Courses

This course will give the opportunity to students interested in veterinary medicine to come face-to-face with Costa Rica’s wildlife and obtain a once in a lifetime experience to learn hands-on with wildlife professionals. This course will enrich the students education in the topics of wildlife rescue, clinical skills, wildlife rehabilitation/release and wildlife care/management in captivity with conservation goals. Students will have the chance to learn about conservation issues, and gain skills for developing practical solutions for these issues.

This is a basic introductory course for students over 16 years old interested in the veterinary field in conservation. There are no prerequisites for this program,and students do not need to be enrolled in school to apply.

The course has a duration of two-weeks and takes place at Solo Mundo´s headquarters at Kids Saving the Rainforest (KSTR),in Quepos, Costa Rica.

The KSTR organization has a wildlife sanctuary and wildlife rescue center, where students will experience some of the theoretical and practical portions of the courses, like physical examinations, wildlife management and animal welfare. KSTR works with different local conservation organizations, like the Manuel Antonio National Park and marine conservation organizations, where we will do the other laboratory practices. Students will gain working knowledge on how a wildlife rescue center and wildlife sanctuary function, and how veterinary medicine is of great importance for these programs to function. The course will provide knowledge on the bases that are needed for the proper management of wildlife in a clinical setting and rescue center setting. These include lessons on anatomy, pathology, nutrition, husbandry, behavioral studies and ecology. Students will learn about conservation issues that are faced and gain skills for developing practical solutions for these issues.

During the two weeks of your hands on experience you will:

Contribute to conservation efforts by developing solutions, critical thinking and applying the knowledge learned from the conservation issues affecting the world and Costa Rica specifically.

Explore how a wildlife sanctuary and wildlife rescue center with a rehabilitation center provide the proper management and care needed in husbandry, nutrition, medical and behavioral needs, applying the learned natural history of the most common wildlife species received at Kids Saving the Rainforest, while taking into account the ethics and animal welfare in captivity.

Have a wild adventure being hands-on with wildlife such as sea turtles, squirrel monkeys, capuchin monkeys, sloths, coatis, kinkajous, parrots, toucans, parrots, macaws and curassows. Gain active experience on their proper handling, chemical and physical restraint, and physical exams, while also gaining knowledge on their anatomy, major diseases and medical issues wildlife species received in the rescue center encounter, their diagnostics and treatment.

Participate in hands-on activities analyzing the behavior and welfare of captive wildlife species, using ethograms as a tool for the study of animal behaviors and how to analyze these to create and create enrichments for captive animals and evaluate how these affect their behavior.

Perform hands-on clinical skills needed in the veterinary practice: suture techniques, drug dose calculations, perform necropsies, blow dart practice, hematology practice, bandaging practice, nutrition practice and other clinical skills.

PROGRAM DATES:
December 10th to December 20th, 2023
June 3rd to June 16th, 2024
July 1st to July 14th, 2024
July 29th to Aug 11th, 2024

COST:

EARLY BIRD
BEFORE NOVEMBER 15th: $3800
BEFORE APRIL 1st: $4000

REGULAR PRICE: $4300

You will need to put down a $500 deposit to hold your space. The total volunteer fee is due 1 month prior to your arrival.

The cost is all-inclusive except for airfare, medical insurance, passport, and snacks.

Included in the course fee is the accommodations with WiFi, all meals on site: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (extra meals/snacks/drinks bought by students are not included), laboratory/practical activities, facility fees, excursions, field trips, entrance fees, field supplies, daily transportation, airport transfers.

PAYMENT POLICIES

A $500 deposit needs to be put down to hold your space. Deposits are non-refundable.
The outstanding balance of the program payment needs to be paid 1 month prior to your arrival. They are non refundable.
We recommend that you purchase travel insurance in case of any unforeseeable change in itinerary or travel plans.

If you want to talk to our team one on one and get to know the project better, let us know to arrange a meeting!

Students will be working all day with teaching professionals on the field and classroom. For the experience working hours, students will receive a certificate for 80 service hours upon completing the program.

COMING SOON:
Students will be able to receive credits from our School of Record for this program (Additional fee may apply).