Loop Abroad: Virtual Veterinary Experiences

Loop Abroad is proud to offer online versions of some of our most popular courses. Grab your computer and hop online for the chance to learn about exciting veterinary topics from our expert veterinarians.

Our online courses are different from our in-person trips, but the lecture coursework is the same. All our courses include one-on-one mentorship with veterinarians and interactive discussions. Loop Abroad’s instructors are experts in their field and have an enormous amount of collective experience working with domestic animals and wildlife, traveling, and teaching. Courses are open to any participant who enrolls, from anywhere in the world. All courses are taught in English.

Course Offerings:

1. BIO 401: Elephant Management and Medicine (Online)

Elephants are the world’s largest extant land animals. They are characterized by magnificent size, extraordinary intelligence, complex social behavior, and unique anatomy. This course provides an overview of the variation in elephant management systems and practices and the medical management challenges elephants present in the clinical setting. Throughout this online course, students will be guided through 15 modules, each focusing on a different aspect of their unique history, biology, and care.

Students will study elephant anatomy, behavior, training, welfare, common and important diseases and medical conditions, as well as conservation concerns of their species. This course includes interactive one-on-one mentorship and live discussions with an elephant veterinarian, an elephant trainer, a conservationists, and an elephant sanctuary owner. Other parts, including lectures, are pre-recorded.

This course is self-paced with access to all modules including forum-based discussions at the start of the course. Several live meetings will be scheduled, but will be recorded and attendance is optional.

2. BIO 400: Companion Animal Management (Online)

Explore the anatomy, physiology, and health management of companion animals through a clinical veterinary lens. Over 15 modules, students will study important veterinary techniques and skills, such as physical examination and diagnostic sampling, as well as medical and surgical topics including anesthetic management, principles of spay and neuter, and common diseases of dogs and cats. We will also discuss small animal wellness care and nutrition, and basic veterinary care of exotic pets.

In addition, this course will examine the process of veterinary school admission, and career pathways within veterinary medicine. This course includes interactive one-on-one mentorship and live discussions in a group with veterinarians as well as pre-recorded lectures.

3. BIO 304: South Africa Zoo Husbandry and Management (Online)

South Africa is known for its incredible biodiversity including a wide variety of wildlife. This self-guided online course provides students the foundation knowledge base of fundamental principles of zoological husbandry and management focusing on South African wildlife. The course is composed of self-guided modules allowing students to have the flexibility of going at their own pace. While the modules are pre-recorded, they include interactive discussions in a group and one-on-one mentorship with veterinarians. The modules are integrative, building off one another and teach real life skills such as how to read radiographs and how to devise enrichment. The modules cover a variety of topics including taxonomy, anatomy, physiology, nutrition, enclosure design, welfare and enrichment, capture and restraint, diagnostics, preventative medicine, pathology, and conservation.

While the lectures and assignments are self-paced, you are required to participate in online discussion boards. You should expect to log in and post around two to three times per week throughout the course duration.

4. BIO 307: Anatomy, Behavior, and Conservation of African Big Cats (Online)

Africa is home to three of the seven species of “Big Cats”: the lion, leopard and cheetah. These apex predators have unique characteristics and needs. This self-guided online course covers a wide range of topics relating to the anatomy, physiology, husbandry, conservation and medical management of African Big Cats. The course is composed of a series of self-guided lectures that allow students to have the flexibility of going at their own pace. While the modules are pre-recorded, they include interactive discussions in a group and one-on-one mentorship with veterinarians. The modules are integrative, building off one another and teach real life skills such as how to recognize parasites and how to identify white blood cells.

While the lectures and assignments are self-paced, you are required to participate in online discussion boards. You should expect to log in and post around two to three times per week throughout the course duration.

5. BIO 308: Marine Animal Anatomy, Behavior, and Conservation (Online)

Did you know 30% of living vertebrate species are marine? This course is about all marine life: corals, invertebrates, bony fishes, sharks and rays, sea turtles, marine birds, and marine mammals. Learn about the role of each of these species in the ocean ecosystem and the critical issues of marine conservation. Finally, discuss the common diseases and unique challenges of marine veterinary work as it is practiced in sea turtle and marine mammal rescues as well as aquariums around the world. Dr. Max is a specialist in sea turtles so expect to learn a lot about sea turtle medicine and rehabilitation!

You will have access to one to two modules per week. Each module includes a 1-2 hour lecture, an assignment, and a discussion. Discussion may be live calls or discussion boards and require students to respond to articles or documentaries.

6. BIO 311: Sea Turtle Health and Rehabilitation (Online)

This course will introduce students to the biology, health, and clinical care of sea turtles in a rehabilitation setting. Basic concepts in sea turtle life history and conservation will be introduced. Sea turtle husbandry in a rehabilitative setting and basic veterinary techniques will be discussed. An organ system approach to normal and abnormal will be covered as well as current topics in clinical therapies. Selected common diseases will be introduced. Finally, sea turtle population ecology and selected special topics in sea turtle medicine will be covered.

You will have access to two modules per week. Each module includes a 1-2 hour lecture, an assignment, and a discussion. Discussion may be live calls or discussion boards and require students to respond to articles or documentaries.

Course Requirements & Overview:

These are 300-level and 400-level US university courses and will be graded at that level. Students should assess their own ability to participate in a course of that rigor. Ideally, participants will have completed at least a semester of college-level biology and have an understanding of basic scientific terms. No experience with veterinary medicine or the specific area of coursework (zoo medicine, big cats, elephants, etc) is required.

Courses are accessible for a 6-8 week session. Taking 4-5 courses (12-15 credits) in one semester would be about the same workload as being a full-time university student on campus.

Each course has 12-15 modules. Each module includes:

• a self-guided or live online discussion for 1-2 hours (at a set time)
• a pre-recorded online lecture portion for 1-2 hours (can be watched any time)
• approximately 1-2 hours of additional work (assignments) to be done at your own pace
• course assignments can include readings, research, exams, and writing assignments.