In the 1990s and early 2000s, The Raptor Center (TRC) and Minnesota became a temporary home to veterinary medicine residents from around the world. One resident, Dr. Jalil Abu, reflects on her time at TRC and how it still impacts her work today.

I joined TRC from September 1996 to 2002 as a PhD candidate in avian surgery, anesthesiology, and radiology. Despite the challenges of my first experience abroad, experiencing different cultures and especially the Minnesota winter season, I had many great and supportive colleagues at TRC. Especially, Professor Larry Wallace and Dr. Patrick Redig to name a couple.

Proudly, the TRC model is the guide I practice for myself when dealing with injured raptors submitted to the Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM)Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Serdang, Selangor. Today, I am a professor in avian medicine and surgery at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, UMP, and researching avian orthopedic and avian diseases in poultry, pet birds, and wild birds.

My residency training has been immensely invaluable in my training of our undergraduates and post- graduates, as well as the public and fellow veterinarians in private practice, zoos, and wildlife departments.

TRC offered me my first international opportunity and now I speak at various international conferences and workshops in countries such as Mongolia, India, Indonesia, Thailand, and Bangladesh. In continuing this important exchange, my students are from a diverse array of countries—including Iran, Saudi Arabia, Mauritius, China, and Pakistan— and are prepared to both practice and teach these subject matters within their own nations.

Teaching remains a key priority for me. These individuals are our future stakeholders: veterinarians specializing in avian medicine. They play a crucial role in addressing the world’s need for avian expertise, which encompasses ensuring food security, promoting the well-being and health of pet birds, and contributing to the protection and preservation of our nations’ wild bird populations.