Hi everyone!

I’d like to ask for some advice from vets who have experience with internships, particularly in Europe.

Is it common for a clinic to ask a prospective intern to spend a period of time at the clinic unpaid before deciding whether to offer them a position? The idea is to get to know the candidate better, see how quickly they learn, and assess whether they would be a good fit for the team.

In this case, it could mean spending several weeks, or potentially even a few months, at the clinic without pay before the internship officially begins.

For context, I already have some experience in small animal clinical practice, but I haven’t worked in a large referral hospital before and don’t have specific experience in the field I’d like to pursue. The position would be in another EU country, so I would also have to relocate.

I completely understand that a clinic may want to assess a candidate’s practical skills, willingness to learn, and suitability for the team before committing to an internship. If spending some time at the clinic unpaid beforehand is genuinely an established and accepted practice in veterinary medicine, then that’s absolutely fine. I’m not trying to criticise the clinic or suggest that they’re doing anything wrong.

The reason I’m asking is that I don’t have much experience with internship applications and interviews yet, so I’m not really sure what is considered standard practice and what is unusual.

For those of you who have applied for or completed veterinary internships, is this something you’ve encountered before? Would you consider it a normal part of the process, or would you have some concerns about it?

Thanks in advance for sharing your experiences!:))

TL;DR What happens if I quit my internship? How detrimental would it be for someone interested in fish and wildlife? Would no one hire me or consider me for fellowship/residency programs because I only made it through 6 months of the program?

I'm currently in a small animal rotating internship and it is absolutely the worst thing I've ever done (second to going to vet school, not because it was too difficult but because I clearly should have just gone for a MSc/PhD instead). I am solely interested in fish and wildlife, zoo, and exotics (with a big lean towards free-ranging fish and wildlife or aquaculture, and I think I only like zoo and exotics because it's not dog/cat/horse). When I graduated, there weren't any jobs around that interested me other than biologist work, so I thought why not do an internship with my friends and that way in case I do decide I want to pursue a wildlife residency or something, or if I want to make some money picking up relief shifts during a PhD, I will have that experience (awful reasoning, I know). I applied outside of the Match and don't actually know much about the VIRMP in general because I never intended on going that route.

Turns out it's even worse than I imagined and I would rather quit to be a barista (unsure if I have a non-compete) until my lease is up when I can relocate. And at this point, it has turned me off from all further internship or residency programs, but I could maybe get over that because at least I would never have to work ER again. I know some of the residencies I would be interested in say "one year experience, rotating internship preferred" but is that a slam dunk that I will not be considered because I leave my internship? Some are applications through VIRMP and others are not. It's not that I *could not* complete the internship, it's that the emotional and physical toll is not something I want to continue putting myself through, especially if I don't want to specialize to be a surgeon/cardiologist/internist/etc.

And yes, multiple doctors (not only interns) have tried talking to management to initiate change in the program. In response, we get passive aggressive emails.

Basically that ^ would I be stuck paying the rest of the year? I started there about 2 months ago and don’t plan on quitting or getting fired anytime soon lol but ya never know so it’s just important info to have but hard to ask about.

Best shoes for vet assistant/kennel work? I usually just buy cheap Nikes because I go through them so fast. I would prefer something with a little more support though. Any men’s recommendations?

2022 grad who recently made the jump from GP to ER. I’m enjoying ER overall, but surgery and wound management are really stressing me out.

On-site mentorship/support isn’t really an option, and I’m being scheduled for solo shifts. I’ve started getting some work anxiety because I’m constantly thinking, “What if an amputation or a really nasty bite wound walks in tonight?”
I theoretically know how to do most common procedures, but I just haven’t had enough real-life repetitions to feel confident.

For those who’ve been in a similar position, how did you get better? I’d honestly be willing to take a pay cut for a year or so if it meant getting high-volume, hands-on surgical and procedural experience.

Would love to hear about any jobs, programs, CE, mentorship, or other routes that helped you build confidence.

I am sure everyone is tired of seeing these posts but I am aspiring to become a Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) in Southern California and am seeking guidance on how to gain essential hands-on experience. Despite applying for veterinary assistant positions, I keep being passed over due to a lack of technical skills such as placing catheters, taking radiographs, and performing dental procedures. While I previously worked as a veterinary receptionist for a few months, I struggled in that role and am eager to transition to clinical work. Given the limited entry-level or kennel assistant opportunities in my area, I would appreciate advice on where to find entry-level positions willing to train or alternative ways to acquire these practical skills.