Day in the Life
Veterinary Technology (VT) program students enjoy a wide range of educational experiences. The classroom work is done at the Western Campus in Parma, where the VT laboratory is located.
Most of the VT courses have both a lecture and lab component. Laboratories may include examination of animal tissues or samples (blood, urine, stool) but many involve hands-on learning of techniques on live animals.
Very few of our classes are offered online, due to our students needing to complete hands-on essential skills in order to graduate with their degree. Our program classes are offered during the week and most of them are during the daytime hours.
In addition to working in the VT lab, the program involves travel to a number of off-campus laboratories or clinical sites. The VT 1410 (Veterinary Science II) course requires students to travel to laboratory sites to learn techniques on food animals (cattle, sheep, pigs) and horses.
VT 2851 and VT 2860 (Veterinary Practicum and Seminar I and II) require students to travel to a number of clinical sites in the Northeast Ohio area to observe daily activities in working facilities. These include representatives of all types of veterinary care facilities.
The VT student's final semester includes VT 2940 (Veterinary Field Experience), which allows students to complete two different internships at facilities in the northeast Ohio area. Students are responsible for their own transportation.
After graduation, students planning to practice in Ohio must apply to the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB) to take the Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE). The program's success rate for this exam has regularly exceeded the AVMA's goal of a 50% passage rate for first-time test takers. VT graduates from Tri-C's program enjoy a 3-year rolling average of 94.12%, as of September 2023. VTNE scores are applicable to other states' requirements as well.
Our program boasts a VTNE passage rate that is consistently higher than the national average for first-time test takers.