Christian Guerzon - France

My experience in Paris is one that I will surely remember for the rest of my life. When I arrived, I was happily greeted by mentor Minh Huynh who graciously let me stay in his home over the summer. During my initial day he took me to the market to pick up groceries where he informed also about how high-quality foods had to come through France before being distributed throughout Europe. It was amazing for me to see the market and how it served the immediate community. 

As part of my summer experience, I was able to do a clinical research project with Minh looking into assessing borborygmi in rabbits presenting to the clinic. I was able to be hands on with patients as they were coming in as I got to auscultate a majority of the rabbits coming into the clinic. Although my project was focused on rabbits I also was able to be hands on in other aspects of the clinic. I gained experience working with in patients of various species such as guinea pigs, rabbits (of course), birds, and even a couple reptiles. I was also able to be guided in performing my first rabbit neuter during my time there as well. Additionally, I also got to witness client consultations and appreciate the dedication the staff had to helping the owners make the right decision for their pets. 

Outside of the clinic I was fortunate to explore various aspects of Paris and was fascinated by the history behind some of the landmarks I visited. I was able to visit multiple chapels where I was surrounded by beautiful stained glass that really demonstrated the attention to detail in French culture. In addition, I was able to visit the vet school in Alfort which is one of the original vet schools ever created. All in all I can’t even comprehend how much I learned throughout this trip and am forever grateful for this opportunity.