Official SDN pre-veterinary VIDA Volunteer Travel trip!

Veterinary Science Graduate Certificate from UofI
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twelvetigers

twelvetigers

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Alright guys! I have a new trip planned. Here is the information:

WHEN: May 21st - June 2nd, 2011
WHERE: Costa Rica and Panama
COST: $1,795 (airfare not included)

Applications are due by January 20th, 2011. The cost to apply is $100. There is a $500 deposit due by February 20th, and the final amount is due by April 6th. VIDA is really good about refunds if something unexpected happens.

So, for anyone just hearing about VIDA, here is the website:

http://www.vidavolunteertravel.org/

This trip is open to pre-veterinary students, veterinary students, and veterinarians. Vets travel for free except for airfare and personal expenses! I went on one of these trips last summer (with many other SDNers) and we all loved it! Here is the thread about that trip:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=711713

As always, I am available to answer any questions you have about the trip, so don't hesitate to send me a message or post here. I know it's quite a while away, but I wanted to post about it now so that everyone interested can think about it, check the dates, and start working on funding.

I promise not to bump this thread up every three days. :hungover:

If anyone wants to sign up, just choose the SDN Group on this page:

http://www.vidavolunteertravel.org/schedules.php

That's all there is to it. :)

I'll post more information here as time goes on. There will be a Facebook group, an email list, all that. Just have to get things started first!

Oh, and if anyone wonders why it's so early in the summer - I'm making sure that anyone who has applied has time to prepare for and start veterinary school, since Mississippi will start on July 1st again next year. Oh, and we're doing Costa Rica and Panama because... two words: sloth sanctuary. Woo!

Oh boy, so excited. Its such an amazing experience. Again, let me know if you have any questions!
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Ahhh, so much money, but I want to do it! A little unsure though because of scheduling/deposits. I would only go if I get into vet school because I can't take that long a break from work. If I get into vet school, my plan is to leave my job and go backpack around South America for a few months before school starts, so this would just fit into that, but if I don't get in, I'd just keep working and wouldn't be able to travel at all. But I won't know about admissions until after the deposit is due in Feb, so not sure what to do...
 
I really can't help you there - it's sort of a personal choice for you. However, you could see about the possibility of getting some funding - a lot of people had some contributions from friendly relatives and employers. Heylodeb raised a lot of the money for the last trip that way. If you could get the help, maybe the two weeks away from work wouldn't be as bad.

And if you don't get in (which wont matter, since you WILL) this would be something neat for experiences. But again, it won't matter at all. ;)
 
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nyanko said:
I'd consider going if that wasn't just right before our finals week for Spring quarter. ;)
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Finals Schminals....

But seriously, I'm definitely considering this trip. I went to Belize summer 2009 but we only got to do a couple of spays and only one neuter. I'll put some money aside and talk to my parents about a possible Christmas/B-Day gift. So exciting!!!!
 
I am definitely interested! Anyone who went on the last trip have an estimate of about how much they spent in addition to the trip cost (airfare, food, etc.)?
 
hunterjumper12 said:
I am definitely interested! Anyone who went on the last trip have an estimate of about how much they spent in addition to the trip cost (airfare, food, etc.)?
Click to expand...

Our trip was the same cost, ~$1800
Flights, from St. Louis, and insurance, ~$800
Food and Souvenirs, ~$200-250 (can't quite remember... I kept some currency as souvenirs as well)
Random things I needed for the trip but didn't already have (pancho, boots, bug spray, etc.): ~$150

Approximate total: ~$3000

I did get sponsorship (lots of it) from family and friends. I also got about $200 in donations (got souvenirs for those that gave donations).

I know the cost looks like a lot, but you're not paying it all at once. In the end, it was absolutely worth it.
 
I wish I could afford to go again :(

Airfare = $1600 (I was coming from the furthest away... it was originally $1425 but mom wanted me to go through a travel agent and get insured with them)
Insurance = Free (it was included in my mom's insurance)
Luggage Fees = $100
Souvenirs = $100
Food = $250
Extras (New luggage, uniform tops, stethoscope, printing the manual, phrase book) = $225

I got $145 in monetary donations and ~$600 (if you were to buy this stuff outright, I think it would be around this much) in medication, gloves, suture kits, food, toys, collars and leashes. I spent $130 of my donations on enough leashes and collars to fill a small duffle bag.

I think that's it.

That's all I can think of at the moment!
 
Ooooooo! I'm really interested in trying to work it out to get to go. I was reading on the VIDA website and it said one of the requirements was 25 hours of spay/neuter observation.....how do you go about proving that? I mean I have small animal vet shadowing but I haven't a clue as to how many spay/neuter hours that includes. If it has to be "official" in some way can you work on it after you apply like in the spring before the trip?
ALSO, do you have to already have a passport before you apply?

Thanks....I'm sure I will come up with more questions later too :)
 
That looks like that would be a lot of fun and very beneficial!! I wonder if there is a way for me to come up with the money.....
 
I think I spent about $300 on food, drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic), and a couple little souvenirs. I know I had some money left over, so I probably spent a bit less.

The insurance was $60 for two weeks. I already had some rubber rain boots (with polka dots) so that was fine. I did get the rabies vaccinations, but those weren't required! However, if you get into a veterinary school and will need them anyway, you might plan on getting them beforehand. In retrospect, I would have been fine without it. (But I'm glad to have that over with. :) )

My plane tickets would have been $700 (from Tulsa) if I had done things the right way, but I ended up buying half of the trip first - long story - but got lucky and my brother in law covered the trip back with his frequent flyer miles. This trip arrives and departs from the same airport (San Juan, Costa Rica - airport code SJO) so you can book a round-trip flight, which is inevitably much easier and cheaper. Haven't looked at prices yet, though.

The 25 hours need to be completed by about a month before the trip. All you need is a signature from a veterinarian saying that you've observed that many hours. If you assume each surgery was 1/2 hour or so, you can kinda estimate it that way.

You can apply without a passport. There is a spot for your passport number, but you can leave it blank. Just send them your passport number by about a month before the trip. You obviously *need* a passport for the trip, of course, but there's plenty of time for that.
 
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Dang. Ohio State goes till June 9th this year. Bummer :(
 
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twelvetigers said:
It's that dang quarter system, messin' everything up.
Click to expand...

I'm actually completely enamored with the quarter system...lol and I'm SO angry that it's changing in a couple years. But it does make things like this difficult =(
 
hmmm.....
 
TT are you planning on going again this year?
 
I really wanted to go on something similar to this 2 years ago to Thailand to work on Elephants but airfair alone was 3k.
 
I looked at flights and I would actually have to arrive the evening before (it says you have to arrive by 2pm by May 21 and every flight on the 21st would get me there later than that). Did anyone else have to do this last time? Did anyone arrive early or stay late to do some sightseeing?
 
EllieGirl89 said:
I'm actually completely enamored with the quarter system...lol and I'm SO angry that it's changing in a couple years. But it does make things like this difficult =(
Click to expand...


:hijacked: Sorry for the hijack. EllieGirl, is it official that Ohio is changing to semesters? Is there an official date?
 
LivestockDoc said:
:hijacked: Sorry for the hijack. EllieGirl, is it official that Ohio is changing to semesters? Is there an official date?
Click to expand...

Yep, it's official, and it's starting in fall of 2012. So next year will still be on quarters but the year after that will start semesters. Meaning if by some miracle I get in this year, my second year of vet school will be on semesters, completely throwing off my life.
 
OneDay81 said:
I looked at flights and I would actually have to arrive the evening before (it says you have to arrive by 2pm by May 21 and every flight on the 21st would get me there later than that). Did anyone else have to do this last time? Did anyone arrive early or stay late to do some sightseeing?
Click to expand...

I hadn't even thought of this being an issue...but when I searched potential flights for me they they all get into the airport after 7 at night on the 21st too. I was wondering how far in advance someone should plan on getting their tickets, cause I probably wouldn't be able to until probably a month after the deposit...so like in March???? When did you guys do it last year????
 
turquoisewolves said:
I hadn't even thought of this being an issue...but when I searched potential flights for me they they all get into the airport after 7 at night on the 21st too. I was wondering how far in advance someone should plan on getting their tickets, cause I probably wouldn't be able to until probably a month after the deposit...so like in March???? When did you guys do it last year????
Click to expand...

A lot of people purchased their flights a month or two beforehand - not sure how it'll work if you get there the night before - but I'm sure if you told Vida they would at least give you some advice on what hotel to stay in. (you would just have to pay for it yourself)
 
I am definitely going to look into going on this trip because everyone on here raved about what a great experience it was. Turquoisewolves, maybe if there are other people who have to arrive the night before, you can all pitch in for a hotel room.
 
You guys are right about the flights being junk. I can find one for myself that doesn't involve an overnight stay, though - it's a United flight through Houston. It's not the cheapest option though. Can you guys find anything that's not overnight?
 
The Holiday Inn express has rooms with double beds for $99 for that night. There are some cheaper hotels (around $70) but the HI is right at the airport.

Try searching at nearby airports, if you have that option. If I fly out of Chicago v Indianapolis, I can save $200. It's an hour further away, but even with the time and gas money its still a big savings.
 
You are right OneDay81:thumbup:........I started searching different airports and found a flight that lays over in Houston like TT, that would get me there right @ 2 p.m. in the afternoon on the 21st!

I know its only October....but this is actually a fun diversion to ponder instead of thinking about how my applications are doing :)
 
How about hostels? I've never been to Costa Rica, but around South America, I definitely stuck to hostels and although they aren't as nice of course, they were plenty fitting for a decent bed and breakfast. I never used the dorms in hostels, always got a single or double, and saved a tonnn of money with that.
 
I saw some hostels for about $10-15 a night but I don't know how close they are to the airport.

TT-
Are we supposed to find a vet for this trip or is that taken care of???
 
Vets are taken care of, but you get cookie points if you find one willing to go.

Let's see if the hotel thing is a big issue - if it is, we can arrange something reasonable, I'm sure. For now, don't worry about it - it'll get figured out. :)

Man, I'm letting on that I don't sleep. Should be careful about when I get on to post, lol.
 
Anyone want to pay for me to go again? :p

Just a heads up... I ended up getting sick near the end of my trip with fever and stomach pains. The doctor told me I either picked up a virus or it was from eating salads. The guide wasn't always clear about what was safe to eat and what wasn't safe to eat. I had mild stomach issues on and off during the trip. A few people had an upset stomach at certain points, but no where near as bad as I had it. I tried sooo many different medications and nothing helped... I just had to let it run its course.

I just wanted to through that out there. I missed out on a lot during the last few days of my trip... I was well enough to do the last clinic, but I missed going out for dinner and drinks with the group and have you ever tried ziplining when your stomach is churning and you're aching all over? It's really not cool!

About flights... I used travelocity. When I plugged in my destination, it found me a cheap flight down immediately. For return, I plugged in flights going from Managua to certain cities in the states and I found a combination that was cheaper than what it suggested for me. For some reason, flying from Managua - Houston - Newark - Home was like $200 cheaper than Managua - Miami - Newark - Home. The flights that Travelocity originally suggested involved me flying to Houston and having a 35 minute layover. When I plugged Houston in the search engine, it gave me a lot more options.
 
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For flights, it takes a bit of research, but find where the hubs for the airline you want to fly is, and then fly Southwest or something to get there and then a Latin American airline to get out of the country, it's usually really cheap when it's just the one leg. The site I always use for my South America flights is exitotravel.com.
 
thedogisgreen said:
For flights, it takes a bit of research, but find where the hubs for the airline you want to fly is, and then fly Southwest or something to get there and then a Latin American airline to get out of the country, it's usually really cheap when it's just the one leg. The site I always use for my South America flights is exitotravel.com.
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yes - that's what I did! (not exito but Southwest and it saved a lot of money!)
 
thedogisgreen said:
For flights, it takes a bit of research, but find where the hubs for the airline you want to fly is, and then fly Southwest or something to get there and then a Latin American airline to get out of the country, it's usually really cheap when it's just the one leg. The site I always use for my South America flights is exitotravel.com.
Click to expand...

Holy cow! Great site! It found me a roundtrip flight for $80 less than what travelocity and expedia were finding ($320 total)! A peculiar thing is that it's cheaper for my flight from chicago to sjo via miami than it is for a flight from miami to sjo. It's like they're paying me to take the chicago to miami leg of my flight! I am trying to get my friend to join up and go too but the flights from Mobile start at $700 roundtrip. Ridiculous.

That website also has a link to what seems to be a decent travel/med insurance company. I can get travel and medical insurance for the trip for $48... That's as a 30 year old, so it may be cheaper for younger people.
 
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Just thought I'd give this a bump while everyone is sitting and twiddling their thumbs (at least application-wise).

I do want to let you all know that I *may* not go if Mississippi happens - I'm pretty obligated to spend some serious quality time with the husband if I'll be moving away, and he threw a small fit when I told him I might do another SDN VIDA trip. :) I will try to come if at all possible, and I will plan the trip as if I were. I'm fine with coordinating whether I go or not.

But I'd like to go, of course.
 
Thanks for the bump! I should be studying, but instead I'm currently in the thumb twiddling phase of deciding whether or not I want to go on the trip. I definitely am keeping it in mind!
 
I was really happy when I read this. I went on a VIDA trip in June 2009 and it was awesome! I really want to go again, it is totally worth the money (the hard part is just saving up)
 
He's a sweet guy. :hungover:

Anyway, I'll let this thread go again for a while, but if anyone comes across this and has any questions (lurkers included!) just send me a personal message and I will answer promptly. :)
 
I know that these trips are mainly spay/neuter clinics, but I was wondering if anyone could give me info on if you get to do any work with wildlife etc. I know that someone mentioned going to a Sloth sanctuary. Does anyone know what we would get to do while we are there?
 
Is there a thread dedicated to listing opportunities like this or other volunteer programs?
 
Elefante - sorry, but the wildlife work is really limited. I think the sloth sanctuary does let us do some cool stuff (or at least handle the sloths, maybe watch a surgery), but on the previous trip, we went to a zoo and essentially got a more in-depth tour than normal visitors, but that's it. The trip is probably something like 60% dogs, 24% cats, 10% cattle, 5% horses, 1% pigs/goats. Mostly because there is only one day of LA work involved.

So, the big focus is on SA surgeries, really. If you really want wildlife stuff specifically, there might be other programs out there able to offer that.

And, as for other programs, there are a couple of old threads but nothing recent. The first of these is the start of last year's VIDA thread, so it goes from talking about different programs to just talking about the trip, so mostly the first few pages will be useful.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=711713
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=631509
 
This trip is sounding more and more interesting to me....I saw in the previous thread someone got to actually perform something like 12 surgeries?! Is that similar to what you experienced TT?

Anyway, I probably want to see if I get accepted anywhere this year before I decide what to do, but this definitely seems like an invaluable opportunity
 
I lost count! I did parts of *at least* 12 surgeries, but probably fewer all on my own from start to finish. Either way, it was pretty awesome.

Again, I'm not sure if I'll be going yet, but I'm always here to answer questions. :)
 
Bigcatlover said:
This trip is sounding more and more interesting to me....I saw in the previous thread someone got to actually perform something like 12 surgeries?! Is that similar to what you experienced TT?

Anyway, I probably want to see if I get accepted anywhere this year before I decide what to do, but this definitely seems like an invaluable opportunity
Click to expand...

Obviously I'm not TT, but I went on the trip in August. In total, I performed/assisted with 9 surgeries. When I say "assisted", I mean my partner and I shared the surgery. Some pairs shared surgeries, whereas others switched off and did every other one. Either way, we normally tried to make it as equal as possible within the pair. Keep in mind that we had a pretty large group (>20) so we worked with a new person each day, causing slight variation in numbers of surgeries. There were definitely days where there were interesting things happening toward the end of the day, so I observed quite a number of surgeries that I wasn't responsible for.
 
twelvetigers said:
Elefante - sorry, but the wildlife work is really limited. I think the sloth sanctuary does let us do some cool stuff (or at least handle the sloths, maybe watch a surgery), but on the previous trip, we went to a zoo and essentially got a more in-depth tour than normal visitors, but that's it. The trip is probably something like 60% dogs, 24% cats, 10% cattle, 5% horses, 1% pigs/goats. Mostly because there is only one day of LA work involved.

So, the big focus is on SA surgeries, really. If you really want wildlife stuff specifically, there might be other programs out there able to offer that.

And, as for other programs, there are a couple of old threads but nothing recent. The first of these is the start of last year's VIDA thread, so it goes from talking about different programs to just talking about the trip, so mostly the first few pages will be useful.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=711713
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=631509
Click to expand...


Thanks for the info! This isn't necessarily a deal breaker for me. I am looking into a lot of programs, and I just want as much info about them as possible before I sign up for anything. This leads me to my next question. I know everyone is talking about all of the surgeries they get to do, but do you also learn and do the anesthesia during surgeries?

Thanks so much!!
 
elefante7 said:
I know everyone is talking about all of the surgeries they get to do, but do you also learn and do the anesthesia during surgeries?

Thanks so much!!
Click to expand...

Yep. The main anesthetic they use is IV, so you learn to place a catheter (except in small dogs and cats) for the anesthesia. You are also responsible for pre- and post-anesthesia as well, so antibiotics, dewormer, vaccinations etc. All injections you give can range from IM to IV to SQ, so you learn to give all sorts.

Each animal has a sheet, on which you write its vitals, and on the back of which has a chart of all substances from pre- to post- anesthesia listed on it. It also includes the dosage per mass so you just multiply two numbers. It's easy peasy.

This trip was the first time I even attempted to set a catheter. None of the clinics I've been to have used that method for anesthesia, so it was definitely something new for me. Do not think you need to know all of this kind of stuff before the trip!
 
I went on the trip with next to no hands-on animal experience. I had never drawn up injections (let alone give them), cleaned ears, take a temperate... the only thing I've done is restrained a couple of animals and helped prep for surgery once. That's it. I've never even applied flea preventative because I have never owned a dog before. Seriously... I knew NOTHING. I had 300 hours of shadowing going into the trip.

Now I can:
Restrain animals
Clean ears and trim nails
Take temperature, respiratory rate, heart rate, blood pressure
Calculate and administer drugs, preventatives, dewormer
Know what to look for when doing an exam
Give vaccinations to dogs, cats, cattle and horses
Prep for surgery
Perform surgery
Tattoo
Wake an animal up after surgery

I only tried placing a catheter once. I let someone else take over when I couldn't get it in. So I didn't really get the jist of that.

Like TT said, we were paired up with someone all trip. I did ~10 surgeries with a partner. One partner would do the first half (which included making an incision) and the other would do the second half (which included closing the incision).

We did one cat spay, one cat neuter, one dog neuter and the rest were dog spays.

I did another three on top of that without a partner. Two dog spays and a dog neuter. The neuter I did outside, in the middle of a thunder storm, in the dark and did awesome considering it was the second dog neuter I had seen on my trip.

It was pretty awesome.... especially when the vet let you chose what suture you wanted to use to close your animal :p

I had NO large animal experience prior to the trip. I stabbed ~20 cattle (was almost kicked by one) and 2 horses.

If anyone is interested in seeing some pictures, let me know. I have a few that don't reveal the indentity of anyone here, but gives you a good idea of some of the things you'll be seeing on your trip.
 
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Just to play devil's advocate...

...just because you CAN perform surgery in a third-world country with next to no training and no formal veterinary education...

...does that mean you SHOULD?


Discuss. :)


P.S. Do any of these organizations have actual numbers that indicate that the spay/neuter programs are making a dent in the country's overpopulation problem?
 
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