Each year, WCVM faculty and staff present some of the latest information and research discoveries at conferences organized by livestock or breed associations, sport organizations or wildlife groups.
When important health issues arise in the region, the college also plays a key role in organizing information meetings or distributing fact sheets that provide science-based answers to the public's questions and concerns.
The WCVM also plays an integral role in providing educational opportunities to elementary and high school students as well as youth-focused organizations. Through the following programs, we're helping students learn more about the importance of animal health care and management in our world. We're also working to encourage more students to consider career opportunities in the veterinary profession.
Vetavision
Vetavision is a student-run open house at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) that takes place every two years.
The two-day event opens up the veterinary college to the public to showcase the veterinary profession and to highlight the many roles of veterinarians in animal health, public health, research, industry and community service.
If you have children who want to be biologists, scientists, veterinarians, veterinary technologists or just curious about different jobs with animals, it's a great chance for them to learn more about these types of careers. Or if your kids just love animals, they especially will enjoy this event!
Visit the Vetavision web page for more details.
SCI-FI Vet Med Camps
Is your child crazy about animals? Do you know someone who dreams of becoming a veterinarian? The University of Saskatchwan's SCI-FI Vet Med Camps are a wonderful option!
These one-week summer day camps, which happen every July and August, give students in Grades 5 to 12 a chance to explore the amazing connections between science and the world of veterinary medicine. Each camp is full of hands-on activities and intriguing animal health projects plus plenty of opportunities to meet animals of all shapes and sizes.
USask SCI-FI Science Camps organize and co-ordinate the Vet Med Camps in partnership with the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM). Each year, SCI-FI Science Camps employs several WCVM veterinary students as counsellors who help to plan the annual camps' curriculum and lead the weekly camps along with other SCI-FI employees.
For more details, click on the buttons below. Registration for the annual SCI-FI summer camps opens on March 1. Bursaries in support of young Indigenous students are also available each year.
Community awareness
Does your class or local organization want to learn more about animal health and veterinary medicine?
Developed by the veterinary college's admissions team, the WCVM Summer Student Home Community Awareness Program's goal is to help elementary and high school students, 4-H clubs and other student-focused groups in Western Canada learn more about veterinary medicine and animal health.
We help to connect western Canadian organizations and schools to current WCVM veterinary students who can give animal health-focused presentations in local communities during their school break.
WCVM students are available in local communities from early May to mid-August.
Hosting a presentation
Here's how the program works:
• Submit a request for a veterinary student-led presentation in your community. Complete the request form and then submit to Heather Mandeville (heather.mandeville@usask.ca), WCVM admissions and recruitment manager.
• Wait to hear if there's a match. Once the WCVM team receives your request for a veterinary student presentation in your community, we will work with our student volunteers to determine if anyone is available to "match up" and visit your community.
Please note: the WCVM may not be able to meet all community presentation requests due to a limited number of available students.
• Make final arrangements. If a student is available to give a presentation in your community, the student will contact you to make final arrangements. Presentations (including a hands-on activity or demonstration) are usually about one hour in length.
There is no charge for a veterinary student-led presentation. The veterinary student will be responsible for providing the presentation and organizing any related materials, while the host school or organization will be responsible for providing a gathering space and inviting the class or group to the event.