Boost my chances??

[DocterD]

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I am looking into different options to gain experience for my application and I came across an organization called World Vets.... They have an international Veterinary Medicine program every summer in Nicaragua but it is very expensive. It looks like it could be a good learning experience and would look good on an application but I am not sure if its worth it.
Any Ideas??

 

[Fireflysushi]

Many people do these sorts of things especially Vida trips. I ended up volunteering with International Student Volunteers and although my experience wasn't veterinary, I think the fact that I was able to say that I had conservation experience with dolphins and tree frogs in Costa Rica made my app stand out🙂. I think it is a great way to get some atypical experience. But you should not think that this sort of trip is necessary. If you can afford it do it because you will have a blast, but if it will put a real financial strain on you then there are other ways to get unique experiences. Just look into the different trips. I know of VIDA, World Vets, International Student Volunteers (for exotic animal experience), and Project Samana (must have previous equine tech experience).

 

[foxtrotvet]

I did a month-long study abroad in South Africa with Ecolife Expeditions. It was a month of pretty extensive small animal and wildlife/game animal veterinary experience, and I believe that it really helped my app stand out (as well as added variation!!). My program wasn't cheap, but as I was already planning on completing some sort of study abroad program, the month-long option ended up being a little less expensive (combined with a semester long tuition at my "home" school) than a complete semester abroad. Plus, it was pretty freaking awesome.

I LOVE traveling and I thought the program was completely worth it. I even used some of my experiences in my personal statement, and I thought having a world-view was something that definitely added to my personal depth as well as my veterinary education. However, to echo Fireflysushi, if animal experience/vet experience abroad is something you can't afford or justify spending money, there are tons of options for unusual veterinary experiences if you keep your eyes open. Check around for wildlife centers/rehabs, zoo internships (I have a friend who has an awesome undergrad internship at the Denver Zoo), whatever you can get your hands on.

Additionally, my school gave me 2 partial scholarships to attend my program, so don't pass that up. If you have the grades and are willing to troll around your school's study abroad website/program/etc, there are lots of options for financing a trip abroad.

 

[lostbunny]

. I ended up volunteering with International Student Volunteers

I TOTALLY DID ISV TOO!!!!! 😀

To the O.P, I looked into World Vets and there are tons of other organizations around that give you that cool international vet experience in addition to WV. If you're really into travel this is definately an opportunity not to pass up.

For me though, being a stingy shoe string backpacker, and after my experience with ISV (non veterinary, but did conservation volunteer work) I refuse to pay such a huge amount to do volunteer work. There *are* organizations where you can go for free even if you're not a vet student/vet nurse/vet. You just have to look hard, far and wide!

But I am completely bias because I absolutely love traveling and have put off applying to vet school this year so that I can travel 🙂


ETA:
I'm on board with the other two in that: do this experience more so because of the travel aspect and with vet/animal experience as icing on top. Its not something to do only for the vet experience because you can get really unique experience locally if you search for it.

 

[StartingoverVet]

If you are doing it because you think this experience will make you more likely than some other experience to get in......then don't do it.

If you are doing it because you want to do something different and get an unusual experience for your own benefit then go ahead.

If money is an issue, I would recommend a more traditional approach to experience..

 

[twelvetigers]

Yeah, don't spend money you don't have. It won't make you a shoo-in or anything - if you are a good applicant without the experience, that won't change with it, and the same for a not-so-good applicant.

It's important to have an app that has a bit of uniqueness to it, and this is one way to go about that, but it's definitely not the only way.

If you have the inclination, do some research looking for more cost efficient opportunities. What about this?

http://www.ruralareavet.org/

 

[T_Rose]

I went on a VIDA trip, and it was a great experience. It is expensive to volunteer for them, but it was something I had been wanting to do for a long time. I already had veterinary experience before I went, and VIDA requires some observation hours before you go. I had visited Costa Rica in the past and wanted to go back, only this time related to my area of study, so that is why I chose VIDA. If you are only looking for experience, then I would look closer to home. However, if you are looking for an unique experience to learn about another culture, vary your veterinary experience, help others, and can afford it, I would suggest a VIDA trip. 😀

 

[macita183]

I did a trip with World Vets to Panama in 2009. It was a wonderful experience. I developed a great relationship with the organization World Vets partnered with in Panama and will be going back to volunteer again this summer (I will be going directly through the organization in Panama so it's a lot cheaper). We were in Panama City for a couple days and then we did a spay/neuter blitz in rural Panama (about 3 hrs from the city). Since I'm still waiting for admission to vet school I can't say if this added extra points but it was an experience I'm grateful I got to have.

 

[wildcatj]

Has anyone done a HSVMA-RAVS clinic? It sounds like a really interesting opportunity.

 

[latetothegame]

Does anyone know of a 1-2 week volunteering project with animals in an Arabic-speaking country? I know Egypt has a vet school, and I've heard of Animal Aid Egypt, but that was all I've found: http://animalaidabroad.org/animalaidegypt Has anyone from this forum volunteered there?