Veterinary Technology
Program Description
The Foothill College Veterinary Technology program is an academically challenging two-year, AVMA-accredited course of training that prepares the student for employment as a Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT). The program focuses on building competency in essential skills through hands-on training and personal attention to students. Graduates receive an Associate in Science Degree in Veterinary Technology and are then eligible to sit for the Veterinary Technician National Examination to become licensed. The program is not a pre-veterinary medicine or a veterinary medicine curriculum. General program information, admission criteria, and the application for admission can be found at the Veterinary Technology program website.
The Veterinary Technology department also offers an online Veterinary Assisting program. This program results in a Certificate of Achievement and starts each fall. Details can be found at the Veterinary Assisting program website.
Program Learning Outcomes
- Graduates will demonstrate entry-level competency in the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities required for the practice of veterinary technology in a wide range of practice settings.
- Graduates will demonstrate entry-level clinical skills competency in accordance with accreditation requirements.
- Graduates will demonstrate proficiency in critical skills including collaboration, professionalism, communication, and critical thinking.
- Graduates will have a firm understanding of "One Health," the veterinary nurse's role in the health of animals, humans, and the planet. They will also have an understanding and tools to support their own mental, physical, and emotional health through self-care and support systems.
Career Opportunities
The demand for Registered Veterinary Technicians is high nationwide. There is a very high demand for RVTs in the San Francisco Bay Area. Graduates can find employment in many sectors including small and large animal practice, specialty practice, clinical laboratories, education, government, research, and the pharmaceutical and biomedical industries. Starting salaries for entry-level licensed technicians in the Bay Area range from $22.00-$27.00/hr plus benefits, with some practices offering signing bonuses. A Registered Veterinary Technician with 3-5 years of experience generally earns $27.00-$32.00/hr in the Bay Area. Highly skilled and licensed RVTs with advanced specialization training, management ability or those employed in large specialist hospitals, the biomedical industry, or as educators commonly earn in excess of $32.00/hr. Benefits vary widely, with larger veterinary practices and corporations providing the most attractive packages.
The Veterinary Assisting courses are separate from the Veterinary Technology program courses, and are not accredited by the AVMA. Veterinary Assisting offers entry-level courses for those students interested in starting a career in the veterinary field and for those students who are currently working in the field who want to upgrade their knowledge and skills. The Veterinary Assisting courses are offered online along with a preceptorship component. Students are expected to find their own preceptorship locations. Students who complete all three Veterinary Assisting courses earn a certificate, which appears on their college transcript.
Award Type(s)
- AS = Associate in Science Degree
- CA = Certificate of Achievement
Units Required
- Major: 91.5
- Certificate(s): 12.5
Program Application
Application for admission to the program is required and all students must meet the program's technical standards. Important program information, technical standards, admission criteria, and the application for admission can be found at the Veterinary Technology program website.
Information about the online Veterinary Assisting program can be found at the Veterinary Assisting program website.
Program Prerequisites
Must be completed with a grade of "C" or better at the time of application (no "in progress" courses will be accepted; applications are due April 21 of each year).
A GPA of 2.5 is required for all science prerequisites.
- Cumulative college GPA of 2.0 or higher
- High school graduation or a valid GED
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| V T 51 | INTRODUCTION TO VETERINARY TECHNOLOGY | 2 |
| Intermediate Algebra or equivalent | 5 | |
| ENGL 1A | COMPOSITION & READING | 5 |
| or ENGL 1AH | HONORS COMPOSITION & READING | |
| or ESLL 26 | ADVANCED COMPOSITION & READING | |
or equivalent | ||
| BIOL 10 | GENERAL BIOLOGY: BASIC PRINCIPLES (or equivalent general college biology course with a laboratory) | 5 |
| BIOL 41 | MICROBIOLOGY (or equivalent general college microbiology course with a laboratory) | 6 |
| CHEM 30A | SURVEY OF INORGANIC & ORGANIC CHEMISTRY (or equivalent college chemistry course with a laboratory) | 5 |
Additional Information
- Full-time enrollment is required. Classes are only offered during the day (no evening classes).
- The state of California and the American Association of Veterinary State Boards prohibit students with a felony record to sit for the licensing examination.
- The student is strongly advised to complete all of the general education requirements before starting the program to avoid excessive course load during the program.
- A valid Adult CPR certificate is required at time of graduation.
Associate Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| English Proficiency | ||
| Select one of the following: | ||
| ENGL 1A | COMPOSITION & READING | 5 |
| ENGL 1AH | HONORS COMPOSITION & READING | 5 |
| ESLL 26 | ADVANCED COMPOSITION & READING | 5 |
| or equivalent | ||
| Ethnic Studies | ||
| Any course in the ETHN (Ethnic Studies) subject code, currently approved for Area F of CSU GE and Area 7 of IGETC | ||
| Mathematics Proficiency | ||
| College-level math course at or above the level of Intermediate Algebra | ||
A minimum of 90 units is required1 to include:
- Completion of one of the following general education patterns: Foothill General Education, CSU General Education Breadth Requirements or the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC)
- Core courses (91.5 units)
- A valid Adult CPR certificate is required at time of graduation
- 1
Additional elective course work may be necessary to meet the 90-unit minimum requirement for the associate degree.
Note: All courses pertaining to the major must be taken in sequence and for a letter grade. A grade of "C" or better is required for all core courses used for the degree or certificate. In addition, a GPA of 2.5 is required for all science prerequisites.
Core and Support Courses
Note: All courses must be taken in sequence and completed with a grade of "C" or better.
Core Courses
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summer Session | Units | |
| AHS 50A | INTRODUCTION TO ALLIED HEALTH PROGRAMS | 1.5 |
| V T 53A | VETERINARY MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY | 2 |
| Units | 3.5 | |
| Fall Quarter | ||
| V T 51A | FRESHMAN SEMINAR | 1 |
| V T 54A | COMPARATIVE VETERINARY ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY FOR THE VETERINARY TECHNICIAN | 5 |
| V T 55 | SMALL ANIMAL NURSING I | 4 |
| V T 75A | ANIMAL CARE SKILLS I | 2 |
| Units | 12 | |
| Winter Quarter | ||
| V T 51B | CURRENT TOPICS IN VETERINARY TECHNOLOGY II | 1 |
| V T 53B | MEDICAL CALCULATIONS FOR VETERINARY NURSES | 2 |
| V T 54B | COMPARATIVE VETERINARY ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY FOR THE VETERINARY TECHNICIAN | 5 |
| V T 56 | SMALL ANIMAL NURSING II | 4 |
| V T 60 | VETERINARY OFFICE PRACTICE | 2 |
| V T 75B | ANIMAL CARE SKILLS II | 2 |
| Units | 16 | |
| Spring Quarter | ||
| V T 51C | SERVICE LEARNING & LEADERSHIP FOR VETERINARY NURSES | 1 |
| V T 53C | INTRODUCTION TO LARGE ANIMAL NURSING | 2 |
| V T 61 | PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF ANIMAL DISEASE | 4 |
| V T 75C | LARGE ANIMAL SKILLS LABORATORY | 1 |
| V T 81 | CLINICAL PATHOLOGY METHODS | 5 |
| Units | 13 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Summer Session | ||
| V T 70 | FUNDAMENTALS OF VETERINARY DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING | 4 |
| V T 89 | CLINICAL INTERNSHIP I | 3 |
| Units | 7 | |
| Fall Quarter | ||
| V T 51D | SENIOR SEMINAR | 1 |
| V T 57L | ADVANCED SMALL ANIMAL NURSING | 1 |
| V T 83 | PHARMACOLOGY FOR VETERINARY NURSES | 4 |
| V T 85 | VETERINARY EMERGENCY & CRITICAL CARE | 4 |
| V T 91 | CLINICAL INTERNSHIP II | 3 |
| Units | 13 | |
| Winter Quarter | ||
| V T 51E | CURRENT TOPICS IN VETERINARY TECHNOLOGY V | 1 |
| V T 58L | SURGICAL ASSISTING FOR THE VETERINARY NURSE | 1 |
| V T 72 | PRINCIPLES OF VETERINARY DENTISTRY | 4 |
| V T 84 | ANESTHESIOLOGY FOR TECHNICIANS | 4 |
| V T 92 | CLINICAL INTERNSHIP III | 3 |
| Units | 13 | |
| Spring Quarter | ||
| V T 51F | CAREER EXPLORATION FOR VETERINARY NURSES | 1 |
| V T 66 | EXOTIC ANIMAL CARE | 2 |
| V T 84L | VETERINARY ANESTHESIA LABORATORY | 2 |
| V T 86 | LABORATORY ANIMAL NURSING | 4 |
| V T 93 | CLINICAL INTERNSHIP IV | 3 |
| V T 95 | VETERINARY TECHNICIAN PROFICIENCY | 2 |
| Units | 14 | |
| Total Units | 91.5 | |
Certificate Requirements
Certificate of Achievement in Veterinary Assisting
- Units: 12.5
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| V T 52A | VETERINARY ASSISTING I | 5 |
| V T 52B | VETERINARY ASSISTING II | 5 |
| V T 88A | CLINICAL PRECEPTORSHIP I | 2.5 |
| Total Units | 12.5 | |
Note: It is recommended that any student entering this program be able to read and write proficiently in English and perform mathematical computations at the high school graduate level. This program is delivered entirely online for the first two quarters. Different academic and technical skills are needed for success in the online learning environment. Students are directed to the following website for help in determining if they are prepared to be an online learner and if taking a program entirely online is right for them: foothill.edu/onlinelearning/students/new-online-learner.html