Wildlife, Conservation, and Veterinary Medicine

Each UC Davis Summer Abroad Internship program pairs UC Davis Study Abroad with a partner organization that manages the personalized internship placements; arranges accommodations and excursions; leads onsite orientations and optional social events; and provides 24/7 emergency support. As part of the placement process for Summer Internships, participants will first enroll through UC Davis Study Abroad and then complete a supplemental application for the partner organization associated with their particular Summer Internship program.

Although Study Abroad partners with outside organizations for some aspects of Summer Abroad Internships, the official provider for these programs is UC Davis Study Abroad, and course credit is issued by UC Davis.

Internship Placement Process

After you enroll through UC Davis Study Abroad in this summer internship program, you will receive instructions to complete the Loop Abroad online enrollment.

Internship Placement Rotations

While in Thailand, you will participate in an internship for 35-40 hours per week. You will have the opportunity to live in both city and rural settings in Chiang Mai and at the Elephant Nature Park 60 km north of the city. All participants should be comfortable working with animals and getting dirty.

All interns will participate in the below rotations:

Chiang Mai Wildlife/Zoo

For one week of your program, you will be working behind-the-scenes with a zoo vet to learn the proper handling and health assessment methods for various birds, reptiles, and mammals, as well as helping to provide them with the necessary healthcare. Your veterinarian will teach you about the anatomy, behavior, and care for these animals, including how ethograms are used for animal research and how to create and assess enrichment projects in a zoo or animal sanctuary setting. You will have weeknight evenings and the weekends free to explore the magical city of Chiang Mai.

Chiang Mai Small Animal Clinic

For two weeks of your program, you will be at the Dog Rescue Clinic outside of Chiang Mai where you will learn and practice clinical skills while providing care throughout the day. This is an excellent, hands-on learning experience while having a lasting positive impact on the animals’ lives.

Elephant Nature Park: Elephant Volunteer

For one week, you will live at the Elephant Nature Park surrounded by Thai staff, volunteers from around the world, and all kinds of animals that call the park their home. This sanctuary is home to over 80 elephants and approximately 1,000 other animals, including hundreds of cats and dogs, and provides the opportunity to gain an understanding of the intersection of conservation, culture, and development.

You will work as an elephant volunteer and learn the history of the elephant sanctuary while helping with husbandry tasks such as preparing elephant food and cleaning enclosures. You get to observe elephants up-close and contribute to their rescue.

Groups of 8- 12 students will rotate through all placements, but the order of rotations may vary.

Note: Students could earn both veterinary and animal experience hours on this program. During the elephant volunteer week, you will earn animal experience hours as you will not be working with a veterinarian. More details on the breakdown of hours will be provided when available.

Our Program Partner

For the Wildlife, Conservation and Veterinary Science in Thailand Summer Internship program, UC Davis Study abroad partners with Loop Abroad, a student travel organization whose mission is to provide the best hands-on study abroad for students pursuing careers working with animals.

Loop Abroad was founded in 2009 and has been providing animal science and pre-veterinary programs to students around the world for over a decade. In 2018, their Thailand Veterinary Service program was selected “Top Rated Study Abroad Program” by GoAbroad.

Resume and Cover Letter Resources

We strongly recommend that all students meet with an advisor at the UC Davis Career Center or the Career Center on their home campus to have their resume and other supplemental documents reviewed (if applicable) prior to submitting these documents. The UC Davis Career Center provides many online resources, such as resume, cover letter, and letter of recommendation examples.

Transcript Notation

Students participating in UC Davis Study Abroad Internships are eligible to receive Transcript Notation (TN). Transcript notation documents your academically approved internship on your official UC Davis transcript. By having your experience noted, it provides proof of where and when you participated in an internship. This is especially valuable for international internships that may be difficult for a prospective employer or program to contact.

Transcript Notation is a process you’ll start within the first two weeks of your internship placement through Handshake, the tool the UC Davis Career Center uses to connect students and employers.