Program Highlights

Learn to care for our four-legged friends as a veterinary technician.

Veterinary technicians are able to handle a wide variety of tasks around a veterinary office, such as performing X-rays, provide nursing care to animals and administering anesthesia. In fact, a licensed veterinary technician can do anything except diagnose illnesses, prescribe medication or perform surgery. If you enjoy working with animals, you can learn to handle all of these tasks, and you won’t even have to spend four years in school.

Our veterinary technology associate degree program can prepare you for a great career in this highly rewarding field. As a student, you’ll be able to take classes led by practicing veterinary professionals who are very knowledgeable about the latest techniques and tools being used today. This is a limited enrollment program.

With a combination of classroom time, work in our high-tech labs and real work experience, you’ll learn the fundamentals of veterinary care and work to develop a full range of nursing and lab skills.
As a graduate of this program, you’ll be eligible to sit for national licensing exams.
The veterinary technology Associate of Applied Science program at Baker College is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association, Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities (AVMA, CVTEA).

At a glance

Credit Hours

Years (Avg.)

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Learn Your Way

Veterinary Technology classes are taught at the Cadillac, Jackson, Muskegon, and Owosso campuses. Plus, general education and prerequisite courses are typically available through Baker Online, Online Live, and on all campuses throughout Michigan.

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Direct Admission

Enrollment in the Veterinary Technology program is limited, and admission is highly competitive. High-performing incoming freshmen may qualify for guaranteed enrollment and a $6,000-per-year scholarship through our direct admission program.

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Why Study Veterinary Technology?

A veterinary technician can best be thought of as an animal nurse. By definition, a veterinary technician is a person who has completed a two-year veterinary technology associate degree from an institution accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). The Veterinary Practice Act of Michigan allows veterinary technicians to do anything for the care of animals except diagnose disease, prescribe medication and perform surgery.

Besides providing nursing care, veterinary technicians also function as laboratory technicians, radiology technicians, pharmacy technicians, surgical technicians and anesthesia technicians. In addition, veterinary technicians are often responsible for a majority of the client education that occurs in a veterinary practice. Thus, this is a profession that requires excellent communication skills.

The veterinary technology profession is very diverse and the opportunities for technicians are extremely varied. Career opportunities exist within, but are not limited to, the following areas: small animal hospitals, large animal hospitals, research, education, pharmaceuticals and the military.

Career Facts

$34,420

Median Yearly Income

19%

Outlook 2018–2028

$50,010

Median Salary for Executives

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Curriculum

The Baker College veterinary technology Associate of Applied Science program is a two-year, CVTEA-accredited program consisting of 63 credit hours (14 prerequisites and 46 major requirements). Our curriculum includes laboratory and exotic animal procedures and nursing, a veterinary technology capstone and board review, and a 240-hour veterinary technology internship.

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Sample Courses

Extended Reality Learning

Take your learning to a whole new level.

The College of Health Science is proud to offer courses that include Extended Reality (XR) learning. These experiences provide immersive, hands-on learning that will prepare you for a successful career in the healthcare field.

In Their Words

“I think Baker being a more career-oriented school makes it different than a lot of other major universities... Here, it's very specific to what you need to do. They know what you need to know when you get out. They know what the job search is going to be like. They know exactly what you need before you leave.”

Additional Requirements

Once you have successfully graduated from an AVMA-accredited program, you can sit for the national licensing exam. If you pass the VTNE exam, you will be eligible for licensure as a Licensed Veterinary Technician (LVT) in the state of Michigan.

Outcomes & Performance

Graduates will exceed the average pass rate for both the national and state licensing exams.

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Accreditation

Accreditation is granted through the American Veterinary Medical Association, Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities (AVMA, CVTEA), 1931 North Meacham Road, Suite 100, Schaumburg, IL 60173-4630; 800-248-2862; fax: 847-925-1329; Web address: avma.org. Cadillac, Jackson, Muskegon and Owosso are currently accredited.

Classes Available

This program is offered in-person on our campuses in Cadillac, Jackson, Muskegon, and Owosso. In Michigan our students come from Ann Arbor, Auburn Hills, Cadillac, Dearborn, Detroit, Flint, Grand Rapids, Jackson, Lansing, Kalamazoo, Muskegon, Owosso, Traverse City, and many other locations. Beyond Michigan, our online graduates hail from Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and other states.

Associate of Applied Science

Veterinary Technology