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STEUBENVILLE -- Eastern Gateway Community College has added veterinary technician as its newest associate degree program. Classes will begin during the fall semester, but students interested in applying for the program can begin taking prerequisites in January.
"This is an example of Eastern Gateway Community College offering a new degree program for in-demand jobs and being responsive to the workforce needs of the communities we serve," said Arthur Daly, the school's senior vice president. "We have been working for years to bring this program to Eastern Gateway Community College and we are excited to welcome our first cohort of students."
A vet tech provides support to veterinarians in the care of companion, large and exotic animals. To provide the necessary clinical experience for its vet tech students, the college will partner with Angels for Animals in Canfield. Opened in 2000, Angel Place is a $2.8 million, 13,500-square-foot animal-friendly facility. The state-of-the art facility features a shelter and adoption center; spay and neuter services; and a full-service veterinary clinic, including several operating theaters, and classrooms. Many classes will be held at this facility.
"For us, there is no better job in the world than working with animals. Their unconditional companionship not only delights us, but inspires us to offer them exceptional care every day," said Diane Less, co-founder of Angels for Animals. "We are excited to partner with Eastern Gateway Community College to prepare students in our area to enter this amazing field."
The vet tech program is rigorous. In order to apply for the program, prospective students must have a high school diploma or equivalent; successfully complete 13 credit hours of prerequisites; complete a minimum of 40 hours of field experience; and pass a background check. The required prerequisites are succeeding in college; quantitative reasoning; English composition; medical terminology; and intro to chemistry. The field experience can include working, volunteering or shadowing veterinary professionals in clinic or hospital settings, large animal farms or facilities or adoption shelters. Written responses about the experience are part of the application process.
Once accepted into the program, students will graduate in four semesters. The first 16-student cohort will begin taking classes in the fall and all prerequisites must be completed by Aug. 5.
The national accrediting body, the American Veterinary Medical Association, will monitor the performance of the program for the first year before issuing a full accreditation. This is the organization's standard process, and all vet tech programs function under conditional accreditation until two full cohorts have completed course work. EGCC expects the program to reach full accreditation for fall 2022.
This is the second new program offering at the school in 2020. Its social work program began offering classes this fall.
For information about the program contact the college's admissions department at (740) 264-5591 ext.1500.