FARVets: A Model for Global Competency in Veterinary Service-Learning

A veterinary “clinic” doesn’t always look like stainless steel tables and a wall of equipment. Sometimes it’s a town pavilion, a park, an old hotel lobby, or a host’s living room and that shift changes what students learn, what they notice, and who they become as clinicians. We’re joined by Dr. Paul Maza to talk about international veterinary service learning and why it deserves more recognition in veterinary education, not as a feel-good add-on, but as rigorous training that builds adaptability, confidence, and cultural humility.

We dig into the on-the-ground reality of providing animal care in low-resource settings: how teams adjust anesthesia protocols when the usual machines aren’t available, how students learn to problem-solve with different supplies and medications, and how interpreters often translate cultural context as much as language. Paul also shares what he’s observed after training hundreds of students over the years, including how the “clinical work” can become the backdrop for deeper learning about community, partnership, and the global nature of veterinary medicine and animal welfare.

Then we get personal with the stories that stick: setting up a clinic at a Buddhist monastery in Thailand and realizing a single monk was the essential partner for safely handling the dogs, and walking the streets of La Paz, Bolivia, only to find street dogs wearing child-sized puffy coats because people wanted them warm. If you’ve ever wondered what global veterinary service, externships, and community-based care can teach that a hospital rotation can’t, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share this with a friend in veterinary medicine, and leave a rating and review wherever you listen.

JAVMA article: https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.26.04.0275

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Transcript

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Welcome And Why This Topic Matters

Lisa Fortier 0:35

Welcome to Epic Award-winning Veterinary Vertex, the AVMade Journals podcast where we delve into behind-the-scenes looked with manuscript authors. I'm editor-in-chief Lisa Fortier, joined by Associate Editor Sarah Wright. Today we're discussing international veterinary service learning with my dear friend and Cornell colleague and former running buddy Paul Mazza. Thank you for joining us, Paul.

SPEAKER_01 0:56

Yeah, thank you. I'm very happy to be here.

Lisa Fortier 0:58

Paul, you might know you're a first podcaster that uh authored a viewpoint. And I'd like to

Making The Case For Recognition

Lisa Fortier 1:05

know kind of a little more about what inspired this viewpoint. Why do you believe uh that international veterinary service learning deserves greater recognition within our fabulous veterinary profession?

SPEAKER_01 1:14

I think it started when I first read some of the um viewpoints and other articles about uh service learning in the in the in the journal in the JABMA. And, you know, the the JABMA's decision to launch its own dedicated series, you know, um really kind of validates the work that you know many veterinary organizations have been doing for years, um, contributing to both student education and training and and and genuine community service. And so um building on that, I said, well, you know, there there's a there's a subset of of organizations that have been contributing to service learning from the international standpoint. And uh this has been happening kind of quietly and behind the scenes, uh done by you know passionate veterinarians and faculty and student groups, um and and may not have had a lot of you know formal presence in the in the literature. And so uh I felt building upon the the momentum of you know recognizing service learning as a valuable tool in veterinary education, um, seemed like a good time to say, hey, you know, uh there are other programs as well. Um you know, there are other other methods of service learning that that has some distinct educational uh benefits happening out there. And and now is a good time to uh to you know um kind of uh make that more apparent. Um

Global Perspective And Common Ground

SPEAKER_01 2:55

I think you know, so part of what makes this uh the right moment also is you know thinking that you know the world is is becoming you know a much smaller place. Um you know, travel to other countries has is more accessible than than than ever. Um and and and with travel comes the opportunity to experience different different cultures, language, and traditions, but but also approaches to to pet ownership, um, pet ownership and um veterinary medicine and animal welfare that that we may not we may not see from from where we are at home. And and uh veterinary students and veterinary medicine, you know, is a profession um that is becoming increasingly global, you know, in its medicine and science and challenges and um and its communities. And and um international and survivor learning, you know, let's let students step into that reality of a global community while they're still in training, you know, to build build the kind of perspective that you know serves them through their through their career. Um you know, in in uh in in a world that uh sometimes can feel more divided, you know, there's there's is some some profound uh instances where where things can happen, you know, like uh uh groups of veterinary students can can interact with a family in Guatemala or have a meal with um with villagers in Thailand and uh uh you know in in an attempt to you know communicate, you know, they can talk about caring for their animals and you know find some common ground through shared love that may not need any translation, right? Or interpretation.

Sarah Wright 4:47

That is so cool, Paul. I wish I had a program like that in vet school. I know we were talking about that before his episode started. That is just so unique, yes.

SPEAKER_01 4:54

Yeah, and and you know what, we have a lot of um we have a lot of alumni that that join and um we have a lot of uh of uh veterinarians that um you know are well after vet school that that that that join and and some um some say, well, you know, I I I no longer do surgery or or can teach surgery, but um there are other ways to contribute, right? Uh and and and be part of the team. And so and so there's there's a lot of opportunities.

Sarah Wright 5:25

Paul, your article suggests that international service learning offers experiences that extend beyond what domestic clinical rotations typically provide. What are some of the unique learning opportunities that students encounter?

Learning In Low Resource Clinics

SPEAKER_01 5:36

I think the conditions themselves do a lot of the teaching in in the places that that we go to. Um when we when we visit communities in other other countries, um, we typically don't go to a shelter or a clinic or a hospital. Um once in a while we will. Um, but most of the times, you know, we're setting up clinics in uh town pavilions or parks or you know, a s a the um abandoned uh lobby of an old hotel, um, or sometimes you know the the living room of of the house of our of our hosts, partners. Um so you know the conditions in which these occur, you know, it helps students to to to learn and and adapt. Um for example, you know, we might be using anesthesia protocols that that we don't uh we don't typically use here because of the equipment and materials and medications that we have here. For example, like anesthesia with um isofluoring machines. Um we do everything by total intravenous anesthesia. Um so the equipment, uh using different equipment and you know, community communicating is a lot uh of the condition is is uh an area where students learn a lot. Um, you know, there's there's um we have interpreters often, you know, who who translate language, but they're also translating, you know, cultural context, you know, um, and and you know, representing uh the the community members and you know explaining you know why things are uh in in certain places. And so these these are moments that are that are profound learning opportunities that can be hard to you know reproduce in a traditional clinical setting, um, you know, back in the States.

Lisa Fortier 7:39

Yeah.

How Students Change After Returning

Lisa Fortier 7:40

I've I've had the pleasure of being your colleague and watching uh go from the domestic and now far vets. And over the last 15 years, I gotta say, congratulations. I think you've trained about 350 students.

SPEAKER_01 7:53

Yeah.

Lisa Fortier 7:54

What what are your observations? How has this changed students over time?

SPEAKER_01 7:58

One of the more consistent things we see is, you know, uh an increase in professional confidence, but also um cultural humility, like we mentioned uh mentioned before. You know, students who've done you know, far trips, they they they return, you know, changed and they carry themselves differently. You know, they've been they've been they've been trusted with patients, community that needed them. Um and uh you know, there are some that you know they weren't sure of their path in veterinary medicine, or you know, there are some you know that that have joined uh international service learning trips, you know, questioning whether or not veterinary medicine was the right path for them at all. And and after uh you know serving the community and interacting with others and the team, um, you know, they they've renewed their enthusiasm or found found their path. Um and so and so that's that's one of the that's one of the um uh ways that you know students have has changed and learned. But but uh another another way is you know in the in the early days, you know, um students uh have of course students everywhere are always looking for more you know surgical experience, clinical experience. Um and uh these international server learning trips are another way to get those. But but um again, over the years and with you know our change in our our approach, etc. Um we we've seen how much the students have come to value the the total experience, you know, not just the the surgical procedures, et cetera. Yeah, they they practice uh medical and surgical procedures and and those are valuable. Um but you know, we've noticed that the the the clinical work you know almost becomes just the backdrop for uh a larger experience, you know, the travel itself, the way we organize the trip, um, meet new people, interact with uh new pet owners and our host partners and and the community itself. Um and so that that's one of the the biggest uh changes we've seen in students is you know the overall experience of um um serving the community and and learning new cultural skills.

Choosing Host Partners And Staying Small

Lisa Fortier 10:20

How do you identify those host partners to hopefully as best you can ensure that level of experience for your students?

SPEAKER_01 10:27

Historically, we we've not we've not gone out and really offered our services to to any specific places. Through word of mouth, the you know the international service learning community is quite a small community, and to word of mouth, uh people have found us and um they'll contact us and say, hey, you know, uh I run the small uh rescue in Guatemala or the shelter in Thailand, et cetera. Um and um and then we start a conversation and you know, we see what they what their needs are and what what we can provide. And if our goals and missions uh align, um, that's when you know uh we really can tell that it will be a good experience for for everyone. Um, our our students, uh it'll help our our host partners achieve their goals and missions, and it'll really help the the community as well. Um so we intentionally keep our our our groups small, and we really like to work with uh grassroots animal welfare organizations in in places where there may be either little access to veterinary care or no access to veterinary care. Um and and in places where um you know there there are uh uh great opportunities to um really get to know our host partners and the community that they that they serve.

Funding, Fees, And Lowering Barriers

Sarah Wright 12:01

Paul, one of the obstacles that students often face when they're trying to do externships or international experience like this is price funding. How are we able to fund this experience?

SPEAKER_01 12:10

So um like like most uh international service learning trips or volunteer vacations, et cetera, we do have uh uh program fees. Um and these program fees uh um we we pool the program fees to help pay for not just meals and housing and local transportation, but most of the costs go towards uh the medications and supplies and equipment and materials we need to set up and and run the clinic. And um, you know, fortunately, a lot of these costs are lower in in other countries. Um, and we we've kept our program fees um this the same level ever since we started. Um, and one way we can do that is that um we also do Firebits also does um uh Feral Cat Feral and Stray Cat sterilization clinics here in the states regionally, and we do charge fees for from those um shelters, et cetera, for the services that we provide. And and then those fees, um, those funds that we accumulate help subsidize the international trips and try to keep the prices low, the fees low. But um, yeah, it is a that's even still, that's one of the main hurdles that I hear from students is you know, they really love to come to um join an international service running trip, but you know, the the the cost of flights and then the program fees are prohibitive. And so um, you know, thinking ahead, there's other ways that you know, hopefully we can offset those uh grants and scholarships, but also institutional support. Um, if these international service learnerships can become a firm part of the curriculum, um, then hopefully there can be some support um for these as well.

Lisa Fortier 14:14

Paul,

Donor Pitch Stories From The Field

Lisa Fortier 14:15

if you're at a cocktail party and you're trying to solicit a donor, uh can you give us like what would be your pitch, like the very memorable student experience or a patient case that might capture this wonderful program?

SPEAKER_01 14:28

Yeah. So, you know, yeah, yeah, if if we are um, you know, if I'm doing an elevator pitch or yeah, talking to someone at a social event and you know, engage them in um in their sense of adventure, uh, right, and and travel. And then also, you know, people love animals. Um, and so trying to mesh mesh those into um into uh a story that will really excite um potential donors or supporters, etc. And so they're they're um one of one of the more kind of really um meaningful, profound instances wasn't an actual clinical or surgical experience, but we were a couple years ago, we were in the uh Nang Chang region of uh Thailand, uh a few hours north of Bangkok, and um we were setting up uh the students and I were setting up our our clinic in at a Buddhist monastery. And we were setting up our tables and our ivy fluid stands and uh setting out the materials and supplies, et cetera. And we're discussing how the the trip, the clinic was going to go. But one of the main hurdles was how are we going to get the dogs right for the clinic? And and so the reason we set up at this Buddhist monastery is that um a lot of dogs wind up at the monastery um strayed or dropped off, uh, et cetera, knowing that, knowing that they'll be taken care of. And so we're wondering, well, you know, how are we going to catch this dog? So they're wary of us and you know, maybe even slightly um uh aggressive or or fearful, et cetera. But then as we're talking about that, you know, we heard a uh uh you know commotion, you know, uh across a square, and out of out of one of the out of one of the buildings comes a uh a monk dressed in his golden robes and he starts to walk across a square. And all the dogs in in the the the temple um in the monastery started following it. And we soon learned that that was the monk that primarily cared for all the dogs at the at the monastery. And he could handle them and he fed them and he could pet them. And um we we we learned that um he was to become our essential partner for that trip. Uh he would handle handle the dogs while we could examine them and sedate them. And only when he felt comfortable, you know, letting the dogs go with us would we take them over to to be prepared for surgery. And so um at that moment, we all have uh a similar picture from our phones. There's a point where the monk was walking across a square and there's this shaft of sunlight coming down and it was shining right on him, and the dogs are following him. Um and so that was that was a very meaningful, meaningful uh moment. The students, you know, learned that you know we're we're not yeah, they come with um skills and intention to uh to to give back, but what they're learning is um these chips are we're entering intersurface. We're we're learning from the community as well as we're providing services for the community. We're learning about you know how how uh different communities you know interact with their animals and and care for them in ways that you know we may not have understood before. And and so um helping share those stories uh really you know is is a way to you know get people kind of interested in in the work that we do.

Sarah Wright 18:11

Fantastic example. What a cool experience. I feel so inspired there for listening to you talk about this program, Paul.

SPEAKER_01 18:17

Yeah, it's fun. There's a there's another one where um we were in Bolivia a few years ago, and Bolivia, we're in La Paz, and La Paz is at you know high elevation, and so we were you know uh all altitude sick and hallucinating and had huge headaches and stuff. Um, and so um this is this was one situation where we we ran a clinic in the middle of the city, not in a rural area. Um and in the evenings after the clinic, you know, we had some time to walk around uh the city a little bit with our hosts, and we were walking down this one narrow street with some shops and restaurants and stuff, and we're we turned around this bend and we saw, you know, down at the end of the street, uh all these street dogs wearing, you know, child-sized puffy coats. It was winter there, and it was summer here, but winter there. And again, we thought we were all hallucinating from outsidemates, but but we were like, wow, that is really odd. And our host said, Well, you know, this is this is common, you know. Um, pet dogs, of course, uh um, you know, the owners will put sweaters on them, et cetera. But but even the street dogs that are friendly, um, you know, they still feed, and any spare uh coats or blankets they might have, they will put on these these stray dogs just to help uh keep them comfortable and and ward off the cold. And that was another uh experience that was like um, you know, the showing off the the human-animal bond, how strong it is um in in places that we visit.

Sarah Wright 19:50

That's amazing. I want to see pictures now of that. I'm trying to like picture. Yeah, I can think you got a son. That would be great. Please do. Please do. Well,

Wrap Up, Article Plug, And Reviews

Sarah Wright 19:57

Paul, thank you so much for joining us. It was inspiring to hear your stories and is more about this amazing program.

SPEAKER_01 20:03

Well, thank you. It was it was a pleasure to to share the work that that that we do and uh as an example of you know all the many organizations that participate in um service learning and international service learning. And we're happy to to use this as an example um of the great work that that that goes on.

Sarah Wright 20:22

For our listeners and viewers, you can read Paul's article in Javma. I'm Sarah Wright with Lisa48. Be sure to tune in next week for another episode of Veterinary Vertex. And don't forget to leave us a rating and review on EPA Podcasts or wherever you listen.