The two-week Costa Rica Pre-Vet Clinical Wildlife Medicine program is based at the Jaguar Rescue Center (Puerto Viejo de Talamanca) that rehabilitates, reintroduces, and cares for animals who are victims of wildlife trafficking, human animal conflict, or who otherwise need care.
You can optionally earn 3 credits studying wildlife conservation during this program. The course includes observing and learning about the animals at the facility and learning from your veterinary trip leader and your on-site local veterinarian in the classroom, clinic, and rescue center.
Who It’s For
This program is designed for university-aged students who are interested in becoming veterinarians or working professionally with animals. Participants must be at least 18 years old. Most are 18 to 25, but we also accept full-time undergraduates over 25.
There are no pre-requisites for this program. You do not need to be in school currently to apply. Individuals of any nationality may apply.
Your group of 8 students will be learning from your Loop Abroad veterinarian as well as the head veterinarian at the wildlife rescue. All programming is in English – no Spanish skills are required (but if you have them, you’ll definitely use them!)
Highlights
- Care for sloths, kinkajous, monkeys, parrots, and other Costa Rican animals
- Join a half-day snorkeling adventure and visit the beach after your day at the rescue center
- Learn from dedicated veterinarians about the identification, physiology, and veterinary care of Costa Rican mammals, reptiles, and birds
- Learn about zoonotic diseases, necropsy, nutrition, diagnostics and therapies, wildlife immobilization, and how to provide wild species with good welfare in captivity
- Perform behavioral observation and design a goal-oriented enrichment project for an animal at the center
- Perform veterinary labs such as suturing, clinical skills, blood smear analysis, fecal cytology, and blow darting
