AVMA releases veterinary large animal hospital internship policy
Internships should help prepare veterinarians for high-quality service in practice or advanced specialty training, according to the new guidelines
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The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has created guidelines for veterinary internships specifically in large animal hospitals and those in a primarily ambulatory setting. The new policy is an adaptation of the AVMA’s Veterinary Internship Guidelines, which were created more than a decade ago.1
According to the AVMA, committee members of the Veterinary Specialty Organizations Committee (VSOC) agreed that the original document did not adequately address issues specific to interning at large animal practices, especially for internships in predominantly ambulatory settings, prompting the development of the Veterinary Large Animal Hospital Internship Guidelines. Following a review of the internship guidelines, VSOC members devised new guidelines and recommended minor edits to the existing internship policy.1
The draft and recommendations were subsequently approved by the AVMA Board of Directors as a policy specific for small animal internships and both large animal hospital and large animal ambulatory internships. Together with the Veterinary Small Animal Internship Guidelines and the Large Animal Ambulatory Internship Guidelines, the new Veterinary Large Animal Hospital Internship Guidelines help establish reasonable expectations for internship providers and participants, said the AVMA.1
According to the 3 internship guidelines, veterinary internship programs should be a 1-year educational experience that focuses on clinical training that covers a variety of clinical disciplines. The guidelines also maintain that the main purpose of internships is educational, and not a source of labor for the benefit of the institution offering the internship.
“The internship should help to prepare veterinarians for high-quality service in practice or advanced specialty training,” wrote the AVMA in its guidelines.2 “The internship should emphasize mentorship, direct supervision, and didactic experiences.... The key to providing or completing a successful internship experience is establishing a clear, mutual understanding of what is being provided and what is expected in return.”
Examples of training include teaching rounds, seminars, and journal clubs, according to the AVMA.1 The guidelines also recommend detailed orientation programs, regular performance reviews that use several assessors, and assigning interns a mentor who is an experienced veterinarian.1
The policy also offers guidance for employment arrangements, stating that interns should be offered clear contracts that detail duties, schedules, and benefits. Benefits and salary should be representative of the intern’s level of training and their responsibilities.1
Noncompete clauses should not be part of the employment agreement, according to the AVMA policy.2 Additionally, internship programs should underscore work-life balance that aligns with the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education standards for residency programs.1
The policy also highlighted the role of interns assisting with surgeries. “Internships should provide the opportunity to be the primary surgeon on a broad range of elective and entry-level procedures to ensure appropriate progress is made after appropriate supervised surgeries,” reads the guidelines.2
Moreover, interns must not be the only veterinarians at satellite sites.1 The guidelines also call for adequate caseload, as well as access to faculty, facilities, and essential diagnostic and surgical tools.
“Internship providers should collect and utilize appropriate outcome measures to monitor program quality, identify areas for improvement, and assist candidates in the selection process,” states the policy document.2
References
- Large animal internship guidelines emphasize mentorship, supervision, outcomes. News release. American Veterinary Medical Association. April 28, 2025. Accessed April 29, 2025. https://www.avma.org/news/large-animal-internship-guidelines-emphasize-mentorship-supervision-outcomes?utm_source=delivra&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=todays-headlines-news
- Veterinary large animal hospital internship guidelines. American Veterinary Medical Association. Accessed April 29, 2025. https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/avma-policies/veterinary-large-animal-hospital-internship-guidelines
