Wildlife Hospital Internships

Qualifications and Desired Characteristics

• Strong work ethic and animal care background
• Good team player with a positive attitude
• Ability to work in a fast paced and stressful environment
• Punctual to shifts and able to follow through with assigned tasks
• Must be able to lift 50 lbs and willing to perform moderately strenuous tasks in varying weather conditions
• Ideal candidates want to pursue wildlife work as a career through veterinary schooling or local wildlife centers
• Must be able to learn in a hands-on setting and keep up with all assigned reading and quizzes

Expectations and Responsibilities

Educational Material / Homework

• • All full-time interns will receive a copy of the National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association (NWRA) Manual. Part-time interns will be loaned a manual for the duration of their internship. This manual is an excellent resource for Wildlife Rehabilitators but please keep in mind that your work in the hospital will not always align with the layout of the manual since we function as an emergency hospital and every day is different.
• • A workbook of quizzes that correspond to the NWRA manual will also be provided and interns are expected to complete these throughout the duration of the internship. Quizzes should be turned in to Juliana Sorem.
• • Interns must attend monthly Share Sessions and present on different wildlife medicine topics they have researched. Share Sessions are hosted once a month via Zoom. Each intern will present a brief 5-10 minute PowerPoint on a topic of their choice (previous topics have included: Avian Anatomy, Sudden Finch Death, Distemper Virus, and Enrichment for Wildlife). Feel free to talk with a staff member for ideas or if you have questions. For the final Share Session each intern will give an overview of their intern project.
• • Each full-time intern will carry out an intern project to provide independent learning around a specific topic in wildlife rehabilitation. These projects are created with the supervision of a Senior Medical Staff member and benefit the hospital. This project must be approved by Melanie Piazza or Juliana Sorem. Examples of previous projects include: Housing Set up for Songbirds, Squirrel Foster Care Guide, Common Diseases/Ailments of Songbird Patients, Hospital Release Guide. Projects must be completed by the conclusion of the internship.
• • A final exam will be given at the completion of each intern’s session on their final shift. The exam is based on a combination of the intern manual contents and experience gained working in the hospital.

  Skills to Be Acquired

  • Proper disinfection protocols for caging, enclosures, laundry, and dishes depending on species and illness/injury
• • Extensive nutritional information for proper diet preparation and administration based on species, age, and injury/illness
• • Wildlife restraint and handling for various mammals, birds, and reptiles
• • Ability to complete intake exams thoroughly and independently
• • Common splinting and wing wrap techniques based on fracture type and species
• • Ability to prepare and run diagnostics such as radiographs, bloodwork, and fecals and properly interpret their results
• • Ability to calculate proper medication dosages based on species, weight, and concentration
• • Ability to administer medications PO (orally), SQ (subcutaneously), IV (intravenously), and IM (intramuscularly)
• • Ability to monitor anesthesia and providing supplemental oxygen or emergency medications as needed
• • Basic hospital skills such as: autoclaving, centrifuge care, preparing surgical packs, preparing and sending samples off site, and restocking supplies

  Requirements

  • Interns must complete all paperwork prior to their first shift
  • Must commit to working 24/40 hours per week in the hospital
  • Timecards for full-time interns must be submitted and approved by Juliana Sorem every 2 weeks
  • Excellent attendance and punctuality is expected
  • The radiology training must be completed and requires a passing score
  • Quizzes must be completed as outlined in the workbook; these will be reviewed and discussed with medical staff each week
  • Interns must attend a Share Session via Zoom once each month to present on different medical or husbandry topics of interest and create an open floor for discussions
  • The final exam must be completed and receive a passing score

  All 288 hours or 480 hours (depending on the part time/full time slot) must be completed by the end of the program. If a shift is missed, the intern is responsible for coordinating a makeup shift.

  Steps to Becoming a Hospital Intern

  • Complete the online application
  • Complete an interview with WildCare Medical Staff
  • If accepted, agree to the terms and time commitments of the program by completing a commitment contract prior to the first shift
  • Return all necessary paperwork prior to the first shift