University of Saskatchewan

What you'll study

This programme centres on intensive clinical training across large animal species, typically including cattle (dairy and beef), horses, camelids and small ruminants. The curriculum combines day‑to‑day case management in the veterinary teaching hospital and ambulatory services with structured teaching sessions.

• Clinical rotations: medicine, surgery, reproduction/obstetrics, anaesthesia, emergency and critical care, ambulatory field work and herd health.
• Diagnostic skills: advanced use and interpretation of imaging (radiography, ultrasonography), laboratory diagnostics, and herd-level epidemiology.
• Procedural competencies: surgical techniques, lameness diagnosis/management, reproductive procedures, endoscopy and critical care procedures under supervision.
• Didactic components: case rounds, journal clubs, grand rounds, and species‑specific seminars covering evidence‑based medicine, client communication, ethics and practice management.
• Assessment and professional development: clinical performance evaluations, case logs, objective structured clinical assessments or equivalent tools, and opportunities to undertake a small scholarly or quality improvement project depending on programme structure.

Entry requirements

Applicants are normally expected to hold a veterinary degree (DVM/DVSc or equivalent) from an accredited institution and to be eligible for veterinary licensure in the relevant Canadian jurisdiction. Relevant recent clinical experience and demonstrated interest in large animal practice strengthen an application.

• Official veterinary degree and transcripts from the awarding institution.
• Proof of eligibility for provincial veterinary registration or a clear plan to obtain temporary clinical registration if required.
• A current résumé/CV highlighting clinical experience, particularly in large animal medicine.
• Professional references, typically including at least one clinical supervisor or instructor.
• Evidence of up‑to‑date immunisations and compliance with occupational health requirements for clinical work.

Career prospects

Graduates use the internship to consolidate practical skills and build case experience that supports a range of career paths. Common next steps include:

• Applying to residency programmes in large animal specialties (medicine, surgery, theriogenology, ambulatory medicine) where internship experience is often a prerequisite.
• Entering or advancing in ambulatory farm animal practice or equine practice with enhanced confidence in complex case management.
• Working in referral hospitals or mixed animal practices where advanced clinical skills and referral case experience are valued.
• Pursuing roles in livestock industry advisory positions, government animal health, or continuing into clinical academia and teaching.

Why study at University of Saskatchewan

The University of Saskatchewan’s veterinary programme is delivered through the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, which offers a large animal caseload and a strong focus on food animal and rural veterinary practice. Trainees benefit from a teaching hospital with integrated ambulatory services, close links to regional livestock producers and industry, and faculty with expertise across species and disciplines.

Clinical interns gain extensive on‑farm exposure in a province with a significant agricultural sector, access to multidisciplinary clinical rounds and research collaborations, and opportunities to work with referral cases that broaden diagnostic and procedural competence.