100 Animal Welfare in Veterinary Education #1: International Student Insights into Curricula, Animal Usage, and Didactic Alternatives

It's super interesting to hear that you can also learn so much through these roles.

And especially as you said, for example, research that was at least for me not part really of the curriculum so learning how to do that how to deal with data that wasn't really something that i learned at university but of course also these networking and talking maybe being more prepared to act professionally with external stakeholders to build and grow yourself thank you for being here and for sharing your insights and also for being so engaged as a voice for the students in general for your regions And of course for the animals in our care.

So I'm happy to dive into more details.

What motivates you to be part of the IVSA and to stand up for your colleagues and the other students?

So from my side, I started university in 2020, so during COVID.

And it was during my second semester that I discovered that IBS existed, that it was a local chapter in my university, but it was not very well known.

They were looking for a senior exchange officer and the requirement that they had was a person who speaks English.

And it's like, okay, I feel I can do it.

I need something to do besides school.

Because it was online, I did not have much interaction with people, so I feel like I can do it.

When I entered the association, I discovered a completely new world, a completely different thing that I was doing in university.

I found a place where I could meet people, but also where I could create opportunities for different people.

So even though I entered as exchange officer, I started doing online lectures in my local chapter.

I started talking to my classmates about IVSA and say like, hey, like, do you want to have a future colleague in India, for example, go join IVSA.

It's like, no, not crazy.

It's something that will happen to you.

I fell in love with the association.

It was very instant.

and i decided to continue and it became basically what i was doing together with the school i did not find my life in a school without IVSA.

I became president of my local chapter later, president of IVSA Peru, and I had this spirit with me of bringing this opportunity to more students for them to be able to get to know more people, get to know more opportunities because we do offer a lot of opportunities for students.

And as I always say, IVSA for me is a place where we try to equip our members with more tools that what they get in university.

There are a lot of things that of course we don't get in university because of course we cannot get everything in university.

So I would say that that place where you can even with soft skills is something that will help you when you graduate.

So obviously it can help you with that.

So I brought IVSA to more universities in Peru, and I was very committed with the position.