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Work with real animals + professionals in this summer enrichment veterinarian camp

Do what you love

Join veterinarians and technicians in this veterinary summer camp enrichment program. You’ll learn how to understand animals and tell if they’re sick or hurt. Practice checking vital signs and giving CPR. Try your hand at suturing wounds and helping animals with broken bones.

For rising grades 8 + 9

  • Session 1:
    Overnight: June 28 – July 11
    Day: June 29 - July 10
  • Session 2:
    Overnight: July 12 - July 25
    Day: July 13 - July 24
  • Location:
    Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA
  • Staff to Student Ratio 1:7
  • Tuition:
    Overnight: $6,295
    Day: $4,045
    Course Fee: $400

    Tuition + Financial Aid

What you'll learn at veterinarian camp enrichment program

Veterinary Program Highlight 1

First Aid for Pets

At EXPLO’s vet camp enrichment program, you’ll learn to help pets who get sick or hurt. Experience real-life scenarios and practice medical care for animals. This leading veterinary summer program connects you with professionals in the field. 

Veterinary Program Highlight 2

Large Animal Care

Go behind the scenes at a Boston-area zoo, where you'll learn about caring for large and exotic animals. Take a capture-and-restraint session, tour an animal surgery facility, and more. You'll also visit an equine center to explore daily care for horses at this veterinary summer camp enrichment program. 

 

Veterinary Program Highlight 3

Domestic Pet Evaluations

Work with a visiting veterinarian to practice full medical evaluations on a cat or dog. Practice reading x-ray images, then use an ultrasound machine to identify organs inside of the animals.

 

Veterinary Program Highlight 4

Animal Rehabilitation

Visit a wildlife rehab center to explore rehabilitation in action. Watch animal caretakers as they treat baby skunks, raccoons, birds, and snakes—and see how their daily care and handling practices can lead to a full recovery.

 

Explore a veterinary future

Discover the field of veterinary medicine from the zoo to the farm. Work with animals and their caretakers at vet clinics, hospitals, and rehabilitation shelters. This is more than a traditional veterinarian camp. It's an enrichment program where you’ll learn what it takes to be a great vet or medical professional. Here are some examples of past trips and experts:

Learn about Large Animal Care

Learn about specialized large animal care at Ocean State Equine, a facility for horses.

Certified pet CPR
Become certified in pet CPR with Four Footed Family and learn how to respond to real-life scenarios that animals around you might encounter.
Visit Roger Williams Park Zoo

Visit Southwick’s Zoo, New England’s largest zoo and home to 850 animals representing 150 species from around the world. This visit enhances your awareness of human-animal relationships. These bond impact social life and public health on a global scale—a unique feature of EXPLO's veterinary summer camp enrichment program.

Tour the Animal

Tour the animal rehabilitation center wards at the non-profit New England Wildlife Center. You’ll learn how veterinarians care for sick, injured, and orphaned wild animals. These experiences are important for future veterinary students

Real veterinarians + technicians lead your program

Take a look at some of the program faculty over the years to get a sense of who you’ll be learning with. You get the real deal here at EXPLO.

Dr. Graham Sager-Gellerman
Dr. Graham Sager-Gellerman, DVM
Veterinarian, Back Bay Veterinary Clinic
Laura McCallion
Laura McCallion
Pet First Aid & CPR Instructor, Four Footed Family
Sara Evans
Dr. Sara Evans, VMD
Associate Veterinarian, Huron Veterinary Hospital
Linda Siperstein
Dr. Linda Siperstein, DVM
Veterinarian + Podcast Host, Totally Pawsome Pod
Leslie Schwartz
Dr. Leslie Schwartz, DVM
Diagnostic Imaging Veterinarian, BluePearl Pet Hospital
Dani Cimino
Dr. Dani Cimino, DVM
Veterinarian + Founder, Crossroads Mobile Vet

Have a summer to remember   

You can experience Veterinary Science at EXPLO as an overnighter or a day student. Either way, you'll live campus life for two weeks at beautiful, historic Wellesley College just outside Boston. This wooded 500-acre campus boasts extensive academic and recreational facilities, a scenic lakefront, a botanical garden, an art museum, and lively Wellesley Square just outside the gates.

Whether on campus or off, the opportunities for action and fun are endless. Try out clubs, leagues, and activities, from hip-hop dance to jewelry-making. Get soaked on a weekend trip to a waterpark or visit a the spooky city of Salem. Become a high roller at Casino Night or just take in a movie in the evening. As always, the choice is yours—see for yourself!

Frequently Asked Questions

You’ll interact with a variety of animals—from cats and dogs to horses, farm animals, and even some exotic species at a Boston-area zoo..

No experience is required. This program is designed for middle school students who love animals and want to explore veterinary science for the first time. Instructors and staff guide you step-by-step.

You’ll learn to check vital signs, practice CPR for pets, stitch simple wounds, splint broken limbs, and use diagnostic tools like ultrasounds and X-rays. You’ll also explore animal behavior, first aid, and rehabilitation.

Sessions are led by expert EXPLO instructors and supported by real veterinarians, vet technicians, and animal care specialists. This pairs educational experts with subject-matter experts who bring years of experience from clinics, hospitals, zoos, and rehabilitation centers.

Each day mixes hands-on labs with field trips and fun electives and activities. In the morning, you might practice first aid or check vital signs; in the afternoon, visit a zoo or equine center; and in the evening, enjoy a glow party or movie on the lawn with friends.

You’ll get an early look at the tools, skills, and problem-solving veterinarians use every day. Many students use this experience to see if veterinary medicine is the right career path and to test out medicine in general.

Safety is our top priority. Students are always supervised by veterinary professionals, use protective equipment, and are only given age-appropriate tasks. You’ll learn proper handling techniques before working with any animal.

The EXPLO Veterinary Science Focus program is offered for students in rising grades 8 + 9. As part of the application, students are required to write a personal essay demonstrating their interest in the program.

See what else there is to discover.