Veterinary Technology

Veterinary Technology program students by policy are only allowed to work with animals from local shelters. Animals that are less likely to be adopted are brought into the program. Their medical, surgical and social needs are addressed by program faculty and students. Students also socialize, clean and groom the animals. This greatly increases the likelihood of the animals being adopted upon their return to the shelter.

Rabies Vaccination Policy

The AVMA – CVTEA, the Program’s accrediting body, requires that all students entering the clinical portion (exposure to live animals) of an accredited Program be vaccinated against the Rabies virus or a comprehensive Rabies mitigation policy must be in place. 

Rabies is a preventable viral disease most often transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal. The rabies virus infects the central nervous system of mammals, including humans, ultimately causing disease in the brain and death. The vast majority of rabies cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) each year occur in wild animals like bats, raccoons, skunks and foxes, although any mammal can get rabies.

The Program’s curriculum exposes students to a variety of animals in different settings for hands-on clinical experience and, in many cases, students may come in contact with animals that have not been vaccinated against rabies or that have unknown vaccination histories. 

Pre-exposure rabies vaccination (also known as pre-exposure prophylaxis or PrEP) is an important part of this protection, as is a rabies antibody titer check, when recommended. And protection doesn’t stop here. PrEP doesn't replace good preventive practices, such as appropriate use of personal protective equipment when handling animals or lab specimens.

PrEP doesn’t eliminate the need for additional treatment after rabies exposure. What it does eliminate is the need for post-exposure rabies immunoglobulin administration. It also decreases the number of post-exposure doses of vaccine needed. Rabies PrEP also may provide some protection if post-exposure rabies treatment is delayed or if rabies exposure goes unrecognized.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) develops recommendations on vaccine use for the prevention of disease—including rabies—in U.S. human populations.

Rabies Vaccination Requirement

Am I required to receive the Pre-exposure Rabies Vaccination series in order to enroll in the Veterinary Technology Program?

YES, based on the recommendation of the CDC, and with the guidance of the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities (AVMA-CVTEA), Trident Technical College’s Veterinary Technology Program is requiring that all students receive the preexposure rabies vaccination series prior to the start of the VET 160 class which is offered in the Program’s second (Spring) semester.

Failure to complete ( and document ) the pre-exposure rabies vaccination series by this timeline will result in the student being unable to participate in the clinical hands-on experiences with live animals resulting in their inability to progress further within the program.

What if I am already vaccinated?

• Students will need to provide documentation of previous vaccine administration to include, dates, location, Physician signature etc
• Depending on timing, a blood test to perform an antibody titer check may be necessary to ensure that the prior vaccines are still providing adequate protection.

Rabies Vaccination Series and Costs

Current recommendations for the pre-exposure ( PrEP) Prophylaxis series call for two doses of Rabies vaccine administered seven days apart to provide protection for up to three years.

• The approximate cost for each vaccination is between $430 to $560 per dose resulting in an overall cost to the student of approximately $860 to $1,120
• Price for the vaccine may vary depending on vaccine administration location
• Costs such as a health exam, administrative fees etc may add to the overall cost of the vaccines

The Program and the College, through its Foundation, have been making significant efforts to help offset some of the costs associated with the vaccines.

Such efforts include:

1. Continually working with area health providers to develop more cost effective and centralized vaccination options for Program students
2. Fundraising by the Student Veterinary Technology Club
3. Fundraising by the College’s Foundation These fundraising efforts have been successful and will remain ongoing.

Safety and Awareness Training

As a student within the Program, will I receive any additional Rabies specific safety / awareness training before my exposure to / handling of live animals in the curriculum?

Yes, representatives of the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control’s Rabies Program, including its state-wide director, will provide on-site in-person training to current Program students during their first Fall semester of enrollment prior to the use of live animals. Topics will include:

1. Rabies as a Zoonotic Disease
2. Rabies Risk Assessment
3. Recognizing a Potential Rabies Suspect Animal
4. Best Preventive Practices (including appropriate use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) when handling live animals or lab specimens).

• The Veterinary Technology Program has established goals and student learning objectives in accordance with the American Veterinary Medical Association Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities. 
• Student learning is measured utilizing a variety of tools including student assignments, clinical evaluations, procedural competencies, laboratory assessments, employer follow-up surveys, graduate follow-up surveys, etc.

Students who successfully complete the Veterinary Technology program are eligible to sit for the Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE) administered by the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB). The fee for registering for the VTNE is currently $300, though this is subject to change. Many states also have their own licensure exam which must be passed successfully, in addition to the VTNE, in order to become licensed or certified in that state. You are strongly encouraged to contact the appropriate licensing board in the state in which you plan to work to verify rules, regulations, fees, etc.

In South Carolina, after graduates have successfully completed the national exam (VTNE), they are eligible to register for the state licensing exam which covers rules and regulations relating to the practice of Veterinary Technology. The cost for registering for this exam is currently $50.

Once students have successfully completed both the VTNE and the state exam, they can register with the state to be credentialed as a Licensed Veterinary Technician, LVT. Detailed information about both examinations, including contact information, timelines, fees, documentation, etc, will be provided to program students at the beginning of their final semester in the program.

Program Graduate Licensure Exam Pass Rates

Jan. 1, 2023-Dec. 31, 2025

Number of first-time candidates that have taken the VTNE:	28
Three-year VTNE pass percentage:	79%

In 2025 100% of graduates were placed in meaningful job.
In 2025 60% of the initial student cohort went on to graduate.

The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) is mandated to evaluate concerns raised by anyone regarding the care and use of animals at Trident Technical College. If you suspect mistreatment of animals or non-compliance with approved protocols, college policies or local, state or federal regulations, please contact the Animal Care and Use Committee chairman, the attending veterinarian or the office of the college president immediately. The contact can be made by telephone, fax, and in-person or in writing. Individuals making the report do not have to identify themselves, unless they wish to do so. If you are relaying your concerns in writing, you may use the Animal Welfare Concerns Reporting form and the allocated drop box located within the Veterinary Technology building.

Please use the following contact information to relay your concerns:

A. Attending Veterinarian
Paul Kerwin, DVM
Office: 843-899-8011
Fax: 843-899-8103
Email: paul.kerwin@tridenttech.edu

B. Clinical Coordinator
Heather Hobbs, LVT
Office: 843-899-8086
Email: heather.hobbs@tridenttech.edu

All concerns will be investigated and immediate action will be taken by the committee as necessary to resolve any issues that are or may be a threat to animal health or safety. The minimum report must include nature of complaint, location of where the activity being reported occurred, date and approximate time of the incident. Whenever possible, indicate the name(s) of the individual(s) involved in the activity.

Mistreatment is physical or psychological, wrongful or abusive treatment of an animal. Non-compliance means that procedures or policies are not being followed, and this may be willful or stem from confusion or misunderstanding. The Animal Welfare Act protects the rights of individuals reporting animal welfare concerns and prohibits discrimination against or reprisal for reporting violations of regulations or standards under the Animal Welfare Act.

COVID-19 vaccines as well as other vaccines/immunizations/titers may be required for some health sciences programs in order to attend clinicals. Should immunizations and titers be required by a clinical affiliate and the student refuses to obtain the vaccines/immunizations/titers, this may impact the student’s ability to be assigned to certain clinical rotations, which may in turn impact the student’s ability to continue in the program.