• Length: March – October
• Commitment: Two 6-hour shifts per week
• Bluebird pin (50 hours) preferred but not required
• Supervisor: AWARE Medical Team
  
• Application Deadline: TBD in March 2026

 

About the Internship

The Wildlife Triage Team Internship is an immersive opportunity to learn the medical side of wildlife rehabilitation. This program is ideal for volunteers who are curious about veterinary medicine, wildlife medicine, or considering applying to veterinary school. Interns work closely with the Director of Animal Care and AWARE’s Medical Leads to help manage incoming patients and prepare them for treatment and rehabilitation. While this internship is unpaid and you may not always work directly with our veterinarian, you will gain extensive hands-on experience in the daily medical processes that support wildlife patients from the moment they arrive.

What You’ll Do

As a part of the Triage Team, you will assist with:

• Processing wildlife intakes and gathering case histories
• Participating in patient intake exams and triage
• Preparing animals for their stay in rehabilitation
• Calculating and administering medications
• Learning basic pharmacology principles
• Performing safe wildlife restraint techniques
• Assisting with wound management and therapy
• Bandaging and splinting injuries
• Turtle shell repair techniques
• Physical therapy and other rehabilitation support tasks
• Gain management experience by helping direct and support the Medical Interns.

This internship includes four continuing education workshops designed to build practical medical skills used in wildlife care:

• Injections
• Pharmacology
• Splinting & Bandaging
• Suturing & Necropsy

These workshops provide additional opportunities to practice techniques and deepen your understanding of wildlife medical care.

Veterinary Admissions Info

All hours are performed under the direct supervision of licensed rehabbers and under the oversight of our Director of Veterinary Medicine, and intern hours are typically considered "vet experience" by vet school admissions departments.

Why Apply?

If you’re interested in the medical side of wildlife rehabilitation, this internship offers a rare chance to build real-world clinical skills, work closely with experienced wildlife professionals, and gain valuable experience for careers in veterinary medicine, wildlife medicine, or rehabilitation. Interns also gain access to an online classroom that teaches you and gives you access to resources on the fundamentals of wildlife medicine

How to Apply

To apply, complete the combined internship application below and select this internship among any other(s) you want to be considered for. The combined application allows you to apply for any of AWARE's internships that require previous experience at AWARE. Because these internships are competitive, we strongly encourage applicants to select and rank several internships they are interested in. If you are not selected for your top choice, you may still be considered for other internships you ranked.