Exotic Companion Animal vs. Zoo Med. Is it possible to do both?

[bdominello]

Hey all!

I am a first year trying to feel out my options. I have always had in interest in zoo med following an internship I completed in undergrad. I have a passion for the abnormal, and I love to work with our scaly, feathery, and odd-ball patients. I would like to combine conservation efforts with theriogenology. To keep it short, I know the field of zoo med is highly competitive and the pay isn't the best. I also love the client interaction associated with companion exotic animal medicine. My question is, is it possible to combine these careers? I met an SGU grad who worked as a part time zoo vet and associate vet at an exotic clinic. This is something I would love to do, but is it feasible? I know I still have a long way to go, but I want to start to look for opportunities to build my knowledge in Exotics and Zoo.

Thanks all!

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[WildZoo]

It certainly exists, especially for smaller zoos that can't afford to pay a full time staff vet. Similar to the person you mentioned, I know several people who work in GP, though none off the top of my head who are exotics exclusive, and also either volunteer time or do part time work for nearby zoos.

 

[bdominello]

It certainly exists, especially for smaller zoos that can't afford to pay a full time staff vet. Similar to the person you mentioned, I know several people who work in GP, though none off the top of my head who are exotics exclusive, and also either volunteer time or do part time work for nearby zoos.

I plan on completing an internship after veterinary school. Should I look into an exotic companion animal or a zoo internship? Between 1st and 2nd year, I am hoping to complete a research opportunity with marine animals.

 

[SnowJ]

I plan on completing an internship after veterinary school. Should I look into an exotic companion animal or a zoo internship? Between 1st and 2nd year, I am hoping to complete a research opportunity with marine animals.

Personally I'd try for a zoo internship since that field is more competitive. If it's possible to apply for both zoo and exotic companion internships I would, since an exotic companion exclusive internship will end up overlapping with a lot of zoo species.

You don't need to do a companion exotics to do exotics GP, especially since most clinics wont be exotics exclusive. Networking, good mentorship, and good resources seem to be more important on the exotic GP front in my experience. (I plan on doing SA + Exotics GP and there are no exotics-exclusive clinics in my area, for context)

 

[WildZoo]

I plan on completing an internship after veterinary school. Should I look into an exotic companion animal or a zoo internship? Between 1st and 2nd year, I am hoping to complete a research opportunity with marine animals.

You can apply for both, but I will say they tend to be competitive (zoo a little moreso than companion exotics) and there is a trend towards people doing rotating internships before those specialty ones.

 

[bdominello]

You can apply for both, but I will say they tend to be competitive (zoo a little moreso than companion exotics) and there is a trend towards people doing rotating internships before those specialty ones.

Should I look into rotating internships if I have 2 clinical years? I am at MSU.

 

[SnowJ]

Should I look into rotating internships if I have 2 clinical years? I am at MSU.

I believe so since your responsibilities and experience as an intern will be different than as a senior student

 

[bdominello]

I believe so since your responsibilities and experience as an intern will be different than as a senior student

Thank you!

 

[HappyToro]

Any advice for vet students during vet school to help get a zoo internship later on? Thanks!

 

[WildZoo]

Any advice for vet students during vet school to help get a zoo internship later on? Thanks!

Grades of course, but very unlikely that will be enough. If your school has zoo faculty, get to know them. Spend time getting into that world, getting as much exposure and experience as you can. Go to conferences. Get involved in research, hopefully get published and/or give presentations. Basically...if you want it you have to work your butt off for it, because a lot of people want it and there aren't enough positions to go around.


>please note that I have not applied in the match (yet) but my school has a combined zoo/small animal internship and I'm familiar with what the interns' backgrounds have been over the years

 

[BigCats]

Grades of course, but very unlikely that will be enough. If your school has zoo faculty, get to know them. Spend time getting into that world, getting as much exposure and experience as you can. Go to conferences. Get involved in research, hopefully get published and/or give presentations. Basically...if you want it you have to work your butt off for it, because a lot of people want it and there aren't enough positions to go around.


>please note that I have not applied in the match (yet) but my school has a combined zoo/small animal internship and I'm familiar with what the interns' backgrounds have been over the years

What do you think about applying simultaneously to rotating internships and zoo internships? Like if you were fortunate enough to match straight into a specialty internship out of vet school, do you think the lack of a small animal rotating internship would hurt you in residency apps?

Also, for the people you’ve known who did the combined internship, were they able to match straight into a residency or did they have to do another specialty internship? I know I’ve heard different opinions about the combined programs, so just wondering about how their outcomes look.

 

[WildZoo]

do you think about applying simultaneously to rotating internships and zoo internships? Like if you were fortunate enough to match straight into a specialty internship out of vet school, do you think the lack of a small animal rotating internship would hurt you in residency apps?

People do this. I'm not sure on success rates but it is a reasonable approach. I think it's unlikely that it would hurt you to have done a specialty internship and not a rotating.

Also, for the people you’ve known who did the combined internship, were they able to match straight into a residency or did they have to do another specialty internship? I know I’ve heard different opinions about the combined programs, so just wondering about how their outcomes look.

I only know about our program but 4 out of the last 5 interns matched straight into a residency

 

[HappyToro]

People do this. I'm not sure on success rates but it is a reasonable approach. I think it's unlikely that it would hurt you to have done a specialty internship and not a rotating.



I only know about our program but 4 out of the last 5 interns matched straight into a residency

For those 4 interns that matched into residency, do you know if they only did the combined internship or did they have more than 1 internship? I’ve heard that it is common to do more than 1 internship before being able to match into residency, so I was curious about this for zoo residencies. Thanks so much for sharing!

 

[WildZoo]

For those 4 interns that matched into residency, do you know if they only did the combined internship or did they have more than 1 internship? I’ve heard that it is common to do more than 1 internship before being able to match into residency, so I was curious about this for zoo residencies. Thanks so much for sharing!

I know two of them came straight to our combined internship after vet school. One of them, I think, had taken a year off to do research in between. I'm not sure about the 4th.

 

[Old-Country-Vet-Tech]

Look im the weirdo trying to learn about rodents, rabbits,) and guinea pigs ( which are rodents). Im looking at food med but my partner and I rescue fuzzy potatoes and theres zero vets out there for them. Hell I have learned more from him about rats, snakes, and small pocket pets than vet school.

 

[SkiOtter]

Look im the weirdo trying to learn about rodents, rabbits,) and guinea pigs ( which are rodents). Im looking at food med but my partner and I rescue fuzzy potatoes and theres zero vets out there for them. Hell I have learned more from him about rats, snakes, and small pocket pets than vet school.

New practice idea.
“Pigs and GPigs”