During the winter mini deer capture and monitoring course, FWF 490, I learned about IACUC protocols, federal guidelines, research, soil samples, safe deer capture, chemical immobilization, and project proposals. I worked alongside peers, biologists, graduate students, researchers, and the state wildlife veterinarian to practice giving injections, calculating medication dosages, shooting dart rifles, necropsy techniques, writing project proposals, collecting biological samples, and much more!

I studied abroad in San Ignacio, Belize with the Small Animal Veterinary Experience (SAVE) program. Over the course of 10 days, the group performed over 90 physical exams and 30 spays/neuters for the people of San Ignacio. We learned how to calculate drug doses, monitor for anesthesia, and perform basic diagnostic tests.

Additionally, we had the opportunity to immerse ourselves in the culture of Belize. We toured Cahal Pech, a Mayan ruin, and participated in making chocolate via a traditional Mayan method. 

If anyone has an interest in studying abroad, please contact me: LClarke2@vols.utk.ed 

I also studied abroad in San Ignacio, Belize with the Small Animal Veterinary Experience (SAVE) program. Over a week and a half of fun, we learned we performed many physical exams, educated the locals on the importance of spaying and neutering, and monitored the anesthesia for many spays, neuters, and other surgeries like hernias and hematomas. We also learned basic anatomy and how anesthesia affects the autonomic nervous systems and how to calculate drug doses and perform basic diagnostic tests.

Additionally, we had the incredible opportunity to immerse ourselves in the culture of Belize. We toured (and climbed) some Mayan ruins and visited a local Mayan women's group dedicated to preserving the customs of the Mayans, there we learned how to make corn tortillas from scratch and make some pottery!

If anyone has an interest in studying abroad, please contact me: sanglin3@vols.utk.edu

This past summer of 2024 I worked as an undergraduate field research assistant in the EEB department's Tanner lab which investigated receiver decision-making in grey treefrog calls! We went out late at night in waders walking through the ponds playing lab produced frog calls and recording the response calls back. Then we learned how to safely catch and handle the frogs so that we could get quantifiable data like weight, size, and coloration.