College Catalog Programs of Study 2015-2016

Purpose: The curriculum will prepare the student for a career as a veterinary technician. Satisfactory completion of the curriculum will make the student eligible to take the national board examination (VTNE) toward certification as a licensed veterinary technician. The curriculum is broad and includes both practical and theoretical coursework which prepares the student for employment in various areas of animal healthcare including veterinary hospitals and research and diagnostic laboratories. Students have two options for course delivery – a traditional, daytime option that offers full-time, on-site instruction or a part-time distance education program delivered through online lessons with on-site practical lab assessments.

Admission Requirements: The Veterinary Technology Program accepts an academically competitive cohort of students each year to both the on-site program and the online program. To be admitted to the Veterinary Technology Program, applicants must meet all of the following requirements:

1. Apply to NOVA for general admissions online and obtain a student ID number.

2. Apply separately and be admitted to NOVA in the Veterinary Technology Program at the Loudoun Campus.

3. Be 18 years of age or older at time of application.

4. Achieve satisfactory scores on NOVA placement tests for English and mathematics.

5. Complete one unit of high school-level algebra or equivalent.

6. Complete at least one unit of high school biology with a lab.

7. Complete at least one unit of high school chemistry with a lab.

8. Demonstrate past academic achievement in the above course requirements with a grade of “C” (70 percent) or better. Deficiencies may be corrected in the College's developmental program before applying to the Veterinary Technology Program.

9. A student may elect to take general education and program-specific general elective courses (MTH 126, CHM 101, CHM 111 or CHM 121) listed in the program's curriculum prior to seeking acceptance to the Veterinary Technology Program. These courses may be taken at any of the College's campuses, including online through the Extended Learning Institute (ELI), or the requirement may be fulfilled using previous college credits transferred to NOVA from other accredited postsecondary institutions. Students must earn a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 or better in all required general education and program-specific general elective courses taken before admission to the Veterinary Technology Program.

10. Students seeking admission to the Veterinary Technology program must indicate if they are applying to the traditional on-site program or the part-time online program. Applicants must arrange to have an in-person interview with the program head for the online program PRIOR to entering the program.

11. Students must include two (2) official copies of all high school and college transcripts in sealed, unopened envelopes to the Loudoun Campus Veterinary Technology Program as part of their application packet. Please DO NOT send transcripts separately. For more details on downloading a current application packet:See the Veterinary Technology Program website

12. The following individuals will be given priority in the Veterinary Technology Program’s acceptance process: students currently working in the medical field, Virginia residents, students who have completed all general education courses, and students with a GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Responsibilities of Veterinary Technology Students:

1. Students in the Veterinary Technology Program incur a variety of additional expenses. These include, but are not limited to, the cost of uniforms (such as lab coat with name tag), human vaccinations, a preadmissions physical examination, lab fees, lab supplies, accessories, and travel to and from clinical assignments, including program required continuing education (CE) seminars. Students are also responsible for individual state licensure and national accreditation application and testing fees.

2. A strict dress code is required in the clinical setting. Students may be dismissed if they fail to comply with this dress code.

3. Students are required to complete learning experiences at local hospitals and/or other agencies. Students may be required to attend day, evening, night, or weekend clinical assignments.

4. Students must provide their own transportation to clinical assignments and CE seminars. Strict attendance is required at clinical sites.

5. While enrolled in clinical courses, students may not replace or take the responsibility of “qualified” staff in affiliated facilities. However, after demonstrating proficiency, students may be permitted to perform specific procedures under careful supervision. Veterinary Technology students may be employed in clinical veterinary medical facilities outside regular education hours provided that such work does not interfere with their academic responsibilities.

Veterinary Technology Program Continuation Requirements:

All courses in the program major must be completed with a grade of "C" or better before taking the next course in the sequence, unless waived by the academic dean upon the recommendation of the assistant dean.

1. All courses in the major must be taken in the sequence prescribed in the NOVA Catalog.

2. Students must pass both the theoretical and the clinical/lab portions in order to pass a course with grade of "C" or better.

3. Program faculty and clinical affiliates reserve the right to recommend, through appropriate channels, withdrawal of any student who either fails to exhibit safe performance or fails to adhere to required clinical affiliate policies and procedures.

4. Students must be able to perform all essential functions of the Veterinary Technology program, with or without reasonable accommodation.• Technical Standards & Essential Functions for the Veterinary Technology Program. VT-Essential-Functions-Student-Acknowledgement

Program Reenrollment Requirements: Any student who has voluntarily withdrawn or who has been withdrawn due to unsatisfactory academic or clinical performance may apply for readmission the following academic year. However, acceptance will be based upon space availability, successful fulfillment of any contingencies agreed to in writing at the time of withdrawal, and assistant dean or program head approval. A readmissions interview,medical examination, and human rabies vaccine may be required.

Special Accreditation Status: Both the on-campus and online programs are fully accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities (CVTEA).

Delivery Method Options: The program may be completed by program placement in either the full-time, on-site program at Loudoun Campus or the online program, but not both at the same time.

Online Veterinary Technology Program: Courses are Internet-based. Students will use class notes from the Internet and textbooks for the didactic portion of the class. Students will participate in online class discussions and meet regularly with faculty using the Internet and e-mail. Formal examinations will be taken at testing centers at the student’s local community college or any NOVA campus Testing Center. Many methods of evaluation of clinical skills will be employed including: on-site evaluation by faculty and off-site veterinary mentors, product evaluation performed by students (i.e., radiographs and blood smear slides done by the student), video recording, Blackboard assignments, task list skills checklist, visits by College faculty, and student journals.

Special curriculum admission requirements (#1–12 above) and Veterinary Technology Program continuation requirements (#1–5 above) also pertain to the online program. Details for additional forms for Memo of Agreement and online program application checklist for packet are available at the Veterinary Technology website.

The following requirements apply to students in the online Veterinary Technology Program in addition to the requirements listed for the on-site program:

1. Students must currently work at a veterinary facility approved by a program head for an average minimum of 20 hours per week.

2. Students must have a veterinary clinical mentor. This person must be a licensed veterinarian and will be designated as an adjunct clinical professor after verification of credentials. The mentor will work with the student and NOVA faculty members to complete specific educational objectives with the student. Mentors will meet with the students on a regular basis and stay in touch with the College faculty by phone or e-mail. The mentor has the option of appointing an assistant mentor who must be another licensed veterinarian or licensed technician to assist the student and supervise clinical tasks as required for each course.

3. Students must physically attend scheduled lab sessions and practical exams at the Loudoun Campus at least two or three times per semester.

4. The online program requires three years (eight consecutive semesters) for completion. Students will enroll in two or three veterinary technology-specific courses per semester for eight semesters, including two summer sessions. Classes must be taken in the sequence laid out on theVeterinary Technology website