Chris Rampersad. Photo by Christina Weese.
Chris Rampersad. Photo by Christina Weese.

Volunteering leads Manitoba student to vet school

Chris Rampersad of Winnipeg, Man., always knew he wanted a career in a caring profession. By volunteering and working with a variety of institutions and initiatives in Canada and overseas, he thinks he’s found what he was looking for.

“I suppose I was mining for some perspective and I’d like to think I found some,” explains Rampersad who is now a first-year student at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM).

“I found that veterinary medicine was singular in the amount of possibilities it offered for me to educate, heal and improve the lives of people and the animals they interact with.”

Rampersad has already examined the profession from several angles: he’s worked and volunteered at veterinary clinics, he’s assisted at dog boarding, grooming and daycare facilities, and he’s taken courses in dog and horse training.

Some of his favorite experiences stemmed from his work at Manitoba’s Parkland Ranch where he spent several months studying horse behaviour and psychology and bitless riding. He particularly enjoyed working with the abused, elderly or infirm horses, donkeys, cows and llamas that had found a safe haven at the ranch.

“Having always lived in urban centres, I found it deeply enlightening to work with these animals, become part of a smaller community and shadow the local vets to gain an appreciation of what life for a rural veterinarian might look like,” he says.  

Rampersad has always relished that sense of community – one of his main incentives for devoting himself to the study of Aikido, a traditional Japanese martial art, and Muay Thai, a Thai form of kickboxing.

While his initial interest in these martial arts was for self-defence, his motivations evolved as he met the people from all kinds of backgrounds who practise Aikido and Muay Thai. He appreciated their support and the time spent together learning discipline, self-confidence and humility.

Although playing the flute and Celtic harp might seem contradictory activities for someone dedicated to studying martial arts, Rampersad also gains satisfaction from these instruments as well as the guitar and piano.

“For me, music has always been worth doing for its own sake,” he says.  “I approach it as a restful, therapeutic activity that I do for myself. I don’t think I’m a particularly good musician, but I enjoy it, and that’s enough.”

Rampersad’s musical talents came in handy when he volunteered with Coins for Change Hanoi, an art and music therapy program aimed at single mothers and at-risk youth in the inner city of Hanoi, Vietnam.

While he enjoyed the opportunity to provide mentorship, support – and even the occasional ukulele lesson – to people in vulnerable circumstances, he also considered it part of his personal journey, one in which people have helped him through some difficult situations.

“I see my life as a yellowed, dog-eared manuscript with a fresh cast of friends, teachers, coaches and mentors who have jumped in and out of the narrative at times when I needed support. I could point to my Grade 7 teacher … or the sensei from Aikido class … or even Mrs. Kisses, a tiny dwarf hamster who helped introduce me to pet ownership.”

Rampersad just started the WCVM’s veterinary program in August, but he’s already been introduced to a range of options through student clubs, charismatic and enthusiastic instructors and upper-year students with stories about international placements, rural practices and research work.

Where exactly does he see himself in the future? “I could certainly see myself as a private practice clinician, getting my daily dose of dog and finding a community to invest in,” says Rampersad.

“But I’d … be open to opportunities that might arise in education, public health or even more ‘socially conscious’ programs like Vets Without Borders and the like – I’ll get back to you in a few years!” 

Share this story