Louis DiVincenti, DVM, MS, DACLAM, DACAW
Assistant Zoo Director – Animal Care & Conservation

Six-week, funded animal care, clinical veterinary, and research fellowship for pre-vet college students to occur between May and August. The successful applicant will earn $750 per week.

Please note: Housing will be NOT be provided. The successful applicant will be responsible for identifying their own housing. We suggest the Extended Stay America. A car is highly desirable as public transportation is limited.

Familiarize an academically qualified, pre-veterinary college student with exotic animal medicine and conservation by:

• Completing a research project jointly identified between the student and Dr. DiVincenti (10 hours per week)
• Assisting and observing the veterinary staff with implementation of the Zoo’s preventive medicine program including clinical rounds, chemical immobilizations, quarantine procedures, necropsies, diagnostic techniques and surgeries (20 hours per week)
• Rotating through all of the Zoo’s animal care areas and learning husbandry practices for and normal behavior of animals including marine mammals, penguins, primates, elephants, carnivores, birds and reptiles (10 hours per week)

• Gain first-hand experience with research methodologies employed in a Zoo based conservation institution. The student’s final report will be filed in the Zoo Animal Hospital Library.

• Understand important aspects of a preventive medicine program essential for all fields of veterinary medicine.

• Become proficient with routine laboratory diagnostic tests employed at the Zoo hospital.

• Gain a working knowledge of husbandry practices unique to maintaining healthy exotic animals.

• Learn about animal welfare as it relates to the practice of veterinary medicine and management of Zoo animals

• Two years of undergraduate pre-vet studies must be completed by the start date of the program.

• The successful applicant must have at least 100 hours of experience in a traditional companion animal (dog, cat, horse) and/or food animal (cow, pig, sheep) veterinary practice.

• At least a 3.0 GPA

Please note: Applicants are objectively scored and ranked for this highly, competitive position.

The completed application packet consists of the following materials:

• Personal statement including why you are interested and what you would bring to the program
• CV or Resume
• College transcript (unofficial copy is acceptable)
• Completed recommendation form from a veterinarian with whom you have worked

The application process is paperless. The applicant must submit the personal statement, CV or resume, and college transcript in a single email to aabprevet@senecazoo.org. Paper applications will not be reviewed.

Evaluators should submit their recommendation form as a PDF directly to aabprevet@senecazoo.org.

All materials must be submitted by 5 p.m. EST on the second Friday in January. Incomplete or late applications will be disqualified – no exceptions. Be sure your evaluator submits the recommendation form by the deadline to avoid disqualification of your application.

All applicants will be notified of the outcome by the second Friday in February.

Please review the FAQs below for additional information. If you still have questions, you can contact Dr. DiVincenti at louisdivincenti@monroecounty.gov.