his program provides students with the opportunity to discover veterinary medicine, conservation, and animal welfare through the lens of the culture of Thailand.

For one week, their field classroom is an elephant sanctuary where they can learn about elephant medicine and conservation from a number of angles, including anatomy and physiology, diet and nutrition, welfare and enrichment, cultural perception of elephants, drivers of successful conservation projects in the developing world, and animal behavior and communication.

For another week, their field classroom will be a companion animal shelter and clinic, where students will learn the importance of culture in shelter medicine and its ethical impacts while covering topics such as handling and restraint, anatomy, diseases and pathology, diagnosis and treatment and an introduction to sterilization surgeries and practical skills such as suture techniques, blood draws and venipuncture, blood smears, microscope use, fecal exams, and necropsies.

During the third week, students will spend four to five days SCUBA diving and tropical island living on the beach. Learn how to SCUBA dive, practice identifying tropical fish, check coral health, and join in marine research and conservation projects. The New Heaven Reef Conservation Program is on Koh Tao Island in the Gulf of Thailand. It’s known throughout Thailand for its work in marine conservation. The center – where we will stay – is nestled in a quiet bay on the beach away from the main town and nightlife because we’re here to focus on exploring and conserving the coral reefs, cleaning up the ocean, learning from experts about this spectacular but threatened ecosystem, and having a wonderful time living on a beautiful island.

We provide free time activities in order to help students explore the food, culture, and outdoor environments of their host country in a safe and positive way. Example possibilities include a beach day with snorkeling, a city tour, a meditation and Buddhism lesson, a Thai tropical fruit tasting, and a Thai language lesson.

Information

Program Dates: June 28 – July 20, 2025

Courses:

• ANS 395: Thailand: Global Animal Management Issues, Concerns and Solutions (3 credit hours)
  AND
• ANS 395: Thailand: Global Animal Management Issues, Concerns and Solutions (1 credit hour)

Deadlines

• Application Deadline: Rolling admissions through February 5, 2025
• Scholarships Application Deadline: Apply by November 15, 2024

Contact

Dr. Kimberly Ange-van Heugten I kdange@ncsu.edu