EMS abroad - EMS Vet Placement - Vet student in the field

EMS Vet Placements

Undertake your veterinary EMS abroad

Elevate your training with clinical EMS hours and fieldwork in Africa.

Follow in the footsteps of students from leading veterinary universities around the world by joining a diverse team of highly experienced and passionate wildlife vets in South Africa.

Assisting and observing real casework in the field and clinic, our EMS placements give you real-world experience in a busy professional environment and the chance to practise the skills you’ve learned on your degree course. You’ll be learning from professionals who will help you develop your practical expertise in a diverse range of veterinary specialisms.

From iconic wildlife to production animals and small animals, each patient and procedure will sharpen your skills, build your confidence, and set you apart in your veterinary journey.

Enquire now

EMS Abroad - EMS Vet Placement - Student working with sedated antelope

EMS Abroad - EMS Vet Placement - Volunteering aiding after a zebra

Why choose these experiences?

The top reasons students love these EMS vet placements.

Real veterinary work

No unnecessary procedures. Just vital work in the field and clinic.

Work side by side with specialist vets

Get direct mentorship and one-to-one time with expert veterinarians.

Small group size

Gain more exposure to diverse cases and insights tailored to you.

Iconic species

Encounter diseases, treatments and techniques you’ve never seen before.

Reference letters

Get an expert reference following your workplace learning.

Meet EMS requirements

Fulfil your university’s EMS criteria with tracked hours.

Boost your CV

Gain stand-out skills, knowledge and experience in veterinary medicine.

Support global goals

Join leading projects aligned with WWF, EWT and UN SDGs.

Choose your experience

Explore our EMS vet placements.

Shimongwe Veterinary EMS Placement - volunteer and vet working on an antelope — Shimongwe Veterinary EMS Placement

Single project

Gain tracked hours assisting and shadowing expert vets with iconic wildlife in Africa

View details

Make it yours

Every experience is customised to be just right for you.

Enquire now

Traveller Stories

Kaitlyn Evans: a team of vets work on a buffalo — Kaitlyn Evans

The most amazing thing about the whole trip is that I felt that in some small way, I made a real difference in conservation.

Read Kaitlyn’s Story

A male volunteer injects a rhino — Alex Chuck

I would definitely travel with ACE again, and I’d love to volunteer at the variety of projects that they work with in the future! I feel like I could return time and time again and never stop learning.

Read Alex’s Story

EMS Abroad - EMS Vet Placement - Veterinary student with The Supervet, Noel Fitzpatrick, at Golola Rhino Orphanage and Rehabilitation Centre — An ACE veterinary student with The Supervet, Noel Fitzpatrick

EMS placements for vet students

Why choose veterinary EMS placements abroad

Pursuing EMS abroad enables veterinary students to consolidate their academic learning in a global context, while fulfilling the practical requirements of their degree. These immersive experiences often go beyond the scope of domestic opportunities, broadening clinical, cultural, and ecological understanding through hands-on involvement in ethical and impactful casework.

Picking Africa for your EMS placement

In Africa, vet student EMS placements provide a rare opportunity to work alongside experienced wildlife veterinarians across diverse ecosystems. Many settings can also offer valuable exposure to collaborative approaches involving conservationists and ecologists.

During a veterinary EMS placement, you may assist with diagnostic testing, surgical interventions and post-procedure monitoring of large mammals - each requiring situational awareness, an outcomes-focused approach, clinical precision, and ethical decision-making. A South Africa vet student EMS experience also includes exposure to endemic disease profiles, translocation protocols, community dynamics, and region-specific challenges in veterinary care. Choosing a placement like this provides you with a unique opportunity for real workplace learning, in both the field and the clinic.

FAQs

What should I expect on a veterinary placement in South Africa?

During your placement, you'll work closely with experienced wildlife veterinarians in small, tightly-knit groups. You'll assist with real veterinary procedures, such as diagnosis, stitching and notifiable disease testing, as this is real veterinary work, not simulated training. There are no unnecessary procedures, and all interventions are done strictly in the animals’ best interests or to aid sustainable conservation. The specific tasks and procedures will depend on the cases that come in during your placement and your experience.

Will I receive a reference at the end of the placement?

Yes! At the end of your EMS experience, following your workplace learning, you can request a reference letter.

Do your EMS placements contribute to my university's tracked hours?

Yes! We can meet your university’s EMS criteria and have already enabled many students to take a placement in Africa, developing their skills with confidence and peace of mind that it is all being logged professionally. We are happy to chat to you about this in more detail.

What are the best EMS opportunities abroad?

The Shimongwe Veterinary EMS Placement gives you the chance to shadow, assist and observe the daily operations of experienced wildlife veterinarians working in one of Africa’s most ecologically diverse regions.

How do I arrange my veterinary EMS abroad?

Take the first step by simply submitting an enquiry form. We offer ethical vet placements with tracked hours to meet your university's EMS criteria. You can even combine multiple vet programs to create an exciting Combined experience. You can find out more about how we take time to create a customised African Conservation Experience that’s just right for you here.

We can't wait to speak with you about your EMS abroad in Africa!