We love to teach at the Avian and Exotic Animal Clinic. There is always a student at the clinic learning about exotic animals and veterinary medicine. Sometimes there are visiting veterinary students, technician students, and we even have high school and middle school students that want a taste of what it’s like to be a veterinarian. Not only do we enjoy having the extra help but one of the best parts of our job is educating all of our visitors.
Veterinary students come to the clinic for their 4th year rotations. These students focus on improving handling and basic techniques while learning the basics of how to practice exotic pet medicine when they graduate school. They help us with treatments, triage wildlife cases, and assist with appointments and surgeries. We also discuss cases and a variety of topics that are relevant to exotic pet medicine to stay up-to-date on the latest research.
The technician students who shadow at AEAC learn how to apply their knowledge from school to an exotic medicine setting. Our experienced technicians teach students about animal husbandry for all the species we see at the clinic. They go over how to take histories for appointments, anesthesia monitoring, and basic handling and technical skills.
So, if you see a new face around the clinic, he or she may be a visitor coming to learn about the pets that you love and how to provide them with the best possible care. We enjoy teaching everyone about exotics because educating people about exotic medicine and exotic pet care makes our patients happy and healthy.