Veterinary Technician
Channel Your Passion for Animals into a Veterinary Career
Veterinary technicians provide professional technical support to veterinarians, biomedical researchers, and other scientists.
They also care for hospitalized patients; assist doctors in surgery; perform physical exams, lab work, and technical procedures; take health histories and X-rays; and more.
At Kirkwood, you'll learn to work with a variety of animals including dogs, cats, horses, cows, pigs, sheep, birds, snakes, guinea pigs, hamsters, and rats.
You'll need a strong passion for biological sciences to succeed as a veterinary technician.
Kirkwood offers more than $3 million in scholarships for students each year. Veterinary technician students may also qualify for the Kibbie Grant.
Graduates of the Veterinary Technician program will be able to:
- Demonstrate collaborative skills as a member of the veterinary health care team.
- Employ office and hospital management procedures.
- Apply pharmacologic principles and procedures in veterinary practice.
- Perform surgical preparation, anesthesia, and assistance in veterinary surgery and hospital treatment.
- Perform food animal, equine, and companion animal inpatient and outpatient nursing.
- Obtain samples and perform veterinary clinical laboratory procedures.
- Perform diagnostic medical imaging.
- Demonstrate laboratory, avian, and exotic animal procedures.
- Follow and uphold applicable laws and ethical codes of the profession of veterinary technology.
- Adhere to industry and OSHA standards for safety.
A one-hour program conference is required prior to acceptance to the program. You'll learn more about the program, specific admissions requirements, and have the opportunity to have questions answered by program faculty and staff.
Program Costs
Veterinary Technician
School Year: 2023–2024
Program Entry Semester: Fall/Spring/Summer
| Pre-Reqs | Summer | Fall | Spring | Summer | Fall | Spring | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Credit Hours per Semester | 0 | 10 | 17 | 15 | 7 | 17 | 17 | 83 |
| In-State Tuition | $0 | $2,100 | $3,570 | $3,150 | $1,470 | $3,570 | $3,570 | $17,430 |
| Technology Fee per Semester | $0 | $50 | $50 | $50 | $50 | $50 | $50 | $300 |
| Clinical Expenses (mileage, lodging, screenings, etc.) | $0 | $1,400 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $1,400 |
| Conferences/Seminars | $0 | $0 | $20 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $20 | $40 |
| Course Resources (textbooks, software, etc.) | $0 | $200 | $250 | $500 | $0 | $500 | $300 | $1,750 |
| Course/Section Fees | $0 | $10 | $30 | $50 | $0 | $70 | $220 | $380 |
| Laptop (required devices) | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Testing Fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Third Party Credentials | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Tool Sets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Uniforms | $0 | $200 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $200 |
| Other | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total Estimated Cost | $3,960 | $3,920 | $3,750 | $1,520 | $4,190 | $4,160 | $21,500 |
Costs provided are estimated and based on the following current tuition rates: $210 (In-State), $281 (Out-of-State), $400 (International).
Explore More
This program is accredited by the AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities (CVTEA). For more information, go to www.avma.org.
Successful completion of this program qualifies you to test for licensure, certification, or registry in the following states: Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Missouri, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Kirkwood does not determine whether program curriculum meets educational requirements for licensure/certification beyond the states listed above.
Our mission is to advance the practice of veterinary medicine through the education and development of motivated, skillful, and compassionate veterinary technicians.
Veterinary Technician National Exam Reporting to the Community.
3-Year Veterinary Technician National Examination Pass Rates
| July 1, 2020 - June 30, 2023 | |
|---|---|
| Number of first-time candidates who have taken the VTNE | 51 |
| Three-year VTNE pass percentage | 73% |
The three-year pass percentage on VTNE is calculated as follows:
X/Y * 100=Three-year pass percentage whereby
- X is the number of first time candidates that passed the VTNE and
- Y is the number of first-time candidates that have taken the VTNE
Veterinary Technician State Exam Reporting to the Community
| YEAR | Number Taking VTSE | Number Passing | Percent Passing VTSE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 20 | 20 | 100 |
| 2021 | 11 | 11 | 100 |
| 2020 | 14 | 14 | 100 |
| 2019 | 15 | 15 | 100 |
| 2018 | 20 | 20 | 100 |
| 2017 | 16 | 16 | 100 |
| 2016 | 14 | 14 | 100 |
| 2015 | 13 | 13 | 100 |
| 2014 | 16 | 16 | 100 |
| 2013 | 20 | 19 | 95 |
| 2012 | 11 | 11 | 100 |
| 2011 | 16 | 15 | 93.7 |
| 2010 | 23 | 22 | 95.6 |
| 2009 | 19 | 17 | 89 |
| 2008 | 22 | 22 | 100 |
“I work full time and drive about an hour to come to class. I come to campus part time and take the rest of my classes online, so that helps make it all possible for me. It’s nice to have online options and some flexibility, but it’s nice to get to meet and know people face-to-face when I’m on campus for class too.”
Breann Millburn-Nesler,
Monmouth, Iowa
Frequently Asked Questions
No. You’ll want to take Pre-Veterinary Medicine course through our Arts and Sciences division; then transfer to a four-year college or university to receive a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, animal science, physics, or biology. After that, you’ll attend veterinary school and work toward your Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree.
Self-motivation; a goal-oriented attitude; an outgoing, friendly personality; and maturity are needed to be successful in this career. Working with a veterinarian on a paid or volunteer basis is also a good idea and will expose you to all aspects of the career – including sights, smells, sounds, and issues that may be hard to deal with including euthanasia.
- Livestock (Cattle, equine, goats, sheep, etc.)
- Exotic animals-Reptiles
- Domestic pets
- Pocket pets (Guinea pigs, gerbils, hamsters, etc.)
- Birds
In the State of Iowa, you must graduate from an AVMA accredited program and then pass both the national credentialing exam and the state jurisprudence exam. Requirements vary from state to state so be sure to contact the veterinary medical examining board in the state where you want to practice. Be sure to contact the veterinary medical examining board in the state where you want to practice.
Program Requirements
All students applying for admission into the Veterinary Technician programs will be required to take the HESI entrance exam. Please read the information below carefully.
All students are required to attend a program conference for the Veterinary Technician program. Students must pre-register by going to the Veterinary Technician page on the Kirkwood Community College website and clicking on the program conference tab.
Once a student attends a program conference, a student list will be provided to the Kirkwood Bookstore within three business days of attending a program conference. After the third business day, the student will be able to go to the Kirkwood Bookstore (1st floor, Benton Hall) to purchase access to the HESI entrance exam. The cost of the exam is $50 (price is subject to change). Cash and debit/credit card payments are accepted.
Once the HESI exam has been purchased, the student should schedule a time to take the exam at the Test Center on Cedar Rapids Main Campus. The link to schedule a time to take the exam is https://guides.kirkwood.edu/testcenter/cedarrapids. The exam is offered on Monday and Thursday mornings. Keep your bookstore receipt and take it with you on the day of the exam. Proof of payment (receipt) will be required in order to take the exam. Students must also create an account through Elsevier (https://evolve.elsevier.com/cs/login) and bring the log-in information with them on the day of the exam.
On the day of the scheduled exam, students must bring a valid (not expired) photo I.D., such as a driver’s license or passport for to verify identification. In addition, to a valid photo I.D., proof of payment (bookstore receipt) and Elsevier user name and password will be required for testing. Students will be allowed four hours to complete the entrance exam and will receive their results immediately upon completion. Students are allowed two attempts at the exam.
Students must meet with an advisor to go over their exam results, whether the required scores were met or not. Students should contact Ashley Moeller at ashley.moeller@kirkwood.edu to schedule a time to discuss results. Ashley's office is located in Washington Hall. The advisor will work with the student to determine their next steps.
The exam is divided into the following sections:
| Grammar | 75 |
| Reading | 75 |
| Vocabulary | 75 |
| Biology | 72 |
| Chemistry | 70 |
| Math | 72 |
**Admission requirements must be met by April 1st of each year for the Veterinary Technician program. Completion of admission requirements does not guarantee admission into the program. The program admits 24 students and is determined on a first-come, first serve basis.
It is highly suggested that students prepare for this entrance exam, in advance. HESI Admission Assessment Exam Review workbook (ISBN: 9780323582261) is strongly encouraged to be used as a study material. This book is available on Amazon and through Elsevier.
Students can also access Brainfuse through the State Library of Iowa. https://guides.kirkwood.edu/brainfuseguide → Brainfuse Test Preparation → Nursing School Exams → HESI Practice Tests.
Licensure and Certification Disclosure
Successful completion of this program leads to a professional licensure or certification. View the state listing guide to identify which Kirkwood program fulfills state guidelines for professional licensure and certification.
Questions?
Agricultural Sciences
1000 Washington Hall
319-398-5609
agsciences@kirkwood.edu