Students are inviting the public to the Western College of Veterinary Medicine for Vetavision, a two-day affair that will showcase a wide variety of attractions, including bee-keeping, realistic animal simulations and underwater treadmills.

On Sept. 29 and 30, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., the veterinary college will have presentations and displays meant to entice prospective students towards veterinary medicine. Vetavision still boasts all of the favourite events and displays from two years prior, yet this year, there will be several new demonstrations.

Alexina Labrecque, co-president of Vetavision and fourth-year veterinary medicine student, is excited about the new attractions, such as a tour of the BJ Hughes Centre for Clinical Learning, referred to as the simulation lab, which opened only last spring.

“The emergency-and-critical-care booth is going to be in the simulation lab, and there’s going to be lots of fun, interactive things you can do. We also have a mock-surgery room in there that students can use as well,” Labrecque said.

The event will give future veterinary students the ability to explore the diverse field by interacting with live demonstrations, displays and even animal simulations. Vetavision will welcome the general public, students from all colleges and any prospective students visiting the University of Saskatchewan for the U of S Open House on Sept. 29.

The WCVM will have guided tours of their facilities, including the Veterinary Medical Centre where students can watch a demonstration of rehabilitation techniques, like an underwater treadmill. The tours will accommodate 30 people, which is why Labrecque recommends that those interested arrive early.

The WCVM also has a strong bee-disease-research program, so this year, bee-keeping will be joining the wildlife booth as well, Labrecque reports.

“Bee-keeping is an area that … not many people know … veterinarians are involved with. It’s super niche. You can come see beehives [and] learn more about how honey is made, and you can even put on a bee suit,” Labrecque said. “There will be no bees. We don’t want that risk.”

Ian Niu, third-year veterinary student and public relations representative of Vetavision, explains that the crowd favourites will also return to Vetavision again this year, including the fistulated cow and the petting zoo known as the Kiddy Corral.

“My personal favourite is the Kiddy Corral, because there [are] so many different animals and opportunities to interact with them, and for me, that’s where the real fun is,” Niu said.

Niu encourages undergraduate students to attend the Pre-Vet Night on Sept. 30, as it will give them the chance to learn about the process of applying to and studying in the WCVM.

“Basically, what Pre-Vet Night is, is an opportunity for students who are interested in the profession to hear from our professors [and] our associate dean academic,” Niu said. “Veterinary medicine is really diverse, and students who may not necessarily have a strong background or a lot of experience with vet med can learn a lot more about what’s available and what they can do [within] the field.”

—

Gwen Roy

Graphic: Laura Underwood / Layout Manager