Rachel Heiler

Rachel Heiler always knew she wanted to work with animals. As a child, she lined up her stuffed animals for checkups. In high school, an internship at a veterinary clinic confirmed her calling. It was the veterinary technicians who inspired her the most.

The vet techs got to do the really hands-on work, the dirt and grit of it. You end your shift knowing that you physically did something to help that animal.

When it came time to choose a college, Rachel picked CCBC. The college has the only on-campus American Veterinary Medical Association-accredited vet tech program in Maryland, which qualifies graduates to sit for the national exam. This appealed to Rachel.

“There are online programs out there, but I wanted the accountability of being on campus,” she says. The hands-on training and in-person support proved invaluable. “At CCBC, the professors were all in. They gave us everything. I can’t imagine having done it all without them.”

Over five semesters, students in the program study anatomy, nutrition, pharmacology and medical terminology. They learn to suture, draw blood, run diagnostic tests and assist in surgeries. Hands-on labs are followed by real clinical experience, where students work directly with rescue animals from community partners like Saving Grace Animal Rescue.

We have a fully functioning clinic on campus. With a veterinarian present, we do full physical exams, give vaccines, monitor anesthesia during surgeries and use electronic medical records just like in a real office.

Rachel’s first clinical surgical role was anesthetist, one of the most demanding positions. Still, she felt ready. “I was nervous going into clinicals to assist with surgery for the first time,” she says. However, her theoretical training gave her the foundation and confidence to succeed. “Once you get into the work, everything you’ve learned to that point just clicks. You know what to do next.”

Now a graduate, Rachel has passed the Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE) and is applying for a license through the Maryland State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners, next steps that CCBC prepared her for. She already has a job lined up and is starting her career without a mountain of school debt, thanks to CCBC’s tuition-free opportunities.

With the support of her professors and peers and the rigorous training she received at CCBC, Rachel is ready to do what she has always felt called to do: care for animals. “Veterinary technicians give a voice to the voiceless. That’s what I love most.”