Children dressed in Halloween costumes explored Colorado Mountain College’s small animal hospital during the annual Veterinary Technician Program’s open day to the public last weekend.
Staff and students from CMC Spring Valley in Glenwood Springs introduced visitors to program animals ranging from bearded dragons to cows.
One of the main reasons CMC Veterinary Technology second-year student Riley Shushunov was drawn to the program was the hands-on experience with animals.
“It’s really interactive. It’s fun,” Shushunov said at Saturday’s open house. “I don’t think you get that much in other veterinary places. Being able to really work with all these different animals, especially working in the field with all these different animals. It’s really great to have this kind of experience.”
Since its founding in 1968 as one of the nation’s first veterinary technology programs, CMC’s Associate in Veterinary Medicine Applied Science program has… This has come a long way, thanks in part to Dr. Henry Kageler and Dr. Stuart “Randy” Vanderhurst, who were honored by the Colorado Veterinary Medical Association in September for their contributions to CMC.
Kageler and VanderHurst, who were honored posthumously, received the CVMA Lifetime Achievement Award for their work in establishing CMC’s state-of-the-art training facility and integrating shelter medicine into the program’s curriculum.
Currently considered one of the top veterinary technician programs in the country, CMC utilizes a six-story equine education building, modern livestock handling facilities, operating rooms, dental, x-ray, and exam areas. Masu. The school’s 2,600-square-foot small animal hospital, which includes kennels and treatment areas, was created to mimic a real veterinary hospital and provide on-the-job training.
“Taking the lectures and sitting in the classes, the animals make it even more appealing,” said Ali Peters, a CMC veterinary technology student who enrolled in the program in 2021. “So if you don’t know how to handle an animal or how to give an animal oxygen during an intubation or surgery, for example, it can be difficult to explain that in a classroom-like environment. It’s definitely great to learn all about it.”
According to the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges, CMC is helping address the nation’s significant shortage of veterinarians, which has a “significant impact on access to health care for animals and the well-being of veterinary medical teams.” ”.
“There is a nationwide shortage of veterinarians and veterinary technicians, so we are filling them in as quickly as possible to fill that gap,” said Animal Facility Manager Amy McLaren. “When our students graduate, they enter the workforce with a wide range of basic knowledge and practical skills regarding multiple animals. They are therefore very well-rounded and ready to enter the work field immediately. is completed.”
Veterinarians provide nursing support, perform diagnostic procedures, act as patient advocates, and assist with anesthesia and surgery.
CMC’s 220-acre facility is home to more than 100 animals, including cows, goats, sheep, rats, snakes, guinea pigs, lizards, and even a golden eagle named Cheyenne. Resident animals help students learn how to administer prescription medications to patients, perform patient assessments of various animal species, and care for exotic animals.
“Thanks to our situation here, with our large grounds and so many animals, we are unique in being able to offer our students more hands-on experience with animals and facilities than most other schools can offer. “I think we’re in a situation where we’re in a similar situation,” Dr. Gretchen said. Lamb, Professor of Veterinary Technology.
Students will monitor Stanley, a non-resident volunteer dog, who greeted visitors with Lamb at the small animal hospital on Saturday, observing his heart palpitations and practicing safe restraint techniques and administering medication.
“At least to my knowledge, I think every practice in the Valley has a CMC-trained veterinary technician, and there are throughout the region and actually around the world,” Lamb said. . “A veterinary technology student working at a university in Lyon is coming to France.”
CMC has a low student-to-teacher ratio, meaning most class sizes are small and the community is close-knit.
“I think this program has been really great for me as a professional because I get to see students grow through their education and succeed in the workforce,” she added. “We still hear from them, and I love doing that.”
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