This is the required first step on/in your path to becoming a vet tech at Great Falls College. Our online Veterinary Office program equips you with the skills needed to support veterinary offices, animal care facilities and clinics. Under the supervision of office managers, veterinary technicians or veterinarians, you’ll learn to provide exceptional customer service, manage patient intake and discharge and assist with daily operations.
Manage business functions of a veterinary office including communicating professionally and upholding the veterinary technology ethical code.
| BIOB 101 Discover Biology w/ Lab |
| M 105 Contemporary Mathematics |
| VET 111 Veterinary Nursing I |
| VET 141 Veterinary Office Procedures I |
| VET 143 Veterinary Office Procedures I |
Work alongside veterinarians in small or large animal practices, assisting with medical procedures, diagnostics and patient care. A Veterinary Office CTS is required before moving onto the full Veterinary Technician program.
Students are advised to study biology, anatomy and physiology concepts in preparation for the Vet Tech degree.
M140 Math for Healthcare Applications is recommended for this program but not required. Students with M140 Math for Healthcare Applications will receive more points on the Veterinary Technician AAS application than other core math classes. Students who chose not to take M140 Math for Healthcare Applications should practice medical math concepts to prepare for the coursework in the Veterinary Technician AAS degree.
Dosage Calculation:
Animal A&P:
Rabies Vaccine Notice: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people who work directly with animals that could have rabies receive a 2-dose PrEP with titer once every three years. If you have questions regarding this vaccination series, please speak to the program director, listed below.
Why do I need it? the CDC recommends anyone working with animals be prophylaxed with the rabies vaccine. Therefore, the AVMA CVTEA requires either students or all mammals in our program be fully vaccinated. Students who decline the vaccine may encounter challenges in the final semester of the program finding vaccinated cattle/horses/goats/and or sheep to work with while completing the required skills necessary to graduate.
Where do I get my rabies vaccine? Schedule an appointment with your local doctor or County Health Department to get the vaccine. Check with your health insurance provide to determine if it is covered. Your local provider or health department may have to order the vaccine. Please reach out to our program director if you have more questions.
Technical Standards
The technical standards for the Great Falls College Veterinary Technician Program are listed below and are considered criteria for admission to the program.
If you have questions or concerns about your ability to meet the technical standards with or without accommodations, or if you would like to arrange reasonable accommodations, you should contact Disability Services. Applicants who disclose a disability are considered for admission if they are otherwise qualified so long as such accommodation does not significantly alter the essential requirements of the curriculum and the educational program or significantly affect the safety of patients or others.
To successfully complete the Veterinary Technician program, students must demonstrate their competency in carrying out tasks necessary for safe and effective practice in the field, including:
Observation/Sensory-Motor
Communication
Psychomotor
Intellectual-Conceptual, Integrative, and Quantitative
Behavioral and Social Attributes
If students complete the following steps
They will be eligible to apply for the Veterinary Technician AAS degree.
Is the Veterinary Office certificate of studies a prerequisite for the Veterinary Technician program?
Yes. Each fall, Great Falls College will offer a Veterinary Office certificate of technical studies. The 18-19 credits that make up this program are the prerequisites to get into the Veterinary Technician associate of applied science program. You may want to take some of the credits before the fall semester to lighten your load, especially for those needing an additional math course (based on math placement scores). You can discuss this with your advisor.
What does a Vet Office certificate do for me if I don’t go on to the Vet Tech program?
If you complete the Veterinary Office certificate but do not move on to the Vet Tech program, you will have the skills to manage the business functions of a veterinary office, including providing customer service, visitor reception, patient intake and discharge services.
When will I apply for the Vet Tech program?
While the courses in the Vet Office certificate are the required prerequisites for the Veterinary Technician associate of applied science degree, you will apply for the Vet Tech program before completing that first semester of the Vet Office certificate. However, you will need to successfully complete the certificate before being officially accepted into the Vet Tech program. The Vet Tech program will start in the spring semester each year.
