About the Program
If you have a passion for working
with animals, either in the field of veterinary medicine or in a more general
animal care-oriented role, then this program is a perfect way for you to gain
some knowledge and put your skills into practice. The veterinary
volunteer/intern program is designed to provide a good learning experience for
anyone who has an interest in animals and has a career goal in the veterinary
profession.
Inexperienced vet volunteer/interns
will participate in surgical pack sterilization while experienced vets will
perform surgery, under the supervision and assistance of licensed host country
veterinarians. Our veterinary program is available for undergraduates and
recently graduated students taking a gap year or career break or for those
professionals anxious to share their professional knowledge, experience, and
expertise.
You would be involved in the
day-to-day duties of the veterinarian center with the regular staff in animal
health care issues and assisting with immunizations for parasite management,
nutrition supplements, administration of medication, vaccinations to animals,
assisting with animal examination, diagnostics, treatments of animal patient
for and recovery from surgery.
Ghana has many veterinary problems
peculiar to itself. This position has varying levels of animal contact, and can
be informative for those considering a career in the field of veterinary
medicine.
Our Veterinary Medicine internship
is perfect for anyone interested in getting practical work experience with
animals. This is especially useful if you want to become a vet in the future.
It will add relevant work experience to your CV, and give you interesting points
to talk about in interviews and applications.
You don’t need previous experience
or training to do this internship. You’ll be supervised by a vet every step of
the way, and they’ll teach you everything you need to know. They will be there
to answer your questions as you learn about working with animals in a
developing country. You can also reach out to OGVO staff for support and
guidance at any time.
This project runs year round, so you
can choose when you would like to join from a minimum of two weeks. We do,
however, recommend that you stay for longer than two weeks to see and learn
more.
As a Veterinary Medicine intern,
you’ll either work with livestock on a farm or with domestic and farm animals
at a local veterinary hospital. Here are some of the tasks you’ll be involved
in:
- Observe and assist local veterinarians as they assess
the animals during routine consults and treatments
- Assist with operations and observe post-mortems on farm
or domestic animals
- Educate the public and farm owners on the correct
animal care procedures
At your Veterinary Medicine
placement in Ghana, your work will focus on the following areas:
Observe and assist during routine
consults and treatments
You’ll work alongside vets during
farm visits or at a veterinary hospital. You’ll shadow them during the day and
watch how they conduct consultations, work with the animals, and assess them
for treatment. Under the supervision of the vet, you can also assist. If
permitted, you can help with tasks like:
- General care of the animals
- Administer vaccines and medication
- Dress wounds
- Disease testing
- Setting IVs
Lend a hand during operations and
observe post-mortems
Depending on your level of
experience, you may get to assist with more hands-on work. You can assist the
vet by preparing surgical areas and equipment, and lending a hand during
operations such as sterilizations. On the odd occasion, you’ll be able to
observe post-mortem surgeries. Here, you’ll be able to find out if an animal
died from injury, disease, or other complications.
Educate the public and farm owners
on the correct animal care procedures
In Ghana, there is often a lack of
knowledge about animal care. Many animal and farm owners do not take their
livestock or pets to the vet as they are unable to afford the fees. They often
don’t have the means to travel for veterinary care either.
Because of this, they either do not
report cases of sick animals or leave it too late. If the animals do not
recover by themselves, they can die from their conditions. By teaching the
public about correct animal care, you’ll see lower mortality rates and help
prevent the spread of disease.
Benefits as a Volunteer/Intern Abroad
Increase Your Employment
Opportunities
- Such
global working and living experiences help you build
up your resume and stand out from the rest. Potential
employers admire the tenacity it takes for someone to leave their comfort
zone and challenge themselves.
- International
volunteer experience indicates valuable
personal qualities. It shows that you are a responsible
global citizen with a helping heart.
- Knowledge
of a second language or a foreign culture can dramatically increase
exciting global employment opportunities. It is an excellent way of
developing a competitive edge in the global employment market.
Develop Global Networks
- Our
programs provide you a good opportunity to cultivate long lasting
friendships. These networks will contribute to both your personal life
and your professional life.
Increase Your Cultural
Intelligence
- Open
yourself to a transformative experience as you immerse
yourself in a foreign culture first hand. Expand your
world-view, and challenge your personal beliefs. Life’s
too short to live in a bubble.
Access Great Learning
Opportunities
- International
volunteer/intern programs provide valuable on-the-job
learning opportunities.
- Many
participants have taken our programs to earn
university credits towards their degree, to take a co-op
term, or to earn volunteer hours
for medical school applications and graduate school application.
- It
helps you to enhance your language skills.
The most effective way to learn a new language is to speak it in
day-to-day life. It is much more rewarding than just learning it in a
classroom.
Travel and Have Fun
- International
volunteer travel is the best way to see the world
as it gives you the opportunity to immerse yourself right into the local
culture. What is the point of seeing the world in hotels when you can
actually be a part of the local society? You will be living and working
with the local people and other international volunteers.
- Endless
travel opportunities are excellent ways
of exploring more places in the country. Whether you like to join a
wildlife/scenery tour or a cultural tour, we can provide you flexible
work schedule and free travel advice to facilitate travel arrangement.
Location
Ghana is a peaceful and welcoming country; Ghana satisfies one's appetite for both modern and traditional life. Its wide valleys, low-lying coastal plains, and thick rainforests resound with the beat of traditional rituals, while her cities glow and vibrate with all the bustle of the modern world. The Ghanaians are the friendliest people in West Africa: warm, proud yet humble with a contagious and calming sense of funniness.
Ghana is hot. It is always hot. What’s more, it's always humid. Humidity usually lingers between 95 and 100 percent. The rainy season lasts from mid-June to mid-November - sometimes. The rain provides a little respite from the intense heat, but temperatures will still be in the mid-80s Fahrenheit. The south of the country experiences the heaviest rainfall during September.