Internship Fields
Work Alongside Veterinary Experts in Spain, Latin America & Scotland
If you’re serious about a career in veterinary medicine, you already know that hands-on clinical experience is everything. But immersive, real-world animal care is almost impossible to find at home, and that’s exactly what Adelante’s veterinary internships abroad deliver.
Adelante offers some of the most diverse and hands-on veterinary internship experiences available. Past interns have assisted in emergency surgeries at a veterinary hospital in Edinburgh, rehabilitated injured marine turtles on the coast of Uruguay, shadowed a traveling equine veterinarian in the highlands of Ecuador, and worked with vet teams at city zoos and animal shelters across Spain and Latin America.
Placements are currently available across six destinations: Scotland, Spain (Madrid, Barcelona, Seville), Uruguay, Ecuador, and Mexico. Whether you’re a pre-vet student building your application, a vet student completing clinical hours, or a recent graduate looking for international animal care experience, Adelante has a placement that fits your goals, species interests, and timeline.
Veterinary school is competitive, and international clinical experience is one of the most powerful differentiators you can bring to your application. Here’s why pre-vet and vet students pursue veterinary internships abroad:
Adelante’s placements put you inside real clinical settings from the day you start your internship: surgeries, ER shifts, diagnostics, treatments, and direct animal care that goes far beyond observation.
International placements expose you to animals and clinical environments that are difficult to access at home. Past interns have worked with horses, marine turtles, zoo animals, and exotic wildlife, building a versatile and well-rounded veterinary profile.
General veterinary across multiple destinations, specialized equine veterinary in Ecuador, and a rigorous summer clinic program in Scotland. Each offers a meaningfully different experience.
Working in Spanish-speaking clinical environments develops professional Spanish skills that are genuinely valued in a field serving increasingly diverse communities.
Most Adelante interns receive academic credit through their home university, with full documentation support from our team.
These placements are open to pre-veterinary students, veterinary students, recent graduates, and anyone with a strong interest in animal care and veterinary medicine. A basic to intermediate level of Spanish is helpful for most Spanish and Latin American placements. The Scotland Observation and Research Veterinary program is conducted in English.
Adelante’s veterinary placements offer a different experience and clinical environment. Here’s what to expect from each:
General veterinary placements are available across multiple destinations and cover a wide range of animal care contexts.
In Uruguay, interns work at city zoos and take part in one of Adelante’s most extraordinary placements: tagging and rehabilitating injured marine turtles on the Uruguayan coast, a rare and unforgettable conservation experience.
In Spain, candidates can intern at animal shelters in Madrid, Barcelona, and Seville, as well as at the Madrid Zoo Aquarium.
In Mexico, small animal clinic placements provide hands-on experience with domestic animals.
In Ecuador, interns work with street animals at a modern, fully equipped animal clinic in Quito. Across all cities, placements with local non-profits focused on animal rights and species preservation are also available.
For students and recent graduates who are interested in equine veterinary internships, Adelante offers a specialized placement in Quito, Ecuador, where they shadow a traveling equine veterinarian and work directly alongside him in all aspects of his practice. Day-to-day work includes vaccinations, dental work, emergency surgeries, parasite control, wound cleaning, vitamin injections, health checkups, and assisting with smaller surgical procedures. As the veterinarian travels between locations, interns may join him at animal rescue centers and shelters to provide care for additional animals. It is an immersive and hands-on equine vet experience that is virtually impossible to arrange independently.
Each summer, Adelante offers one of its most competitive placements: a rigorous 5-week veterinary clinic and hospital internship in Edinburgh, Scotland, accepting only 2–4 candidates per year. This program is not for the faint-hearted. It includes 24-hour ER work, observation in operating theatres, exposure to state-of-the-art laboratories, orthopedic surgeries, and major and minor procedures on dogs, cats, and exotic species. Interns may observe tumor removals and the use of ultrasound, endoscopy, and radiology. Work assignments run four to five days per week, about seven hours per day. Accepted candidates gain an international clinical perspective working alongside a respected Scottish team of vet surgeons and nurses. Apply early as this program fills every year.
Destinations
Spain
Madrid offers placements at the city's renowned Zoo Aquarium and local animal shelters, giving interns exposure to both exotic animal care in a zoological setting and the rewarding day-to-day work of domestic animal welfare.
Spain
Barcelona offers placements at animal shelters for veterinary interns, providing hands-on, community-based animal care experience. Interns take part in direct clinical work while living in one of Spain’s most dynamic and international cities.
Spain
Seville offers animal shelter placements focused on hands-on veterinary care within a strong community setting. Interns gain direct clinical experience while living in a culturally rich, traditional Spanish environment.
Edinburgh, Scotland offers a highly immersive veterinary internship experience, where interns work alongside experienced professionals in a clinical setting and gain exposure to a wide range of veterinary procedures, patient care, and animal treatment.
Latin America
Ecuador offers one of the most distinctive and hands-on veterinary internships in our entire portfolio. Placements provide limited access to veterinary services, allowing interns to make a genuine community impact while building clinical skills.
Latin America
Uruguay offers two extraordinary veterinary experiences: tagging and rehabilitating injured marine turtles on the Uruguayan coast, a standout conservation placement, and internships at city zoos in Punta del Este and Montevideo.
Latin America
In Oaxaca, Mexico, interns work at small-animal clinics, providing care for domestic pets and community animals.
Programs
Barcelona
Intern in Barcelona with housing, placement, and language classes included. Guaranteed placements across 30+ fields, programs starting monthly.
Madrid
Intern in Madrid with housing, placement, and language classes included. Guaranteed placements across 30+ fields, programs starting monthly.
Seville
Intern in Seville with housing, placement, and language classes included. Guaranteed placements across 30+ fields, programs starting monthly.
Quito – Ambato
Intern in Ecuador with housing, placement, and language classes included. Guaranteed placements across multiple fields; programs start monthly.
Montevideo – Punta del Este
Intern in Uruguay with housing, placement, and language classes included. Build your resume while living in Montevideo or Punta del Este.
Oaxaca
Volunteer or intern in Oaxaca, Mexico across a range of fields. Affordable programs with housing included and flexible durations from 2 to 6+ months.
Edinburgh
Apply for an Observation and Research program in Scotland with assignments in Psychology, Ecology, Veterinary, Speech Pathology, and more.
What’s included
Both our Internship Abroad and Study Abroad Programs are among the most affordable you’ll find. Explore a new country and gain meaningful internship experience that makes a difference, without being limited by your budget.
Enjoy your own private room in a shared city-center apartment, conveniently located near your placement, local life, and weekend adventures.
You’ll receive a signed contract from your host organization before you arrive. We have placed 100% of our candidates in one of their requested fields and stand behind that with a guarantee.
Your Adelante director builds your placement around your background, interests, Spanish proficiency level, and areas of interest. No cookie-cutter placements.
We help you identify and articulate the skills you’ve built abroad, an essential step in translating impactful international work into language that resonates on your resume, in interviews, and on graduate school applications.
Nearly every Adelante intern who needed academic credit has received it. We provide full documentation and can work with your home institution to meet their requirements.
How to apply
Fill out our simple online application. There is no fee to apply, and it takes only a few minutes to get started.
Eligible candidates receive a link to schedule a free, first assessment interview by phone or Google Meet.
We’ll learn about your background, areas of interest, Spanish level, and goals so we can start building the right placement for you.
In real time or within 1–2 business days, you will receive your interview results by email. Successful candidates receive an acceptance letter with clear next steps.
Confirm your spot within one week of acceptance with a $325 confirmation fee. This means there is no tire-kicking, and you are committed to going abroad. A second interview and full placement details follow soon after.
Once confirmed, you will receive a comprehensive Pre-Departure Information Packet with everything you need to prepare for your time abroad, including visa guidance if required, along with cultural prep.
Reviews
Read what past interns, students and volunteers say about their time abroad with Adelante.
University of Guelph
Veterinary · Ecuador
My two months in Ecuador was an incredible experience! I lived in Quito with an Ecuadorian family and completed 2 weeks of Spanish Language classes before beginning a 6-week placement at a veterinary clinic. Not only did I gain incredible skills and knowledge from my work…
My two months in Ecuador was an incredible experience! I lived in Quito with an Ecuadorian family and completed 2 weeks of Spanish Language classes before beginning a 6-week placement at a veterinary clinic. Not only did I gain incredible skills and knowledge from my work placement that I can apply towards veterinary school in Canada, but I was also able to travel around Ecuador and get to know its culture and people. My main goal out of this experience was to learn to speak another language. I came to Ecuador with some basic Spanish but being immersed in it every day, both at home with my host family and at work, allowed me to accomplish this goal. I met so many amazing people during my time in Ecuador and I am so thankful for this amazing experience!
University of Kentucky
Veterinary · Scotland
I had such an amazing time here and I am so sad that it is time to leave! The relationships I made at my veterinary placement as well as with the other students through Adelante have all been wonderful! I learned so much and all of the staff were so amazing! I got so much…
I had such an amazing time here and I am so sad that it is time to leave! The relationships I made at my veterinary placement as well as with the other students through Adelante have all been wonderful! I learned so much and all of the staff were so amazing! I got so much hands-on experience and it was so amazing to have such a large role at the hospital!
Washington State University
Veterinary · Scotland
I really enjoyed my time as an intern through Adelante Abroad. I spent six weeks living in Edinburgh, Scotland, where I spent most of my week participating in research on pig behavior. I major in animal science, and I just applied to veterinary school, so this internship was very…
I really enjoyed my time as an intern through Adelante Abroad. I spent six weeks living in Edinburgh, Scotland, where I spent most of my week participating in research on pig behavior. I major in animal science, and I just applied to veterinary school, so this internship was very helpful in preparing me for my future career as well as my vet application. I also had such a fun time in [Edinburgh] There was so much history and I feel that I got to see, experience, and learn so much during my time there.
We have 2 types of veterinary programs. One is an Observation and Research Veterinary program in Scotland and is only offered in Summer for 5 weeks. This is an intensive program where students will work with veterinary professionals for 40 hours a week. The other vet programs we offer are Veterinary internships in Spanish speaking countries where you can get hands on experience and improve your resume during a 2 month or longer program.
Getting a veterinary internship abroad is easy and straightforward. All you need to do is apply for a vet internship with our free online application and get on our calendar for your initial phone or video chat with our program director. You will send us a resume with past veterinary experience and we will review your application and resume with you. Once you are accepted into our international programs, we will begin our search for a company that matches the veterinary sector.
Absolutely! The past interns who have completed a veterinary program with us get experience that they don’t get anywhere else. These past candidates go on to apply for vet school or other animal related careers and easily improve their resume with the experience they had abroad.
No, all of our internships are unpaid as we are not an employment agency and to comply with in country labor laws. We place students with an internship that matches their interests and for them to get experience working in an international setting.
Veterinary Internships with Adelante Abroad are very rewarding. There are different tasks that each student is given based on their placement and time they are abroad. Some of the veterinary work given to interns in the past include assisting with surgeries, caring for animals who stay overnight in the clinics, and experience working directly with or shadowing veterinary doctors.
Our veterinary internships start the first Monday of every month in each Spanish speaking country. We have rolling start dates so interns can begin an internship that matches their timeline. Over summer we have a 5 week placement in Scotland where students dive into rigorous veterinary work and really make an impact to improve their resume. This 5 week program has a limited number of placements, and usually starts at the end of May or beginning of June, so we recommend to apply as soon as possible. Whether you are starting your program during the summer or taking a semester off in the fall, we have program placements for you.
After you’ve been accepted into the program, our team carefully matches you with a host company based on your background, goals, and interests. Your internship placement will be finalized 1 month before your departure date, giving you plenty of time to prepare for your experience abroad.
Adelante Abroad has earned the trust of thousands of candidates worldwide through 25 years of guaranteed placements and life-changing experiences. Since 1999, we’ve specialized in providing affordable, customized internship and study abroad programs across Spain, Latin America, and Scotland, and we’re not a large, impersonal agency. We’re a team of seasoned travelers and international education professionals who’ve lived abroad ourselves and know what it takes to make your experience a success.
Every program is built around you: your goals, your values, your background. With in-country directors operating full-time in every city where we have programs, you’re never on your own. No matter where in the world you are.
The best veterinary careers are built on broad experiences, and Adelante Abroad's international veterinary internships give you clinical exposure that you won’t find at home. Whether you're assisting in equine surgery in Ecuador, rehabilitating marine turtles in Uruguay, or working 24-hour ER shifts in Edinburgh, you'll return as a better, more confident, and more globally minded animal care professional. Spots are limited, especially for equine and Scotland placements. Apply today!
