American Association of Zoo Veterinarians Conference
This was an incredible trip. I was lucky enough to go with my awesome friend Brittni East and we got to do so much fun stuff together!
The AAZV conference was held at Disney's Animal Kingdom this year, so Brittni and I went early the weekend before it started so we could hit up the rides! We got to go to every park and there were barely any lines.
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| People thought we were engaged and it was funny |
We finished our tour of the parks at Epcot, where we got to enjoy the icebreaker event exclusively in The Seas. We ate delicious food and got to watch some really awesome training sessions with the dolphins! It was an amazing facility and it was fun to mingle with the coolest people ever.
The conference itself was phenomenal. Each session of lectures made me more determined to get into this field.
One of my favorite experiences was in the opening session. Dr. Murray Fowler was one of the pioneers of zoo medicine. Sadly, he passed away this year. But it was remarkable to see how he had touched the lives of so many veterinarians and students. It was inspiring. I never had the privilege of meeting this man, but he's the type of veterinarian I'd like to aspire to being. The performers from the Lion King Live came and did an exclusive number in his honor.
The last day we were at the conference was the Zoo day. So we got to go to the one park we hadn't visited yet: Animal Kingdom. We got a behind the scenes tour of the animal care and veterinary facilities and got to have a ton of fun in the park. AAZV rented out the park for us to use that night, so we got to ride the rides over and over with no lines whatsoever. They also fed us this delicious dinner and there was face painting, and a fun auction to close out the night.
For whatever reason, it's been harder for me to be excited about school this year than it was last year. Sometimes classes seem disjointed and I'm not sure I'm getting what I need out of them. But then I went to this conference and it all came to life for me.
Seeing how ruminal acidosis can affect giraffes in intensely managed situations, how Haemonchus contortus can be damaging to a whole range of ruminants we hadn't discussed in class, how new drugs like Aflaxalone can be used in exotic species, or how algal toxins disrupt the clotting cascade in manatees tied everything together for me.
This is why I am here. I am passionate about medicine and science and conservation and I want to make a difference.
I was extremely fortunate to have Brittni with me. We were each other's wingmen, and helped each other to secure research opportunities for next summer. We talked with several zoos in Texas that want to strengthen their ties with Texas A&M and its veterinary students and we can't wait to see where that goes.
So now as I study for the exams I had to miss for this awesome opportunity, I am thankful for the professors who worked with us and I'm excited about the possibility of where all this information may take me. Veterinary medicine and conservation are such dynamic fields. The possibilities are practically endless.
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