Veterinary Extern - General Practice

Hands-on Veterinary Student Externship

Thiensville-Mequon Small Animal Clinic | Thiensville, Wisconsin

Learn from an Experienced Team. Explore Your Interests. Build Your Confidence.

Your veterinary journey is full of exciting possibilities. At Thiensville-Mequon Small Animal Clinic, we want to help you explore them!

We're excited to welcome veterinary students to our established, eight-doctor practice in Thiensville, Wisconsin. Our team is passionate about providing high-quality medicine, compassionate patient care, and meaningful client education. We believe an externship should be more than an opportunity to observe—it should help you connect what you're learning in veterinary school with the realities of clinical practice.

Whether you're developing your clinical confidence, exploring your interests, or beginning to picture your future as a veterinarian, our experienced doctors and supportive team are here to make your externship a valuable learning experience.

Why Choose Thiensville-Mequon for Your Externship?

Learn alongside an experienced veterinary team.

With eight veterinarians working in our practice, you'll have the opportunity to observe different approaches to patient care, clinical decision-making, and client communication. See how collaboration and teamwork contribute to a positive, productive hospital environment.

Experience comprehensive small animal medicine.

Explore the many aspects of general practice, from preventive care and wellness visits to diagnostic workups, dentistry, surgery, and ongoing medical case management. Your experience will depend on the cases seen during your visit and your educational goals.

Discover how a modern hospital supports patient care.

Our recently remodeled facility features dedicated dental and surgical suites, eight exam rooms, and diagnostic technology designed to support comprehensive veterinary care.

See compassionate, low-stress care in action.

As an AAHA-accredited, Cat Friendly Practice that encourages a Fear Free environment, we're committed to creating positive experiences for our patients and clients. Learn how handling techniques, thoughtful communication, and individualized care plans can make a difference.

Ask questions and grow your confidence.

We welcome curiosity and encourage students to engage with our doctors and team. Depending on your experience and the needs of the hospital, you may have opportunities to participate in appropriate clinical activities under supervision.

What You May Experience

Your externship will be shaped by your educational objectives, clinical experience, and the cases available during your visit.

Depending on the schedule and your level of training, you may have opportunities to:

• Observe wellness examinations, preventive care, and client consultations.
• Develop your approach to patient histories and physical examinations.
• Follow medical cases and learn about diagnostic reasoning and treatment planning.
• Observe surgical procedures and learn about perioperative patient care.
• Explore dentistry, including dental radiography and dental treatment workflows.
• See how digital radiography, ultrasound, and in-house laboratory testing support clinical decisions.
• Learn how veterinarians communicate diagnoses, treatment options, and recommendations to pet owners.
• Observe how doctors and support staff collaborate to deliver efficient, compassionate care.
• Discuss cases with experienced veterinarians and ask questions about clinical practice and career development.

Our goal is to help you connect classroom learning with real-world veterinary medicine while discovering the areas of practice that interest you most.

A Modern Learning Environment

Our recently remodeled hospital provides a welcoming environment with resources that support a wide range of small animal veterinary services.

You'll have exposure to a facility featuring:

• Eight exam rooms
• Dedicated dental suite with two dental tables
• Dedicated surgical suite with two surgical tables
• Digital radiography and digital dental radiography
• Ultrasound
• Full IDEXX in-house laboratory
• Complete pharmacy
• Cornerstone electronic medical records
• Online appointment booking and online pharmacy

You'll also see how an experienced support team helps keep the hospital running smoothly and supports the delivery of quality patient care.

Discover Thiensville and Milwaukee's North Shore

Located in the welcoming community of Thiensville, Wisconsin, our clinic offers a great setting for your externship experience.

Who Should Apply?

We welcome veterinary students who are enthusiastic about learning, compassionate toward animals and their families, and interested in developing their clinical knowledge and professional skills. Whether you're still exploring your options or already have a strong interest in small animal general practice, we'd love to help you make the most of your time with us.

Start Building Your Future in Veterinary Medicine

An externship is an opportunity to ask questions, explore clinical interests, learn from experienced professionals, and begin envisioning the kind of veterinarian you want to become.

At Thiensville-Mequon Small Animal Clinic, you'll find a team committed to high-quality medicine, compassionate care, and collaboration.

Come learn with us, experience life in a thriving veterinary practice, and take another step toward your future in veterinary medicine!

Apply today to learn more about an externship at Thiensville-Mequon Small Animal Clinic.

National Veterinary Associates (NVA) is a leading North American pet health care company with nearly 1,300 locations spanning general practice veterinary hospitals, Ethos emergency and specialty hospitals, and pet resorts and equine veterinary care. With approximately 40,000 team members, we care for pets and support pet families in communities across the United States and Canada.  Our purpose is to give pets and the people who love them more quality years together, and our mission is to make care more personal, easy and accessible while advancing medicine and care across every stage of life. Across NVA, we support our teams with the resources, expertise and opportunities they need to deliver exceptional care and help shape the future of veterinary and pet care.

Purpose: Give pets and the people who love them more quality years together

Mission: Transform the pet family experience to be personal, easy and accessible, while advancing medicine and care across every stage of life. 

Values: Care Deeply, Do What’s Right, One Team, Own It, Shape What’s Next 

One NVA: Bringing General Practice & Ethos Together

NVA is built to make care personal, easy and accessible, while advancing medicine across every stage of a pet’s life. 

At National Veterinary Associates, we want to make sure your experience connecting with us is seamless and straightforward. Here’s what to expect when interacting with us: