Small Animal Community Medicine Internship
The Tufts at Tech (TaT) Community Veterinary Clinic at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University offers a unique and immersive internship experience for veterinarians pursuing advanced training in small animal community medicine and primary care.
Located in Worcester, Massachusetts, approximately one hour west of Boston, TaT provides outpatient veterinary care for nearly 6,000 canine and feline patients annually. The clinic is uniquely embedded within Worcester Technical High School, creating a collaborative learning environment where fourth-year Tufts veterinary students work alongside vocational high school students training to become veterinary assistants.
TaT’s mission is to provide high-quality, affordable veterinary care to underserved pet owners throughout Worcester and neighboring communities while fostering the next generation of veterinary professionals. Through this innovative model, veterinary students gain hands-on clinical experience as primary care clinicians, and high school students develop meaningful exposure to veterinary medicine and animal care careers.
Clinical Experience
The internship provides extensive hands-on experience in a fast-paced teaching hospital environment with a diverse and high-volume caseload that includes:
- Preventive and wellness care
- Urgent and emergency care
- Chronic disease management
- Soft tissue surgery
- Dentistry
- Diagnostic imaging and ultrasound
With a fully equipped surgical suite and strong mentorship culture, interns develop confidence in both medical and surgical case management within a high-volume primary care setting.
Internship Responsibilities
Interns play a critical role in supporting fourth-year veterinary students through:
- Case consultations and clinical guidance
- Diagnostic and treatment planning
- Surgical mentorship and procedural instruction
- Daily rounds and patient management
In addition to mentoring students, interns maintain their own primary case responsibilities and serve as important role models for the high school veterinary assistant students participating in the program.
Educational and Professional Development
The TaT internship is designed to strengthen:
- Clinical and diagnostic reasoning
- Communication and client education skills
- Surgical and dentistry proficiency
- Problem-solving and case management abilities
- Ultrasound technique and interpretation
- Teaching and mentorship experience
A distinguishing feature of the program is the consistent opportunity for primary surgical and dentistry experience, allowing interns to build advanced procedural skills in a supportive academic setting.
Upon successful completion, interns emerge as confident, capable small animal clinicians prepared for careers in community medicine, primary care practice, or advanced clinical training.
Specialty and Elective Rotations
As part of Cummings School, interns also benefit from access to the resources and specialty services e of a large academic teaching hospital.
Elective rotations may include:
- Internal Medicine
- Emergency & Critical Care
- Cardiology
- Neurology
- Nutrition
- Radiology
- Dermatology
- Ophthalmology
- Anesthesiology
- Behavior
- Exotics
Interns also rotate through Luke & Lily Lerner Clinic, where they serve as primary surgeons for routine spays and neuters and, when caseload permits, more advanced soft tissue surgeries.
Additional elective opportunities with shelters, community medicine programs, and local primary care clinics may also be tailored to align with individual career interests and professional goals.
Academic Participation
Interns are expected to actively participate in:
- Clinical rounds
- Journal clubs
- Seminars and lectures
- Case discussions
Each intern will present one formal seminar during the program and will have access to extensive academic and research resources through the School’s veterinary library system.
A certificate is awarded upon successful completion of the internship program.
Application Information
Applications are submitted through the AAVC Veterinary Internship and Residency Matching Program (VIRMP).
Questions about the Community Medicine Internship may be directed to Dr. Nicole Freeman, Program Director, Tufts at Tech Community Veterinary Clinic.
Tufts University is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer.