Education & Careers

Volunteer Program

volunteers Virginia Tech’s Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center is a premier full-service equine hospital located in Leesburg, Virginia, that offers advanced specialty care, 24-hour emergency treatment and diagnostic services for all ages and breeds of horses. The center is seeking dependable volunteer workers to join our faculty and staff in providing the best possible patient care.

The following volunteer opportunities are available:

Patient Services Volunteers

Patient Services Volunteers work along side our team of top-notch nursing assistants as they:

  • Groom Patients
  • Clean Stalls
  • Hand Walk and Graze Horses
  • Clean and Fill Water Buckets
  • Sweep Aisles
  • Strip Stalls
  • Hose Walkways

Applicants must meet the following qualifications:

  • Aged 18 or Older (or 14 to 18 with a Parent as a Co-Volunteer)
  • Available to Commit to Eight Hours per Week which Can be Accomplished in Two Four-Hour Shifts
  • Have their own health insurance
  • Have solid horse experience
  • Complete an Application Process that Includes an Interview

Career Internships

volunteers Career Internships are available to high school juniors and seniors who participate in advanced-placement classes in the sciences and are considering a career in veterinary medicine. Career interns rotate through the hospital, working with and observing our staff. Areas visited are Nursing (patient care), Radiology, Pharmacy, Laboratory and Surgery. Internships last for either 96 hours, or for the duration specified by the student’s school program. They are conducted during normal business hours and can occur year-round. A six-week lead time and a completed application are required. Space is limited.

Veterinary Technician Internships

Veterinary Technician Internships are available to students enrolled in a Veterinary Technology Program. These students may also elect to complete their large animal observation at the center while they work alongside our veterinary nurses in patient care. A completed application is required.

Foal Watchvolunteers

Foal Watch, one of the center’s most popular volunteer programs, takes place in the spring, from February through June. Foal Watch Volunteers must meet the following requirements:

  • Ages 18 or Older (or 14 to 18 with a Parent as a Co-Volunteer)
  • Ability to Commit to a Four Hour Shift Every Week
  • Ability to Sit with Sick and Premature Foals and keep them Properly Positioned
  • Ability to Monitor IV lines and Basic Vital Signs
  • Ability to Groom and Milk the Mares
  • Ability to Sweep, do Laundry and Clean Equipment

Memorial Garden Volunteer

The Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center maintains a Memorial Garden that features trees, shrubs, and flowers in a park-like setting. We are seeking a garden volunteer to help us care for this area by watering, weeding, and trimming. This role will require some bending and light lifting, as well as a desire to work outdoors in the sun. The time commitment is four hours per week. No expertise is required. Must be 18 or older with health insurance.

To learn more about volunteer opportunities at the Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center or to request an application, please contact Penny Archer at or at (703) 771-6800.