Please note that this video includes the activities of the Pre-Vet Internship, Vet Student Externship, and Volunteers. Your program will dictate which of the activities shown in the video that you will participate in. To learn more about each program, please visit the designated page under “Join Us!”.
Veterinary student externship
Vet Student Externship
Our 4 week vet externship is suitable for vet school students. 1st & 2nd year vet students gain valuable practical experience while 3rd & 4th year vet students will also obtain clinical experience and out-rotation credit necessary to graduate from vet school.
Pre veterinary internship
Pre-Vet Internship
Our Pre-Vet Internship is suitable for undergrads and gap year students preparing to apply to vet school. You’ll gain practical experience and establish relationships with our vets for recommendation letters and guidance, helpful for applying to vet school.
The WildSun PVI program was amazing! ... The experience and knowledge I’ve gained in just two weeks was more than I got at my local clinic after a couple of months of shadowing… I 1000000% would recommend this trip to an honest, humble, and dedicated aspiring veterinarian… - Edith, PVI 2026
During my internship I gained knowledge in wildlife medicine like I hadn’t ever before. Being able to practice skills during the lab sessions and connect what I learned in lecture with the clinical cases was amazing. I met amazing people and learned so much from all of the incredible veterinarians on site during my time. - Seth, PVI 2026
I had a wonderful experience at Wild Sun! Living in the rainforest while learning how to care for wildlife was a truly unique opportunity. Studying and gaining skills in a rescue center together with peers enhanced the way I developed my veterinary knowledge over the month. Making new friends from across the United States and spending time with them in tropical Costa Rica was amazing! …I will never forget the summer I worked with Scarlet Macaws, Howler Monkeys, and other wild Costa Rican animals. Thank you Wild Sun! - Dovid, PVI 2025
Wildsun PVI program is a great experience to learn about a wide variety of animals while enjoying the beautiful landscapes of Costa Rica. While there I learned so much and got to meet some amazing people while doing it. - Kailey, PVI 2025
This experience broadened my cultural awareness in so many aspects and opened the door to opportunities I would never have in the United States. - Kendra, PVI 2025
This experience opened my eyes to all the different career paths in veterinary medicine and confirmed my aspirations to be a vet! - Charlotte, PVI 2023
The program allows you to meet many people from different areas and mindsets. To be able to work with different vets and learn their way of thinking is also great for future vets. It was great to go on excursions and field trips to learn about conservation medicine. - Brajae, PVI 2022
You were having fun and having experiences with animals, so it was the best of both worlds. This experience was really amazing. It exceeded my expectations. -Ana Josefa, Extern 2022
Being at Wild Sun Rescue was one of the best experiences of my life! The vets are amazing teachers and I learned more and got to do more in this program than in any of my other vet med experiences. Definitely worth the money. 10/10 -Maria B., PVI 2022
This definitely reaffirmed that this is what I want to do with the rest of my life. -Scottie, PVI 2021
The experience was 100% worth it. Because of the lectures and the hands-on experience I got, I fell in love with my dream of becoming a veterinarian all over again. -Amber, PVI 2020
“As a third-year vet student at UC Davis studying wildlife medicine and I’ve done many different programs, but Wild Sun has by far been my favorite and most rewarding. This externship offers many opportunities to work on handling and clinical skills with many wild species, such as monkeys, birds, small mammals, and reptiles. During my time, I performed triage and intake exams, developed treatment plans, administered medications, cleaned and bandaged wounds, assisted in surgeries, monitored anesthesia, and performed necropsies. If you are interested in wildlife medicine or wildlife rehabilitation I would highly recommend the Wild Sun Veterinary Externship. Not only will you gain valuable veterinary experience, but you have time to explore and enjoy Costa Rica, plus the food is amazing.” -Stephanie, Extern 2019
“It is really hard for me to point out my favorite part of the externship because it was such an amazing experience for me. I absolutely just loved learning so much about the wild life. It still has left me in awe with how much I learned while I was there.” -Isla, PVI 2019
Vet Externship & Pre-Vet Internship
