Wild life externships in USA
Sponsored by the MAH- IVSA Scholarship and Travel Grant program
by Mayan Bar-On, Israel
Summer of 2015 is a summer to remember. As a veterinary student I have been
studying for many years in the same institute, with the same professors and the
same "I believe". Opening up to a new place, new practices, new ideas, where other
people speak my "language" (the veterinary language) is a fascinating, intriguing and
developing experience.
I did 2 rotations in the USA, Both were unforgettable gifts in my life:
2 weeks- Pacific Marine Mammals center (PMMC)- Laguna Beach, OC, California.
2 weeks- "Save the Chimps" sanctuary in Fort Pierce, Florida.
Having an externship abroad has never been a trivial option for me due to financial
reasons as a full time student. Finding the MAH-IVSA scholarship program has been a
happy reveal for me, and I immediately knew I wasn't going to let this opportunity
slip away. I admit- applying is not an easy task during school time, though I would
have done it all over again if needed and much more!
I have started my journey in Orange County, California, where I was warmly
welcomed by the amazing staff of the PMMC, and my personal mentor there- Dr
Richard Evans, who taught me a lot and was very kind and inviting. We did morning
and noon rounds around the pens, examining new arriving seals, check on present
seals and their progress and did "pre-release" examines to healthy happy seals who
were ready to go back into the ocean.
Since Dr. Evans is also a Pathologist, we did post mortem necropsies (of seals that
unfortunately died) only few minutes after their death- another worthwhile
experience as you get to see very "fresh" and clear anatomy. On the course of the