AAAP Externship/Internship List

The following companies are willing to host students for preceptorship or summer internship experiences:

Aviagen Externship
Location: Elkmont, AL or Sallisaw, OK or Pikeville, TN
Species: Primary Broiler Breeders
--Externship (1-3 week commitment)
--Paid Externship? No
--Housing Available? Yes
--Deadline to apply: Ongoing
--Contact person: Dr. Regi Onyema at [email protected] or (917) 736-7800
--Other information: Transportation to/from farms and most meals will be provided. Our preceptorship positions are given on a first come, first served basis. Please apply by emailing Dr. Regi Onyema with your CV at least 12-18 months before your visit, as our schedule fills quickly.

BC Ministry of Agriculture - Animal Health Centre
Location: Abbotsford, BC, Canada
--Externship (2-3 week commitment)
--Summer Internship (8 weeks commitment)
--Paid Internship? No
--Housing Available? No
--Deadline to apply: Ongoing
--Contact person: Dr. Victoria Bowes at [email protected]
--Other information: Provincial Vet Lab (AAVLD-accredited) with a strong poultry caseload and exposure to a wide variety of avian, mammalian and fish cases including wildlife, legal and companion animals. Passionate and enthusiastic colleagues in a knowledgeable and encouraging learning environment. 35 hour work week.

Boehringer Ingelheim
Location: United States—multiple locations
--Externship (2-3 week commitment)
--Housing Available? Yes
--Deadline to apply: Ongoing
--Contact person: Dr. Roy Jacob at [email protected]
--Other information: Housing at local hotel, meals provided

Butterball
Location: Goldsboro, NC
Species: Turkeys
--Externship 1-2 weeks only
--Summer Internship—ask about availability
--Paid Internship? No
--Housing Available? No
--Deadline to apply: Ongoing
--Contact person: Dr. Eric Orozco at [email protected]

Cargill
Location: Arkansas (1 week) and Virginia (1 week)
Species: Turkeys
--Externship (2-3 week commitment)
--Housing Available? Yes
--Deadline to apply: Ongoing
--Contact person: Dr. Brian Wooming at [email protected]
--Other information: Most meals and housing provided

CEVA Animal Health
Location: United States—multiple locations
--Externship (2-3 week commitment)
--Can also host a student for less than 2 weeks
--Housing Available? Yes
--Deadline to apply: Ongoing
--Contact person: Dr. Kelli Jones at [email protected]
--Other information: Meals, lodging and possibly travel costs covered

Cobb-Vantress, Inc
Location: Primarily NW Arkansas, but other southeast state locations are possible.
Species: Primary broiler-breeders
--Externship (2-3 week commitment)
--Summer Internship** (8 weeks commitment)
--Paid Internship? Yes
--Housing Available? Yes
--Deadline to apply: Ongoing (for preceptorships)
--Contact person: Dr. Bret Rings at [email protected] (for preceptorships)
--Other information: Typically lunch and breakfast are provided for preceptorships.
**Summer internships are available, but students need to contact Cobb's HR group (Gail Stickney at [email protected]) to apply and students are interviewed at IPPE in Atlanta.

Cutler Associates International
Location: California
Species: Egg layer chickens, broiler chickens, turkeys, ducks, pigeons
--Externship (2-3 week commitment)
--Summer Internship (8 weeks commitment)
--Other preceptorship lengths available by mutual agreement
--Paid Internship? No
--Housing Available? Yes
--Deadline to apply: Ongoing
--Contact person: Dr. Gregg Cutler at [email protected]
--Other information: Housing may be available. You will be well fed.

-OR-

Dr. Mark Bland (Cutler Associates International)
Location: Napa, CA
--Externship—2 weeks only
--Housing Available? Yes
--Deadline to apply: Ongoing
--Contact person: Dr. Mark Bland at [email protected]
--Other information: Students need to contact Dr. Bland a year plus in advance, as space fills up quickly! Meals, pick up and drop off from airport will be provided. Dr. Bland works with all poultry species (layers, turkeys, broilers, ducks, squab (pigeons) both as commercial and breeders. Depending on the client and client needs, some work will involve processing plants and hatcheries. Students will receive lots of hand-on training.
There will be long days (12 hours +) and short days. There will be some extensive travel, mostly by vehicle (California is a very big state). Students will be responsible for covering hotel and air travel costs. Hotels normally range from $65.00 to 120.00+ per night (Best Western). Dr. Bland will do his best to keep this at a minimum, as well as work with your arrival and departure schedule if we visit clients outside of California. When not traveling overnight, you will stay with Dr. Bland’s family as his guest. Dr. Bland will cover meal expenses.

Elanco Animal Health
Location: Mostly in southeastern US. 7 states covered.
--Shadowing/Externship (2-3 days at a time)
--Housing Available? Yes
--Deadline to apply: January 1st
--Contact person: Dr. Francene Van Sambeek at [email protected]
--Other information: All hotels and meals will be covered when traveling with Elanco. This is a good opportunity to experience the life of an allied poultry veterinarian!

Farbest Foods, Inc.
Location: Jasper, IN
Species: Turkeys
--Externship (2-3 week commitment)
--Housing Available? Yes
--Deadline to apply: Ongoing
--Contact person: Dr. Duane Murphy at [email protected]

Huvepharma
Location: United States—multiple locations
--Externship (2-3 week commitment)
--Housing Available? Yes
--Deadline to apply: Ongoing
--Contact person: Dr. David Smith at [email protected]
--Other information: Lodging and meals while traveling with Huvepharma employees will be provided

Hybrid Turkeys
Location: Kansas, Nebraska, Minnesota
Species: Turkeys
--Externship (2-3 week commitment)
--Summer Internship (8 weeks commitment)
--Paid Internship? No
--Housing Available? Yes
--Deadline to apply: Ongoing
--Contact person: Dr. Marion Garcia at [email protected]
--Other information: Transportation, lodging, and meals will be covered. We would look to develop a project with defined goals with the student to undertake. We would expect a presentation to the appropriate entities within Hybrid at the end of the project.

Hy-Line, NA
Location: Des Moines, IA
Species: Primary breeders-egg-layers
--Externship (2-3 week commitment)
--Housing Available? Yes
--Deadline to apply: Ongoing
--Contact person: Dr. Bernie Beckman at [email protected]
--Other information: Housing provided

Jennie-O Turkey Store
Location: Willmar, MN; Wadena, MN; Faribault, MN; and Barron, WI
Species: Turkeys
--Externship (2-3 week commitment)
--Housing Available? Possibly
--Deadline to apply: Ongoing
--Contact person: Ashley Poissant at [email protected]
--Other information: Housing usually available at the supporting veterinarian's home(s).

Lincoln Premium Poultry
Location: Fremont, NE
Species: Broiler chickens
--Externship (2-3 week commitment)
--Summer Internship (8-10 week commitment)
--Shadowing
--Paid Internship? Yes
--Housing Available? No
--Deadline to apply: April 1st
--Contact person: Dr. Luke Baldwin at [email protected]
--Other information: Company vehicle, overtime, research experience, and on-the-job training

Michael Foods, Inc.
Location: Wakefield, NE
Species: Egg layer chickens
--Externship (2-3 week commitment)
--Summer Internship (8 weeks commitment)
--Paid Internship? Yes
--Housing Available? Yes
--Deadline to apply: Ongoing
--Please apply using this link: https://jobs.postholdings.com/michael-foods/jobs/14476?lang=en-us
--Contact person: Dr. Julie Kelly at [email protected]
--Other information: Housing provided as available, lunch provided, most transportation available

Merck Animal Health
Location: United States – location varies by supporting host
--Summer internship (4-12 week commitment)
--Housing provided by host
--Deadline to apply: December 1st
--Contact person: Dr. Emma Castillo at [email protected]
--Other information: Geared towards 1st and 2nd year veterinary students interested in poultry. Students are paired with a leading poultry company for the summer and undertake a project.

Merck Animal Health
Location: United States—multiple locations
--Externship (2-3 week commitment)
--Housing Available? No
--Deadline to apply: May 1st
--Contact person: Dr. Andres Montoya at [email protected]
--Other information: Meals, transportation, hotels provided

Mississippi State University
Location: Pearl, MS
--Preceptorship (2-3 week commitment)
--Housing Available? Yes
--Deadline to apply: November 15th
--Contact person: Dr. Martha Pulido Landinez at [email protected]
--Other information: Students must provide their meals and transportation (public transportation is not available). Free of charge room could be shared with another student.

North Carolina State University
Location: Raleigh, NC
--Preceptorship—2 weeks only
--Housing Available? No
--Deadline to apply: Ongoing
--Contact person: Dr. Isabel Gimeno at [email protected]
--Other information: Opportunity to participate in research, teaching activities, and more!

Perdue Foods LLC
Location: Washington IN
Species: Turkeys and broiler chickens
--Externship—1 week only
--Housing Available? Yes
--Deadline to apply: Ongoing
--Contact person: Dr. Dave Hermes at [email protected]
--Other information: Lunch and motel lodging provided

Penn State Animal Diagnostic Lab
Location: University Park, PA
--Externship (2-3 week commitment)
--Housing Available? No
--Deadline to apply: Ongoing
--Contact person: Dr. Megan Lighty at [email protected] or 814-863-0837
--Other information: Transportation available while at facility. This preceptorship will be at the diagnostic lab; possibility for some farm visits.

Phibro Animal Health Corp.
Location: Watkinsville, GA
--Summer Internship (8 weeks commitment)
--Paid Internship? Yes
--Housing Available? Yes
--Deadline to apply: May 31st
--Contact person: Dr. Luis Gomez at [email protected]
--Other information: Interview mandatory for candidates. Meals, weekday lodging provided.

Prestage Farms
Location: Clinton, NC
Species: Turkeys
--Externship (2-3 week commitment)
--Housing Available? No
--Deadline to apply: Ongoing
--Contact person: Dr. Claude Hebron at [email protected]
--Other information: Some meals provided. Students will get lots of hands-on experience!

Select Genetics
Location: Willmar, MN or Aurora, MO or Wadesboro, NC
Species: Turkeys
--Externship—1 week only
--Housing Available? Yes
--Deadline to apply: Ongoing
--Contact person: Dr. Ben Wileman at [email protected]
--Other information: Housing and most meals provided.

UC Davis, CAHFS Turlock Diagnostic Lab
Location: Turlock, CA
--Externship (2-3 week commitment)
--Housing Available? No
--Deadline to apply: December 1st
--Contact person: Dr. Simone Stoute at [email protected]
--Other information: Mainly commercial poultry necropsy and diagnostic experience with some opportunities for field visits with California poultry vets.

University of Georgia—Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center (PDRC)
Location: Athens, GA
--Externship (2-3 week commitment)
--Housing Available? Yes
--Deadline to apply: Ongoing
--Contact person: Dr. Karen Grogan at [email protected]
--Other information: Free housing on site (first come, first serve). Transportation can be arranged once in Athens.

USDA Agricultural Research Service, U.S. National Poultry Research Center, Endemic Poultry Viral Diseases Research Unit
Location: Athens, GA
-Externship (2-3 week commitment)
--Summer Internship (8 weeks commitment)
--Paid Internship? No
--Housing Available? No
--Deadline to apply: Ongoing
--Contact person: Dr. Cari Hearn at [email protected]
--Other information: Visitation: Laboratory, layers

Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
Location: Harrisonburg, VA
--Externship (2-3 week commitment)
--Housing Available? Yes
--Deadline to apply: Ongoing
--Contact person: Dr. Jessica Walters at [email protected]
--Other information: Housing available for a low fee

Wilson Veterinary Co.
Location: Midwestern US (Indianapolis, NW Iowa, Southern MN)
Species: Egg layer chickens, ducks
--Externship (2-3 week commitment)
--Shadowing (1-2 days)
--Housing Available? Possible housing available depending on the veterinarian you are with. Farm visits that require hotel stays due to multiple days away from an office location will need to be covered by the student. 
--Deadline to apply: Jan 1st
--Contact person: Dr. Michaela Olson at [email protected]
--Other information: Lunches provided, some dinners. 95% commercial egg layers, 5% commercial meat duck work.

Zoetis
Location: United States—multiple locations
--Externship (2-3 week commitment)
--Will also host Avian Medicine Externs
--Housing Available? No
--Deadline to apply: Ongoing
--Contact person: Dr. Jon Schaeffer at [email protected]

To add your company to the AAAP Externship/Internship list, please contact the AAAP office at [email protected].