Externships - Family Vet Care of Oakdale

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Your alarm clock buzzes

7:00 AM

You wake up in a cozy room that’s all yours—a quiet space provided by our clinic, just steps away from where you’ll be practicing today. There’s no rushing through an unfamiliar city, no fussing over short-term rentals. Your morning coffee smells a little sweeter knowing you’ve already got a front-row seat to the day ahead.

6:00 PM

7:45 AM

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7:45 AM

As you walk over to the clinic, you’re greeted like a new friend coming back home. Before your first patient even appears, you’re part of a conversation—fellow veterinarians sharing yesterday’s cases, a tech introducing you to the geriatric cat who’s due for a recheck, a senior doctor asking what you’d like to focus on today. It’s casual and genuine. There’s no invisible force telling you what to do or restricting your clinical instincts. The agenda is built around real medicine, not a corporate to-do list.

7:00 AM

9:00 AM

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9:00 AM

First appointment. A young golden retriever with a persistent itch. You don’t watch from the sidelines; you’re invited to take the lead. The attending doctor helps you navigate the client’s questions, encouraging you to think, explain, and adjust as needed. You consider differentials, review dietary histories, and learn how to balance gold-standard treatment with owners’ preferences. When you’re done, your mentor offers gentle guidance, helping refine your approach so it feels natural, compassionate, and smart.

7:45 AM

12:30 PM

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12:30 PM

Lunchtime is as educational as morning rounds. The team gathers in the break room, but it’s not just small talk and quick bites. There might be a lively discussion about a complex case that rolled in yesterday, or someone passing around a new study that challenges old treatment paradigms. You’re part of that conversation. No one hides the challenges, and every voice—yours included—is welcome.

9:00 AM

2:00 PM

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2:00 PM

You assist with a delicate surgery for a senior cat who needs a little extra TLC. You’re not just holding instruments; you’re discussing anesthetic protocols, pain management for geriatric patients, and how to counsel clients about home care after discharge. Here, mentorship isn’t forced or formal—it’s woven right into the fabric of the day. Learning isn’t a separate activity; it happens alongside every patient, every decision, every gentle nudge of guidance.

12:30 PM

4:30 PM

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4:30 PM

Another round of patient check-ins. Follow-up calls are made, and you’re shown how it’s done—thorough, compassionate, and honest. You see how building trust isn’t just about the treatment itself, but also about how you communicate. Corporate giants might push you to do more in less time, but here, the pace respects the true art of care. You feel the difference.

2:00 PM

6:00 PM

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6:00 PM

As you step outside, the day’s lessons settle in. You’re tired, but it’s a good kind of tired—the kind that comes from real-world progress. You head back to your nearby apartment, realizing how freeing it is that you can focus entirely on learning and becoming the veterinarian you’ve always envisioned. There are no extra burdens, no bureaucratic hoops to jump through, just a comfortable place to recharge and reflect.

4:30 PM

7:00 AM

Tomorrow, you’ll do it all again.

With every sunrise, you’ll find yourself more confident, more knowledgeable, and more connected to a team that’s thrilled to see you grow. This is what an externship can be when the script is thrown out and authenticity takes the lead. This is what it looks like when you practice medicine on your own terms.

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