ICYMI: While many zoos offer internships for students after they've graduated, Reid Park Zoo officials aren't aware of any other program that offers this type of experience for doctoral students.
Caitlin Schmidt On a recent Wednesday, University of Arizona student Chantal Lesmeister shoveled rhinoceros poop, helped conduct a behavioral study on Chilean flamingos, learned about giraffe nutrition, evaluated bloodwork on an elephant and performed a physical exam on a ferret.Lesmeister is one of three UA veterinary students who will spend a month learning and getting hands-on experience working with exotic animals, thanks to a one-of-a-kind internship at the Reid Park Zoo.
With this year being the first year of the school’s third-year curriculum, the zoo internship program is still in its early stages, with the first cycle of students coming through in August. Two to three students rotate through at a time, with the small group size giving each intern ample opportunities to practice skills and work closely with zoo veterinarians and animal behavior specialist.
“It’s an experience you won’t get anywhere else in veterinary medicine,” she said."Them getting to rotate through and see what I do on a daily basis really helps them decide if this is something they can do realistically. Zoo animal medicine is very different than dog and cat.” In the first three days, the three students had already assisted with physical exams on the zoo’s squirrel monkeys, including x-rays, ultrasounds, blood draws, vaccinations and administering nasal COVID-19 tests. They also learned about behavioral training with the zoo’s herd of elephants. Intern Lesmeister said being so close and personal with the majestic animals made her a little teary-eyed.
“We’re a new college, but we’re also incredibly innovative in how we approach veterinary medicine,” Funk said. “I’m so excited and so grateful for our partnerships with Arizona businesses and the Reid Park Zoo for providing these great opportunities for our students.”
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