Veterinary Technology - A.A.S.

PROGRAM ADMISSION

Students interested in veterinary technology or becoming a Veterinary Technician should carefully review the Information Packet and Program Application. Applications and required forms are due in March each year.

• A minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.7 for college level applicants and 3.0 for high school applicants is required in order to apply to the program. Applications will not be considered for students not meeting the minimum GPA requirement.
• A minimum of 15 hours of field experience is required for all applicants applying to the program. Field experience is defined as volunteering, observing, or shadowing at a veterinary practice, preferably one in which a registered veterinary technician is employed. An applicant can gain points for program admission if they have 40 or more field experience hours. A Field Experience Form must be submitted with the Program Application in order to receive consideration.
• Program Vaccination Updates for the 2022-2023 Academic Year – In a January 2022 update to the AVMA CVTEA Accreditation Policies and Procedures Manual, which is the program’s accrediting body, it is stated: “Standard 4e. Safety of students, program personnel, and animals must be of prime consideration. Students must be educated on rabies risk prior to working with animals. Prior to live animal use, students must be vaccinated against rabies or the program must implement a comprehensive rabies mitigation protocol as described in Appendix A. (Refer to Statement on Safety, Appendix A).”. Students are encouraged to receive their Rabies pre-exposure vaccination series prior to the start of the first semester of classes to ensure they do not run into any accrediting body compliance issues during their educational experience, which could affect or slow their progress towards graduation. Students who might not be able to receive this vaccination should speak with the Program Director prior to admission to the program.

LICENSURE

Graduates of Kent State University’s Veterinary Technology program are eligible to take the Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE). Students must successfully pass the VTNE to be eligible for licensure in the state of Ohio;  In Ohio, licensure from the OVMLB is required to legally practice as a Registered Veterinary Technician. Applicants should contact the OVMLB for information regarding licensure in the state of Ohio. Graduates must also pass a criminal background check. Graduates register with the Ohio Veterinary Medical Licensing Board (OVMLB) to become a Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) in the state of Ohio. Kent State’s graduates’ nationally competitive pass rates on the Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE) are a testament to the quality and rigor of this program.