COURSE DETAILS
Elephant Veterinary Conservation Medicine Course
At the Elephant Conservation Center's ECORE Institute
Sayaboury, Laos
December 7 - 12, 2026
Who Should Attend?
This course is oriented to 4th and 5th-year veterinary students and recent graduates with some clinical experience. Other veterinary students are welcome to apply, but priority enrollment will be granted to higher level students and graduates. The course is limited to 15 students and will be taught in English.
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Participants must be fit and able to work safely in hot field conditions. Bending, walking, hiking, and getting dirty are required. Some field work involves trekking (for 2+ hours) along well-worn trails to remote forest locations that can be muddy and steep at times.
Course Fee: $2,489
What’s Included?
The course fee covers:
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Accommodation: On-site lodging in shared bunk-bed dormitories. Optional: Limited upgraded accommodations (private or shared single rooms) can be arranged at additional cost.
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Meals & Water: Three meals per day (breakfast, lunch, dinner) plus drinking water (vegetarian and vegan options are available.)
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Ground Transportation: Round-trip transfers between Luang Prabang (nearest city) and ECC.
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Laboratory Access: Use of ECC diagnostic laboratory and core equipment for hands-on training sessions.
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Professional Supervision: All instruction and supervision by course instructors and ECC staff.
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Scholarship Support for Lao Veterinarian: A $150 donation from the course fee will support internships, supplies, and workshop and course fees for Lao veterinary students.
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What’s Not Included?
Airfare, vaccinations, visas, personal insurance, costs for optional accommodations (e.g., Forest House, Lakeside Bungalow, or Deluxe Lodge), and extra baggage.
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Post-Course 7-day Laos adventure (click on image at right for more information).
Participants should bring standard field/veterinary attire, binoculars, a small field notebook, and their own PPE, if desired. Internet is limited on-site; please plan accordingly.
Course Objectives
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Veterinary Clinical Competence: Build participants’ general knowledge and skills in elephant-specific health assessment, diagnosis, and interventions.
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Conservation Literacy: Ensure understanding of the socio-ecological context of Asian elephants (e.g., conflict issues, welfare in captivity, etc.) and the role of veterinarians in conservation programs.
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Capacity Building: Strengthen local elephant healthcare leadership by generating support for Lao elephant veterinarians.
Learning & Skill Development Outcomes
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Perform clinical exams on Asian elephants, crucial for their health and welfare.
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Understand elephant herd structure, social roles, and leadership dynamics relevant to elephant management and welfare.
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Identify common diseases in elephants.​
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Provide basic care for elephants.​
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Understand the normal physiological parameters observed during clinical examinations.​
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Safely participate in and assist with medical procedures on elephants in a field setting.​
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Apply best-practice animal welfare, biosecurity, and personal safety protocols during veterinary work.
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Understand the conservation challenges of the Asian elephant in range countries.
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Local Capacity-Building
ECORE/ECC programs prioritize local capacity-building by providing internships, courses, and workshops to Lao veterinary students. Attendance at this six-day veterinary course will help provide scholarship support for these programs.
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Health & Safety
Working with elephants carries risks; we mitigate these with strict protocols. All elephant handling during the course follows protected-contact guidelines Safety briefings and emergency procedures (e.g. rescue plans) are reviewed at the start.
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Contact & Apply
For more information and to apply please contact the ECORE Program coordinators:
Email: ecore@elephantconservationcenter.com
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Click on image below for additional details from our partner.
