Pre-clinic requirements for RAVS volunteers accepted to a clinic team

The following provides an overview of the pre-trip responsibilities for all RAVS volunteers. Please be sure that you understand and can meet all requirements before accepting a volunteer position.

Initial trip acceptances are conditional and must be confirmed. You must complete the following steps to confirm your participation.

Within 2 weeks of initial trip acceptance offer:

1. Submit a background check application: Applicants who are accepted to a clinic team will receive an email from our background check provider with instructions for completing an online background check request form. This form is completed once for each volunteer—volunteers participating in more than one field clinic need to submit only one request.
2. Confirmation: Once the background check is complete, you will receive a final, official acceptance announcement which serves as confirmation of your trip assignment. Once you receive this confirmation, the position is being held for you. We are counting on you to attend and expect that you will fulfill your commitment to the team.

At least 30 days prior to the start of the clinic:

1. Volunteer training: Thoroughly review all online training materials and volunteer training manual. Participants on surgical teaching clinics are required to complete an online training assessment with a score of at least 80% (to be completed once each year for all volunteers).
2. Submit travel plans: You will receive a link to the travel form for your trip as part of your trip confirmation and pre-trip planning emails. If we have not received your travel information by the deadline (30 days pre-trip), you may be dropped from the trip roster.
   
   Trip details (dates, meeting locations) for each clinic can be found on the Clinic Schedule page—clicking on the trip will expand the page for full details. Volunteers are responsible for transportation to and from the designated meeting site, and all transportation during the trip. We highly encourage you to arrange ride-shares with others on your clinic team to conserve resources. A team list will be made available to team members that will include contact information to allow volunteers on the same trip to communicate with one another for travel coordination and trip planning.
3. Veterinary Students—Surgical Skills Assessment: All veterinary students will participate in a surgical skills assessment at the start of each surgery clinic to demonstrate proficiency in tying secure ligatures and completing a basic closure pattern on a model using suture. Student participation and responsibility levels in surgery will be defined by the level of preparation demonstrated during this assessment. Details on specific requirements and practice tips are provided in the volunteer training materials.