Hello, I got a few things.
1. Look at AAEP (join it if you're not already part of it, $20 for students). They have a job's page (which you should be able to access without a membership) and you can see internships and externships. Here's the link:
American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), AAEP Career Center|Find Your Career Here . Most places that have internships require some sort of externship anyway (COVID is clearly going to alter this requirement). AAEP also has a student's page on facebook where you can ask this question and get 50+ answers from other students and vets that have gone to various clinics across the country and some international places too. Depending on what the heck is going on with COVID, they have a convention in Dec/Nov. They have an avenues night where they get a bunch of equine hospitals together and students can ask about externships and internships. I like to think of it as speed dating with equine hospitals.
2. When to start applying? Depends. If its a more competitive place, I would apply sooner rather than later. You can always reach out and ask about their internship/externship. They will tell you when you should apply and what all they need from you as far as applications and letters. I had classmates doing externships during their 2nd and 3rd year during breaks. With COVID, I have no idea how this will alter internships/externships. Also look at the internship deadlines to apply. You want to extern at these places before their deadlines. They usually have a fall deadline so you would extern the spring/summer right before NAVLE and before applying for their internship. This year is weird thanks to COVID. Some places that are still looking for externs for the summer but some places wouldn't even let me have a day working interview for an internship so it's very hit or miss depending on where you are and where the hospital is. Summed up- I don't have a great answer for you as far as when to start. Reach out and ask about internships and how to go about it. Everyone knows that there is a pandemic but they also know that hiring people based off a phone call and references is hard for everyone (<- my life right now, yes I accepted an internship at a place I've never been to..).
3. Best places? This is going to vary from person to person and when you go. I went to some places and I hated it. I went, did nothing and felt almost non-existent. My classmates went 6 months later and they loved it and had lots of hands on. Another question you should ask yourself is where do you want to end up. The northeast has a bunch of clinics. FL, TX and CA also have a lot. If you have a certain place in mind where you want to spend a year, look into those places. As far as advancing into surgery, get either a hospital only or rotating internship. I'm currently going to do an ambulatory internship because I have no desire to work in a hospital.
Sorry if it seems jumbled. There are some people on this site who will tell you they wouldn't think of hiring you if you asked about externing during this time and they're some places currently looking for students and posted on facebook today so it's just very hit or miss. I think if you go about it in the way of "I'm interested in externing at your hospital because I'm interested in the internship but I understand if you don't want me to visit due to covid..", they might be able to give you more information about their current situation (ie, hospital an hour from NYC is probably a no, hospital in the middle of nowhere might be a yes). Hope this helps.
