Veterinary Technician

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Overview

Bellingham Technical College Veterinary Technician Program is nationally accredited through the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)

Turn your love of animals into a satisfying career! BTC’s Veterinary Technician program is ideal if you have an aptitude for math and science, and are interested in being a valuable part of the veterinary care team. You’ll work with animals and people, in a job that is different every day.

With BTC’s high quality education and hands-on training, you’ll gain the valuable skills needed now by veterinary hospitals, surgery centers, specialty care providers, zoos, and wildlife facilities.

Students must be 18 years of age prior to the first day of class.

Program Outcomes

After successful completion of the Veterinary Technician program, students will be able to:

• Care for animals in a manner that is safe for both animals and humans;
• Promote public health;
• Accept the responsibilities of his/her profession, to provide compassionate, competent, ethical care in a professional, conscientious manner;
• Pursue lifelong learning to advance his/her knowledge of veterinary care;
• Take the Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE);
• Take the state exam and fulfill requirements for licensure as a veterinary technician;
• Understand normal anatomy, physiology and behavior of health for the species studied;
• Understand and participate in the process of diagnosis, therapy and prevention of animal disease;
• Understand the profession of veterinary technician including: occupational safety, public health, client and colleague communication, ethics of animal welfare, and the human-animal bond;
• Provide critical thinking skills to reason through clinical situations and take appropriate action;
• Provide social interactive skills to facilitate excellent communication with clients and colleagues;
• Provide psychomotor skills to facilitate quality, efficient diagnostic and therapeutic interventions;
• Provide learning skills and tools to promote learning throughout career and lifetime.

Placement Requirements

ATI TEAS scores: Reading 47.6 or higher, Mathematics 46.7 or higher, Science 33.3 or higher, and English & Language Usage 40.0 or higher.

Additional Requirements

• Official transcripts documenting prerequisite completion (BTC transcripts can be unofficial)
• Evidence of high school graduation or equivalent (copy of high school diploma, high school transcript, GED certificate, or GED transcript)
• Entering students are expected to have basic computer skills necessary to use word processing, email, and the internet. Students who need to acquire these basic skills should enroll in CAP 101  prior to starting the program.
• Starting August 1, 2023 all students in the Veterinary Technician Program at Bellingham Technical College will be required to complete a two-dose rabies pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) prior to being admitted to the program.

After registration into the Vet Tech Program but prior to beginning clinical rotations, students must be eighteen (18) years of age and submit proof of the following requirements:

1. Veterinary Technician Informed Acknowledgment and Consent to Hazards and Risks Form
2. Physical exam
3. 11-panel drug screen
4. Criminal background check
5. Medical insurance coverage
6. 2-dose reabies prexposure prophylaxis (PReP)

More information about the clinical placement requirements process is on the Veterinary Technician Program website.

Degree and Certificate Requirements

Veterinary Technician AAS-T Degree completion requires a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher and minimum grade of C-/1.7 for Veterinary courses and minimum grade of C/2.0 for all General Education courses.

Programs

• Veterinary Technician, AAS-T

• Veterinary Assistant Certificate

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