I am a current high school senior, am I eligible to participate in the Veterinary Summer Experience Program?
Yes. Applicants should be a current junior or senior at the time of application submission.
I have another activity (vacation, camp, etc.) scheduled during the 6 weeks of the Veterinary Summer Experience Program, am I still eligible to participate?
No. Participants must commit to working 40 hours per week during each week of the 6-week program. Students who cannot fulfill the requirement due to other obligations should not apply. Exceptions will only be made for high school graduates needing to attend freshman orientation programs at their respective college or university. No other exceptions will be granted. Program staff take this requirement very seriously because students who cannot fulfill program obligations deny other students the opportunity to participate. Even if accepted, students who have unexcused absences will be dismissed from the program.
Am I allowed to have my car on campus during the week in Knoxville?
Participants are discouraged from bringing cars to campus. Program staff will provide all needed transportation during the on-campus week. In cases where no alternatives exist, students who bring cars must give their car keys to program staff immediately upon check-in to the dormitory. Students bringing cars to campus may incur parking fees.
Is there a cost to participate in the Veterinary Summer Experience Program?
No. Students selected to participate in the Veterinary Summer Experience Program will receive a stipend for their participation. Students will receive approximately four biweekly direct deposit payments. The rate of compensation will be $7.25 per hour.
What are the room and board arrangements for program participants?
During the first five weeks of the program, participants will live at home. During the last week of the program, students will come to Knoxville as guests of the College of Veterinary Medicine. During this week, they will live in University housing and eat in a university dining hall. Room and board will be provided at no cost to the student.
I already work with a veterinarian, am I still required to list three potential internship sites?
If veterinarian(s) where you currently work will agree to serve as your internship host(s), you can list only the name of the veterinarian(s) and the clinic where you work on your application. If this arrangement cannot be completed, you will be asked to help identify alternative internship sites.
How many students will be selected to participate in this year's Veterinary Summer Experience Program?
We will select 12 program participants. Last year we received over 150 applications.
When will applicants be notified of their status?
All applicants will be notified of their status via email on or before April 30, 2016. Please do not contact our office regarding your application status prior to this time.
Should I call the Office of Diversity regarding the program or my application status?Due to the number of applications we receive, the Office of Diversity cannot answer individual phone calls regarding the program or applicant status. An email account (
vetsummer@utk.edu) has been established to allow you to communicate with program staff. All emails will receive a timely response.
Are all students required to live in University Housing during the final week of the program?
Yes. The residential experience is a significant part of the Veterinary Summer Experience Program.