Program

Most applications will be completed through VIRMP, the Veterinary Internship and Residency Matching Program. Students should consult that site for admission deadlines.

This internship program begins July 1st each year.

ProgramExpected LengthProject and/or thesisCourse based
Certificate1 year

This experiential, clinical training program provides graduates of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.) programs a supervised training opportunity in order to better prepare for either general practice or continued specialty education. Over the course of the one year program, students will rotate between the following clinical areas:

  • Internal medicine
  • Surgery
  • Emergency
  • Anaesthesia
  • Diagnostic imaging

Under the guidance of senior clinicians, students will be exposed to a wide variety of technical skills, clinical situations, and varied caseloads. Students will also receive training in communications and public speaking through seminars. The broad range of knowledge gained through this certificate will prepare students for clinical residency and graduate degree training programs for further board certification in a specialty.

Program structure

Over the course of one year, students will take nine credits of courses and associated non-credit training:

Faculty

You do not need to identify a research supervisor for this program. You may however, be interested in the research interests of our faculty.

Name Research areas
Total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA), pain management and anesthesia in exotic species.
Imaging science
Electrocardiography, blood pressure and platelet function
Small animal internal medicine
Veterinary Ophthalmology
Avian and canine orthopedic and soft tissue injuries
Resuscitative techniques, Fluid resuscitation, Acute kidney injuries, Sepsis
Patient quality of life, human-animal bond, novel cancer therapy development, comparative oncology
Veterinary radiation oncology, medical physics, oncologic imaging
Small animal clinical nutrition
Avian, exotic and wildlife medicine including projects related to avian renal portal system, ferret diseases and the rabbit's gastrointestinal system
Veterinary ophthalmology, congenital stationary night blindness, equine recurrent uveitis
Soft tissue surgery, lumbosacral stenosis, neurosurgery, urogenital surgery
Radioisotopes as an alternative treatment for infectious diseases in dogs and cats, feline obesity, intraosseous bone marrow
MRI technology, degenerative myelopathy in the German Shepherd dog

Tuition and funding

Funding

The College of Western Veterinary Medicine will provide salary support for qualified students. Further, a fellowship is available from the College to cover a portion of tuition costs for both Canadian and international students.

Tuition

Course-based master's, certificate or postgraduate diploma program

Students in course-based programs pay tuition for each class they take. Every class is assigned a number of credit units (usually three) which determines their cost. If a student is not enrolled in any classes for a term, they will need to register in a 'Maintenance of Status' class that is assessed tuition equivalent to 3 credit units to stay in their program.

Graduate students in course-based programs registered in any undergraduate classes will be assessed tuition for these classes at the undergraduate rate. International graduate students in these programs registered in undergraduate courses, whether or not the classes are part of their program of study, will also be assessed the undergraduate international tuition.

Canadian students International students
Maintenance of Status course $879.00 CAD $1,977.60 CAD
Cost per graduate credit unit $293.00 CAD $659.20 CAD
Cost per 3 credit unit graduate class $879.00 CAD $1,977.60 CAD

Student fees

In addition to tuition above, students also pay fees for programs like health and dental insurance, a bus pass, and other campus services. The amount you need to pay depends on if you are taking classes full time or part time, and if you are on campus or not. The table below assumes you are on campus full-time.

Fall 2025 Winter 2026 Spring 2026 Summer 2026
Student fees $578.45 CAD $804.73 CAD $36.75 CAD $36.75 CAD

Tuition information is accurate for the current academic year and does not include student fees. For detailed tuition and fees information, visit the official tuition website.

Financial planning estimator

Admission requirements

Graduate Certificate (G.Cert.)

Applicants must be accepted for an internship to be eligible for admission to the certificate program.

  • A Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.), or equivalent, from a recognized college or university
  • A cumulative weighted average of at least a 70% (USask grade system equivalent) in the last two years of study (i.e. 60 credit units)
  • Eligibility for restricted, educational SVMA licensure to practice veterinary medicine in Saskatchewan
  • Language Proficiency Requirements: Proof of English proficiency may be required for international applicants and for applicants whose first language is not English

Application process

International Students - Review federal international study permit policies before you apply. We do not anticipate that the implementation of the PAL process will limit graduate enrollment at USask.

Interested students can begin an application through the American Association of Veterinary Clinicians residency matching program. We typically offer eight internship opportunities each year.

Once you have been successfully matched to this program, you will be asked to being a formal application to the University of Saskatchewan. Further details will be provided at that time.

Please contact the department below if you have any questions at all about this program or how to apply.

Contact

Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences
52 Campus Drive
University of Saskatchewan
Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B4

Graduate Chair
Lynne Sandmeyer
Email: lynne.sandmeyer@usask.ca

Graduate Program Co-ordinator
Charla Penner
Email: sacs.gradstudies@usask.ca