My first veterinary clinical experience was the Mazunte Project in Mazunte, Oaxaca, a sleepy beach town on the Pacific Coast of Mexico. The Mazunte Project focuses on reducing the overpopulation of dogs and cats on the Oaxacan coast. Addressing the free-roaming dog population is particularly important in this region because the beaches of Oaxaca are an important nesting ground for several species of turtles. Free-roaming dogs often feast on turtle eggs and decimate the population of baby turtles. The Mazunte Project seeks to both increase the welfare of free-roaming dogs and support the turtle population and their ecological importance. 

I spent three weeks working with Dr. Pierre DePorre, owner of DePorre Veterinary Hospital in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan and two MSU classmates, Samantha Gamble and Taylor Chambers. In those three weeks, we performed more than 380 surgeries on a diverse population of dogs. The first week was spent traveling to nearby towns escorted by local legend and animal advocate, Tin Tin. Dr. DePorre was able to provide us with one-on-one surgical instruction and share the spay/neuter tips and tricks he had learned throughout his career. The second week, our group was joined by many veterinarians and technicians from the Boston area. Each day, our groups assembled mobile animal surgical hospital (MASH) clinics at various towns on the Oaxacan coastline. During these clinics, we learned important skills, such as anesthesia dosing, administration, monitoring, and recovery, in addition to observing and performing surgeries. 

The Mazunte Project introduced me to a beautiful and culturally rich region of Mexico. Traveling along the coast allowed us to investigate many different towns and interact with all kinds of people. It is a unique experience that allowed me to appreciate how veterinary medicine can help both the individual and the population, while also motivating me to continue to improve my Spanish-speaking skills.