Veterinary Social Work Internships in Veterinary Settings

Abstract

This chapter describes a model for hosting veterinary social work internships in private veterinary practices that don’t employ a veterinary social worker. Internships focusing on veterinary social work practice offer a rich learning environment in which graduate social work students can build the range of micro, mezzo, and macro social work competencies needed for masters-level social work practice. Because veterinary social work is an emerging practice area, veterinary social workers are not widely available in private veterinary practices who are able to develop and supervise veterinary internships. The benefits of veterinary social workers for veterinary staff and clients are likewise not widely available. In this chapter, the import of veterinary social work as a social work practice area is introduced and explained, and additional resources for veterinary social work practice and internships are provided. Social work areas of practice competency required by the Council on Social Work Education are then delineated and linked opportunities for learning such within veterinary practices. A model for planning and supervising a veterinary social work internship at a private practice veterinary clinic is introduced and explained. The chapter concludes with an overview of a successful graduate social work internship at a private veterinary clinic.KeywordsSocial work competenciesSocial work intern supervisionSocial work internshipsVeterinary settings