Official program outline
Program description
The Veterinary Technician program provides an opportunity for students to acquire the skills, knowledge and attitudes required to be an integral member of a veterinary health care team. Through in-class theory and simulations, combined with actual clinical experience in local facilities, students learn to care for and handle animals, understand the basic principles of normal and abnormal life processes and carry out routine laboratory and clinical procedures.
Why choose Georgian?
Students have access to a modern on-campus veterinary hospital and variety of teaching animals to work with. The program features small class sizes and it is the only co-op Veterinary Technician program in Canada.
Placement opportunities
The program has two co-op semesters built in during the summer semesters. Our research indicates that employers typically hire additional staff in the busy summer period, and that they are willing to consider Georgian College Veterinary Technician students for co-ops. Students will have specific skill competencies to practice on their co-ops, reflective of their level of in-school training and education. Host employers will observe and validate competencies as part of their commitment to our students.
Lab/professional experience
Our on-campus veterinary hospital simulates many aspects of a clinic, including reception, animal housing, exam, lab and treatment areas, surgery and radiography. We have a special arrangement to work with healthy shelter or rescue animals throughout the program. We have housing for up to 11 dogs and 24 cats at any given time. Animals available at our campus location are shelter animals who reside with us on a short term basis. No animal experimentation is conducted at Georgian College. All guidelines of the Canadian Council on Animal Care are adhered to in the program, and ministry standards for animal use and housing are met. At all times students practice humane, ethical care for animals under supervision of the on-staff veterinarians and RVTs. The College does not treat animals owned by the members of the public.
Employment
Graduates will find a range of occupations as a member of the Veterinary Health Care Team, including employment in veterinary hospitals, clinics, zoos, animal shelters, pharmaceutical sales, diagnostic labs, kennels, grooming facilities, racetracks, livestock health management or food animal inspections.
Entry-level salary: Varies on location and type of employment.