Challenges from the International Arena: Running a Clinic in Nicaragua

By: Laura Niman

Oregon State University, Class of 2014

Four years ago the Oregon State University’s IVSA chapter was invited by community leaders to the Nicaraguan community of Merida to develop an annual veterinary service trip. Merida is located on the island of Ometepe, which is home to an estimated 10,000 families and countless dogs, cats, pigs, cows, horses and chickens.  As the people of Ometepe rely on their animals for food, transportation, and work, the suboptimal condition of these animals directly impacts the people and their livelihood.  Companion animals also suffer from malnourishment and diseases, many of which are transmissible to their human families.  From a single veterinarian and 8 students who participated in the first clinic in 2007, the project has grown substantially to include 8 veterinarians, 24 veterinary students, and 2 pre-veterinary students in 2010.

Oregon IVSA’s fundamental mission is to offer quality veterinary care and public health education to areas in need, while encouraging students to gain practical experience, participate in cultural exchange, and share their gained knowledge with the greater OSU CVM community.   With this ambitious goal in mind each year, this entirely student driven project continues to grow and build on past successes with constant attention to future development.

The temporary clinic, hosted in coordination with a local hostel, operated in 2010 for five days and treated over 700 animals during this time, 99 of which were returning patients!  The clinic offered large and small animal wellness exams, small animal spays and neuters (dogs and cats), large animal castrations (horses and pigs), equine dentals and farms calls.

One noteworthy addition to this year’s trip was the planning and implementation of three fully funded research projects.  This initiative will help us realize the goal of identifying and researching real and perceived problems in animal and public health within the Ometepe community and developing practical, sustainable solutions to these problems.  Additionally, we offered a community public health seminar on zoonotic diseases and proper hand washing technique which was well attended and received.  Both research and public health education will be expanded upon in the years to come. 

As a student-run group, we plan the service trip to Merida in the midst of an already rigorous veterinary curriculum.  Students in the IVSA chapter begin planning for each trip a year in advance, essentially as soon as they return from the previous trip. This includes fundraising, recruiting participants, acquiring drug permits and supplies for the clinic, and logistical planning.  All aspects of the planning process, as well as coordinating and supervising the clinic once in Nicaragua, are organized and implemented by veterinary students.

Although planning and implementing an international service trip in the midst of being full-time veterinary students can be challenging, the rewards of the experience far outweigh the difficulties encountered along the way.  The realization that we have what it takes to truly make a difference in the lives of other living beings is a powerful motivator to continue our work. One of the most rewarding aspects of the trip for those students participating annually is seeing patients who return for a routine exam after being spayed or neutered or treated for a medical problem at a prior clinic.

In 2011, we will have as many as 32 students (over 10% of the student body) participating in our next trip. With our regular meetings, fundraisers, and presentations to the school, we are by far one of the most active student clubs in our college.

Students who decide to participate in the service trip to Nicaragua are asked to participate in a variety of seminars and workshops prior to attending, in order to better prepare them for dealing with a different culture and the specific challenges of practicing veterinary medicine with limited resources. This year, in an attempt to expand Oregon IVSA’s desire to facilitate dialogue between people in the fields of veterinary medicine, human medicine and environmental studies, the club is organizing a Symposium that will bring together speakers and students from all of these areas. This One-Health One-World Symposium will be held at Oregon State University on April 8-10, 2011 and is open to the public. This Symposium will provide an opportunity to explore the potential of health professionals and students in international service, with a focus on veterinary medicine. Additionally, Oregon IVSA is interested in helping other veterinary schools organize similar service trips by providing information as to how our trip to Nicaragua is coordinated and run. More information about the Symposium can be found at:

http://oregonstate.edu/groups/ivsa/symposium.htm