the primate experience. I found primate work very different from other lab animal work and I would encourage you to get som primate experience prior to residency applications. Everyone makes mistakes, relax.

 

[LetItSnow]

Email them, explain the mistake, apply to the one you want, don't look back.

 

[epivetlove]

I've been to both the Houston and Bastrop locations and if the people in charge of externships are as nice as the people we worked with, then I wouldn't hesitate to contact them to let them know the situation. Bastrop has an amazing facility--I'd definitely not miss the opportunity if possible!