Animal Emergency & Referral Associates (AERA) in West Caldwell, New Jersey, has openings for veterinary students in their educational externship program. Our externships provide students with the prospect to rotate through multiple areas to learn how a large referral, multi-specialty hospital functions, see how true collaboration works, and hone your clinical skills.

Program Overview:

Our typical student externship is two weeks long, but we can accommodate a longer stay, depending on availability and your institutional requirements. We accept first- through fourth-year veterinary students and will personalize your experience to your goals, interests, and current skill and comfort levels. You will rotate through each department and participate in daily patient rounds. Our typical weekly work schedule is Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. or from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with evenings or weekends added if you are interested in emergency cases. Our departments currently include:

- Emergency
- ICU and critical care
- Anesthesia and pain management
- Internal medicine
- Surgery
- Radiation oncology

Why choose AERA?

Our student externship program is highly personalized and focused on your needs and goals. We will meet with you before your arrival to discuss what you hope to gain from your experience, and we end your rotation with a case-based discussion to help you assimilate the knowledge you’ve gained. Our team is collaborative and supportive, and each department works closely together, always with the patient’s welfare top of mind. Our facility is one of only a few with a Halcyon linear accelerator, and we also have CT, MRI, and a full rehabilitation suite at our disposal.

West Caldwell,



New Jersey, offers the best of all worlds—we are about an hour away from the beach, the mountains, and New York City. You can relax and enjoy nature during your stay, or visit the city that never sleeps for entertainment, sporting events, cultural attractions, dining, nightlife, and more.

Are you ready for a customized externship experience that will help you reach your educational goals? Apply now

Ethos Veterinary Health, part of the NVA Group, is where you come to practice world-class medicine, and help shape what veterinary care becomes next.

Across our network of 140 specialty and emergency hospitals, science moves forward, standards are elevated, and innovation is put into practice every day. You’ll work alongside respected veterinary leaders in academic-caliber hospitals designed for learning, teaching, and discovery.

Here, mentorship is a two-way street. You’ll share your expertise, learn from others, and continue to grow, clinically, professionally, and personally.

At Ethos, you inspire hope, deliver exceptional care, and pursue veterinary medicine at its highest level, together.

Benefits for this role may include health insurance (medical, dental, vision), retirement benefits, paid time off (including sick leave and vacation), short-term and long-term disability, and life insurance.

Ethos is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Ethos does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental disability, national origin, veteran status or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided based on qualifications, competence, merit, and business need.

📌 Vet Student Externship: Custom Multispecialty Rotation (Fairfield)
🏢 Animal Emergency & Referral Associates (AERA)
📍 Fairfield