Diego Roque Aguayou - Mexico

This summer I had the opportunity to complete my Global Programs externship in Tepatitlán, Jalisco, Mexico which is a small pueblo outside of Guadalajara. Even though the pueblo is small, it is bursting with color, tradition, and some of the kindest people I’ve ever met. Living there during the summer reminded me of my roots and gave me a deeper appreciation not only for the culture, but also for the way veterinary medicine is practiced in different parts of the world.

I spent my externship at Animal House Centro Veterinario, a small animal clinic that manages to do it all. From routine wellness exams and vaccinations to orthopedic surgeries and tumor removals, the veterinarians there approached every case with skill, creativity, and compassion. The clinic was one of the only ones in the area with an X-ray machine, so patients from neighboring hospitals came to us for diagnostics. I quickly learned how important resource sharing was in this community and how to make the most of the tools we had.

Day to day, I helped prepare patients, monitor anesthesia, and assist in surgery. I scrubbed in on everything from spays and neuters to fracture repairs and hip replacements. Watching the veterinarians handle such a wide variety of cases with confidence was inspiring, and I grew immensely from their guidance. My mentor, Dr. Aldo Garcia, was patient, approachable, and always willing to let me ask “just one more question.” His mentorship pushed me to strengthen my skills and trust myself in the clinic.

But my externship wasn’t just about veterinary medicine. It was about people too. I was struck by how much families valued their pets, often making sacrifices to ensure they received the care they needed. Seeing this reminded me that the love between humans and animals is something that crosses every culture and circumstance. It also reminded me of my own childhood in Mexico, where I saw how hard it could be for families to provide veterinary care when resources were limited. That memory has stayed with me and continues to drive my passion for this field.

Being back in Mexico in this new role felt full-circle. I wasn’t just the child who dreamed of becoming a veterinarian anymore, I was standing in that very community, helping to provide the kind of care I once knew was so hard to access. This experience reignited my dream of one day creating a nonprofit that expands veterinary access in underserved areas of Latin America. It showed me that it’s not just a dream, it’s possible.
 

I am so thankful to my mentors, Dr. Garcia and Dr. Costa, the team at Animal House, and Global Programs for giving me this opportunity. This externship didn’t just make me a better student. It made me more grounded, more culturally aware, and more determined to give back to the profession and the communities that shaped me.