OAR 875-010-0045: Student Interns

(1) Any person wishing to work in Oregon as a student intern may do so if he or she is engaged in a student intern program administered by a veterinary college or university, or a veterinary technology program, approved by the Board or the American Veterinary Medical Association. (2) Supervision of veterinary school student interns. All acts which a student intern may perform must be under the direct supervision of a licensed veterinarian. “Direct supervision” means that each act shall be performed by the student intern only after receiving specific directions from and in the presence of an Oregon licensed veterinarian. Certified Veterinary Technician student interns may work under direct supervision of a licensed veterinarian or Certified Veterinary Technician. (3) Student interns enrolled in programs listed under (1) may perform the following acts: (a) Obtaining and Recording Information. Student interns may obtain and record the following information: (A) Complete admission records, including recording the statements made by the client concerning the patient’s problems and history. Student interns may also record their own observations of the patient. However, student interns cannot state or record their opinion concerning diagnosis of the patient; (B) Maintain daily progress records, surgery logs, X-ray logs, Drug Enforcement Agency logs, and all other routine records as directed by the supervising veterinarian. (b) Veterinary school student interns may perform surgery, if relevant coursework has been successfully completed, and if determined by the supervising veterinarian to be competent in basic surgical techniques; (c) Preparation of patients, instruments, equipment, and medications for surgery. Student interns may: (A) Prepare and sterilize surgical packs; (B) Clip, surgically scrub, and disinfect the surgical site in preparation for surgery; (C) Administer preanesthetic drugs as prescribed by the supervising veterinarian; (D) Position the patient for anesthesia; (E) Administer anesthesia as prescribed by the supervising veterinarian; (F) Operate anesthetic machines, oxygen equipment, and monitoring equipment. (G) Place an endotracheal tube for the purpose of delivering oxygen and anesthetic gas to the patient requiring inhalant anesthesia. (d) Collection of specimens and performance of laboratory procedures. Student Interns may: (A) Collect urine, feces, sputum, and all other excretions for laboratory analysis; (B) Collect blood samples for laboratory; (C) Collect skin scrapings; (D) Perform routine laboratory procedures including urinalysis, fecal analyses, hematological, and serological examinations. (e) Assisting the veterinarian in diagnostic medical and surgical procedures. Student interns may assist supervising veterinarians in the following diagnostic, medical, and surgical proceedings: (A) Take the patient’s temperature, pulse and respiration; (B) Medically bathe the patient; (C) Administer topical, oral, hypodermic, and intravenous medication as directed by the supervising veterinarian; (D) Operate diagnostic imaging equipment; (E) Perform dental prophylaxis, including operating ultrasonic dental instruments. (f) Veterinary School student interns may perform other acts not specifically enumerated herein under the supervision of a veterinarian licensed to practice veterinary medicine in the State of Oregon, however, a student intern may not administer rabies vaccine. (4) Certified Veterinary Technician student interns may perform all the acts enumerated in OAR 875-030-0040(2) and may not perform the acts prohibited in 875-030-0040(3). Certified Veterinary Technician student interns may not administer rabies vaccine.