Volunteering in San Diego?

[LondonBliss]

Hello all! I am in the process of completely overhauling my stats so I can someday get that acceptance letter in the mail. (By the way everyone has been really inspirational here, Nyanko thanks!) I'm new to San Diego and just started a position at UCSD in a lab. I already have over 5000 hours SA and exotic vet clinic experience. I would love to volunteer or work very part time with a wildlife or large animal vet here or even surgical specialist? Anyone know of any kind vet willing to mentor a very passionate and ambitious pre-vetter? Thanks!

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[mtambaschi]

I attended the Wildlife Handling and Chemical Immobilization for Wildlife Professionals at the California Wolf Center and it was a fantastic (but expensive) program http://www.californiawolfcenter.org/special-events/wildlife-handling-course/. They take volunteers as well.

Lions Tigers & Bears takes volunteers too http://www.lionstigersandbears.org/home/Volunteer.aspx

Dr. Cecil at the Pet Emergency & Speciaty Center in La Mesa is a great exotics vet http://www.pescsandiego.com/ourStaff5.php. I volunteered with that practice for about 500 hours and they are very willing to work with you on your application.

And their surgeons are great too http://www.pescsandiego.com/ourStaff3.php

Hope that helps!

 

[LondonBliss]

I attended the Wildlife Handling and Chemical Immobilization for Wildlife Professionals at the California Wolf Center and it was a fantastic (but expensive) program http://www.californiawolfcenter.org/special-events/wildlife-handling-course/. They take volunteers as well.

Lions Tigers & Bears takes volunteers too http://www.lionstigersandbears.org/home/Volunteer.aspx

Dr. Cecil at the Pet Emergency & Speciaty Center in La Mesa is a great exotics vet http://www.pescsandiego.com/ourStaff5.php. I volunteered with that practice for about 500 hours and they are very willing to work with you on your application.

And their surgeons are great too http://www.pescsandiego.com/ourStaff3.php

Hope that helps!

Wow! That is extremely helpful! Thank you! I'm hoping to take this next year to just completely overhaul my stats and get more experience. I messed up as an undergrad and now it is time to really get things together. thanks again!

 

[cooniexp]

Dr. Cecil is great! I volunteered in the ER and Exotics dep't at PESC. The specialty surgeons are pretty nice about letting you watch too!

http://www.wildwonders.org/ Wild Wonders is a bit more hands on than Lions, Tigers, and Bears.

http://projectwildlife.org/ They have Care Center volunteers or you can even help out in Home Care, join a team, and do rescue/transport.They also offer pretty good workshops once a year.

http://www.animalcenter.org/ Helen Woodward has an equine division. I believe Dr. Richardson is one of their equine vets.

http://www.marketstreetvet.com/Templates/peek.aspx
Dr. Dorian is an equine vet as well.

Hope this helps! If you're in the UCSD area, you should look into the pre vet club on campus. I've found a lot of opportunities through that club.

 

[cooniexp]

Btw.. do you happen to be doing cardiovascular research with Dr. Ellrott at UCSD?

 

[LondonBliss]

Btw.. do you happen to be doing cardiovascular research with Dr. Ellrott at UCSD?

Thanks for the info! Yes even though i am not an official student at UCSD, I thought I would go to pre-vet club anyhow. The worst they could do is kick me out, and i doubt they would seeing as i am an employee of the school. No, I am actually in Dr. Hoelscher's lab at Hillcrest. We are working on transcranial ultrasound to treat blood clots. You sound like you might have attended UCSD or know a lot about it. I want to take classes this fall, but i am foreseeing issues with getting in to classes. The budget cuts here caused massive reductions in course offerings and so now almost every bio class has this fairly long waiting list. Any tips on that? I wonder how i am supposed to improve myself for vet school acceptance if i can't even get in to any classes.

 

[variegata]

Project Wildlife actually offers workshops twice a year.

Dr. Dorian is awesome. He helps a lot with the pre-vet club and is super friendly and helpful. He would be an excellent person to call.

 

[teatime]

Project Wildlife actually offers workshops twice a year.

Dr. Dorian is awesome. He helps a lot with the pre-vet club and is super friendly and helpful. He would be an excellent person to call.

Any more info on the workshops... what do they involve?

 

[cooniexp]

I'm still at UCSD but graduating in June. You could try taking classes through UCSD Extension? I have a friend who did that post-graduation but I don't know too much about it..

Oops! Twice a year for PW workshops. They have a variety but you have to be an active volunteer to participate in them. I did the mammal and bird dissection ones, which were awesome. They also have others such as microscopy, handling, etc. I tried to attach the spring catalog but it was too large I'd try to find it on their website.

Here's another interesting opportunity, especially if you're into raptors: http://www.wildlife-research.org/
They do a Hawk Watch every weekend during the spring for about 2 months where they invite rehab places (such as PW, Sky Hunters, etc) and falconers to bring their raptors and educate the public. They also band and tag golden eagles during the spring. I just went on one of the hiking trips and it was pretty kickass.

 

[variegata]

I looked for the workshop catalog on the website, but I think they took it down since the spring ones are over. They're offered spring and fall. I did the physical exams one, the bird and mammal dissection ones. I wanted to do the parasitology one, but couldn't make it to any of their microscopy ones, so I couldn't (though if I really tried, I probably could've persuaded them, having taken microbio lab). They also have introductory ones to different species (to try to recruit you to the homecare teams), presentation skills ones for Education Team members and artistic ones that are open regardless of your volunteer level. They have more medical-oriented ones (such as fluid therapy) for upper level volunteers, but I couldn't take them since I was too busy volunteering to finish my stupid workbook and get to those upper levels.

 

[Rosekiki]

Hi guys, I am currently an undergrad at UCSD, and I volunteer with Dr. Ellrott at Cardiovascular Research! (is that you, Angel??)

maybe we can have a san diego gathering, everyone? =D

 

[LondonBliss]

Hi guys, I am currently an undergrad at UCSD, and I volunteer with Dr. Ellrott at Cardiovascular Research! (is that you, Angel??)

maybe we can have a san diego gathering, everyone? =D

I just moved here from Arizona and now work at UCSD. I have only known one other person that wanted to be a vet, so it would be really cool to meet more. PM me if you are in San Diego and want to meet up some time.

 

[cooniexp]

I am not Angel, but I am her friend, haha.