Some technology is helping veterinarian students at McLennan Community College get hands on experience without involving live animals.
Students can hear the sounds of a heartbeat, both what a regular and irregular heartbeat sounds like, through a machine that is connected to the mannequin.
The models allow students to practice different things, like inserting an IV or taking blood samples, before practicing on a live animal.
Instructors say since they got these models, the student competency rate has increased.
"The students confidence is increased, their stress is decreased because they've got that down. I mean it's still different moving to the real patient, but it's much less nerve-wrecking for them because they understand what needs to be done," Sue Allen, Program Director for the McLennan County Community College Veterinary Technology program, said.
There are 41 students in the program right now.
They train on the mannequins for six weeks before working on real animals.
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