Practicum

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The IWRC Practicum Accreditation program provides wildlife rehabilitation facilities with consultation and oversight in developing an educational training practicum. Participating centers that meet the requirements of IWRC Practicum Accreditation will be able to offer practicum participants the ability to obtain an IWRC Certificate of Completion for their successful completion of the facility’s program of study.

For students wishing to participate in a practicum:

  • Ensures that participants learn new skills and gain knowledge about wildlife rehabilitation by providing a hands-on educational training experience for a minimum of:

    • 175 hours completed within 6 months for general participants (more hours may allow for longer completion time, not to exceed one year).
    • 80 hours completed within 1 month for veterinary students (more hours may allow for longer completion time, not to exceed one year).

  • Makes certain that there is continuous and appropriate supervision for the participant.

  • Provides participants with structured learning modules in the form of live lectures, IWRC courses, webinars, reading assignments, quizzes, or essays.

  • Provides hands-on instruction, commensurate with the participant′s academic or career goals, in the following areas (only asterisked areas required for Veterinary Student Practicum, all areas are required for Wildlife Rehabilitation Practicum):

    • Basic Physiology
    • Admission Procedures 
    • Identification and Natural History*
    • Restraint and Handling*
    • Wildlife Stress and Shock*
    • Zoonoses 
    • Physical Exam 
    • Fluid Therapy
    • Thermoregulatory Medical Problems  
    • Nutrition 
    • Starvation and Emaciation*
    • Wound Management and Bandaging*
    • Head and Spinal Trauma
    • Euthanasia* 
    • Release Criteria*
    • Basic Lab Skills 
    • Compassion Fatigue*
    • Research

Organizational Participants

BC SPCA Wild ARC

BC SPCA Wild ARC

The Victoria branch of the BC SPCA established the Wild Animal Rehabilitation Centre (Wild ARC)  in 1997 to meet the...

Wildlife in Need Center

Wildlife in Need Center

The Wildlife In Need Center is dedicated to wildlife rehabilitation and environmental education. WINC rehabilitates injured and orphaned wildlife and...

Click here to see the full information sheet on Practicum Accreditation