What is new for 2012?
Significant changes have been made to the Global Vets program to increase the involvement of recent Global Vets alumni. Phase 2 students who have an interest in obtaining international development experience, please note the following for 2012:
“Global Vets” is a 2 year program that refers to all students who are selected for the program and spend a minimum of 4 weeks engaged in veterinary activities within a developing country during the summer semester between Phase 2 and Phase 3. Thereafter, they will actively participate in selection and mentoring of the succeeding Global Vets teams.
All Global Vets students must be members of the International Veterinary Medicine Club (IVMC) at OVC as Global Vets is a student-run program operated through the IVMC. Students wishing to take part in Global Vets 2012 must complete the 2012 application form as groups of two or more people. On the basis of each group’s learning objectives, student groups are encouraged to select appropriate countries from a list of geographic locations with which OVC and Global Vets have had previous positive interactions. Alternate developing countries may be visited if sufficient contact/project information is supplied. Applications should show serious interest in the animal health problems faced by our veterinary colleagues in these geographic locations, and the cultural and political contexts in which they occur.
Project proposals are due by 1:30pm on Monday, September 26th, 2011, and should be submitted to Dr. Andrew Peregrine (aperegri@ovc.uoguelph.ca), Department of Pathobiology.
For 2012, teams will be selected by a committee of recent Global Vets alumni with faculty involvement, after evaluation of the project proposal and an interview (tentatively scheduled during the evenings of October 3rd-5th, 2011). Thereafter, specific project activities will be developed by the student teams in collaboration with international contacts, Global Vets alumni, and OVC faculty.
Selected students will not be eligible to remain as part of Global Vets if they fail to meet the requirements of the program or scheduled project confirmation deadline:
February 29th, 2012 – 75% of projects confirmed
Collaborative fundraising activities will be coordinated through the IVMC and the OVC development office. Students wishing to take part in collaborative fundraising will need to make a formal commitment to being actively involved in this activity. Students will be required to complete specified pre-departure orientation activities organized by the Centre for International Programs (CIP), University of Guelph.
Background
Global Vets is a program at the Ontario Veterinary College which offers student veterinarians a unique opportunity to investigate animal health care in developing countries. The program was started in 1997 by two second year students, and is based on a program called Defi Vet-Monde at the Faculte de medecine veterinaire at the University of Montreal.
The pilot project took place in the summer of 1998, allowing two students from the Ontario Veterinary College to travel to India and volunteer with various animal health professionals. Upon their return, they shared their experience with the University of Guelph community and the animal health industry throughout Canada. (Read more about the 1998 trip to India following the link on this page.)
In 2006, the International Veterinary Medicine Club was created. Since that time, the Global Vets program has been an activity of this Club for Phase 2 students.
Philosophy
Global Vets was formed to promote international collaboration on animal health and welfare, agricultural development and ecosystem health. The program strives to enhance working relationships and the exchange of ideas between Canadian veterinarians and their colleagues in developing regions of the world.
Participants
Proposals to visit specific countries are written by students in the fall of their second year of the DVM program. A selection committee comprised of faculty and Global Vets Alumni evaluates the proposals and assists the selected teams in creating feasible projects. With the help of this committee and Global Vets alumni, the participants are responsible for developing an itinerary for the following summer, making contacts in their host country, raising sponsorship and awareness for their project and sharing information upon their return to Canada.
Funding
The success of this program has been made possible by the generous financial support of corporate and private sponsors. Companies with a vested interest in the animal health industry, as well as those with an interest in international relations, education of students and volunteer endeavors are instrumental in the continuation of this program.
Sponsorship
Companies that sponsor Global Vets receive exposure both in Canada and internationally through presentations at conferences, printed material, this web site, and personal exchanges.
If you are interested in finding out more about how you can support Global Vets, please contact one of the faculty advisors for the program: Dr. Andrew Peregrine (aperegri@ovc.uoguelph.ca), Dr. Dale Smith (dalesmit@ovc.uoguelph.ca), and Dr. Pavneesh Madan (pmadan@uoguelph.ca).
Country contacts
The developing countries that students may visit are as listed by the United Nations Development Program. For advice please see the list of Countries Visited by Global Vets Alumni.
Countries |
Global Vets Alumni |
Uganda / Kenya / Tanzania |
Dr. Cheryl Massey <cmassey@ovc.uoguelph.ca> Global Vets 2010: Global Vets 2011: |
Botswana |
Dr. Charlotte Friendship <cfriends@uoguelph.ca> |
South Africa |
Dr. Hein Snyman <hsnyman@uoguelph.ca> Global Vets 2010: |
Madagascar |
Global Vets 2010: |
Egypt |
Global Vets 2010: |
Costa Rica / Peru |
Global Vets 2010: |
Panama / Guatemala |
Global Vets 2011: |
Columbia |
Global Vets 2011: |
Venezuela |
Dr. Trace MacKay <tmackaydvm@hotmail.com> |
Chile |
Dr. Emma Webster <emmawebsterdvm@gmail.com> |
Thailand / Malaysia / Vietnam / Cambodia / Indonesia |
Dr. Brigitte Rudolf <brigitterudolf@yahoo.com> Global Vets 2010: Global Vets 2011: |
Nepal / India |
Dr. Enid Stiles <estiles90@hotmail.com> Global Vets 2010: Global Vets 2011: |
