Melanie Quiroz-Vega

Thailand Support Staff

Melanie Quiroz-Vega was born and raised in Miami, Florida. She grew up speaking both Spanish, and English, and during her academic career studied French for seven years. Melanie graduated Cum Laude with her Bachelors in Biological Sciences with a focus on pre-vet from Florida International University in 2020. When Melanie was eight years old she had a school project which required her to dress in the uniform of her future career. Melanie wore an adult-sized scrub top which was patterned with animals. She dressed as a veterinarian and has focused on keeping her eight-year-old dream alive ever since. Melanie still has the scrub top waiting in her closet to wear on her first day as an official DVM to pair with her white coat. Melanie began volunteering at DuMond Conservancy for Primates and Tropical Forests in high school to educate the public about the plights of primates and encourage direct participation in primate conservation through advocacy campaigns, including on-sight petitions. She also took time in college to become a PLTL leader for General Biology I. As a PLTL leader, she provided an active learning environment by promoting a collaborative effort from students to share their reasoning with peers to increase their critical thinking skills on challenging questionnaires. While in college, Melanie landed a job as a veterinarian assistant at Banfield Pet Hospital where she demonstrated proficiency in generalized lab diagnostic techniques, skills, and interpretations. She would monitor and troubleshoot vitals perioperative during the different stages and planes of anesthesia for all patients highlighting critical care skills. In 2022, Melanie got hired as an ICU veterinarian technician at Southeast Veterinary Referral Center where she was able to witness au-courant medical practices and further excel in her clinical skills as a veterinarian assistant. Apart from her devotion to her career, Melanie has plenty of hobbies. She grew up playing volleyball, which seems to be the only sport where she has hand-eye coordination. As cliché as it may be, being raised in Miami definitely makes you a beachgoer and enjoyer. She is a mom to five furry babies: Fluffy (16-year-old Shih Tzu), Frosty (13-year-old Shih Tzu-rat terrier mix), Luna (11-year-old chihuahua- rat terrier mix), Ziggy and Bambi (10-month-old Yorkies). Melanie is an alumnus of the 2019 Wild Tropics program done in Thailand and is beyond excited to return and welcome all students!