How many surgeries can interns participate in?

Because it is impossible to predict how many emergencies requiring surgery will occur over the course of your time with AWS, we can’t make any promises as to how many surgeries you will be able to assist with or witness. In order to qualify for assisting with surgery, we will look at how many years of study you have completed, the status of your degree, the complexity of the surgery and your level of competence.

Are there opportunities to help outside the clinic?

While the veterinary internship’s primary duties revolve around the clinic, vet interns will be expected to assist throughout the rehabilitation center and sanctuary.

How many participants are accepted at once?

Because of the size of our clinic and the typical workload, we do not accept more than two vet interns at any given time.

Do interns assist with night shifts for sick or orphaned animals?

While this depends on the animals we will be treating during your visit, it is likely that vet interns will be asked to feed or medicate sick/orphaned animals throughout the night once a week.

Veterinary Internship

by Alturas Wildlife Sanctuary

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Program Overview

It is our goal to allow our interns to grow in the direction of their interests and work towards their long-term goals. Will be expected to shadow veterinary staff and assist with the daily running of the center. We require that applicants are studying or have graduated from a veterinary-related field and have clinical experience. Common Experiences: Interns for one month: Feeding neonate and juvenile animals Assisting and observing animal emergencies and triage Observing surgeries Observing and learning about necropsies (may be qualified to perform necropsies) Loading syringes and administering medications to animals Assisting with animal husbandry Preparing diet and nutritional needs Record keeping Collecting browse and leaves for the animals Taking part in educational lectures/worksh...

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Program Highlights

Assist with feeding, husbandry, and medical care for neonate, juvenile, and adult animals.

Observe surgeries, triage emergencies, and learn necropsy procedures, with opportunities to perform independent tasks for longer-term interns.

Gain experience in administering medications, fluid therapy, bandaging, catheter insertion, and suturing under professional supervision.

Prepare diets, collect browse and leaves, and support animal enrichment programs to promote health and wellbeing.

Participate in lectures, workshops, and independent projects to deepen knowledge in veterinary care, wildlife medicine, and conservation.

What's Included

Accommodation / Housing for Program Duration

All Program Activity Costs

Wifi Costs

Weekday Meals (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Weekend Meals (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Quick Details

Location

Dominical, Costa Rica

Starts AtContact Provider for Cost Details

Availability

Intern Duration:

Summer
Winter
Short Term
Spring
1-3 Months

Age Requirement18+

Types & Subjects

Fields:

Zoology & Wildlife Sciences

GuidelinesAll Nationalities

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Updated Mar 30, 2026

Program Details

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Locations

Dominical, Costa Rica

Available Terms / Availability

Intern Duration: Summer, Winter, Short Term, Spring, 1-3 Months, 3-6 Months, Fall

Eligible Nationalities

All Nationalities
This Program is also open to Solo

Education Levels & Language

Language: Spanish
Language: English
Education: University Freshman (1st Year)
Education: University Sophomore (2nd Year)

Accommodation Options

Apartment/Flat
Group living
Independent living

Application Procedures

Phone/Video Interview
Online Application

Age Requirement

18+

Duration

Summer, Winter, Short Term, Spring, 1-3 Months, 3-6 Months, Fall

Starts At

Contact Provider for Cost Details

Salary & Compensation

No Salary

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Get answers to all the most common questions about Alturas Wildlife Sanctuary.

While Spanish language skills are a definite plus, applicants must be fluent in English in order to qualify.

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Veterinary Internship

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