Veterinary Technician Careers

Career Opportunities/Information

Eighty-five percent of veterinary technicians and assistants are employed in private practice.  * Most technicians are employed in a companion animal practice.  The demand for trained technicians and assistants in other areas is rapidly expanding.  Other employment opportunities include: biomedical facilities, diagnostic laboratories, colleges/universities, veterinary supply sales, zoos and wildlife facilities, the military, humane societies and animal control facilities, drug or feed manufacturing companies, industry or food safety inspection.

*National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (www.navta.net)

 

The trend toward group practices, increased client expectations of quality care, and an economic need to leverage Veterinarians’ productivity, have allowed veterinary technicians to play a greater role in providing nursing care and related medical services.  Veterinary Technicians can assist the veterinarian as a nurse, lab technician, radiography technician, anesthetist, surgical nurse and client educator.

The Veterinary Technician program is an Associate of Applied Science degree.  The degree consists of 19 credits of general education and 53 credits of veterinary technology core courses. Some of these core courses include: animal husbandry, veterinary surgical nursing, animal nursing, clinical labs, animal nutrition, pharmacology, pathology, comparative vet anatomy and physiology, applied diagnostic imaging and a field experience.

Program/Degree Options
RCTC offers an Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree. The Associate of Applied Science degree can be completed on a full-time basis in two years.

Program Start Date(s)
The Veterinary Technician courses are scheduled in a sequential manner. All students begin in the fall semester with the curriculum. Students who successfully complete the first portion of the program will be considered to advance into the Veterinary Technician program to obtain the Veterinary Technician Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree.

Articulations/Accreditations
Rochester Community and Technical College is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission. The Veterinary Technology program is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association.

 

For additional information on the most current list of RCTC program articulations see us at: http://www.rctc.edu/academics/articulations/