Veterinary Technology

Program Overview:

Veterinary Technology is an AVMA accredited, professional technical program that gives motivated individuals an opportunity to combine their love of animals with their interest in science and medicine. The program prepares students to work in a variety of veterinary medical related settings. Upon program completion students will be eligible to sit for national examination for licensure. Successful completion requires a grade of C or better in all VETT prefix courses is required. To receive an application for the program, contact the Agriculture Department.

Program Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of the Veterinary Technology program, a student will be able to:

1. Perform typical office procedures and management duties necessary in a veterinary clinic including client interaction, telephone techniques, and record keeping with the use of Microsoft Office Suite programs and the veterinary client service software AVImark.
2. Demonstrate proper animal restraint methods for large, small, and exotic species commonly seen in a veterinary clinical setting.
3. Identify structures and describe the functions and relationships of the skeletal, muscular, cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, reproductive, and neurological systems of various domestic animal species.
4. Explain the modes of local, regional, and general anesthesia and monitor multiple parameters during animal induction, maintenance, and recovery periods of anesthesia in a veterinarian supervised clinical setting.
5. Identify surgical instruments, execute surgical pack preparation and instrument sterilization, and explain basic operating room procedures.
6. Demonstrate sterile technique, patient preparation, surgical assisting skills, and post-surgical patient care.
7. Identify drugs commonly used in veterinary medicine using pharmacology specific nomenclature, summarize methods of drug administration, and calculate dosages.
8. Summarize the basic principles of radiology and under the supervision of the veterinarian, safely perform radiology related duties including darkroom procedures and animal positioning.  
9. Collect multiple specimen types (urine, feces, blood) using a variety of techniques and properly administer medications through common routes used in veterinary clinics.
10. Identify, utilize, and maintain laboratory equipment commonly found in veterinary practices. Recognize normal vs disease induced parameters using hematology, cytology, serology, and urinalysis.
11. Identify common internal and external parasites of domestic animals through diagnostic testing methods, and recognize symptoms, disease development, and zoonotic potential.
12. Distinguish between responsibilities and legalities of the veterinary technicians and veterinarians; and practice within the competencies and limitations of the veterinary technician’s role as a health care team member.
13. Apply principles from the social science, natural science and veterinary technology classes toward functioning as a productive employee at an entry level.

Program Requirements for Admission:

Application

Career Information:

Veterinary Technologists and Technicians