VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Some cool, new technology for veterinary students has made its way to Hampton Roads.
Students in the veterinary technology program at Tidewater Community College now have a new innovative tool to help them learn how to do surgery on animals under anesthesia.
This is Diesel! He looks like a real dog, but it's a simulator that mimics breathing and responds to the surgery in real-time.
Diesel, TCC's new anesthesia immersive simulator
TCC instructors say this new technology is unique to future veterinarians because this access has not always existed for them. However, medical training programs have used patient simulators for decades. Military leaders even use canine simulators like Diesel to train.
For students, this allows them to learn outside of a classroom and put themselves in an operating room.
Watch similar coverage: 2 arrested after 20+ horses were found in 'poor condition' at Elizabeth City facility
"This simulation definitely helped with me knowing I can do this on my own now. I can see that your heart rate is low, and I can tell myself, 'Let me do this first.' Then I'm going to check with you if it's still low and think what's something we can do next," said Cameron Camp, who plans to graduate from TCC's Veterinary Technology Program next summer.
The anesthesia simulation at TCC is the first of its kind in the region.
Watch more: Local search and rescue K-9 dies after exposure to toxic substance
"I think it's such a need for it, a demand, I should say. We're working very hard to pump out graduates because there definitely is a workforce shortage of veterinary technicians in the workforce field," said Noah Myers, a Clinical Skills Instructor for the TCC Veterinary program.
Noah added that he looks forward to seeing how simulations like this produce skilled veterinarians. He's also working to get funding for more simulations like Diesel.
