The SF SPCA offers general practice externship opportunities for 4th year veterinary candidates from U.S.-based degree programs. Students can experience a modern, full-service general practice hospital at the Mission Campus or an emergent/preventive care facility at our Pacific Heights Campus. We are unique in that our general practice programs integrate with our community medicine programs introducing veterinary students with an interest in rescue and welfare to a progressive, clinical care model in a large, urban setting.
We have a medical staff of 40+ DVMs, including a board-certified internal medicine specialist. Student externs gain valuable experience at the SF SPCA campuses. We also host interns (first year post-graduates) for spay/neuter surgical rotations via the VCA San Francisco Veterinary Specialists internship program. The SF SPCA does not offer internships for veterinary post-graduates or training to veterinarians seeking s/n surgical experience.
Student externs participate in the following modules as available:
Our Veterinary Hospitals are open seven days per week. Externs gain experience with treatment plans, client communication, gathering patient histories, surgical procedures, emergency services medicine, preventive care, dentistry and diagnostics. Students are invited to participate in daily hospital rounds and continuing education events. Externs can choose either, the SF SPCA Mission Campus or the SF SPCA Pacific Heights Campus.
The Spay-Neuter clinic at the SF SPCA Mission Campus hosts 4th year students and veterinary interns. We provide opportunities for learning quality, high volume spay and neuter techniques under the direct supervision of our surgical team. Externs from California veterinary schools are able to gain hands-on surgical experience. (Available at Mission Campus only)
Our Community Cares Program provides experience with feral cat outreach, spay-neuter and treatment and coordinates our twice-monthly vaccine clinics. (Weekend availability mostly. Based at Mission Campus, but externs at either campus attend clinics.)
Our Feline Wellness Center at the Pacific Heights campus sees thousands of feline patients per year and the Center focuses on cat-specific needs and services.
At this time, we are redeveloping our educational offerings in Shelter Medicine and Behavior Medicine. We hope to create an experience that provides externs with tangible knowledge they can apply upon graduation. While we are under construction, we would be happy to provide an in depth tour of our facilities.
Contact the Clinician Staff Coordinator for more info about SF SPCA externships: jnavratil@sfspca.org
The SF SPCA is an independent non-profit supported entirely by our community
and support our programs.
SF SPCA – Mission Campus
Appointments: 8am – 6pm
Emergency Services: 8am – 6pm
201 Alabama Street
San Francisco CA 94103
415.554.3000
SF SPCA – Pacific Heights Campus
Appointments: 8am – 6pm
Temporary Emergency Services Hours: 7am – 10pm
2343 Fillmore Street
San Francisco, CA 94115
415.554.3000
