STUDENT EXPERIENCE: SOUTH AFRICA

Submitted by J’Haira Rhodes, Ross University

"My time at Kwantu Private Game Reserve"

 

In October of 2023, I traveled to South Africa for a one-month veterinary externship at Kwantu Private Game Reserve to fulfil my requirements for my clinical year. I worked closely with a South African vet by the name of Dr. Thys, and I was the only student completing the veterinary externship.  My goal of this externship was to gain hands on experience in the conservation, health, and management of native South African species. 

During my first few days on the game reserve, I had an introductory game drive from the expert game rangers. While on this drive, I learned about the differentiating physical characteristics and habits of the animals on the reserve such as the lions, rhinos, hippos, zebras, and various antelope.  I was informed of conservation efforts on the reserve, native flora, and fauna, how to track animals using their feces and prints, as well as specific anti-poaching efforts for the rhinos.  Following this, I met with the Veterinarian and received hands on training in the anatomy of the Dan- inject dart gun, the various darts used for different scenarios, and the drugs used for chemical immobilization. We discussed the importance of safety with these drugs and the regulations that surround them in the country.

Lastly, during my time at Kwantu I was also able to participate in activities with the volunteers to indirectly help the animals on the reserve and the community. A few of these activities included road maintenance, game counting, fence patrol and clearing, as well as removing alien vegetation and planting natural flora and fauna for the grazing species. Another activity that had a large impact on my time was going to the local school and serving the kids lunch that the chef from Kwantu prepared as well as snacks and fruit that we brought them. Every week it brought me nothing but joy to see the smile on the kids’ faces, while there, we would also play games with them such as soccer and tag.  

My time at Kwantu Private Game reserve will always have a special place in my heart. I was able to gain hands on experience in the veterinary health and management of a multitude of species while also learning the importance of indirect care and conservation efforts. Helping the local community and understanding the impact people have on the well-being of the native animals of South Africa is what made was trip unforgettable.

STUDENT EXPERIENCE

Submitted by Daniela Lopez Chanique, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine

My name is Daniela López Chanique and I am a 4th year veterinary student from Ross University of Veterinary Medicine. Due to being a Rossie, I had the amazing opportunity to complete my clinical year at Michigan State University. On their curriculum, they give clinical students the opportunity to go to externships. Being born and raised in Puerto Rico, on July 2023 I chose the opportunity to return to my roots in order to experience veterinary medicine in my hometown. There are no words to describe the amazing experience that I had working at Centro Medico Veterinario in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico with Dr.Jose Marcos Vega. I was very eager to be able to join Dr. Marcos Vega and interact with locals, who are Spanish speakers, during my time there. Days prior to arriving to Puerto Rico, the realization hit. Due to learning and being taught in English the whole time during my veterinary school years, I realized that I do not have the same level of medical Spanish as I had when I talked to my clients in English during clinics. Due to this, I was very nervous but excited at the same time. Being able to work with Dr. Marcos Vega really helped due to being able to see his “bedside manners” with his clients. I was honestly impressed and will apply all the skills that I learned beside him whenever I have the opportunity to talk with Spanish speakers when I start working in my future job in the United States.

Setting my language adventure aside, I had an amazing time. Something that this clinic has that makes it stand out compared to other local vet clinics in Puerto Rico is that Dr.Marcos Vega has an amazing dentistry suite in his clinic. During Dr.Marcos Vega’s veterinary career, he had the opportunity to work with a Board-certified veterinary dentist which helped him develop amazing veterinary dentistry skills. As a soon-to-be graduated veterinarian, I was amazed at the surgeries that he had the skills, tools, and capabilities to perform. This came with the realization that during our didactic and clinical rotations in school, we were not taught as much about veterinary dentistry as I thought we would. Dentistry is a very important aspect of our pet’s life and I believe that vet schools should create more emphasis on how important it is. Due to not having much experience in oral surgery, I was very grateful to see Dr.Marcos Vega performing advanced oral surgeries such as repairing mucocutaneous oral fistulas, mandibulectomy, advanced stomatitis cases, and difficult oral mass removals.

Overall, I had an amazing experience during my three weeks in Centro Medico Veterinario. I was very grateful to be able to return to my hometown and being able to experience veterinary medicine in Puerto Rico. Additionally, I was able to learn and experience medical and beside manners in Spanish which really boosted my confidence whenever I need to speak any future Spanish speakers during my career. This has really sparked a curiosity in me and hopefully, I will be able to practice more veterinary medicine in Spanish in Puerto Rico or whenever I travel to other countries.

STUDENT EXPERIENCE: PERU

Submitted by Alex Marsh, Virginia-Maryland CVM

When I started undergrad, I knew I wanted to be a veterinarian. However, I quickly learned that I was extremely interested in research as well. Summer 2018, I attended a study abroad to Peru. During the trip I conducted a three-day mini research project in the Amazon on reptiles and amphibians. This small project created an opportunity for  spending 72 days during summer 2019 conducting research on the same project. I went twice more as an undergraduate, continuing the study and helping new students with their own projects like camera trap and fish biodiversity studies. After starting vet school in fall 2022, I thought my Peru research expeditions were over. However, an unexpected conversation with Virginia Tech’s parasitologist, Dr. Roger Ramirez-Barrios changed my mind. He told me that he wanted to send me to Peru again, but this time investigating ticks, mites, and hematoparasites in snakes. 

Dr. Ramirez-Barrios sent me and another veterinary student to conduct research during the summer of 2023.  This project will impact how we understand snakes as parasite reservoirs of domestic animals and humas in the Peruvian Amazon. The topic of parasitology and the skills needed to perform blood draws on snakes make veterinary students like myself perfectly suited for this research. As more people continue to expand into the rainforest our research will become vital in understanding wildlife-domestic animal parasite interactions as well as learning novel information about snake and parasite interactions.

My combined experiences during undergraduate and veterinary school made me realize the potential for research as a veterinarian. I always thought that the research I was interested in and the veterinary career I dreamed of pursuing would be separate parts of my life, but I now know they can coexist together. Having this newfound knowledge about combining research and veterinary medicine, I think my already unique path to becoming a veterinarian has changed. I am currently planning more trips back to the Amazon to conduct follow up research for the project and I cannot see a future where I am not involved in the current study we are doing. I plan on expanding this project to include other facets of wildlife parasitology and eventually will include domestic animal parasites from animals in pastures adjacent to our research stations.

STUDENT EXPERIENCE: SOUTH AFRICA

Submitted by DeeAnna Berry, Texas A&M University (via IVEC)

"When I first arrived in South Africa, I was told, 'The only man I envy, is the man who has not yet been to Africa - for he has so much to look forward to.' - Richard Mullin. I did not know what to expect when our host, Dr. Gary, shared this quote. Little did I know what I had gotten myself into. From working with the strong cape buffalo to handling cheetahs, the fastest animal in the world, I know that when I share my stories with others, it may be hard for them to believe me. An experience that displayed the role of conservation medicine was the opportunity I had to work with a veterinarian on a game reserve. This property allowed guests to join the veterinarian while treating and regulating the wild animals on the reserve; this offered a great opportunity to show the community how important conservation medicine is. While we were there, we worked with a rhino, elephant, leopard, and lions. We placed tracking collars on them, attended to wounds, and applied contraceptives to avoid inbreeding within the lion population. I enjoyed these activities because they allowed me to see how these experiences moved the guests. This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity now holds an essential part in my education because I gained hands-on experience working with wild species, practiced pharmacological uses in the field, educated spectators, and gained confidence in my techniques.

The most memorable experience from my trip is having the privilege of working with white rhinos. Working with this species was remarkably humbling. Each time we worked with a rhino, I was reminded of what we had to take away from them to save their lives. This is because poachers will kill rhinos for their horns and sell them on the black market. One of my journeys involved traveling to a ranch hidden multiple miles off the main road. Within this ranch were dozens of young and old rhinos living in a secluded area surrounded by mountains. Seeing this property help the species survive was truly a miracle. Our job was to immobilize rhinos and dehorn them. This task required a group of people to make it possible: a veterinarian, a helicopter pilot, the anti-poaching unit, and a state representative to regulate the collection of the horns. As we dehorned these animals, I acknowledged that we were taking a piece of their identity, a horn that makes them the beautiful animals they are in the first place. Looking back on our impact at the ranch, it was a privilege to work with the rhinos, and at the same time, a burden that we had to take something so important away from them to save their lives. Therefore, we must educate others about the importance of conservation medicine and continue finding tactics to solve this problem.

In conclusion, I express my sincere gratitude for the vital financial support you provided for my participation in the Summer 2023 African Wildlife Conservation Medicine course. This experience in Johannesburg, South Africa, has left a mark on my understanding of veterinary medicine's profound role in preserving native species and fostering community engagement. Witnessing the impact of conservation medicine on the wildlife in the Limpopo province has inspired me to make a meaningful difference in my community, where I can address the needs of exotic herds while advocating for conservation practices. The opportunity to work with extraordinary creatures has provided me with remarkable stories that I will carry with me always. Once again, I extend my deepest gratitude for your generous support, which has enriched my education and fueled my passion for conservation medicine."

STUDENT EXPERIENCE: GUATEMALA

Submitted by Nardine Nasr, Cornell University

"Over Spring Break of March 2023, I have had the opportunity to go on a FARVets experience with a group of students and a couple veterinarians. We went to Santiago Atitlan, Guatemala where we performed sterilization procedures on the local dogs and cats. This experience was eye opening, as I got to learn the local culture, the level of veterinary care in a poor community, and how to perform veterinary care with limited access to supplies.

            In Santiago Atitlan we performed spays and neuters on the cats and dogs owned by the local people. We assessed if the patient is healthy enough for surgery, premedicated the patient, intubated them, IV catheterized them, shaved, prepped, and sterilized the patient. We anesthetically monitored the patient through manual counting of the heart rate and respiratory rate, and monitored the palpebral response. Over time we learned when the patient was starting to wake up and we would immediately give more anesthetic drugs before they woke up. We also got to perform surgeries. Lastly, we monitored, recovered, and reversed patients. Personally, I performed one feline male castration, four spays (three canine and one feline), and closed on a different patient. I also got to perform all the anesthetic duties, preparation of the patient for surgery, and recovery. As I got more experienced with each surgery I got to do more and more. The last two spays I preformed I had even accomplished doing 90% of the surgery on my own which was rewarding! 

          This veterinary experience also allowed me to see situations that would otherwise be unique in the United States. I got to see several pregnant spays, females in heat spays, and more. I even got to perform a spay on a large uterus with a lot of bleeding and a tiny uterus that was hard to exteriorize. This allowed me to see the whole spectrum of spays that will occur and feel the variations on such spays. I even learned different methods that are used in such situations. For example, I learned how to make a transfixation knot on a huge uterus and I learned on how to exteriorize a tiny uterus.

            Not only did I get hands-on surgery experience, but I also got to learn about the local veterinary care. I learned that the local people cannot afford to go to the veterinarian and many go without medical care. However, since there are few doctors and lack of affordability, it is common to be able to buy drugs over the counter. Thus, I learned that a lot of people may ask for other people’s advice and buy their own drugs for their pet.

            This experience was a truly valuable one. I got to gain surgical experience, but also I got to learn about veterinary care in a completely different situation. There are many valuable lessons I learned on this trip such as not relying on machines for monitoring and variations of methods on the same surgery due to different patients’ size and age. I look forward to applying what I learned to my veterinary career and maybe even going on a FARVets trip as a veterinarian myself."