Veterinary Technology:

Learn More About the Veterinary Technology Program

Veterinary Technology program at Middlesex Community College (MxCC), Middletown, CT

You love animals and you're good at science. You are a reliable self-starter and can work well independently as well as with others.

Now you can apply your strengths and your interests to an exciting and fulfilling career. Get started with an Associate Degree in Veterinary Technology from Middlesex Community College today!

This competitive degree program prepares students for a wide variety of jobs, including biomedical research, work at colleges and universities, zoos and wildlife facilities, diagnostic laboratories, drug and feed manufacturing companies, as well as in private veterinary offices and animal hospitals.

Associate Degree in Veterinary Technology

Middlesex Community College has entered into a partnership with the Veterinary Technology Program at Northwestern Connecticut Community College. The associate degree in this AVMA fully-accredited program will prepare students for immediate employment in veterinary offices, biological research facilities, drug and feed manufacturing companies, and in the animal production industry. The objective of this program is to provide the classroom, laboratory, and field experience that will prepare students to be job entry-level competent. After completing the associate degree program, eligible students may transfer seamlessly to the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Connecticut to major in either Animal Science or Pathobiology. The NCCC Veterinary Technology Program promotes graduate success through a combination of challenging studies, extensive on-site hands-on learning opportunities, affiliations with off-site veterinary clinics, and continued emphasis on the need for lifelong learning.

Students at Middlesex Community College can complete program prerequisites, their general education requirements, and some program requirements on the Middletown Campus before transferring to Northwestern to complete the degree program.

Program Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of all program requirements, graduates will be able to:

Demonstrate a solid understanding of the wide variety of knowledge needed within the field, including anatomy and physiology, laboratory procedures, medical and surgical nursing skills, and clinical pathology.
Demonstrate the entry-level skills and the knowledge applicable for a wide variety of careers, including employment at veterinary clinics, zoos, wildlife rehabilitation centers, research facilities, pharmaceutical sales, as well as drug and feed manufacturing companies.
Sit for the Veterinary Technician National Examination.
Demonstrate analytical problem-solving and decision-making skills applicable to the role of the veterinary technician in the field of animal health care.

Academic Requirements

The Associate Degree in Veterinary Technology program is run in collaboration with Northwestern Community College, which has a nationally certified Veterinary Technician program.

As Middlesex prepares you for this degree, you will have the opportunity to gain experience through coursework that is required through Northwestern before taking the Veterinary Technician Certification exam.

Middlesex offers many of the pre-requisite courses for the program, including core classes and medical terminology, pharmacology, and microbiology. Many of the courses from this degree can also be transferred to other associate degree programs such as Opthalmic Design and Dispensing.

Jobs You Can Get With A Veterinary Technology Degree:

There are a wide variety of jobs a person can get with a Veterinary Technician degree including:

Biomedical research,
Colleges/Universities,
Zoos and wildlife facilities,
Military service,
Food safety inspection,
Diagnostic laboratories,
Veterinary supply sales,
Humane societies and animal control facilities,
Drug and feed manufacturing companies (http://www.avma.org/careforanimals/animatedjourneys/aboutvets/becomingtech.asp)
Race tracks,
Veterinary Technician positions in private veterinary offices and animal hospitals

Job Availability & Growth:

According the U.S. Department of Labor, employment of veterinary technicians is expected to grow much faster than average through 2014 because of turnover within the field. However the growth of Vet Tech jobs in zoos is expected to be slow due to slow growth in zoo capacity, low turnover, limited number of positions and the popularity of the occupation.
http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos183.htm#outlook

How Long Will You Have To Go To School?

This is a 2-year degree. The length of time a person will spend pursuing this degree will depend on their chosen course load.

This degree can be treated as a vocational degree and the student can go directly into the work place and work as a vet tech. If he or she wants to become a Veterinarian, more education will be necessary.

Salary Information:

Median hourly earnings of Veterinary Technologists and Technicians were $12.88 in May 2006
http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos183.htm#earnings

Statewide, the average annual salaries for Veterinary Technologists and Technicians is $35,697.
http://www.ctdol.state.ct.us/lmi/internet/0901000009/29-2056.htm

To learn more, contact:

Assoc. Prof. Mark Busa, (mbusa@mxcc.commnet.edu)
860-343-5779