TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Ranching plays such a prominent role in Arizona, which means veterinarians and their technicians have to be ready for anything.
The Pima Medical Institute recognized that and decided to make hands-on learning a key focal point of their lesson plans.
“Not a lot of people have experience with livestock and exotic animals. And so we have people start day one in the program, becoming familiar with animals that they are unfamiliar with,” says Katie Foust, program director at PMI.
Foust has been at PMI for over a decade and she sees the real-life application every day.
"We have to learn how to work with all of those animals. So the students are getting more hands-on with a bigger variety of species," says Foust.
Amanda Olivera is in her second year at PMI, but her story is unique in itself.
She didn't go straight to school out of high school, but after over a decade, she finally decided to pursue her dream.
"I realized that I can't just live my life wondering and wasting it away and not doing what I love to do," says Olivera.
Working with animals is her dream, and she is doing just that at TRAK Ranch in Midtown.
"I never really knew what I wanted to get into, besides working with animals. So I just figured that maybe getting into this was kind of hard for me, but I realized that when I first started to PMI, that this was definitely the goal that I need to pursue and not waste time," says Olivera.
And she is working hand in hand with Foust.
"She's been there for us since day one. And I can come up to her with anything, any questions, and she's really easy to talk to. She really knows her stuff," says Olivera.
More information on their vet tech program can be found on PMI's website.
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Blake Phillips is a reporter for KGUN 9. Originally from St. Louis, Mo., Blake grew up in Sierra Vista. During his college tenure at the Missouri School of Journalism, Blake worked for the NBC affiliate KOMU-TV in Columbia. He is excited to return to a place he calls home and give back to the community in which he grew up. Share your story ideas and important issues with Blake by emailing blake.phillips@kgun9.com.
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