Internships

[Darla3]

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Uhg, sorry for all the posts on externships and internships. I am a 3rd year student and thats all I have on my mind now 😛 Are there any 4th years of recent grads that have applied through the match system? What is the competition like (grades) and how many programs did you apply to? I'm kind of new to this idea. Its just a possibility I'm considering, so I am just feeling it out to see how competitive I might be in getting one...

 

[birdvet2006]

Uhg, sorry for all the posts on externships and internships. I am a 3rd year student and thats all I have on my mind now 😛 Are there any 4th years of recent grads that have applied through the match system? What is the competition like (grades) and how many programs did you apply to? I'm kind of new to this idea. Its just a possibility I'm considering, so I am just feeling it out to see how competitive I might be in getting one...

I graduated in July 2006. I completed a 1 year rotating internship in small animal medicine and surgery at a private practice. I had applied through the match but was not matched - so I found my practice last-minute (they had an open spot). I had applied to almost entirely academic positions. The academic positions are the most wanted and are therefore the most competitive (along with some of the most well-known big private practices, such as AMC NY and Angell in Boston, VCA West Los Angeles etc.).

I don't know how many I applied to, but it was a lot. Something like 23.

You'd have a better chance at getting a private practice internship, IMO...but you need to decide what you would like better (academic vs. private) and which may give you the best chance at a residency, if that's what you're after. I was after a residency and applied through the match for that too...but was not matched. I've had nothing but bad luck with the matching programme.

 

[Bill59]

Overall, about 50% of intern applicants matched last year in the AAVC intern match. As birdvet indicated, it's a little less easier to match at a private practice and a little hard to match at a university. Realize of course that not every student goes into the match, and in general there's a bias for the higher-ranking students to go into the match.

In other words, it's very competitive. But it's doable.

As for number of places to apply, the general rule is to rank every place you would rather go to compared to not doing an internship. The more places, the better your chances. But don't rank a place you wouldn't accept.

 

[Angelo84]

I thought part of the match process was that if you are matched you have to go. Is this not true?

 

[Bill59]

I thought part of the match process was that if you are matched you have to go. Is this not true?

True. That's why you shouldn't rank somewhere you wouldn't want to go.

To be honest, they can't really make you go, but if you pull out after the withdrawal deadline they can ban you from participating in any future matches and they will make a doll that looks like you and stick pins in it.

 

[PiddlingFish]

Are there many internships available for people interested in wildlife?

Just curious. 🙂

 

[Bill59]

Yes. All the internships and residencies that go through the match are at:

http://www.virmp.org/virmp/