If it’s summer, there’s a good chance Ayva Bohr is participating in the Swine Veterinary Internship Program (SVIP) in the College of Veterinary Medicine.
Bohr has become a fixture in the program, interning with companies and veterinary clinics in Iowa and Minnesota the past three summers. The internships have allowed her to collaborate with a mentoring veterinarian during which she was immersed daily in modern swine production and health.
“My experiences in the program have changed each summer with my level of comfort in the swine industry by setting different goals,” Bohr said.
Bohr’s first participation in SVIP came after studying at Iowa State University and just weeks prior to starting veterinary school. She interned at the Suidae in Algona, Iowa, in a project sponsored by TechMix.
At Suidae, Bohr worked on an antioxidant supplementation trial on a sow farm going through a PRSS break.
It seemed natural for Bohr to come back to SVIP for a second year in 2025. That year, the rising second-year vet student was hosted by Christensen Farms in Minnesota in an internship sponsored by Boehringer-Ingelheim.
During the second summer experience, Bohr completed a Lawsonia vaccination timing trail and learned how veterinarians fit into large-scale production systems.
“I made the decision to come back to SVIP for a third time because I don’t think I could’ve found a better opportunity to continue to develop my interest in swine medicine,” Bohr said.
This summer, Bohr is interning with the Swine Vet Center in Minnesota in a project sponsored by Elanco. This is a consulting practice where she is working on an AI project and riding along with vets every day.
At the conclusion of her previous two SVIP experiences, Bohr has presented at conferences and published research articles in industry publications.
“Being able to learn hands-on, taking ownership of a research project and having the opportunity to build strong relationships with industry professionals and my future colleagues has been invaluable in my development as a student,” she said.
Next summer, Bohr will take a break from SVIP and begin her fourth-year clinical rotations at Iowa State. But even then, her SVIP summers will come into play.
“One of the biggest advantages of SVIP has been the network I’ve built through mentors, veterinarians and fellow students,” she said. “Many of the opportunities I’m considering for fourth-year externships can be traced back to direct or indirect connections made through SVIP.”
The entire SVIP experience has proven to be extremely beneficial to Bohr.
“I now feel more comfortable stepping out of my comfort zone to focus less on concepts like diseases, and more on the things like ventilation design or flowing a sow farm,” Bohr said. “I am extremely grateful to have had three great internships with mentors who have gone out of their way to invest in my knowledge as a future swine veterinarian.”
June 2026
