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Arlington Cat Clinic
Arlington Heights, Illinois

DVM Externship - Arlington Cat Clinic

VeterinarianContract

Listed compensation

$600 per week

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations, weekend coverage and time off.

Posted 50m ago · Verified live

Job Description

Who We Are

At Arlington Cat Clinic, cats are not just our patients—they’re our passion.

Located in Arlington Heights, IL, we are a Certified Cat-Friendly Practice dedicated exclusively to feline care in our community. Our team has been thriving together for over 20 years, united by a shared mission to provide exceptional, stress-free medicine in a respectful and supportive environment.

Some Highlights of Our Practice Include

  • Feline-focused general practice
  • Wellness exams and ill pet physicals
  • Soft tissue surgery
  • Dentals
  • Digital Radiography

What Life Is Like at Arlington CAT Clinic

Joining our team means becoming part of a collaborative, compassionate, and tight-knit group of veterinary professionals who truly love what they do. We support each other through every wellness exam, dental procedure, surgery, and unpredictable challenges the day might bring.

Guided Mentorship

Work one‑on‑one with experienced veterinarians who help set goals aligned with your interests and future career plans. You’ll have the chance to discuss real cases, treatment options, and the reasoning behind clinical decisions.

Hands‑On Experience Across a Spectrum of Care

  • Be actively involved in daily patient care while learning how to practice medicine across a spectrum of care—from gold‑standard diagnostics and treatment plans to thoughtful, practical alternatives that respect client circumstances and patient quality of life.
  • Supportive, Ethical Culture

Learn in a welcoming, team‑oriented environment that values communication, honesty, and ethics. You’ll see how spectrum‑of‑care medicine supports strong client relationships without compromising patient welfare.

Customized Learning

  • Your externship experience is tailored to meet both your academic requirements and personal learning goals—whether you’re interested in general practice, client communication, surgery, or clinical decision‑making within a spectrum‑of‑care framework.
  • Externship Details
  • Open to DVM students who have completed their first year
  • Must be currently enrolled in an accredited veterinary medicine program
  • Ideal for students interested in general practice, community‑focused medicine, or exploring spectrum‑of‑care approaches
  • Students are eligible to receive reimbursement for eligible expenses, up to $600 per week.

Take the Next Step

  • Whether you’re set on general practice or still exploring what path fits you best, an externship at Arlington Cat Clinic offers exposure to real‑world medicine—where thoughtful care, adaptability, and client partnership matter.
  • It’s a place where learning feels meaningful—and life feels a little easier.

Interested? Let’s talk.

We’d love to show you why Arlington Cat Clinic might be exactly what you’ve been looking for. toby@arlingtoncatclinic.com

arlingtoncatclinic.com

Key Responsibilities

Participate in daily feline patient care, including wellness and illness examinations, dental procedures, and surgery, with guidance from experienced veterinarians. Discuss cases, diagnostic and treatment options, and clinical decisions while learning to provide care across a spectrum of client circumstances and patient needs.

Requirements

Applicants must be DVM students currently enrolled in an accredited veterinary medicine program and must have completed their first year. The externship is suited to students interested in general practice, community-focused medicine, or spectrum-of-care approaches.

Qualifications

Education
Doctoral or professional degree (postgraduate degree)

Key Skills

Wellness ExaminationsPhysical ExaminationsTreatment PlanningTeam CollaborationEthical Veterinary Practice

Veterinary Medicine Career Context

The cost-of-living index for Illinois is 100.0 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 62.6% of Illinois clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Of the 50 active Veterinary Medicine listings this role was benchmarked against, 100% have no call, 100% require no weekends.

What does the Veterinary Medicine market look like in Illinois?
MeasureThis jobMarket
Listed paynot listedVeterinary Medicine median $250k (middle half $245k–$250k)106 comparable listings, Oct 2026
Cost of livingIllinois index 100.0US average = 100BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Veterinary Medicine listings in Illinois147 active3,108 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Oct 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 100% no call · 100% no weekends50 benchmarked listings
Sign-on & loan repaymentnot statedIllinois healthcare professional listings: 37% state a sign-on bonus (median $50k) · 13% offer loan repayment195 active listings, Oct 2026
Veterinary Medicine pay trend+1.0% vs prior quarter—through Sep 2026
Sources: WeekdayDoc live listing index, BEA Regional Price Parities (2024); as of Oct 2026. Same values as the Weekday Verdict and Market Insights on this page.

Top contract/1099 Veterinarian Jobs

50 matches · ranked by pay
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$150-$187/hr
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#3

Vetco Relief Veterinarian - Mount Kisco, NY

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#4

Vetco Relief Veterinarian - Brooklyn, NY

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+ 48 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.1this job 3.0
Better work-life than 20% of Veterinary Medicine listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 3,079 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

Benefits & Perks

Reimbursement for eligible expenses up to $600 per week
Guided mentorship
Hands-on experience across a spectrum of care
Customized learning

Living in Arlington Heights

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$472k
Typical market rent
$1,999/mo
Residents’ average commute
28 min
State income tax
Up to 5%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Sep 2026), Zillow market rents (Sep 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

City-level figures. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.