Myongsun Kim
ePortfolio
Academics - Study Abroad in Thailand
4 Weeks in Thailand!
During the summer of 2022, I went on a study abroad trip to Thailand through LoopAbroad. The experience truly allowed me to explore the world of veterinary medicine in different settings and learn about the responsibilities of a veterinarian as a steward of the Earth.
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1st Week - Clinic Week in Chiang Mai
I assisted neuter and spay surgeries for local dogs and cats and monitor patients for anesthesia recovery. In Comparison to my shadowing experiences in the United States, the treatment of animals were heavily influenced by the Buddhist beliefs. Both veterinarians and pet owners are very hesitant to perform euthanasia even in cases of terminal illness because Buddhism considers euthanasia as unnatural death and bad karma.
2nd Week - Elephant Nature Park
During this week, I stayed in the Elephant Nature Park located in Chiang Mai and assisted veterinary cares of the elephant vets, volunteer in daily chores to take care of variety of animals including dogs, cats, elephants, and water buffalos. Also, I learned about the history of elephant treatment in Thailand - the symbolism, the use of elephants in logging industry and tourism, and the evolving movement of ecotourism.
3rd Week - Forest Restoration
During this week, we explored the history and progress of forest restoration efforts in Thailand.
The science and politics entangle to create a unique challenge to the forest restoration in Northern Thailand. There are multiple ethnic groups in Northern Thailand - the people who took refuge from the surrounding countries were called as the hill tribe. There are 7 tribes, and many of them sustains themself through the slash and burn agriculture.
4th Week - Coral Reef Conservation in Koh Tao Island
Fun fact about me: I am a certified open water scuba diver!
Koh Tao Island is located on the southern part of Thailand and surrounded by coral reefs. Throughout the week, I trained to become a certified scuba diver and aimed to perform conservation dives where I would be able to survey the area for scientific purposes.
Unfortunately, because of an injury, I was unable to participate in the conservation dive itself. However, I was able to observe the biodiversity of the coral reefs and the efforts to save them.
Overall Reflection on the 4 week Journey in Thailand
During the trip, I was able to see both sides of the euthanasia. Indeed, the Thai practice of avoiding euthanasia sometimes gave some rescued pets another chance at life. Most of the disabled dogs seen in the Elephant Nature Park would have been euthanasied in the United States after assessing the quality of life. Even the number of animals euthanized in the United States for controlling population in the rescues is astonishing. However, on the other side, during the animal outreach day, I witnessed terrible quality of life, or near hoarding situations, of rescued dogs in local shelters - the consequences of lack of population control.
Another common theme I encountered while reflecting on my experiences is the stewardship mindset of the instructors. At the time I was struggling with my career choices and I asked my instructors why they chose to become a veterinarians despite the hardships. I was expecting some kind of awe-inspiring stories, but their answer was simple: "because someone has to do it, and I don't mind doing it." I asked similar questions to conservation scientists I met along the journey, and they replied the same.