Parkland’s Veterinary Technology program is one students and staff most likely have seen but do not know much about. The program, which is approaching its 50th year at Parkland, focuses on training students through assisting veterinarians in treating animals. In a sense, they are equivalent to nurses assisting a doctor.
The program is focused on not only preparing the students for working in the field but also preparing the animals to be adopted. Each year, the students are required to set goals that they would like to reach with the animals. First-year students receive more training knowledge and work with the animals, while second-year students have the opportunity to assist and participate in basic surgeries such as spaying and neutering.
In partnership with Vermilion County Animal Shelter, the program is able to go to the shelter and select the 18 animals that will be worked with throughout the year. Eight dogs and 10 cats live on campus for the entirety of the semester and are assigned to a student. During the fall semester, students also work with critters such as mice, rats, rabbits and guinea pigs.
Due to the time spent together over the course of the year, students in the program often end up adopting the animals they worked with. However, all the animals are available to the public for adoption, with open adoption for critters becoming available for the general public at the end of the fall semester and the remaining animals becoming available after the spring semester. If interested in adopting an animal contact this email, mejohnson@parkland.edu.
It is important to note that the program does not operate as a pet clinic open to the public. The program offers required qualifications for students but students can also attend to get their continued education hours as well. Mainly, the program’s partnership with the Vermilion County Animal Shelter provides the animals and its training agreement with the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Illinois allows students to observe the university’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital’s state-of-the-art methods and techniques.
Megan E. Johnson, the lead CVT (certified veterinary technician) of the program, actually graduated from Parkland’s program in 2009. She explained that a CVT is required to help oversee the program, whose role is to mentor and teach the students throughout. For Johnson, experiences from her career and personal life have made it so she is no longer fazed by an unusual situation.
As alluded to beforehand, in the life of a vet tech, one experiences many scenarios that no one could ever expect. An example for Johnson being a dog versus a lawn mower. Her experiences in her personal life and career allow her to prepare her students for unexpected situations that can happen beyond the classroom.
Johnson adds that there are set requirements that the program must abide by to ensure that the animals are not only getting what they need enrichment-wise but also to ensure that their physical needs are met after hours and on weekends as well. Once a student completes Parkland’s Veterinary Technology program, they will have received the necessary education to immediately find a job in the field, with Parkland’s vet tech webpage saying that, “Most graduates have jobs arranged prior to graduation.”
When asked about how inclusive or accessible the program is to those with physical limitations or disabilities Johnson said that the program is inclusive to those who may suffer from physical limitations or disabilities. Of course, there are certain things that just cannot be done because of the limitations but those who do have them can still have a thriving career as a vet tech.
The program does fundraisers and events every year to get their name out in the community and to ensure that they have all that is needed to make the program successful. The most recent fundraiser held was a towel and sheet drive. They use those and many other basic items in their everyday work and go through them quickly, so the community’s support in their fundraisers and events helps the program not have to worry about having basic supplies in stock.
As aforementioned, all the dogs pictured will be up for adoption in the coming week(s), so if you are looking to add a four-legged friend, be sure to reach out to Johnson at mejohnson@parkland.edu.
- Photos provided by: Megan E. Johnson ↩︎
