As an aspiring veterinarian, touring Kasetsart University Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Bangkok, Thailand was an absolute dream. Kasetsart University Veterinary Teaching hospital is the largest veterinary hospital in all of Southeast Asia and may even be the largest veterinary hospital in the entire world. The Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Teaching Hospital in Bangkok receives over 600 cases a day and offers clinical services for almost every service you could imagine. Clinical services include soft tissue surgery, orthopedic surgery, internal medicine, exotics, dermatology, ophthalmology, cardiology, dentistry & oral surgery, emergency medicine, oncology, radiology & diagnostic imaging, physical rehabilitation therapy, neurology, and more. The clinical services provided by KU Faculty of Veterinary Medicine does not end there. There are three other KU teaching hospitals in various locations in Thailand. The other hospitals have a focus in Veterinary Public Health & Diagnostic Services, Farm Resources and Production Medicine, and Large Animals & Wildlife Clinical Sciences.
Application process to receive a DVM degree in Thailand
The application process to receive a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree is slightly different than the process within the States. In Thailand, students who want to become a veterinarian apply directly after high school into a six year program. The first two years are similar to an undergraduate curriculum where students learn the basic sciences including chemistry, biology, and physics. The last four years students are taught a typical veterinary medicine curriculum (similar to that within the states) while the last year consists of clinical rotations. The six year degree program is somewhat of an accelerated track as compared to the degree program within the United States. Veterinary schools within the United States require students to complete a list of prerequisite courses and then apply to veterinary school. The majority of students earn a bachelor’s degree in which they can fulfill this requirement. However, a bachelor’s degree isn’t technically required in order to apply. Most students within the US will complete four years of undergraduate curriculum and then another four years to receive their DVM. After receiving a DVM degree, internship and residency programs, to specialize, require the same amount of time in Thailand and the United States.
After reflecting on Kasetsart University DVM program I think this accelerated program would have been extremely beneficial for a student like myself. Since I was five years old, I knew I wanted to become a veterinarian. To this day I am sure of my decision and have never once questioned this career path for myself. That being said, I would have loved to apply to veterinary school right after high school. I knew what I was getting myself into since I have been shadowing veterinarians and working around animals since middle school. KU’s accelerated program would probably not be the best for someone who is on the fence about veterinary school since students are required to decided this career so early on. For me however, this would have been a perfect match and would also take away the uncertainty of whether or not I will get into a veterinary school after undergrad.
How Vet Med in Thailand Compares to Vet Med in the United States
The most noticeable difference I have observed at KU Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Teaching Hospital and the veterinary services in Thailand overall, is the low amount of spays and neuters. Most companion animals are not spayed or neutered and most stray animals, of course, are not either. After talking to veterinary staff, spays and neuters do not seem like a top priority for animals within the country. Within the United States, most pets are spayed/neutered at a very young age which helps to decrease the risk of diseases, including cancer, and also helps to decrease the populations of stray animals. Thailand was filled with stray dogs. I can’t help but to think some of the issues the country faces with stray animals may be decreased if the government helps to fund spay/neuter clinics throughout the country. Last summer I interned at a spay/neuter cat clinic where the majority of the surgeries were done on feral cats in order to decrease the stray feline population within the United States. I think clinics like this for canines would be extremely beneficial in Thailand especially since the 2011 flood resulted in an even higher number of stray dogs. With Thailand being a country prone to flooding, decreasing the number of stray dogs would be beneficial to the country when natural disasters do strike.
Validating my Decision
Touring Kasetsart University Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Bangkok, Thailand was one of the best experiences of my life. I am honored to have seen first hand how Kasetsart University practices veterinary medicine and have the opportunity to meet with faculty of the veterinary school. This experience has allowed to witness a different perspective to veterinary medicine and has further inspired me to work within this career field. This visit has truly been an experience of a lifetime!
