UNIVET
interwiev
Interview with Maitha Alhassani
Practice makes perfect It is a well-known fact: getting into vet school is hard, it is among the hardest. Universities offering veterinary medicine studies require top academic grades to even get a foot in the door. After you get accepted, you can start your life-long learning journey: veterinary education is amazingly in-depth and comprehensive. All the theories you absorb need to be applied correctly, this is when clinical practices come into the picture. The University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest is in a unique position with its well-equipped on-campus small animal clinic and large animal clinic in Üllõ. The practice-oriented training program attracts students from all around the world to complete their studies in Budapest. Read our interview with Maitha Alhassani who is here for a special one-year training from the United Arab Emirates University. ALEXANDRA BULEJKA – Please introduce yourself briefly to our readers. Let's start with your background and education. – My name is Maitha Alhassani and I am 23 years old. I spent my childhood in a city called Al Ain in the Eastern Region of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, which is also known as the “Garden City” due to its greenery. I grew up in a small family, my father is a police officer and my mom is a biology lab specialist. My parents supported me to attend top-ranked schools in my city. After graduating from high school in 2016 I chose to study veterinary medicine at the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU), which was established by his highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahayan in 1976. It is the oldest university in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The veterinary medicine field is quite new, it has been available since 2013.
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– When asked why they chose this career, vets usually say it is the love of animals, others connect an important childhood memory to animals. What about you? – I live and grew up in a family that loves animals and raises livestock on a private farm. These animals were often suffering from different diseases and needed medical care. When I was around 14 years old, I started helping my grandparents with the livestock; mainly it was my task to give the medicines prescribed by the pharmacist beside our farm. At that time I learned that in our region there is a lack of professional veterinary staff. After graduating from high school I was confused, I wasn't sure which path to take: human medicine or veterinary medicine. – What helped you to make your decision? – My family encouraged me to go for veterinary medicine so that I could contribute to covering the shortage of veterinary professionals in the UAE. So I decided to become a veterinarian to treat ill animals and help the prevention of diseases. In my country, people consume a huge part of their daily food from animals. Health monitoring of these animals is very important to prevent the spread and transmission of diseases between animals and humans. Veterinarians have a vital role in the advancement and maintenance of food safety, they are a link between human and animal health.
– What does this profession mean to you? – What I like most about veterinary medicine is the diversity: vets deal with more than one type of species. On top of that, our patients cannot express their feelings verbally. This career is characterized by a humane profession that serves animals and society at the same time. – How can you earn a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine diploma in the United Arab Emirates? – First, you need to enrol in the Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine program. This is a 5-year program at my university. During the 5 years, students take up to 9 general education courses totalling 27 credit hours, at least 12 credit hours of required college courses like Biology, Physics, Chemistry among others, plus 113 credit hours of veterinary major courses. The current curriculum
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