Graduate veterinarians are eligible to apply for a license to practice. Licensing is controlled by states and provinces, each of which has rules and procedures for legal practice within its own jurisdiction. All require satisfactory completion of the national board examination, and most have other requirements, including additional tests and interviews. Graduate veterinarians may chose to become specialists in a clinical area or to work with particular species. The first step on the path toward specialization is usually internship.
Internships are generally one year programs in either small or large-animal medicine and surgery.
The most prestigious internship programs are at veterinary medical colleges or at very large private veterinary hospitals with board-certified veterinarians on staff. Since internships are usually at large referral centers, interns are exposed to a larger number of challenging cases than they would be likely to see in a smaller private practice. There are 27 veterinary schools located in the United States and 4 located in Canada. Bio 167 Bio 108 Eng.