Associate of Applied Science: Veterinary Technology

The First Veterinary Technology Program in the Nation to Train Students on In-House Adipose Derived Stem Cell Technology

This program requires selective admission.

This program is intended to graduate up to 27 students per year; therefore, enrollment is limited.  It is designed to prepare graduates to become veterinary technicians who assist practicing veterinarians or as veterinary technicians in veterinary medical laboratories or in a variety of other settings.  This course of study is the only program in Kansas fully accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association.  In addition, it was one of the first veterinary technology programs established in the United States.  The program offers promising careers for people interested in paraprofessional occupations in the field of veterinary medicine.

National attention has been given to the need for veterinary technicians to help with general animal hospital activities, allowing veterinarians to spend more time with the patients.  The graduates from this program receive collegiate-level training in science, language arts and business, as well as vocational training in areas of assistance to the veterinarian.

AVMA Accredited

The Veterinary Technology program at Colby Community College is based on American Veterinary Medical Association guidelines and is approved by the Kansas Veterinary Medical Association.  It was examined in September 1974 and accredited in December of that year.  Full accreditation has been maintained since that time.

An Associate of Applied Science Degree is earned by those completing this course of study.  Graduates take the Veterinary Technician National Examination and state qualifying examinations to become credentialed Veterinary Technicians.  Credentialing requires continuing education, adherence to strict ethical and legal codes and quality technical training at an approved school.  Graduates may become members of the Kansas Veterinary Technicians Association, which sponsors annual continuing education seminars for its members.

The program is directed by a Kansas licensed veterinarian.  All clinical instruction is given by professional personnel in a school clinical pathology laboratory and an animal laboratory using small and large animal x-ray, surgical nursing, and animal nursing facilities.

Veterinary Technology Program Goals

• Provide individuals with the knowledge required to adapt to any veterinary employer’s needs.
• Establish a foundation on which the veterinarian can give advanced training with a minimum of time and effort.
• Develop a paraprofessional with the skills of an x-ray, anesthetic, laboratory, medical and surgical technician.
• Provide training to veterinary technician students to allow them to perform, under the supervision of a veterinarian, all skills allowed by state law.  These include all skills except diagnosing, performing surgery and prescribing drugs.  Those tasks are limited to licensed veterinarians.

Program Entry

Veterinary Technician students must purchase a smock, coveralls, and rubber boots.

Rabies pre-exposure immunization is strongly recommended.

Admission Eligibility

** This program requires selective admission.

 Entrance Requirements:

 Minimum academic qualifications are a high school diploma or GED, a composite ACT score of 18 or higher, or a 2.5 GPA or higher in the last 12 hours of required Veterinary Technology Program prerequisite courses completed within the past 5 years.  (See program of study for a list of required general education courses.)

 Applicants must qualify to enroll in EN176 English Composition I, which requires one of the following:

1. Completion of EN176 English Composition I with a “C” or better
2. Have a COMPASS Writing score of 55 or higher and a COMPASS Reading score of 73 or higher
3. Have an ACT English score of 18 or higher and an ACT Reading score of 18 or higher

 Applicants must qualify to enroll in MA108 Math for Health Professionals, which requires an ACT Math Score of 14 or higher.

 Entrance Recommendations

• High school keyboarding
• High school biology
• High school chemistry
• High school algebra

Application Procedure

1. Complete the college’s application for admission
2. Complete the Veterinary Technology Program application packet.
   1. Special application for the Veterinary Technology Program, including résumé and paragraph on goals and expectations
   2. Completed reference forms from two references
   3. Completed reference waiver/non waiver
   4. Completed veterinary practice observation/work experience form
   5. Official ACT scores
   6. Official high school transcripts
   7. Official college transcripts

 The deadline for submitting your completed application is March 15.  Applications received after the March 15 deadline will be accepted on a space-available basis.  The procedure for evaluating applicants is stated in the Veterinary Technology application packet.

 The prerequisites for this program start in the summer term.

Deferred Enrollment

Students who have been provisionally accepted into the Veterinary Technology Program may elect to defer enrollment for 1 year prior to the original spring semester (third term) starting date for their graduating class.  Students must notify the Program Director in writing of their intent to defer enrollment at least 4 weeks prior to the start of fall (second term) classes.  The open position will then be offered to the next qualified applicant on the waiting list.

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the Colby Community College Veterinary Technology Program continue to find abundant job opportunities.  Although most are employed by veterinarians in private practice, some find employment under a veterinarian’s supervision in zoos, colleges and universities, commercial laboratories, cattle feedlots, dairies, and horse farms.  Veterinarians are continuing to learn more about the role of graduate technicians and their potential to benefit almost any veterinary practice.  Veterinary technicians can increase a veterinarian’s efficiency and profit by adding service to the practice, improving the quality of services rendered and increasing the practice’s professional image.

To see the listing of available employment opportunities click here.

Technical Standards

The technical standards for enrollment and participation in the Veterinary Technology Program are available upon request.  Students must be able to satisfy the required technical standards described in this document.

Course Requirements

Prerequisites total 25 credit hours.  Program specific courses total 59 credit hours.  Total required for graduation is 84 credit hours.