Veterinary Semester Abroad: 14 Weeks Throughout Thailand

Studying abroad in Thailand on the veterinary science semester was one of the best decisions that I have made in my life and one that I would easily make over again if it was offered to me. From the moment I arrived in the country to the day the program ended, the staff on site were incredibly welcoming and supportive. Our first week was spent familiarizing ourselves with the home-base city, language, culture, and religion before we started on the veterinary medicine side of learning. We started with an intro level companion animal science course, which was beneficial to bring everyone up to the same level in terms of skills/knowledge before starting the more complex coursework with the other species. From there, we had quite the busy schedule over the remaining 10 weeks while working with elephants, sea turtles, zoo animals, reptiles, and scuba diving. Each course was held in a different part of the country so we would frequently have Saturday free with traveling on either Sunday afternoon or Monday morning. I enjoy staying busy so this schedule worked well for me, but I could see it being too much for someone that prefers more downtime. All in all, I feel like this program is an amazing option for pre-vet college students, but it really is what each individual student makes of it. The more you pay attention, demonstrate skills, and offer yourself as a volunteer, the more opportunities that will be offered to you and the more hands-on experience that you will receive!

This semester abroad is truly an experience of a lifetime that everyone should highly consider. Students get experience with countless species, many of which aren't common in my home region of North America. I learned valuable skills personally and from a veterinary standpoint that will help me develop my career in the future!

This is a good program to learn what an actual career in vet med looks like. We even got to learn some fields that are not common in the United States. We also have a good balance of school and free time to learn more about Thai culture and explore the area

The program is something else! It is such a wonderful opportunity for any pre-vet or vet student as it teaches so much not only about the animals but Thailand as a whole. You get such a wonderful experience working with a variety of animals and people. I would definitely recommend this program to cany student looking to study abroad!

This program changed my life! Loop Abroad created a structure and organized program where I learned and participated in more than any other opportunity I've ever experienced. All the staff were amazing! The coolest part by far was the sterilization clinic. I learned so much from observing and also getting to practice some skills hands-on too.

I loved the elephant course and the surgery clinic. Both were a ton of fun and helped me get a lot of hands-on experience. Plus working with sea turtles was pretty cool. All of the doctors showed amazing expertise in their field and encouraged my growth as a student. Overall this program is something special that I would recommend to all students pursuing a veterinarian career. I would have never thought I would have the chance to work with all of these animals in my life let alone in 3 months. I'm so grateful for this opportunity. Thank you Loop Abroad and Loop Abroad staff!

My time with Loop Abroad was extremely enlightening. The program teaches hands-on skills and build on them througout the semester. We also learned how culture can affect how veterinary medicine is practiced. I really enjoyed the conservation diving - that was probably my favorite part. I love that our instructors spent so much time with us - they were so knowledgeable and fun to be around. On the elephant course, we were given so many opportunities to do injections, wound care, and more. I loved all of it.

My favorite activity was going to Koh Tao to learn SCUBA and do reef conservation work. Our staff made the semester so much fun and kept our spirits up! This trip helped me learn more about my career including things I would never have learned in class at home.

The semester abroad was an experience I would recommend to anyone interested in becoming a vet. You get an amazing range of experiences, spend time with likeminded people, and grow in your skills and as a person in amazing ways. Seeing temples, elephants pull trees from the ground, a sea turtle get rereleased. The experiences here are like nothing you could have anyway else!

Having this experience really reaffirmed my love of this field and working with animals. Getting to work with species like dogs, cats, elephants, sea turtles and other wildlife was so amazing. The teachers and veterinarians were so nice and helpful. Getting to learn about Thai language and culture was so eye opening. I would highly recommend it to any student pursuing veterinary sciences. I can not speak highly enough about this program!!

The Thailand vet semester is truly an experience unlike any other. With other study abroad programs you learn in a typical classroom setting, but here you are actively learning on site with hands on experiences. Through this program I've been able to practice important veterinary skills and even help run a spay/neuter clinic for companion animals, as well as perform exams on wild animals like sea turtles and elephants. In addition to just the vet things, they also make sure to teach you as much about the culture and country as they can through different outings. I cannot recommend this program enough!

Loop’s veterinary semester abroad in Thailand was truly the most amazing experience of my life. I worked with elephants, sea turtles, cats, dogs, reptiles, donkeys, primates, and some really incredible people!! Each member of the staff was over-the-top kind, intelligent and just plain wonderful. My semester was during a high point of COVID, but I felt so safe the entire time I was abroad. Loop completely restructured their program to accommodate for us during a global pandemic, and we got to do so many amazing things despite the circumstance we were in. Thailand is a beautiful country, and when our daily activities were done we had so much time to explore. I got to take a Thai cooking class, see so many awesome markets, and I even attempted to speak Thai! One of the many amazing things about this program as that you get to learn Thai from wonderful instructors (thank you Ajaan Kay and Ajaan Sawet!) who take so much pride and joy in you learning their language. The ability to speak Thai was special and created true connections with the people I met. All in all, the veterinary experience was amazing, the people were amazing, the country was amazing, and I cannot recommend this program enough.

I went to Thailand during covid and I felt very safe! This trip was unlike many others where I was able to do hands on pre vet courses alongside vets. (Just look at the courses offered... it's a dream schedule) Some of my favorite memories of the animals were getting to know the elephants personalities, being at the marine endangered species hospital (drawing blood on an Olive Ridley sea turtle) and surgery week. This experience is priceless when applying to vet school. The people of Thailand are the nicest people you will ever meet and that includes the staff of Loop Abroad. After the trip you will be planning your return!! I would say if you are thinking of going on a one in a lifetime study abroad LOOP is the way to go because it offers way more than most other programs!

This program is everything they say it would be and more! You will get the 250+ veterinary hours, and be able to work with: elephants, sea turtles, dogs, cats, and even get scuba certified! However, the rigorous coursework is only the foundation of what you’ll learn. This program allows you to discover your passions, and yourself, with a supportive staff that is there to see you succeed. Memories I’ve made from this trip will never be forgotten. This is a chance for students to be able to explore Thailand, and see how they can make an impact on the world around them. My future has never been more sure than after this program. No matter what Loop Abroad program you choose you'll have an amazing and safe trip; the staff is wonderful and will help you every step of the way. This was the best decision I've ever made, and I hope other aspiring vet's or animal lovers will go on this trip!

I participated in the Veterinary Semester Abroad in Thailand with Loop Abroad. I spent 14 life changing weeks studying veterinary medicine with specialist from all around the world. The staff were incredibly helpful in preparing for this incredible program and always willing to help in any situation during my time here. The courses were challenging and extremely informative, I learned more during my time here than I have in any of my previous 3 years at my university. Accommodations were all included and always great! Thailand is a beautiful country and you have loads of free time where you are encouraged to explore, the program takes you throughout various beautiful parts of the country where you meet incredible people! My absolute favourite course included getting 2 SCUBA diving certification and working on a marine conservation program in the south of Thailand. I cannot thank Loop Abroad enough for the best semester of my life! I am still in awe of how incredible the program is, I am going to miss all the staff & my classmates so much!

This was my first time ever traveling by myself and the longest time I had ever stayed outside the country. The loop staff were open to answering all of my questions and they made getting to Thailand so easy! The program in itself was an experience of a lifetime and something I will never forget. The opportunities that we were able to participate in were phenomenal and the confidence it gave me to pursue veterinary medicine full throttle was exhilarating! If you're looking for a program that will challenge you and push you to be the best you can be then this is the program for you.

This semester was incredible! You get hands-on medical experience for all types of animals. The marine course was so amazing on Koh Tao, getting scuba certified and being able to participate in conservation dives! We even got to treat Sea Turtles. The elephant courses were beyond anything I ever imagined. The people running Loop are so genuine and honest, I will remember these 14 weeks for the rest of my life. I loved every second and would do it again in a heart beat!

From the biggest animal in the jungle, to some of the smallest pets at home, the Thailand pre-vet semester covers it all. The program is keyed towards pre-vet students wanting experience in exotic animals in addition to domestic pets. I was always anticipating the next day’s activities. Our mornings were spent learning the intricacies of clinical and exotic medicine in preparation for the afternoon’s HANDS-ON practice. Putting my hands on these animals in an ethical way to learn why and what the veterinary profession is about has rooted my passion even deeper than I would have thought possible. Because of Loop Abroad, I have been introduced to life under the sea and on land while working on conservation efforts around Thailand to further my education and help me on my path to Veterinary Medicine. I give the education, people, and ethics of this program a 10/10, and would look no further for a life changing 14 weeks abroad.

I had wanted to do a semester abroad for a awhile, and starting college just fueled my passion to do so. I had no idea when, where or how but I was going to go abroad. I couldn’t wait to go in some overseas university taking classes in biology and then doing some vet work on the side. That was often the image placed in my head when I said I wanted to do a semester. That is until I saw an add about Loop Abroad’s Veterinary Semester Abroad. Before I knew it I hopped on a plane and found myself emerged in veterinary medicine. As you move through the semester you gain in-depth experiences on companion animal medicine, marine health and conservation, zoo medicine, and elephant medicine. You wake up, get the privilege to listen to very important lectures (some of which you may not see until Veterinary school, or special symposiums), and then use that information in your “lab” time. Whether that be drawing blood, placing catchers, surveying coral health, creating enrichment, or cleaning an elephant abscess. The list is endless on the experiences gained during this program. This is all done by the guidance of an amazing veterinary team from all over the world who are passionate about animals, education, and conservation worldwide. You are able to make connections with some of the most amazing people you will ever meet. The small group size, allows for ONE on ONE time, that you receive from day one. You are not treated as another face in the crowd, but as a colleague of veterinary medicine. One who is going to go out and change the world one day, and I promise after this semester you will believe you can. I could write a book about my time with Loop Abroad, it was the one of the most surreal experiences I have ever had, and looking back I still cant believe I got to experience it. If you are skeptical, don’t worry I was too, but I took the chance and walked away with the beat experience from the BEST pre-veterinary semester out there and I know you will too!

Loop Abroad’s semester program in Thailand had everything I was looking for in a study abroad program. The staff who helped us in Thailand were super friendly and they always went above and beyond to make sure us students were comfortable and safe. Thailand itself is a beautiful country with lots to see and do. We visited some of Thailand’s many temples, frequented the different night markets, went on hikes, participated in a Thai cooking class, spoke with a monk, went snorkeling with sea turtles and sharks, and so much more. I left Thailand at the end of the Semester wishing I had another week just to explore and try new things. And of course, we got a lot of hands-on experience working with animals. We got to learn from several experienced veterinarians throughout our courses. And in our spare time we were able to pick their brains about what it was like being a vet, the vet school application process, and what being in vet school was like. As someone hoping to go to vet school, I went abroad with the hopes of gaining unique experiences working with animals, and I was not disappointed. From working with cats and dogs at a spay-neuter clinic, to learning about elephant medicine at an elephant sanctuaries, to observing the sea turtle conservation efforts at the Phuket Marine Biological Center and participating in reef conservation on Ko Tao island, and finally learning about a range of wild and exotic animals at the Chiang Mai Night Safari. My experiences in Thailand were as unique and divers as they can get.