GP Externships

[Minnerbelle]

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So if there's a high chance that you'll be going into GP after graduation, and you have some extra slots in your elective rotations schedule is it better to do multiple 1 week externships in as many GP clinics as possible, or fewer 2 week externships?

It will be in clinics around the geographic location that I'm restricted to post-grad. I'm not necessarily looking to find a job at these specific clinics (though wouldn't it be nice if it worked out?), but I would at least like to get a feeler for how I should go about searching for my first job.

 

[Angelo84]

I'd do multiple one week externships to get more ways of doing things. That said if there is a place you like you could try to go back for a second week (or maybe a working interview). Have fun!

 

[redsteven]

But on the other hand.... 2 weeks at a practice means there's a greater chance of everybody there remembering you than if you're only there for 1 week.

Or you can do a mix of 2 week and 1 week externships.

What does your school allow? At Virginia (where I'm in clinicals), our rotations are 3 weeks. All externships have to be 3 weeks too. We're allowed ONE exception, where we can split up a block into three separate 1-week externships, or a 2-week + a 1-week externship.
So see what your options are before you think too hard about the hypothetical

 

[Minnerbelle]

Thanks for the advice guys! I like the starting shorter with a couple and maybe going back idea. If I don't like it there, then I can always just schedule another one elsewhere.

 

[Tonkamoo]

Our university recommends a minimum of 2 week placements, unless its a practice you've been to before. I think the idea is that it takes a few days (or a week) to get to know people in the clinic, and for them to be comfortable with your skills, so you'll get more out of it if you stay for two weeks.

 

[Minnerbelle]

Our university recommends a minimum of 2 week placements, unless its a practice you've been to before. I think the idea is that it takes a few days (or a week) to get to know people in the clinic, and for them to be comfortable with your skills, so you'll get more out of it if you stay for two weeks.

Mahhhhh. My worst fear is going to a practice that has a low case load and being stuck there for 2 weeks twiddling my thumbs. I spent a significant amount of time at a GP during second year where that was the case, and it suuuucked. I'm not familiar with the vet offices in the area I'd like to extern, and don't know people who would know either to get inside scoop. How can I research this in advance without coming across as offensive?

 

[scb44f]

Can you talk to students the year ahead of you, or does your school keep a file of reviews of places students have visited in the past? I know we have one that we can dig into if we want to get a certain type of experience and don't know where to start. It has been helpful for some of my classmates already.

 

[bunnity]

I'd just go for somewhere with a decent number of vets so there's always something going on.

You could always just straight up ask how many patients they see on an average day.

 

[Minnerbelle]

Can you talk to students the year ahead of you, or does your school keep a file of reviews of places students have visited in the past? I know we have one that we can dig into if we want to get a certain type of experience and don't know where to start. It has been helpful for some of my classmates already.

Unfortunately, I don't think that's going to work for the few practices I'm trying to go to... but maybe that's a sign. Perhaps I should just forget about it, and only go for the places that students have had good experiences with and/or big-ish multi-doctor practices like bunnity suggested.

 

[scb44f]

Unfortunately, I don't think that's going to work for the few practices I'm trying to go to... but maybe that's a sign. Perhaps I should just forget about it, and only go for the places that students have had good experiences with and/or big-ish multi-doctor practices like bunnity suggested.

Hmm... I wouldn't get discouraged just yet. I agree with bunnity that it is totally fair to ask about caseload and I would also throw in a question about their expectations of you if you were to go spend a week in their practice. It is possible they do have a set of learning objectives for vet students who come visit. You can also ask how often they host students and if they see many people learning of their clinic by word of mouth.