Online Degree Program

The next class begins Fall 2011

The last date to apply for On Line is June 15^th  2011

Student information

• Admission requirements
  • Now What? (click here when you are ready to apply)
• Class schedule
• Evaluation and grading
• Faculty
• Mentors and veterinary educational sites
• What it will take to succeed in the program
• Documents (can be downloaded and printed)
  • Task list
  • Equipment list
  • Memorandum of agreement

Mentor information

• Mentor requirements
• Facility requirements
• Responsibilities
• Time
• Documents (can be downloaded and printed)
  • Task list
  • Equipment list
  • Memorandum of agreement

Beginning in the fall of 2002 (August 24, 2002) the Veterinary Technology Program at the Loudoun Campus of Northern Virginia Community College began offering the Veterinary Technology degree program on line, in addition to the traditional on campus program. The program achieved provisional accreditation from the American Veterinary Medical Association in 2005.

The online program is designed for the student working in a veterinary practice, in fact a requirement for student admission is employment of at least 20 hours per week in a veterinary practice. The success of the student, and ultimately this program, depends greatly on participation and commitment of the veterinary practice where the student is employed. Since students will be getting most of their "hands on" education through their employer, not in a college laboratory setting, the importance of the mentoring and instruction students obtain at their practices is essential.

Courses are internet based. Students will use class notes from the internet and textbooks for the didactic portion of the class. Students will participate in on line class discussions and meet regularly with faculty on line and by e-mail. Formal examinations will be taken at their local Virginia Community College. Laboratory review and clinical examinations will be  at the Loudoun Campus of Northern Virginia Community College, Sterling, Virginia. Many methods of evaluation of clinical skills will be employed including: video taping, product evaluation (i.e. radiographs and blood slides, etc. done by student),  e-mail assignments, task list check off by mentors, student journals and of course, on campus testing.

Tuition and fees. When an applicant for the program has fulfilled all requirements (i.e. sent in letters of recommendation, transcripts etc.) they will be contacted for an interview. Interviews will begin in the spring. The class selection should be completed by July 15.

1) It will require 3 years (8 semesters) for program completion

2) Two or three veterinary technology courses will be offered per semester for 8 semesters, classes must be taken in sequence. Students also are required to complete several general education requirements for the AAS degree many of these courses can be taken at local community colleges or via the internet.

3) Students must work at an approved veterinary facility, an average minimum of 20 hours per week *

4) Students must have a veterinary mentor; this person must be a licensed veterinarian and will receive a certificate as an adjunct clinical professor after verification of credentials. The mentor will work with the student and NVCC faculty members on specific educational objectives, they will meet with the student and college faculty member on a regular basis and stay in touch with the college faculty by phone or e-mail. The mentor has the option of appointing another veterinarian or licensed technician to assist the student and sign off on clinical tasks as required for each course.

5) Students must attend the Loudoun Campus two to three times per semester for testing and/or study.

6) College admission and veterinary technology admission requirements include:

A) Admission to NVCC with Loudoun designated as home campus.
B) Student be 18 years of age or older.
C) Satisfactory scores on NVCC placement tests for reading, writing, and mathematics.
D) Completion of one unit of high school level algebra or equivalent.
E) Completion of at least one unit of high school biology and one unit of high school chemistry.
F) Past academic achievement in the above course requirements must reflect a C average or better. Deficiencies may be corrected in the College's developmental program before entering the Veterinary Technology program.
G) Two letters of recommendation (one should be from the primary mentor) and a letter of intent from student.

These guidelines have been established in accordance with the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and are similar to requirements of the other existing accredited distance/on line programs for veterinary technicians in the United States.

* The facility should be licensed and in good standing with the veterinary medical board. The student, the mentor and the faculty will complete a "memorandum of agreement" that outlines the goals of the program and expectations of each participant. Mentors will also complete a task and equipment list that documents the tasks and equipment that students should be able to perform and use in their facility by graduation. This is the same list that Veterinary Technology programs in the United States adhere to for AVMA accreditation. It is expected that students will have to gain some experience at other facilities for requirements pertaining to large animals, emergency work, exotics etc.

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Student Information

Admission Requirements:

1) Students must work at an approved veterinary facility, an average minimum of 20 hours per week

2) Students must have a veterinary mentor; this person must be a licensed veterinarian and will receive a certificate as an adjunct clinical professor after verification of credentials.

3) Students must attend the Loudoun Campus two or three times per semester for testing and/or study.

4) College admission and Veterinary technology admission requirements include:

A) Admission to NVCC with Loudoun designated as home campus.
B) Student be 18 years of age or older.
C) Satisfactory scores on NVCC placement tests for reading, writing, and mathematics.
D) Completion of one unit of high school level algebra or equivalent.
E) Completion of at least one unit of high school biology and one unit of high school chemistry.
F) Past academic achievement in the above course requirements must reflect a C average or better. Deficiencies may be corrected in the College's developmental program before entering the Veterinary Technology program.
G) Two letters of recommendation (one should be from the primary mentor) and a letter of intent from student.

5) Students and mentors must sign a Memorandum of Agreement regarding goals of the program

Class Schedule: This is the schedule for the veterinary technology courses only. Students must also take courses in English, Social Science, Math, Chemistry, Physical Education and Student Development to complete the degree,.

Link to individual Veterinary technology course descriptions
 http://www.nvcc.edu/ces/prefixesV.html#VET  

Link to the non-veterinary technology courses required - note this is the course schedule for the 2 year campus program (not the online program) but the requirements are the same.http://www.nvcc.edu/loudoun/scidiv/VTech/curriculum.htm

Evaluation and grading:

Student's clinical skills and knowledge may be be evaluated in several ways, including:

1) A clinical skills task list will be provided to students with individual skills listed which will be observed by mentors and after satisfactory completion will be signed off by the mentor

2) Mentors or other hospital personnel may videotape students performing clinical tasks

3) Students may keep a portfolio of their clinical work, for example radiographs and hematology slides.

4) Students may document their clinical activities and performance of particular skills.

5) On line quizzes and discussions

6) Written e-mailed assignments
 

Testing and grading:
Written exams will be taken at the students' local community colleges using the Blackboard system.
Clinical skills will be reviewed in a formal setting at the Loudoun Campus of NVCC.
Clinical skills will be evaluated via video taping.
Most classes will meet two or three times per semester at the Loudoun Campus.

Four full-time professors from the accredited on campus Veterinary Technology Program at NVCC teach classes and one adjunct faculty member also teaches a class.

Mentors (veterinarians) will be recognized as adjunct clinical professors (honorary, unpaid position). They will be involved in evaluation or the student’s clinical skills some semesters and will work closely with the students to meet requirements involving both academic and clinical skills.

The NVCC faculty, student mentors and students will work as a team in the educational process to assure the highest academic standards.

Mentors and teaching sites:

Each student must have a mentor who is a graduate licensed veterinarian in good standing with the Board of Veterinary Medicine.

The mentor is required to sign a Memorandum of Agreement. This Memorandum is not a binding or legal contract.
The purpose is to document credentials and clarify the mentors’ responsibility.
Part of the mentoring agreement includes completion of a questionnaire regarding clinical tasks and equipment that can be performed at the mentoring facility.
This task and equipment list is the same document that all veterinary technology programs are required to submit to the AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) for accreditation.

The mentor is required to send a copy of their transcripts from their college of veterinary medicine and a resume or C.V. to the chairman of the Natural and Applied Science Division of the Loudoun Campus.

The mentor can assign another qualified individual to assist the student, either another veterinarian or a licensed veterinary technician.

The Memorandum of Agreement, Task List and Equipment list can be viewed or downloaded below.

Obviously this program is designed for the working student who for what ever reason is not enrolled in a full time campus program. Students must realize that this program is equal to the on campus program in regard to material presented and testing methods. The difference is in the method of delivery. It is not "watered down" or a correspondence course.

Dedication: This is a difficult and rigorous curriculum, and by taking the program via the internet part time it will be 3 years before you complete the degree. It is important for student success and that of the new program that a long-range commitment be made.

Self motivation and independence: Most of the time students will be working on their own, without the companionship or camaraderie of classmates or the close supervision of faculty members. No one will say, "lets get together to study over a pizza." A student who dislikes working alone or needs the interaction and support of others should choose the on campus program.

Reading comprehension skills: Most educational materials will be in written form. Students who have trouble understanding written instructions or comprehending complex written concepts are better suited for the on campus program. Many people are visual and oral learners, many people are great with technical skills and can quickly pick up skills by watching but are not gifted as readers or test takers. Students who fall into this category would be better suited for the on campus program.

Great mentor and facility: Absolutely essential! Without a supportive mentor and an adequate facility it is impossible to do the program.

Support structure: Family and friends must be aware that this is a college degree program, and that the student is not just "surfing the web". They should be informed at the beginning what will be involved, the time needed on the internet, sometimes at specific times and the general time requirement of the class.

Support and study groups from classmates and mentors are strongly encouraged! Student question and answer boards will be posted and student chat rooms. Also there will be some small group assignments so students can get to know each other.

Time management:

This aspect of on line education cannot be over emphasized! Why not get a day timer or make a study schedule the first day of class and stick to it.

It is so easy to put it off until tomorrow - especially if the class is on line!

That is why many classes will have required on line meeting times and the professor will ask specific questions to see if the student is keeping up.

Students should set aside time everyday to study the material and to practice clinical skills, the amount needed will vary between student, and type of class.

Most experts say that for every hour in class a student should spend 3 hours outside of class in review and study to achieve an A. This is certainly true for on line classes.

Although the student can log on anytime to go to the class and respond to forum questions, there are some specific times that students will be required to attend chat rooms for a grade.

Task list
Equipment list
Memorandums of agreement

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Mentor requirements:

Those serving as the primary mentor for the student are required to be licensed graduate veterinarians in good standing with the Board of Veterinary Medicine.

The mentor is required to sign an agreement (called a Memorandum of Agreement).
This Memorandum is not a binding or legal contract.
Its purpose is to document credentials and clarify the mentors’ responsibility. Part of the agreement is to complete a questionnaire regarding clinical tasks and equipment. This is the same document that all veterinary technology programs are required to submit to the AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) for accreditation

The mentor is required to send a copy of their transcripts from their college of veterinary medicine to the Dean of the Natural and Applied Science Division of the Loudoun Campus, the mentor is then recognized as an honorary adjunct professor and receives a certificate from the college. The college  retains the transcript and the mentor should retain their certificate which is presented to the inspector from the State Board of Veterinary Medicine to verify that the student technician is under supervision. Student technicians in the online program are allowed to perform many tasks reserved for licensed technicians. The mentor transcripts is a requirement of the Board of Veterinary Medicine State of Virginia.

The mentor can assign another qualified individual to assist the student (either another veterinarian or a licensed veterinary technician). This person can also check off on clinical tasks and perform other evaluations.

Facility requirements:

The veterinary facility should be registered with the state.

Mentors are a key to the student’s success and ultimately the program’s success.
Mentors will be responsible for assuring that the student learns the various clinical skills required for program completion. The mentor will also "sign off" (initial) the student’s clinical skills list after observing the student perform the task adequately. Each semester the student will have a group of clinical skills to accomplish, by the end of the semester the skills list should be accomplished and signed off by the mentor. The student will then be ready for the final exam in the course.
It is hoped that mentors will also participate in the students education in other ways including:
Regular meetings with students to evaluate progress and work on problem areas
Helping students, if needed, with class assignments or study
Informal teaching sessions, discussing current cases and how they relate to on line classes
Informal presentations or quizzes relating to current classes
Sharing resource material with student (text books and journals, since the student might not have access to college library for research like an on campus students)
Regular communication with college faculty, by phone, e-mail or faculty visits
Joining a "chat room" as an expert guest for some of the on line classes

There is no set time requirement. The time will very between semester and student.

Some semesters the classes may require minimum clinical work or the clinical tasks required might be things the student is already doing on a regular basis. Other semesters might require much more time from both the mentors and students, for example, if the student or hospital does not regularly do CBCs, during the semester that VET 131 (hematology) is taught, the hematology equipment will have to be brought out and techniques reviewed by both mentor and student.

Students are told to plan for 2-3 hours of study/practice for every hour in class. Most of the time they will be taking the equivalent of 6 to 7 hours per week of course work, which would mean another 12-18 hours a week of study outside of class. These are only guidelines and will vary among students.

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Factors such as: grade point average, years of employment in the field and at the mentoring facility, strength of recommendation letters etc. may be taken into consideration if the number of qualified applicants out numbers the class space.

Much of veterinary technology is related to clinical skills. Without a strong and committed mentor in place the on line student cannot complete the program.

For that reason it is essential to have the commitment from the mentor and all Memorandum of Agreements in place before beginning the program.

The goal is to admit 30-35 well-qualified, highly motivated students..

The program requires a student commitment of 2 courses most semesters for 8 semesters. Since courses are offered only every three years (at this time) it would mean that students would have to wait three years to take the class again.

As the on line program evolves and proves successful more courses and class flexibility is planned.

The on line program is not a "stepping stone" into an on campus program. Students should not consider switching from one program to the other.

At this time courses are offered every two years.

As the on line program evolves and proves successful more courses and class flexibility is planned.

There are always emergencies situations that arise and have to be taken into account. Depending upon the problem and at what point in the semester it occurs there is a possibility that the class can be completed the next semester (with special tutoring and approval) and the student would not fail the course or drop out of the program.

Yes, all veterinary technology courses are offered through the Veterinary Technology Program based at the Loudoun Campus of Northern Virginia Community College.
Non-veterinary technology courses (to be completed before admission to the program if possible) can be completed at other colleges and universities.

The course will have to be evaluated for content by the program director to verify it is equal to the course offered in the NVCC program.

yes

Yes, tests can be completed at other community colleges in Virginia using the Blackboard format.

Hands on laboratory review and testing is completed at the Loudoun campus.
Campus visits are a current requirement of State of Virginia for all distance education courses.

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) specifies what material is to be taught and tested.

The specific material covered in an on line course is equal to that covered in the same on campus course.

The best way to stay in touch with the faculty is by e-mail.

They will be appointed as adjunct clinical faculty, which is an honorary position.

They are considered essential in the educational process and their clinical teaching of the student is the basis of all the student’s clinical skills. They are not asked to administer or grade exams directly, (due to a possible conflict of interest). Their input is requested every semester by the faculty regarding student’s performance, knowledge and attitude.

Two or three times a semester, also pre-arranged on-line meeting times can be scheduled

The primary mentor must be a veterinarian. The primary mentor can then assign a Licensed Technician to be an assistant mentor and help with all the tasks required of the primary mentor

See above (mentor responsibilities)

The clinical task list is several pages long and comes directly from the AVMA.

Those tasks with asterisks are required by technicians, the other are recommended.

The purpose of "signing off" on this list is simply to provide the mentor and clinical facility serving as the training site a good idea of what the student is required to accomplish and the equipment and reagents that will be needed. It is not expected that a veterinary facility will be able to verify all of the clinical tasks or that they will own all of the equipment. Most students will require some experience at other places, including emergency clinics, a large animal facility or practitioner and/or a laboratory.

The equipment list is also from the AVMA and is about 1 page long.

To view or download these lists go to the documents section. 

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Veterinary Technology Program Home Page | Loudoun Campus Home Page | NVCC Home Page

For questions or more information on the Vet Tech Online Degree Program, contact Dr. Suzy Aller at (703) 450-2623 or via e-mail at maller@nvcc.edu

This page last updated: October 20, 2010