APPLETON, Wis. — Students at Fox Valley Technical College’s veterinary technician program are learning hands on how to conduct physical exams with calves.

Kaylie Schilhabel is one of the students.

“She’s looking good,” Schilhabel said after checking a calf’s mouth for any issues.

She conducted most of the exam on the first animal she and her partner worked on.

“It’s pretty fast, but she is pretty nervous,” she said about the calf’s heart rate.

Instructor Lori Nagel said the need for techs spans all areas of veterinary care.

“We have many many clinics in the area looking to increase the number of CVTs they employ to help them provide some high-quality medicine as well as we have equine facilities as well as dairies that area also looking for folks trained to help take care of our large animals,” said Nagel.

She said the students are well-positioned to find work right away once they earn their certification.

Schilhabel said she’ll likely work with small animals when it’s her turn to enter the workforce. She said she’s excited about what’s ahead.

“If you have a passion for animals and a passion for medicine, this is a great field to be in,” said Schilhabel.