Transform learning into making a difference on a veterinary health care team.

The two-year Veterinary Technician Ontario College Diploma program prepares you to enter the Veterinary profession by offering an authentic learning experience working alongside highly credentialed professionals in our on-campus veterinary medical facility and in our partnering facilities in the local community.

You benefit from learning in the 10,100 square-foot Veterinary Learning Centre and Clinic. This facility includes a reception area, exam rooms, husbandry area, surgical suite, dental suite, radiography room and more. The Veterinary Learning Center and Clinic is similar to a real-life small animal clinic, enabling you to have an on-campus learning experience using the equipment you would also use in the field.

As a student, you have the unique opportunity to provide medical care to shelter animals and help prepare them for adoption. While in the program, you become a vital member of the veterinary health care team, developing and acquiring valuable knowledge and skills that can then be applied to a variety of areas within the Veterinary Learning Centre and Clinic. This includes:

• physical exams and patient care
• preparing and administering medications
• specimen collection and sample analysis
• surgical assisting and anesthesia
• producing diagnostic radiographs
• providing nutritional support

Additional benefits of this program are its numerous accreditations. The Veterinary Technician program is accredited by the College of Veterinarians of Ontario, the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, the Ontario Association of Veterinary Technicians; certified by the Canadian Council on Animal Care; and registered with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness. Graduates are eligible for consideration for registration by the Ontario Association of Veterinary Technicians and by the Canadian Association for Laboratory Animal Science.

This challenging yet rewarding program offers quality academics and practical experiences, which provide a solid foundation for graduates who are entering various career paths within the exciting veterinary technician profession. Graduates of this program may find employment in a variety of professional settings, which include:

• small, large, or mixed animal veterinary practices
• animal shelters
• veterinary pharmaceutical companies
• medical equipment and nutritional sales
• zoological parks and wildlife facilities
• research facilities
• provincial and federal government agencies
• postsecondary institutions and regulatory bodies

Careers

Graduates may find employment as Veterinary Technicians in various branches of the veterinary industry including, but not limited to general practices, specialty referral veterinary facilities, large animal/mixed animal practices, wildlife, research and government agencies, animal shelters, humane societies, rescue organizations, corporate veterinary groups, mobile veterinary services, industry support and sales, or telemedicine and remote veterinary support.

Pathways

Please note: There may be more pathways available for this program than are listed here. Please use our Pathways search tool to see every option.

The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

1. Perform daily office, hospital, or facility tasks in compliance with established protocols and animal care standards.
2. Communicate and collaborate with clients and intraprofessional veterinary team members in routine and complex situations to promote collaborative patient-centered care.
3. Perform husbandry and therapeutic techniques to promote animal well-being and ensure care options that are in the interest of both the animal and the owner.
4. Perform patient assessments to obtain accurate and reliable medical information.
5. Prepare and dispense pharmaceutical products with accuracy and administer them to patients using accepted protocols.?
6. Collect, handle, and analyze specimens to provide essential medical data used for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.
7. Produce diagnostic quality imaging, in compliance with health and safety standards, to achieve accurate results.
8. Evaluate and implement patient care strategies to assist the veterinarian during surgical procedures.
9. Develop self-management strategies and apply evidence-based practices to support professional growth and improve the quality of care.
10. Assist the veterinarian with oral health assessments and treatments of animals to prevent disease and maintain the patient's state of health.
11. Deliver and manage patient anesthesia and analgesia, under the direction and supervision of the veterinarian, to ensure safe patient recovery.
12. Identify and apply discipline-specific practices that contribute to the local and global community through social responsibility, economic commitment and environmental stewardship.

Application Information

VETERINARY TECHNICIAN
Program Code 6320X01FWO

Applications to full-time day programs must be submitted with official transcripts showing completion of the academic admission requirements through:

ontariocolleges.ca
60 Corporate Court
Guelph, Ontario N1G 5J3
1-888-892-2228

Students currently enrolled in an Ontario secondary school should notify their Guidance Office prior to their online application at www.ontariocolleges.ca.

Applications for Fall Term and Winter Term admission received by February 1 will be given equal consideration. Applications received after February 1 will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis as long as places are available.

International applicants please visit this link for application
process information: https://algonquincollege.my.site.com/myac360/s/

For further information on the admissions process, please visit:
Admissions - Registrar's Office https://algonquincollege.com/ro/admissions/

Program Resources

As an accredited college, our graduates are eligible to pursue registration as a Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT). The Ontario Association of Veterinary Technicians (OAVT) grants this credential to graduates who meet the required registration criteria. Full details can be found on the OAVT website. Requirements include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Graduation from an OAVT-accredited college
• Successful completion of the Veterinary Technician National
• Examination (VTNE)
• Completion of the OAVT Professionalism and Ethics Workshop
• Submission of a clear Police Criminal Records Check (required prior to graduation)

Prospective students are strongly encouraged to review the OAVT's areas of expertise for Registered Veterinary Technicians, available at www.oavt.org.

It is also recommended that applicants have prior experience working with animals or take steps to familiarize themselves with the Veterinary Technician profession before applying. Applicants should be aware that holiday, weekend, early-morning, and evening responsibilities are an integral part of the program. Students are responsible for the daily care of the animals and the cleaning of facilities seven days a week, both before and after regular class hours and attendance at all scheduled on-campus laboratory sessions is mandatory, as absences may adversely affect student success.

The program includes extensive team based learning. Students must be comfortable working collaboratively in a group setting as well as independently.

Technology Requirements (BYOD):
All applicants are expected to own a laptop with a functioning camera and microphone, demonstrate computer proficiency, and have a working knowledge of Microsoft Office.

Program Schedule and Duration:
The two-year diploma program is delivered full-time over 4 terms (fall/winter). The program has a single fall intake each year. The final semester is extended and concludes mid-June to allow for the completion of a 6-week final practicum.

Health, Safety, and Immunization Requirements:
To be eligible to participate in laboratory, clinical, and placement activities, all Level 01 students will obtain pre-exposure rabies immunizations through Algonquin College Health Services and must have a tetanus vaccine within the last 10 years. Immunization records must be submitted to a third-party registration agency; applicable service fees will apply.

All Level 01 students are also required to complete online WHMIS and Ontario Health and Safety Awareness training provided at no cost by Algonquin College.

Additional Resources:

• The Ontario Association of Veterinary Technicians: www.oavt.org/home
• Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA): www.canadianveterinarians.net
• The Canadian Association for Laboratory Animal Science (CALAS/ACSAL): http://calas-acsal.org/Apps/Pages/CALAS-home
• The Ottawa Humane Society: www.ottawahumane.ca
• SPCA Outaouais: http://spca-outaouais.org/en/
• Registered Veterinary Technologists and Technicians of Canada: https://rvttcanada.ca/
• Alta Vista Specialty & Emergency Veterinary Centre: https://vcacanada.com/avse
• American Association of Veterinary State Boards: https://vcacanada.com/avse