Rabies Vaccination

Based on the recommendations of the American Veterinary Medicine Association (AVMA), all new and continuing Veterinary Science Technology (VST) students are required to receive the two-dose rabies vaccine, RabAvert. Receiving the vaccine is crucial to safeguard the health of our VST students, as rabies is a fatal disease for both animals and humans. This vaccine protection will allow students to complete all of their hands-on AVMA Essential Skills, which are required to complete the VST Program and ultimately graduate.

Students that do not obtain this necessary vaccination may not be able to handle some of the animals that the VST Program acquires to practice certain Essential Skills. Additionally, these same students may not be able to utilize SUNYSuffolk internship sites that receive and treat animals who are deemed by the A VMA not to be fully protected from rabies.

Students will be able to select a date and time in August of each year to receive the vaccine at the College's Grant Campus in Brentwood. The cost for this vaccine series will appear on your tuition bill as a Vet Tech Program Fee for the Fall semester. Students may also receive the vaccine from their own medical provider.

Any students who are already immunized against rabies, or who plan to get this vaccination through their health provider before the Fall semester begins are asked to provide the Michael J. Grant Campus Health Services Office and the VST Program Coordinator with the documentation demonstrating proof of vaccination against rabies before the start of the semester. Upon submitting proof of having received a rabies vaccination you will be reimbursed for the payments you have made toward the vaccination costs.