Years before COVID-19 forced the world to learn online, Dallas College figured out that virtual-learning success depended on long-distance lab lessons, which could be viewed and certified.
Dr. Kelly Black, a veterinarian, oversees the vet tech program at Dallas College鈥檚 Cedar Valley campus. He鈥檚 been at the school since 2004.
When he first started, Black said 鈥渕ost of the students were sending us VHS tapes of themselves. So we would get big packages with VHS tapes of them doing their skills.鈥�
The school鈥檚 long-distance students have always needed ways to show they鈥檝e mastered necessary techniques, like drawing blood from a dog or cat. Black says technology has changed over time.
鈥淲e graduated,鈥� he says. 鈥淪o we went into DVDs. Then we got the mini-DVDs, and then we had USB drives. And now we're to the point that our students can upload their videos of themselves into their learning management system.鈥�
They just use smart phone videos.
Teaming up with professionals
Students still need a certified technician or veterinarian on the other end to show them what they need to know.
Valerie Garuccio is one of those teachers. Also called a preceptor, she works at Red Bank Veterinary Hospital in Tinton Falls, New Jersey. She鈥檚 helped a number of long-distance students, including Dallas College enrollees, show their skills on video.
鈥淵ou know, what is the passing grade needed? And I'm going to say, 鈥榃ell, that's a definite fail, we need to retake this video,鈥� or 鈥楴ope, that looks good. I think this would pass and maybe you can run it by your professor before submitting it,鈥欌�� said Garuccio.
Most students seeking vet tech certification, like Krystle Reed, already work in a veterinarian's office. Reed has spent ten years with her vet in the Woodlands, near Houston, and loves it. But she has bigger goals. With a child at home and her full full-time vet鈥檚 office job, online certification was the prescription she needed to meet those goals.
鈥淔or the future, I would really like to work with the large animals like lions, tigers, zoo-type animals,鈥� said Reed. 鈥淚t opens up that, because they require you 鈥� to have a degree to do that.鈥�
Reed can鈥檛 work on big animals at her current vet鈥檚 job, so, like other students in this program, she managed to get to the Dallas campus for large animal training.
A step up in salary
A certified degree can increase pay at least 10 to 15%, according to Indeed.com.
Valerie Garuccio says certification pays off for the veterinarians too, even if they have to give their now-degreed technicians a raise.
鈥淔or every credentialed veterinary technician,鈥� Garuccio said 鈥淚 believe it increases the income to the practice something like $95,000 a year for every credentialed technician. I like to use that statistic for our veterinary practices who say, 鈥業s it worth investing in the education? Is it worth investing in credentialing?鈥�
Krystle Reed explained that鈥檚 because veterinarians can now see more paying clients while certified technicians take on more tasks than before.
鈥淟icensed technicians can close up a surgery,鈥� said Reed. 鈥淲e can't cut, we can't do anything in the surgery, but we can close it. We can get urine samples with a needle. We can clean teeth, take X-rays, do a lot of stuff. So in a way, it's helping take time and stress off the doctor.鈥�
Back at Dallas College, Dr. Black says the vet tech program鈥檚 growth is outpacing expectations.
鈥淲e are already double what we normally are in the enrollment process.鈥�
Some of those enrollees, explained Dr. Black, live as far away as Canada.
Got a tip? Email Reporter Bill Zeeble at bzeeble@kera.org . You can follow him on Twitter @bzeeble.
四虎影院 is made possible through the generosity of our members. If you find this reporting valuable, consider today. Thank you.
