Veterinary Technology - Associate of Applied Science Degree
This program offers two educational options: a two-semester Veterinary Technician Assistant certificate (a separate listing follows) and a two-year Veterinary Technician Associate of Applied Science Degree.
The Veterinary Technician AAS degree program provides training in veterinary health and the handling of a variety of domestic and exotic animals, as well as laboratory animals encountered in a veterinary practice or biomedical research setting. While veterinary technicians serve as paraprofessional members of the veterinary medical team, veterinary technicians do not diagnose animal illnesses, prescribe treatment, or perform surgery.
Assessment testing is required for all students. Students who are reading at college-level and place into CCR 093 or above and MAT 050 or above may begin these program options. Students scoring below this level should consult with a faculty member before registering for courses in this program of study.
The program's curriculum includes such topics as anatomy and physiology, radiology, parasitology, medical and surgical nursing, anesthesia, pharmacology, and other related scientific areas of veterinary health or related skills areas. This curriculum is not intended to provide admission to a college of veterinary medicine.
A critical component of the program is student participation in clinical internships. Between the second and third semesters, a 135-hour private practice internship is required. In the final semester, students participate in clinical rotations at the Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital. This training includes such areas as critical care, large animal medicine and surgery, small animal care, and other related areas.
Admission Requirements:
To enter the program, students must meet the following admission requirements:
1. Completion of a high school diploma or GED.
2. Achievement of indicated assessment scores and completion of preparatory coursework.
3. Students must receive a grade of “C” or above and a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher on prerequisite courses listed below:
Completion of ENG 131 Technical Writing I or ENG 121 English Composition I
Completion of BIO 111 General College Biology (no more than seven years old)
Completion of HPR 178 Medical Terminology
Completion of MAT 107 Career Math or MAT 103 Math for Clinical Calculations or MAT 121 College Algebra
4. Completion of a Veterinary Technology Intent to Enroll application form available at the Larimer Campus or online at www.frontrange.edu.
Admission to the program is limited to the first 24 students who have submitted the appropriate admission materials. It is strongly recommended that students complete the required general education courses prior to beginning the program. Students must be admitted to the VET program to enroll in any VET prefix courses. Certified Veterinary Technicians may enroll in VET 242 and VET 109
Requirements
All courses must be completed with a grade of "C" or above prior to graduation.
Required Courses
| VET 102 | Veterinary Medical Terminology | 1 |
| VET 106 | Exotic Animal Handling | 2 |
| VET 108 | Introduction to Laboratory Procedures | 3 |
| VET 115 | Surgical Nursing | 2 |
| VET 116 | Humane Treatment and Handling of Animals | 3 |
| VET 120 | Office Procedures and Relations | 2 |
| VET 134 | Diagnostic Imaging | 2 |
| VET 180 | Internship: Private Practice | 3 |
| VET 205 | Veterinary Anatomy and Physiology I | 4 |
| VET 206 | Veterinary Anatomy and Physiology II | 4 |
| VET 224 | Pharmacology for Veterinary Technicians | 3 |
| VET 225 | Anesthesiology | 3 |
| VET 227 | Animal Nutrition | 2 |
| VET 240 | Veterinary Medicine and Surgery | 4 |
| VET 241 | Clinical Laboratory Procedures | 4 |
| VET 243 | Veterinary Diagnostic Microbiology | 3 |
| VET 250 | Clinical Competency Evaluation | 1 |
| VET 280 | Internship | 11 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 57 |
Required General Education Courses
| BIO 111 | General College Biology I with Lab | 5 |
| Arts and Humanities or Social and Behavioral Sciences Elective | 3 |
| | |
| COM 125 | Interpersonal Communication | 3 |
| or | |
| COM 115 | Public Speaking | 3 |
| | |
| ENG 131 | Technical Writing I | 3 |
| or | |
| ENG 121 | English Composition I | 3 |
Choose one of the following courses
| MAT 107 | Career Mathematics | 3 |
| MAT 103 | Math for Clinical Calculations | 3 |
| MAT 121 | College Algebra | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 17 |
Elective Courses (Optional)
| VET 109 | Applied Companion Animal Behavior | 3 |
| VET 181 | Internship: Laboratory Animal Technology | 2 |
| VET 242 | Veterinary Critical Care | 2 |
Total Credit Hours: 74
Gainful Employment Disclosure Information
The U.S. Department of Education requires colleges to disclose a variety of information for any financial-aid-eligible program that "prepares students for gainful employment in a recognized occupation." The information provided here is the best available to us but represents one year's data only. We hope that this information is helpful to our current students and to prospective students as they make their career and educational choices. For more Gainful Employment information, please go to the FRCC website: www.frontrange.edu/GainfulEmployment.