Raising the standards of care globally

Education is fundamental in making a lasting change to animal welfare. Our training courses offer expert training opportunities for vets around the world. Read on to hear from two of our recent training participants...

Sehaj Kaur, from the USA, is a final year veterinary student studying in Punjab, India. Sehaj joined us at WVS Thailand and told us all about her training experience…

Why did you choose to train with WVS?

“We get very limited hands on surgical experience at university, and I knew I wanted to be more confident in my abilities. WVS is one of the only organisations that provides proper training for spays and neuters, and I was instantly drawn to it.”

Which parts of the training course did you find most valuable?

“One thing that many vets are scared of is making mistakes, but we forget that it is completely normal. Being in an environment where you were not penalised for it was more helpful than I realised. It gave me the ability to learn with confidence. I wasn’t demoralised if one small thing went wrong, but instead was taught to focus on how to fix the mistake and learn from it.”

“I felt calmer during procedures, allowing me to better handle any complications that I may encounter, and that experience is what will stick with me throughout my whole career.”

What would you say to another vet student thinking about training with WVS?

“The educational experience you gain by training with WVS is invaluable. It feels very personalised, focusing on you and bettering your skills, which I always felt was hard to get in a full classroom setting. I felt so much more capable in my abilities, and my work at the centre was an affirmation that this truly is the career for me. Not only are the educational aspects important, but you get to meet people from all over the world during the training. From your fellow trainees and volunteers, to the doctors and nurses, hearing about the experiences of people from so many different walks of life is an adventure in itself.”

How did you find the teaching at WVS Thailand?

“One of the main things that pushed me to return to WVS Thailand for volunteering was how wonderful it is to work with the doctors, nurses, and staff. I’ve never worked with such patient, experienced, yet fun vets in my career. Their approach to teaching is what makes the training programme as wonderful and helpful as it is."

"All the staff are so lively and make such a comfortable environment that encourages us to ask questions, work harder, and to want to do better during our training.”

Is there anything else you’d like to say about your experience?

“WVS has shown me what my career can offer outside of a regular clinic job. Entering charity work is something I’ve learned I love doing, seeing how many animals the organisation helps on a day to day basis is inspiring. Getting to meet new people from all over has also broadened my horizons, and I’ve made so many new friends along the way that I hope to stay in touch with for a long time. I want to thank everyone that worked with me along the way to make my experiences possible. From Amy at WVS Thailand and Chris at the WVS headquarters, they have given me such amazing opportunities that I cannot be more thankful for.”

Dr Rabina Prajapati, is a veterinarian from Nepal who volunteers at the Central Zoo of Nepal, in Kathmandu. Dr Prajapati joined us for the training programme at WVS Hicks in Goa...

Why did you choose to train with WVS?

“I have always heard about WVS from my seniors, and they recommended for me to join this training programme. I was fascinated by the surgical protocol, concern for antibiotics resistance, and rabies control mission of WVS, so I wanted to adopt those skills in my veterinary practice."

Which parts of the training course did you find most valuable?

“In addition to castration and spaying, the training programme covers pre-operative patient management, surgical asepsis, administration of the proper medications, post-operative assessment, and not forgetting theory lectures on relevant topics. As a ‘One Health’ enthusiast, I appreciated how WVS strictly follows the surgical asepsis and prudent use of antibiotics, which help control post-operative infections and other issues.”

What would you say to another vet thinking about training with WVS?

“As a vet, I think it’s an essential training programme for both recent graduate vets and vet students. Even if you have basic surgical knowledge, it is not just about the right incision, time management, and good suturing practice, but it is about the surgical protocol that has a huge impact on the success of the surgery. The course content was so well designed that in this two-week training, you will be provided with the necessary skills and knowledge on animal birth control practices. Learn slowly, pay close attention to each step, and don’t panic if any complications occur - you will be surrounded by experienced senior vet surgeons.”

Is there anything else you’d like to say about your experience?

“Finally, I want to express my gratitude to WVS Goa for providing a perfect learning environment. I also wanted to thank WVS UK for giving me the chance to share my training experience, and I request my vet colleagues and juniors to register for this amazing training programme.”

Train with us

Have you been inspired to train with WVS? If you’re a vet or vet nurse student, or a professional who is looking for additional expert training, discover more about our training courses here.