Enough of that. What was it really like? Well, the next post or two will describe MY experience. It may be different from the experiences others who were in the same place at the same time. Please remember that.
I had heard about RAVS from a veterinary listserve to which I belong. It took me about a year to actually decide to apply for a position as a volunteer veterinarian on one of the trips. I think I applied in December and had a phone interview in January. I was pretty honest with my experience and abilities, as well as my crazy phobia. Ahne, the lead vet who interviewed me, was very encouraging. I received my acceptance onto a trip some time in March. At that time, I had to supply proof of my veterinary license and that I did in fact graduate from a vet school, and I underwent a background check. I then gave them 3 possible weeks that I was available and they put me on the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation in north-central Sought Dakota.
What I was only vaguely aware of was that 95% of the people on my trip were just coming off a week together at another reservation. I think only two of us joined mid-shift. I knew nobody and had no expectations. It was definitely out of my comfort zone and a couple of weeks beforehand I started to get a little nervous.
In the group there were 2 staff veterinarians, 4 contract veterinarians, one volunteer veterinarian (me), one staff technician, a few other contract or volunteer technicians, a contract photographer, the South Dakota representative for the Humane Society, and about 25 veterinary students (who, by the way, actually PAY $200 to be part of a trip!).
The day (July 13) arrived. I hate driving so I flew in to Bismarck, North Dakota, stayed by myself in a hotel room that night, and met the group the following morning. I am too cheap (and principled) to pay to check my luggage so I packed everything (including the mandatory mess kit and sleeping bag) into a carry on! I was impressed with myself. There were introductions (for the 2 newbies) and then we caravanned 4 hours south to the reservation. I was expecting less-than-ideal conditions, but our first stop was sort of appalling. We had to set up a clinic in a garage. Fine. But the garage had not been cleaned out in the least! Our group had to move tractors, sweep and mop the area, and set up a huge clinic/surgical area, all on Sunday afternoon. No help from the community at all. I am not sure about this, but I think the RAVS group comes here every year. And I think that we are liked and appreciated (and, by the way, provide tens of thousands of dollars of FREE vet care per day!). So why nobody could step up to the plate and make sure we had a useable space is beyond me. I don't think that is asking for much.
I think it took 4-5 hours to get the garage ready for the clinic the following day. The system is actually quite impressive. There is a huge trailer filled with many labeled boxes of supplies and equipment. The trailer is systematically unloaded and the clinic is set up. Everyone helps out. We were all exhausted by the end, and then had to drive 30 minutes to our home base, in another town on the reservation. We were finally able to sit down to eat (Indian tacos in a church) at about 9 or 10 Sunday night. Then we checked into our dorm rooms. OMG! Most of the rooms were missing beds, or mattresses, or both. The toilets did not work. There was no hot water for showers. I stayed up until about midnight with one of the staff vets going over some of the things I was responsible for the next day. Which was due to start at about 6 am.
The RAVS trailer
The garage - site of the first clinic
My dorm room. My spartan bed is on the right.
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