Veterinary Technician
Program Narrative
The need for formally trained veterinary technicians continues to grow as veterinary facilities expand their services. Working jointly with Lehigh Carbon Community College, Northampton's Veterinary Technician program will provide you with all the necessary coursework, hands-on training, guidance and experience you need to begin an exciting career working with animals.
Veterinary technicians are professionals, knowledgeable in the care and handling of various species, basic biologic principles, and laboratory and clinical procedures. Technicians are employed by small and large animal veterinary facilities, the pet food industry, pharmaceutical research centers, zoo and wildlife organizations, and teaching and research institutions. The job opportunities are numerous and varied.
Program Features
Northampton's program provides academic and practical experience through a combination of veterinary technology and general education core courses. 33% of veterinary technology courses include laboratory experience including exposure to small, large and exotic species. The culminating experience is a summer externship experience during which students can practice their clinical skills. Instruction is provided by practicing veterinarians and veterinary technicians working in the field. Classes are held on the NCC and LCCC campuses. There is a clinical science laboratory on the Northampton campus and a Veterinary Training Facility adjacent to the LCCC campus provided exclusively for the veterinary technician students. Classes are offered during the day and the program takes 2 full years (fall, spring and summer to complete).
Program Requirements
Minimum pre-requisites include high school Biology (with a lab) with a grade of "B" or better, high school Algebra I and II with grades of "C" or better, and a minimum GPA of 2.5. College courses may also satisfy these requirements. An interview, by invitation, will also be required. Preferred application deadline is 2/1 for the fall semester
Contact the Admissions Office at 610-861-5500 for further information.
Program Outcomes
Graduates of the program will:
- Demonstrate competence in performing and engaging in office and hospital procedures, client relations and communication.
- Demonstrate proficiency working in the pharmacy and understand and utilize pharmacologic concepts.
- Safely and competently engage in medical nursing.
- Safely and competently engage in surgical nursing.
- Safely and competently engage in anesthetic nursing.
- Competently perform laboratory procedures.
- Safely and competently perform diagnostic imaging.
- Competently perform laboratory animal and exotic patient husbandry and nursing.