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Experience Your Future in Veterinary Medicine

Enjoy a hands-on, behind-the-scenes experience as you train with teaching veterinarians in Texas, Belize, or Costa Rica. Over the course of your Veterinary Medicine program, you and your fellow high school students will gain valuable skills, work with a variety of animals, and discover how to pursue the different career paths available in veterinary medicine.

By attending Veterinary Medicine, students earn up to 40 volunteer veterinary hours that can be included as part of their applications to veterinary graduate school.

Locations

Texas Zoo Campus

About Veterinary Medicine at the University of Houston – Victoria

If you’re passionate about animals, wildlife conservation, and considering a career in veterinary medicine, this program is for you. During this week-long program, you’ll experience a taste of dorm life as you stay on campus at the University of Houston – Victoria and commute daily to the Texas Zoo. You can look forward to building a professional set of practical skills through a combination of lectures, hands-on lab and zoo work, veterinary shadowing, training modules, and internship-style practice. You and your fellow students will receive hands-on practice in comparative anatomy, animal welfare, zoo management, recording behavioral data, and much more.

At the end of the week, you’ll receive a certificate for up to 40 volunteer veterinary hours, recognizing your contribution to the Texas Zoo’s mission of connecting people with wildlife and advancing conservation through education, recreation, science, and action.

Texas Zoo Highlights

Small Group Training

Work alongside your teaching veterinarian in the lab, practicing everything from parasitology diagnostics to radiograph interpretation, and shadow a veterinarian as they perform animal exams and diagnose or treat various medical conditions. With a maximum student-to-vet ratio of 10:1, you’ll have countless opportunities to ask questions.

Hands-On Experience

Enjoy labs and field classes covering large animal physical exams, veterinary suture, avian anatomy and physiology, reptile handling and restraint, and more.

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Costa Rica

About Veterinary Medicine in Costa Rica

If you’re passionate about wildlife conservation, like to travel, and considering a career in veterinary medicine, this program is for you. During your program, you will have the chance to work at Rescue Center Costa Rica – a wildlife rescue center and hospital that cares for animals that have been victims of wildlife trafficking (or who otherwise need care) – or at Territorio de Zaguates aka the Land of the Strays dog sanctuary (as featured in the Netflix series Dogs) that cares for over 1,500 stray dogs outside San José.

At the end of your program, you’ll receive a certificate for up to 40 volunteer veterinary hours, recognizing your contribution to conservation through education, recreation, science, and action.

Rescue Center Highlights

Experience the Costa Rican rainforest

Care for sloths, kinkajous, monkeys, parrots and other native Costa Rican animals as you and your fellow participants live and work in the rainforest.

Explore Manuel Antonio National Park

Spend a day exploring one of the most beautiful national parks in the world. With over 100 different species of mammals native to the park, the diversity of wildlife you will discover here is unparalleled.

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Dog Sanctuary Highlights

Land of the Strays

At the Land of the Strays, you’ll work alongside your teaching veterinarian in the lab and out in the field. You’ll practice giving physical exams, participate in guided lab activities like injection and catheter placement, and accompany the dogs and vets on their daily hike through the jungle.

Spay and Neuter Project

Spend one full day working in a free spay and neuter clinic hosted by the Land of the Strays for the local community. You’ll apply everything you learned all week to help stray dogs in San José get the care they need.

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Continue your Costa Rica adventure with 3 Days in San Jose

June 17 – June 20 | July 29 - August 1

City Adventure: San Jose offers you the opportunity to spend three days exploring one of the most beautiful capital cities in the world. Accompanied by other Veterinary Medicine program students, you will discover both the beautiful history and the bright future of this city. Get an invitation to enjoy Costa Rican culture firsthand through food, music, and art.

Note: Only students who are enrolled in the 2023 Costa Rica Rescue Center program sessions are eligible to participate in City Adventure: San Jose.

Sample Schedule

About Loop Abroad, Our Partner in Veterinary Medicine

Loop Abroad is the leading pre-veterinary travel program in the nation, with thousands of alumni at university and vet school campuses all over the US. Their field courses are designed to help students understand veterinary careers from a diverse array of perspectives. With a team of expert wildlife and zoo vets from around the world, Loop Abroad helps empower students to pursue the animal science careers of their dreams.

2023 Dates & Tuition

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CITY	LOCATION	DATES	TUITION
Victoria, Texas	Texas Zoo: University of Houston	June 11 – 17 \| June 18 – 24 \| June 25 – July 1 \| July 9 – 15	$4,395
Guácima, Costa Rica	Animal Rescue Center & Hospital	June 10 – 17 \| July 22 – 29	$4,895
San José, Costa Rica	Land of the Strays Dog Sanctuary	June 24 – July 1	$4,895

*Call Admissions to enroll with your special grant. Not all additional grants, discounts, and scholarships can be combined.

For the Texas Zoo program, tuition includes accommodations, site visits & transportation during program, lectures, simulations, curriculum & materials, and faculty & staff. Tuition does NOT include transportation to and from the program.

For the Costa Rica program, tuition includes accommodations—including one night in a Houston, TX area hotel before a chaperoned flight to the program destination—as well as a round-trip group flight from IAH to and from your program destination, transportation to and from the airport, site visits & transportation during the program, lectures, simulations, curriculum & materials, and faculty & staff. Tuition does NOT include transportation to Houston, TX from your home for the chaperoned flight.

Please note: We are currently evaluating all aspects of the program and may make changes to the curriculum, site visits or program location to ensure the program meets the most up-to-date health and safety standards.

Veterinary Medicine has protocols in place for all students and staff and will be requiring that all attendees have received the COVID-19 vaccines at least 14 days prior to attending the Animal Rescue Center and Hospital located in Guácima, Costa Rica. Veterinary Medicine requires all program participants to provide proof of vaccination. All programs require a negative COVID-19 test two days before travel to the program.

You’re Invited!

Join Us for an Information Session

Learn more about participating in Veterinary Medicine by attending our virtual webinar on May 8, 2023.

Tuition

Tuition for Veterinary Medicine covers most of the expenses incurred during the program. Tuition DOES NOT cover transportation to and from the program. LEARN MORE

Scholarships

Envision offers a limited number of scholarships to qualified students each year based upon financial need, scholastic leadership, achievements, and other factors. LEARN MORE

Fundraising

Let us show you how other students use fundraising to cover some or all of their tuition costs. Make fundraising part of your personal success story. LEARN MORE

Payment Plan

You may pay in full today or choose to use one of our payment options.
PAYMENT OPTIONS AVAILABLE

Optional Online Program

In addition to our in-person programs, we also offer five asynchronous, online courses that allow you to explore the world of veterinary medicine on your own schedule. Choose from Elephant Medicine and Management, Companion Animal Management, Spanish for Veterinarians, Prosthetic Design: Biomedical Engineering in Vet & Human Medicine, and Elephant Positive Reinforcement Training.

LEARN MORE

VET FAQs

Who is the Veterinary Medicine program for?

This summer program is for high school students interested in exploring the various career options available in veterinary medicine and health care. To attend Veterinary Medicine: High School, you must be in grades 9-12 during the 2022-2023 school year.
What is included in tuition?

For the Texas Zoo program, tuition includes accommodations, all staff including on-site professional teaching veterinarians, on-site meals, site visits & transportation during program, lectures, simulations, curriculum & materials, and a Certificate of Completion. Tuition does NOT include transportation to and from the program.

While attending the program, you will only need money for souvenirs, snacks, and other incidentals.

For all programs in Costa Rica and Brazil, tuition includes accommodations—including one night in a Houston area hotel before the chaperoned flight from George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) to your program destination—as well as all staff including on-site professional teaching veterinarians, on-site meals, site visits & transportation during the program, lectures, simulations, curriculum & materials, and a Certificate of Completion.

Transportation from your local airport to George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) for the included group flight is not included in your tuition. While attending the program, you will only need money for souvenirs, snacks, and other incidentals.
How will I be supervised?
Your safety during the program is our highest priority. You will reside in a safe, controlled environment and you will be supervised by professionally trained staff, including teaching veterinary faculty who serve as educational facilitators and chaperones, support staff, and an on-site director.

For over 30 years, Envision has achieved a stellar record of successfully enriching the lives of students, providing them with superb educational experiences and professional supervision. Other safety measures include:
- Greeting students at the designated airport upon their arrival, and providing shuttle service directly to the program site and back to the airport on departure day*
- Maintaining a student-to-staff ratio of 10 to 1
- Requiring all students to attend all activities
- Checking rooms nightly and ensuring that students remain in their own rooms
- Having night monitors to support students who may become ill or who have an emergency during the night
- Equipping all staff members with two-way communication devices
*For the Texas Zoo program, there is an additional fee for the use of the program shuttle service. For all programs in Costa Rica and Belize, transfers to and from the international airport in both locations are included in tuition.
Where will I stay?

At Veterinary Medicine: Texas Zoo, all students are housed on campus in University of Houston – Victoria campus housing.

At Veterinary Medicine: Rescue Center Costa Rica, all students are housed on-site at the Rescue Center Costa Rica.

At Veterinary Medicine: At Veterinary Medicine: Dog Sanctuary, all students are housed in San José.

At Veterinary Medicine: At Veterinary Medicine: Horses, Livestock & Farm Animals in Belize, all students are housed in lodging central to the area where students will be accompanying the teaching veterinarian on local farm visits.

At Veterinary Medicine: Horses, Livestock & Farm Animals in Belize, all students are housed in lodging central to the area where students will be accompanying the teaching veterinarian on local farm visits.
How many students share a room?

Each room will house 2-4 students, and you will have your own bed.
Can family members come to the program?

Parents and family members are not allowed to accompany you during the program. Gaining independence is an essential part of your growth during the program. However, it is perfectly fine for your family to travel with you to the program location and stay in the area while you are attending the program if they wish.
I am a student requiring specific accommodations. Can I still attend?

Envision by WorldStrides encourages the participation of all students who are academically, socially, and emotionally prepared for the program, including students with special accommodation requests. Parents, guardians, legal representatives, or educators are encouraged to contact the Office of Admissions, as we may be able to provide appropriate auxiliary aids and services to assist students with needed accommodations. To be able to best assist with specific accommodation requests, it is strongly recommended that families discuss specific requests with the Office of Admissions prior to enrollment.
Do I need to make my own flight arrangements?

Yes. We recommend that you make necessary flight arrangements only AFTER you receive confirmation that you are officially enrolled.
What are the pre-program assignments? Do I have to do them?

The first step of your leadership journey includes assessing your strengths and opportunities for growth. As part of your program, you’ll have access to WorldStrides’ newest digital platform: MyActionPath.

WorldStrides has partnered with PAIRIN, a leader in career and life planning and assessment, to help our students along their lifetime learning journeys. The result of this partnership is MyActionPath—a personalized, virtual GPS that guides you along your desired career pathway and helps you identify ways to enhance your skills and achieve your goals. MyActionPath can assist you in deciding which professional field might suit you best, makes recommendations based on your goals and dreams, and provides you with educational and supportive resources. Before you arrive to your program location, you’ll receive more information via email on how to begin this exciting career-planning journey.
MyActionPath
Can special dietary needs be met?

We make every effort to meet the dietary needs of all our students, provided the request is submitted prior to the start of your program. When you complete the Student Information Form, you will have the opportunity to make special dietary requests. We encourage you to contact the Office of Admissions for any specific questions or concerns.

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