Partnership Gives A-B Tech Vet Med Students Hands-on Opportunities

ASHEVILLE, N.C., Sept. 16 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College's Veterinary Medical Technology students are benefiting from a unique partnership between Buncombe County and the Asheville Humane Society that allows the students to train in a clinic built especially for them.

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"It was a fortunate lining of the stars," said Max Queen, A-B Tech's Vice President of Risk Management and Operations. "The Humane Society wanted to create an adoption center and the county animal shelter was in need of replacing. Our students needed space for clinical practice. The county commissioners asked if we would be able to use the space in the proposed animal shelter."

The shelter was designed with a classroom, lab space and a surgical suite that allows students to view surgery through a window in the classroom. There is also a camera mounted over the surgical table for students to view the intricate procedures performed by veterinarians.

The Asheville Humane Society's pet adoption center sits adjacent to the shelter. "All of these groups were brought together in two unique, but interrelated buildings," said Rick Clark, Chair of the society. "A-B Tech brought an innovative approach to hands-on education and community service, all rolled into one."

"You are bringing the big three together with the shelter, the adoption center and the students. The partnership will provide the very best facility and services to the animals that will hopefully improve the rate of adoption. It is the best opportunity for the quality of life for that animal," Queen said.

David Gantt, Chair of the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners, spoke at the facilities' ribbon cutting Sept. 14. "We will work to raise the animals in a way we would want all of God's animals raised. We will be a national model for cooperation," he said.

A-B Tech students were at the facility before the ribbon was even cut, working in the classrooms and lab, helping to heal and socialize the animals at the shelter to make them more adoptable.

"We are ecstatic to be partnering with the Buncombe County Animal Shelter at this historic time. The new Veterinary Technology facility is state of the art, allowing us to teach students the gold standard in their field," said Dianne Cotter, Veterinary Medical Technology Chair. "The clinical setting here provides students with an optimum learning environment. Students begin classes at this facility in their third semester, and continue their small animal clinical and laboratory work here for the next year."

SOURCE Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College

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