Rockford Career College

Caring for animals is not only virtuous; it’s also an interesting and great career choice. Veterinary Assistant and Grooming typically involves:

• Caring and nurturing for animals and tending to their daily needs.
• Maintaining a clean and safe environment for animals.
• Understanding the common language of Veterinary professionals.
• Handling and restraining animals in an ethical manner.
• Providing proper animal nutrition.

A Veterinary Assistant career is one of the fastest paths to enter Veterinary services. Veterinary Assistants enjoy a diverse work environment and are critically important to the expanding industry of animal care.

Some people just have a knack for communicating with animals. If you are one of these people, one of the best ways to start a career in the animal services is through a diploma program. At Rockford Career College, our Diploma in Veterinary Assistant and Grooming can be completed in just 12 months and has been carefully designed to:

• Provide advanced lessons in professionalism, communication, and collaboration skills in a veterinary setting.
• Identify and describe the legal and ethical standards, guidelines, and regulations pertinent to the veterinary assistant field.
• Learn critical knowledge of anatomy, physiology, and medical terminology in small animals as it relates to a veterinary assistant profession.
• Explain and perform appropriate administrative tasks effectively.

In addition to attendance in all courses, students will be required to complete out-of-class assignments. These assignments include reading, exercises and problem solving, projects, and presentations. A student can anticipate out-of-class activities that equal to about two (2) hours for every one (1) hour of lecture.

Few healthcare functions would be possible without Medical Assistants. This varied and fundamentally important career, is critical in providing services such as:

• Working alongside physicians and nurses to provide administrative support.
• Measuring and recording vital signs.
• Ensuring stellar patient experiences through appointment scheduling, cleansing rooms and processing customer data.
• In some cases, obtaining patient samples.
• Helping patients improve healthcare outcomes and improve lives.

Due to the complexities of healthcare and the importance of patient care, a diploma program is a great way to gain fundamental industry knowledge to launch a healthcare career. Our diploma program can be completed in just 10 months and has been carefully designed to provide:

• Instruction in both clerical and clinical best practices and skills.
• Development of medical communication and critical thinking.
• Includes a 160-hour externship designed to gain hands-on experience.
• Real-life examples of common challenges in the healthcare world.

Practical Nursing, often referred to as Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN), is a very rewarding career and many are even considered as heroes in their communities. Practical Nurses have the power to change lives through their actions and are typically responsible for:

• Providing basic nursing care and being responsible for patient comfort.
• Checking blood pressure, changing bandages or other patient needs.
• Monitoring and reporting patient vitals to doctors and other medical staff.
• Under certain circumstances, administering medications.

One of the most common paths to become a Licensed Practical Nurse is through a diploma program. This approach provides invaluable lessons that aid in preparing for the NCLEX exam and help you launch a career in practical nursing. Our diploma program can be completed in just 14 months and has been carefully designed to:

• Provide necessary training to pass the NCLEX exam.
• Studies in anatomy, pharmacology and nutrition.
• Course work in clinical skills, critical thinking, medical ethics and nursing care.
• How to create a safe environment for patients, family and the community.

Looking for a fast-paced, exciting career? This is it. A Surgical Technician assists with all manner of operating room (OR) procedures and patient care. They are critical to pre-operative processes and ensure the sterilization of equipment and the room itself. Some of their duties include:

• Organizing pre-operative equipment and ready the OR for surgery.
• Assisting surgeons during surgical procedures.
• Preparing and administering medications, assisting in retracting tissues and passing surgical tools as necessary.
• Applying bandages and removing patients after an operation.
• Participating in the sterilization of equipment.

Surgical Technology offers a rewarding career. To enter this field, one of the best paths is through an accredited degree program. Our program can be completed in just 18 months and will prepare you through:

• Advanced studies in anatomy, microbiology and physiology.
• In-depth study of medical terminology and operating room procedures.
• An externship in a healthcare setting, providing real-world experience.
• General education course work to meet the requirements of an associate degree.

Animal Sciences

Helping animals in their critical hour of need is at the core of what a Veterinary Technician does. This hands-on profession, sometimes referred to as simply a Vet Tech or Veterinary Assistant, involves:

• Providing critical support services for Veterinarians and animal hospital staff
• Participating in lab tests and sampling and ensure equipment is ready for administering services.
• Taking x-rays and performing physical exams prior to veterinary procedures.
• Supervising and training personnel in the essentials of animal care.
• Delivering exceptional customer service to pet owners.

To gain employment as a Veterinary Technician or Veterinary Assistant, it is highly valuable to graduate from an accredited program and have passed the Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE). At Rockford Career College, our program will focus on the core subjects you need to master to pass this exam, including:

• Anesthesia
• Emergency Medicine/Critical Care
• Pharmacy & Pharmacology
• Pain Management/Analgesia
• Dentistry
• Laboratory Procedures
• Diagnostic Imaging
• Animal Care & Nursing
• Surgical Nursing