Shannon
Biology Major
From South Hadley to South Africa: Connecting Veterinary Experiences at Home and Abroad
This past summer I traveled to the Eastern Cape, South Africa, where I worked as a veterinary intern. While there, I learned from and assisted veterinarians in a variety of environments, including wildlife game reserves, industrial and small-scale farms, and in small and large animal veterinary clinics. I spent my time living and working with a group of pre-veterinary students, with whom I attended lectures and gained practical experience in the field. From the veterinarians and fellow staff, I learned about animal handling, management, diagnosis and treatments, and was expected to complete or assist with a variety of tasks. Daily activities ranged from wildlife capture, relocation and release, small animal surgery, herd pregnancy testing and vaccinations, and artificial insemination of pigs, to laboratory diagnostics and more. Throughout this opportunity, I was able to explore some of the multitude of career paths that a veterinary degree can provide.
