Ever questioned what life as a vet pupil is like throughout the globe?
We caught up with Nigerian-based veterinary pupil Valentine Okeke to study a little bit about vet med life in Africa.
Let’s dive in.
1. What or who impressed you to get into veterinary drugs?
Truly, nobody impressed me to get into veterinary [school] however I used to be impressed by a tremendous veterinarian by the identify of Dr. Ifenkwe Daniel Chidi whom I met a number of months later in Vet college in my first yr after my matriculation. I had a lot ardour for veterinary drugs that I used to be decided to endure all of the formidable hurdles that include veterinary drugs in veterinary college. Dr. Ifenkwe taught me every little thing I wanted to know ranging from correct animal dealing with, correct use of veterinary tools within the laboratory, evaluation in analysis works, and proper dressing code as a pre-vet in my first yr in Vet college.
I need to say that no one impressed me to get into veterinary drugs, however I used to be impressed by a tremendous veterinarian who paved the way in which for me within the career and was greater than a mentor to me after I was admitted into vet college.
2. What’s your favourite facet of veterinary drugs thus far?
Frankly talking, I really like each facet of veterinary drugs, particularly normal surgical procedure, pharmacology, public well being, dermatology, pathology, and theriogenology. I’ve participated in analysis works finished on this facet of veterinary drugs. Nonetheless, I’ve extra curiosity in tender tissue and orthopedic surgical procedure as I’ve participated actively in so many surgical workouts in my college, akin to on a pelican, ostrich, and different small animals like cats, canines, and a goat that suffered a bone fracture and was admitted within the college veterinary hospital.
I additionally need to work within the wildlife conservation facet of veterinary drugs the place I’d have the ability to deal with, and share concepts on the procreation and conservation of endangered species of animals, so typically I get pleasure from each facet of veterinary drugs.
3. Are you able to inform us a little bit extra about your veterinary college (Michael Okpara College of Agriculture Umudike), what sort of placements you might have, and what exams are there?
My college, the Michael Okpara College of Agriculture Umudike, is among the many agricultural universities and in addition a federal college in Nigeria. It’s positioned in Umuahia the capital metropolis of Abia State within the South Jap a part of Nigeria. It was established within the yr 1992 and began admitting Vet college students formally within the yr 2006 after which they first set graduated within the yr 2011 and waited for induction for 3 years which happened within the yr 2014. Throughout that interval, they have been on intensive placement in numerous Vet clinics and solely 9 Vet college students have been inducted as veterinarians that yr out of 20 vet college students admitted. The 9 veterinarians inducted have been the pioneers of veterinary drugs Umudike and my mentor Dr. Ifenkwe Daniel Chidi occurred to be the pioneer class consultant out of the 9 inducted!
Regarding examinations in my college, we write commonplace exams different Vet faculties globally do write with strict supervision, although there could also be a slight distinction in curriculums with the most recent data within the veterinary career similar to the veterinary economics included within the curriculum of Vet faculties within the US.
Moreover, we write three examinations every semester which features a sensible examination, oral (viva), and a concept examination. A steady evaluation (take a look at) is just not excluded.
4. What’s your greatest fear about graduating?
Fact be instructed, there might be stress on the work we do and there might be instances that we really feel burdened and depressed however my greatest fear about graduating is concern of failing in vet college and the collection of strikes by the educational employees union of universities (ASUU) which I’m positive is sort of everybody’s greatest fear about graduating over right here in Nigeria. Veterinary drugs in Nigeria is time-demanding and tasking, thus far, that’s my solely fear for now.
5. Might you inform me concerning the work you might be doing as a company analysis member on the Veterinary Analysis Institute Umudike?
The work I do as a company analysis member within the group is quite a few. As a company analysis member within the group, I assist out within the laboratory throughout every analysis work akin to performing normal administrative duties to help skilled employees akin to undertaking analysis and appraisal, supervising and finishing up routine checks of animals/analysis items, guaranteeing normal illness management/surveillance with using laboratory evaluation and the therapy of diseased analysis animals and different analysis work evaluation.
6. Lastly, what do you sit up for in the way forward for veterinary drugs?
I sit up for a complete lot of issues in the way forward for veterinary drugs globally and in Africa at giant.
Identical to VETX worldwide is utilizing their wonderful group to inform profitable tales of veterinarians, creating consciousness concerning the veterinary career and uniting veterinarians globally, I actually need to see extra veterinary medical college students and veterinarians be part of this wonderful group and be given equal alternatives. I want to see success tales of veterinarians and vet college students globally.
Individuals are forgetting that veterinarians do exist in some rural communities world wide and their function in society. I want to see this career sooner or later being acknowledged similar to different professions within the medical line.
Identical to Dr. Dave Nicol emphasizes good apply tradition, I want to see these good cultures adopted within the veterinary career.
Wish to share your story? Write for us as certainly one of our paid content material writers! Electronic mail curtis@vetxinternational.com for extra data.
Associated Articles: