Veterinary Degrees Online

This is an 8-quarter program with the last quarter consisting of an externship during which students will work with a veterinarian in a veterinary office. The veterinary technology program is accredited by the Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities (CVTEA), a division of the American Veterinary Medical Association. As a student in this program, you are trained to assist veterinarians in all aspects of a veterinary practice, including patient care, medical administration, surgical preparation, equipment maintenance, radiological procedures, laboratory procedures, public relations and office procedures. Upon graduation, the veterinary technician is qualified to take the National Veterinary Technician Exam and/or any other state exam required for registration, certification or licensure in that state.

This program is designed for students interested in a career in veterinary science and technology. The format allows a student to earn an associate degree in Veterinary Technology while working toward a bachelor of science degree in Veterinary Science. The course requirements for the freshman and sophomore years are outlined in the catalog associate degree programs under Veterinary Technology. Graduates of other associate degree programs in Veterinary Technology accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association may transfer directly into the bachelor’s degree program (as long as all mandatory courses have been completed and all pre-requisite courses for courses in the Bachelor’s degree in Veterinary Science Program have been or will have been met).

The demand for qualified graduates in veterinary science and technology far exceeds the supply. Employers cite an increasing need for well-trained veterinary science career professionals. Careful selection of courses and preceptorship experiences can help graduates meet eligibility requirements to sit for certification exams in clinical laboratory technology, emergency medicine and critical care, laboratory animal medicine, and to work in medical and pharmacological research.

Students are encouraged to work part-time in a veterinary practice or biotechnical research setting to maintain learned technical and nursing skills. Junior and senior students are also eligible to apply for employment as laboratory teaching assistants in the associate degree Veterinary Technology program.

The Veterinary Science curriculum has a collection of core course requirements and electives. The core requirements build a foundation of knowledge for all graduate veterinary technicians. The elective course offerings provide the opportunity for the student to pursue his/her individual interests such as laboratory animal medicine, companion animal medicine or prepare to pursue a postgraduate degree (MS, Ph.D., DVM).

This broad-based baccalaureate degree program in biologic sciences, veterinary sciences and animal husbandry also allows students to select in-depth instruction and clinical experience with a practical theme. The two concentration options available are Clinical Medicine and Laboratory Animal Medicine. Supplementing the didactic course work is a preceptorship in which the student receives hands-on training at an approved facility such as a veterinary practice or research facility. The student works directly with his/her faculty advisor to select appropriate elective courses within the curriculum to match their particular area of interest.

The Clinical Medicine concentration is designed to further enhance the student’s knowledge of nutrition, animal husbandry, nursing, zoonotic diseases and preventive medicine in the major domestic animal species as well as less traditional companion animals. Biomedical technologies, advanced diagnostic procedures and nursing skills are emphasized.

The Laboratory Animal Medicine Concentration is designed for Veterinary Technology students interested in a career within the discipline of laboratory animal science. In addition to advanced foundation courses in the biological sciences, students receive training in non-human primate and non-primate laboratory animals, research methodologies, nutrition, ethics, and laboratory management

After receiving a two year AS degree in Veterinary Technology a student will be eligible for admission to the Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Veterinary Technology Program at St. Petersburg College by submitting the following:
Application for Admission.
Official transcripts from high school and college(s) currently or previously attended. Students who have submitted transcripts that document a fully accredited associate in arts, bachelor’s or higher degree are not required to submit a high school transcript, unless it documents completion of 2 consecutive years of one foreign language.
Official transcripts showing an A.S. or A.A.S. degree of sixty (60) hours in Veterinary Technology at an AVMA Accredited program at a regionally accredited institution. Students with completion of an A.S. or A.A.S. degree in Veterinary Technology from a non-AVMA accredited program at a regionally accredited institution must complete ATE 2612, ATE 2634, ATE 2653L and ATE 2639L.
Completion of all college preparatory coursework and a minimum of fifteen (15) semester hours of transferable general education coursework.
Cumulative grade point average of 2.00 on a 4.00 scale in all postsecondary coursework.

Pierce College is located on 427 acres in the western San Fernando Valley of southern California. Founded in 1947 as an agricultural college, large sections of tillable and range land have been preserved as an enclave within a suburban environment. The College maintains herds of cattle, sheep, and swine, as well as orchards of citrus and other deciduous trees. Part of the college land, Canyon de Lana, located in the northern end of the Chalk Hills, has been set aside as a nature preserve. This area of campus also serves as a feeding ground for large flocks of Canada geese during the winter months.

Pierce remains unique to the greater Los Angeles area because of its farm and its instructional program in agriculture, natural resources management, Pre-Veterinary Medicine and Veterinary Technology.

Pierce College offers two separate A.S. degrees in Veterinary Science: Pre-Veterinary Medicine and Veterinary Technology. These majors have different end points and the student must carefully consider which degree best suits their career goal.

The Veterinary Technology major prepares students to take the California State Board Examination to become a Registered Veterinary Technician. (RVT) Students who successfully complete an A.S. degree in Veterinary Technology also have the option of transferring to Cal Poly Pomona to obtain a B.S. in Veterinary Technology. Additionally, Pierce college offers academic training for individuals who qualify for R.V.T. certification under the Alternate Route category.

The Veterinary Technology Program is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association. It has been at Pierce College since 1972 and has evolved to meet the changing needs of veterinary medicine. The Veterinary Technology Program is well-equipped for this specialized education with the equivalent of a small veterinary teaching clinic on the premises. The program is experience oriented, with lecture classes complementing hands-on laboratory work. The practical and theoretical knowledge gained enables students to pass the State Board Exam and is directly applicable to employment in veterinary settings.

Veterinary technicians work with a veterinarian to provide professional healthcare. This requires extensive knowledge and training in the care and handling of animals, their normal and abnormal life processes, medical and surgical nursing, anesthesiology, diagnostic imaging, and clinical laboratory procedures-precisely the kind of knowledge and training you’ll receive at LMU.

LMU’s veterinary technology program (LMUVTP) offers several degree options that allow you to complete the pre-veterinary medicine requirements at LMU and be prepared to apply to AVMA-accredited colleges of veterinary medicine.

Degrees Offered

Associate of Applied Science in Veterinary Technology (AAS)
Associate of Science in Veterinary Animal Science (AS)
Bachelor of Science in Veterinary Technology (BS)

Concentrations

Animal Science
Veterinary Practice

Special Features

LMUVTP’s affiliation with the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine, the Harrogate Hospital for Animals, and Harrogate Genetics International enables you to gain cutting-edge knowledge and experience.

The AAS and BS degrees are accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association.

The BS degree offers concentration areas in veterinary animal science and veterinary practice management. These concentrations are excellent choices for transfer students.

All of LMU’s veterinary degrees emphasize hands-on experience with animals, preventative medicine, and service to the community.

The AAS and BS degrees qualify students to take the national veterinary technician licensing examination and to become a licensed veterinary technician (for those earning the AAS) or veterinary technologist (for those earning the BS).

LMU’s veterinary technology students are a diverse group, coming from places like the Virgin Islands and from states as far away as California, North Dakota, and New York.

We have assembled what we think will soon be the premier Veterinary Technology program in Arizona. We are one of only two Community College Veterinary Technology programs in the State of Arizona, and are working toward accreditation by the American Veterinary Medical Association.

The Associate of Applied Science in Veterinary Technology program is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association and approved by the Ohio Board of Regents. The program, which began Fall Semester 2006, is structured to allow admission once a year with a maximum of 24 students admitted each fall. All students who graduate from an AVMA accredited program are required to pass a written board examination in order to earn a Registered Veterinary Technician License for the State of Ohio.

To prepare Veterinary Technicians, our curriculum provides combined studies of college level general education courses and rigorous course work in science, animal health, management and veterinary medical concepts. Kent State Tuscarawas looks for highly motivated students interested in becoming Veterinary Technicians. The program also looks for individuals with animal experience, who will enjoy working with animals and who have an understanding of the field of veterinary technology and medicine.

Students interested in veterinary technology or becoming a Veterinary Technician should review the Fact Sheet and Program Application at right as well as the course requirements listed below. Applications for admission into the Veterinary Technology are available on this Web site and in the main office of Founders Hall. The application deadline is April 1. Please note the application includes a form for documenting exposure to the veterinary field. Applicants should be able to document working, volunteering, shadowing or some other form of experience in the veterinary field if they are interested in becoming a veterinary technician through this program.

Associate Degree Requirements:
• English proficiency: ENGL 1A, ESL 26 or equivalent.
• Mathematics proficiency: MATH 103/105 or equivalent.
A minimum of 90 units required to include:
• All General Education requirements
• All Required courses (97 Units)
• A valid Adult CPR certificate is required at time of graduation.

NOTE: All courses pertaining to the major must be taken in sequence for a letter grade. In addition, a GPA of 2.0 or higher is required in all Core and Support courses for the Degree or Certificates.
Program Type(s):
AS = Associate in Science Degree.
CCC = Career Certificate.
Additional Information:
PREREQUISITES
• Completion of VT 51-Introduction to Veterinary Technology (must be completed prior to or be in progress at the time of application for admission to the Program).
• High School graduation or a valid G.E.D.
• High School Algebra or MATH 220 or placement into MATH 105 on Elementary Algebra Placement Test.
• High School General Biology or BIOL 10.
• High School General Chemistry (recommended).
• Eligibility for ESL 25 or ENGL 110.

NOTE: Background screening and drug testing may be required by clinical facilities. Positive results could impact a student’s chances of attending clinics, completing the program requirements or gaining a license to practice upon graduation. The cost of the required screenings and test will be paid by the student.

APPLICATION
The Veterinary Technology Program is a two-year open enrollment program requiring an application for admission.
1. All minimum prerequisites (above) must be completed prior to application for admission into the program. If courses are “in progress” at the time of application, verification of satisfactory completion of those courses will be required before a final acceptance is granted.
2. Applications are available online at: www.foothill.edu/bio/programs/vettech and from the Biological & Health Sciences Division office. The completed application must be submitted along with all supporting documents by the June 1st deadline for the program starting the following September.
3. General application to or enrollment at Foothill College does not imply acceptance into the Veterinary Technology Program. Registration for program courses is not allowed until after the applicant has
been notified in writing of official acceptance into the VT program.
4. Applicants will be notified of the final status of their application by mail by July 15.
5. If the number of qualified applicants exceeds the maximum capacity of the program, selection will be based solely on the date and time the completed application packet is received.
6. Students must meet program Technical Standards that can be found on-line with the program application.

The Foothill College Veterinary Technology program is a demanding and academically challenging two-year, fully accredited course of training preparing the student for employment as a Registered Veterinary Technician. Graduates receive an Associate in Science Degree in Veterinary Technology and are then eligible to sit for the California State Registered Veterinary Technician Licensing Examination and the Veterinary Technician National Examination. The program is not intended to be a pre-veterinary medicine or veterinary medicine curriculum. General program information, frequently asked questions, admission criteria, and the application for admission can be found at the Veterinary Technology Program website: www.foothill.edu/bio/programs/vettech Information about the Online Veterinary Assisting Program can be found at the Veterinary Assisting Program website: www.foothill.edu/bio/programs/vetasst
Career Opportunities
The demand for Registered Veterinary Technicians is high. A recent survey by the Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities shows the number of positions advertised is about 20 times the number of qualified applicants. Graduates can find employment in many sectors including small and large private animal practice, clinical laboratories, education, government, research, and the biomedical industry. Starting salaries for a new graduate technician range from $14.00-$17.00/hr. An Registered Veterinary Technician with 3-5 years of experience generally earns $18.00- $25.00/hr. Highly skilled and licensed technicians with management ability or those employed in the biomedical industry or as educators commonly earn in excess of $25.00/hr. Benefits vary widely, with larger veterinary practices and corporations providing the most attractive packages.

The Veterinary Technician works under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian in assisting with animal health care, in a wide variety of employment settings. He/she is a valuable asset to the veterinary medical team. The role of a Vet Tech in an animal health care setting is a diverse and exciting one. The technician is expected to be knowledgeable in many areas of veterinary care. Some of these areas include: surgery, anesthesia, radiology, bandaging, pharmacology, dentistry, nutrition, laboratory procedures, animal care and handling, client communication, receptionist skills, and office management. Knowledge of a variety of species of animals is essential as well.

Program Overview:
The Veterinary Technology program at Pierpont Community College was established in 1976 and is one of approximately 100 such programs and is fully accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association. This accreditation qualifies graduates of the program to take the National Board Exam and the licensing exam in every state to become Registered Veterinary Technicians. This is a two-year associate degree program and is not a pre-veterinary medicine course of study.

Students in the program receive training in all aspects necessary to become educated, competent and professional Veterinary Technicians. Areas of study include: anatomy & physiology, chemistry, microbiology, parasitology, animal diseases, animal care and handling, pharmacology and clinical procedures relative to farm and laboratory animals. These areas of study involve both classroom lectures as well as practical laboratories using live animals.

As part of the educational program students receive practical experience by doing two preceptorships in two separate veterinary facilities. The student does have a choice in the type of facility in which to gain clinical experience. These preceptorships provide the student with over 500 hours of actual work experience and also the potential for job references or recommendations.