Veterinary Degrees Online

Applicants must have successfully completed:
English 30-1 (English 30) or English 30-2 (English 33)
Math 30-1 (Pure) or Math 30-2 (Applied)
Chemistry 30
Biology 30

A complete application includes:
a completed application form, including fee
transcripts
a completed Verification of Work-Related Hours and Experience form
a Career Investigation report

The Verification of Work-Related Hours and Experience form confirms that the applicant has at least 80 hours of meaningful animal-health work experience at a veterinary clinic. This form must be completed by your supervisor. It is available online or can be obtained by calling the Animal Health Technology administrative assistant at 780.471.8922.

Additional Requirements and Information
To be successful in the Animal Health Technology program, you must have basic computer skills prior to admission, including word processing, presentation (PowerPoint) and e-mail skills, and basic spreadsheet skills. Instructional staff may require students to use these skills in learning, submitting assignments and interacting during the course.

All applicants are encouraged to obtain a high-school diploma, as some employers may require it.

Applicants with a credential in another NAIT health science program may be given some preference in the selection process.

For applicants with a minimum of 80 hours of experience in a veterinary clinic, Chemistry 20 and Math 20 may be considered in lieu of Chemistry 30 and Math 30. Students with Chemistry and Math 20 will not be considered until after all applicants with Chemistry 30 and Math 30 have been considered.

Academic Upgrading
Not meeting the requirements to enter the program of your choice? Consider the academic upgrading options offered at NAIT.

International Applicants
As English is the language of instruction in all programs at NAIT, you must have an adequate knowledge of written and spoken English as a prerequisite for admission. Regardless of your country of origin or citizenship status, you must demonstrate English-language proficiency prior to being accepted.

You are considered proficient if you have:
a) successfully completed the prerequisite English course or an approved alternative English course deemed equivalent to the prerequisite English requirement
AND
b) completed a minimum of three years of education in English in Canada or in a country where English is the principal language

If you do not meet this requirement, you must:
a) successfully complete the prerequisite English course or an approved alternative English course deemed equivalent to the specific English requirement
AND
b) complete the TOEFL Internet-Based Test with a minimum overall score of 83 broken down as follows:
speaking component – minimum of 23
reading component – minimum of 20
listening component – minimum of 20
writing component – minimum of 20

If the testing score is based on the older testing version, Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), you must achieve a minimum score of 230, and your Test of Spoken English (TSE) score must be a minimum of 40.

Foreign credentials must be evaluated by the International Qualification Assessment Services branch of Alberta Labour. Please call the IQAS at 780.427.2655 for more information.
Non-academic Requirements
Immunization Requirements
Once accepted into the Animal Health Technology program, students are given an immunization requirement form to be completed by their physician, public health nurse or health professional. Your immunizations must be up to date prior to orientation.

Don’t wait—start updating your immunization today. You will need immunization against tetanus and diphtheria. In Year 1 of the program, students receive rabies immunization at NAIT. There is a small fee for this service.
Selection Criteria
Student selection is competitive and based on criteria that may include academic achievement beyond the stated minimum prerequisites. The minimum academic achievement for competitive selection in 2007-08 was a combined average of 70% or more in English 30-1 (English 30) or English 30-2 (English 33), Math 30-1 (Pure) or Math 30-2 (Applied), Chemistry 30 and Biology 30. An assessment of your Career Investigation and work experience hours will also be performed.
Career Investigation
The Career Investigation is a report applicants prepare as part of the application process for many full-time programs at NAIT. Your Career Investigation must accompany your program application.
Advanced / Transfer Credit
Advanced credit can be awarded in the School of Health Sciences at the request of a student. For advanced credit to be awarded, NAIT must receive relevant information indicating that the student’s previous formal learning is equivalent (or substantially equivalent) to the learning outcomes contained in NAIT courses.

Students are responsible for:
deciding which courses(s) to request advanced credit for
gathering the appropriate records and documentation, including transcripts, course outlines and course objectives of previous courses taken
meeting with the course instructor to have course equivalency assessed

If approval is given, the associate chair will notify the student.

Successful application for advanced credit may affect a student’s eligibility for semester honours, the Dean’s Honour Role and honours diplomas/certificates or awards.

Advanced credit requests by students accepted into the program are considered during the first two weeks of each semester.

Sheridan’s Veterinary Technician Program provides students with an excellent theoretical and practical education, enabling graduates to build and sustain highly rewarding careers providing medical care for animals, and working as members of a professional team in veterinary hospitals and laboratory settings. This program will appeal to students with experience related to animals. They must have a strong background in science and math and strong interpersonal communication skills. Due to the physical demands of the job, they should also possess good manual dexterity and have the ability to lift and carry up to 25 kg. Because of the unique nature of this program, it is recommended that before applying to the program you:
Interview a Registered Veterinary Technician
Obtain experience in a veterinary clinic
SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES

Students will attend a co-op placement in an approved veterinary facility for 14 weeks between the second and third semesters of the program.
ADDITIONAL COSTS/WORKLOAD

Students should expect to spend approximately $800 – $1,000 on laboratory supplies and equipment, textbooks, lab coat and scrubs. Students can expect to spend 20 – 25 hours each week on assignments outside of their regularly scheduled classes. Due to the nature of the field, weekend and evening assignments are to be expected.

The pre-veterinary concentration allows the student to receive a Bachelor’s Degree in Veterinary Science, meeting the requirements for most Veterinary Schools as well as the requirements for the two-year, AVMA-accredited program in Veterinary Technology. Students are advised that the requirements of each Veterinary School are different, and that they may need to take additional courses to meet the pre-requisite requirements of a specific school. Students should be prepared to begin the application process at the end of the Junior year and may receive feedback at that time on how they might make their application stronger.

An integral part of the program is the Lenfest Animal Health Center. This on-campus veterinary clinic treats hundreds of animals annually and allows students to gain valuable hands-on clinical experience as part of the curriculum. In addition to the veterinary clinic on campus, field trips are made to local shelters and farm animal facilities. These out-reach programs give the students experiences with a wide range of animal species. Supplementing the didactic course work is an externship in which the student receives hands-on training in an approved research facility, private veterinary practice or veterinary teaching facility.

The objective of the Bachelor’s degree program in Laboratory Animal Management is to prepare graduates to provide the daily care for the animals used in biomedical research, and to provide support to the veterinary and research staff within a research facility. Graduates will be prepared to assume supervisory roles relating to the overall management of laboratory animal care personnel and the animal care facility.
The Massachusetts Society for Medical Research has identified the lack of sufficient appropriately trained staff caring for Laboratory Animals as one of the biggest threats to the more than $2.5 billion dollar industry of biomedical research in New England. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, this field is expected to grow faster than average through 2016. The Worcester area is home to several scientific research and development companies which are significant employers in this area.

The College’s modern, on-campus veterinary clinic houses a kennel, laboratory animal rooms, dog training and grooming rooms in addition to clinical facilities. Field trips to area research facilities supplement the hands-on experience in the classroom and laboratory. Students are encouraged to work part-time in a biotechnical research setting to enhance learned technical skills. This is facilitated by the internship and preceptorship components of the curriculum which may result in additional employment opportunities.

This program has been specifically developed for those individuals who feel a strong attachment toward animals and want to work closely with them on a daily basis. Emphasis is placed on the practical aspects of animal care and management. The primary focus is on dogs and cats but students also receive instruction in the health maintenance and care of laboratory animals.

Many students who select the Animal Care program are actually undecided as to which specific area in the animal care field best suits them. One of the strengths of the program is that it exposes students to the wide variety of opportunities in the animal care profession. The College’s modern, on-campus veterinary clinic houses a kennel, dog training and grooming rooms and laboratory animal rooms.

Graduates of this program are prepared to demonstrate correct kennel management procedures; evaluate and modify canine behavior; perform basic grooming skills; and demonstrate proper health, safety and nutritional practices for companion animals.

The MSU Veterinary Technology 2-yr program has been
continuously accredited by the AVMA since 1977.
The facilities include a fully functional veterinary clinic situated
on a 200-acre farm near the main campus.
Students in the program develop their skills on a wide variety of animals and take courses that contribute to their understanding of animal care and nursing.
We offer an excellent clinical program in which the students participate in all aspects of the clinical care of actual (not simulated) animal patients.
Our staff is comprised of veterinarians and veterinary technologists
who involve the students in all aspects of the clinical environment.
There is currently a shortage of veterinary technicians in all areas of the country.