Lindsay Fredericks is interested in pigs. So interested, in fact, that she wants to be a swine-focused veterinarian.

Students within the Iowa State College of Veterinary Medicine have the opportunity to travel to educational conferences that focus on their areas of interest, such as swine. 

According to Fredericks, a student in the vet med college, students have the opportunity to join many different clubs within the vet school, most which are student chapters of major professional veterinary organizations, such as the American Association of Swine Veterinarians.

“Conferences are generally held by the parent organization, and the student clubs will provide pertinent information [about the conferences] to its members,” Fredericks said.

From March 3 to 9, Fredericks will be attending the American Association of Swine Veterinarians (AASV) annual conference in San Diego, California, where she will present a research project she has completed.

Last year, Fredericks attended the same AASV conference, where she said she learned a lot and was able to network with other swine-focused students and swine veterinarians. Fredericks looks forward to meeting more people in the swine field and presenting the results of her research study this coming March.

“Traveling to major conferences provides a great opportunity for networking in specific fields, Fredericks said. “It is also a great way to learn more about your field of interest, and at some conferences, students are able to present their own research projects with a poster or oral presentation.”

Elizabeth Houston, a student in the vet med college, is also attending the AASV conference in March, and said that she has has good experiences traveling to conferences in the past.

“It’s always nice to get out of Ames and travel,” Houston said.

Meeting veterinary practitioners and researchers, listening to interesting speakers and gaining insights on current issues and updates in technology are a few of the reasons why Houston has enjoyed attending conferences in the past.

“Generally [to apply for conferences] there is an online registration,” Fredericks said. “Some organizations allow vet students to register for free and some provide a stipend to defray some of the costs.”

The Student American Veterinary Association provides the opportunity for students attending conferences to apply for travel grants.

The travel grants, which are $100, can cover the costs of registration, wet lab, lodging and airline expenses; but Fredericks said that travel and lodging plans are generally up to the student to arrange.

“If someone wants to make a difference, SAVMA provides many outlets and resources to do so on a school or national level,” said Holly Salzbrenner, May to December 2017 SAVMA president. “Many grants and scholarships are available for personal use, wet labs or community projects.”