Program Requirements

Program faculty recommend that applicants to the Veterinary Technology program have volunteer experience or paid practical experience under the supervision of a licensed veterinary technician or licensed Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. While there is no specific requirement for the number of hours of experience, it is important that applicants be fully aware of the veterinary medical profession and the job requirements of a veterinary technician/veterinary nurse prior to seeking admission to the program.

Students who intend to submit an application for possible entry into the Veterinary Technology program must first gain general admission to the college. General admission to the college may occur during any academic term for a prospective student to complete learning support and/or required general education and health core prerequisite courses that are necessary to qualify as an applicant to the program. Prospective students are generally admitted to the college as Healthcare Science or Interdisciplinary Studies majors.

The Veterinary Technology program uses a competitive admission process to select students. Program faculty designed the process to ensure maximum opportunity for student success. To receive consideration in the competitive admissions selection process, applicants must submit all required documentation for possible program admission to the Admissions Office by May 15 for the year in which the applicant seeks admission to the program. The number of students accepted into the program is limited to 18 students each at the beginning of fall semester. 

Applicants who are on academic probation or academically dismissed from the college as of the May 15 application deadline will not be considered for admission. Applicants not selected for the program may reapply during subsequent admission intake periods each. year. There is no waiting list maintained between intake periods; therefore, applicants must complete the application process for each attempt at entry into the program.

Upon meeting the general admission requirements of Athens Technical College, then applicants must submit the following information to the Admissions Office by the May 15 deadline to receive consideration for admission to the Veterinary Technology program:

• Official high school transcripts or GED transcripts and/or official college/university transcripts from all colleges/universities attended in the past. A minimum overall grade point average of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale is required on academic course work in order to be eligible for consideration for admission to the program. College Algebra (MATH 1111), Biology (BIOL 1111 and BIOL 1111L), Chemistry (CHEM 1211and CHEM 1211L), and Composition and Rhetoric (ENGL 1101) or equivalent courses must all be successfully completed prior to the application deadline to be considered as eligible to apply to the program.

• Proof of legal presence in the United States.

• Electronically submitted Veterinary Technology Intent Form. Electronic Intent Forms are available on the college website under Academic Programs.  The Intent Form specific to Veterinary Technology is found within the Full Course Catalog and Program Requirements. The electronic Intent Form must be completed and submitted prior to the May 15^th application deadline.

• Valid Assessment Technologies Institute Test of Essential Academic Skills (ATI TEAS) test scores. To be considered valid, the TEAS score must be less than five years old on the application deadline date. Multiple TEAS scores may be submitted to the college and the highest of those scores will be utilized in the ranking criteria of qualified applicants.
  
• Proof of minimum age of 18 years. Official birth certificates, passports, driver's licenses, or state issued photo identification cards are acceptable forms of documentation for verification that applicants are at least 18 years old.
• Completed signature form included in the Veterinary Technology Program Policies and Procedures Manual confirming that applicants have reviewed and understood the material included in the manual. Manuals relevant to each year’s application cycle are usually posted by early spring.
• Signed document acknowledging that the commission of a felony may prevent graduates from becoming licensed veterinary technicians in the State of Georgia and acknowledging that they may be required to complete drug testing and/or background checks at their own expense prior to participating in internships, practicums, or clinical activities at certain host sites for these activities (see Drug Testing/Background Checks).

• Completed signature form acknowledging the Understanding of a Career in Veterinary Medicine.

Applicants must complete college algebra (MATH 1111), biology (BIOL 1111 and BIOL 1111L), chemistry (CHEM 1211and CHEM 1211L), and composition and rhetoric (ENGL 1101) or equivalent courses with final course grades of C or higher prior to the application deadline. Applicants transferring from other colleges/universities must confirm the transferability of equivalent coursework with the Director of Registration and Records before the May 15 application deadline. 

Because performance in math and science has proven to be a predictor of success in the Veterinary Technology program and because communication skills contribute greatly to achieving that success, applicants will be ranked using the following criteria:

• Prerequisite course grades (BIOL 1111, BIOL 1111L, CHEM 1211, CHEM 1211L, MATH 1111, ENGL 1101).

• ATI TEAS exam score.

After May 15, the selection committee will review all applicants' records. During the month of June, notification letters will be mailed via US Postal Service to applicants. NOTE: It is the applicant's responsibility to make certain that a current mailing address is on file with the College.

Applicants invited to join the program at the end of the selection process will be required to attend a scheduled, mandatory Veterinary Technology Student Orientation prior to the beginning of the fall semester for which they have been accepted (typically in July). Failure to attend or to make alternate arrangements with the Veterinary Technology Program Chair will result in the forfeiture of admission to the program.

At the beginning of the Fall Semester when students begin VETT courses, they must submit the following documents to the Program Chair of the Veterinary Technology program:

• A completed Veterinary Technology Physical Examination Form by a qualified healthcare provider with the results of a recent medical physical examination that is less than six months old and a physician statement indicating that the student is in satisfactory health to work with animals.  Physical Examination Forms will be distributed by the Program Chair at the mandatory New Veterinary Technology Student Orientation (typically in July) and/or through the United States Postal Service.

• Proof of immunization records for Rabies Vaccine and Tetanus Vaccine
• Verification of paid fee for malpractice insurance (fee applied by college)
• Verification of pad fee for accident insurance (fee applied by college)

By August 31 of their first semester of enrollment, students will be required to submit official immunization records proving they have received vaccines against rabies and tetanus. Failure to submit official immunization records by August 31 from a healthcare provider or Georgia Registry of Immunization Transactions and Service (GRITS) will result in dismissal from the program. Rabies vaccinations are mandatory per AVMA-CVTEA accreditation standards.

Readmission Policy

If students withdraw from the program for any reason, they must follow the steps detailed under Life Sciences Programs Readmission. Students seeking re-entry into Veterinary Technology will be required to complete all conditions of a program-specific individualized program of study plan. In addition, students seeking readmission will abide by all college and program-based policies and procedures in place at the time of their request for readmission.

Residency Policy

Only in the event that the program slots cannot be filled with Georgia residents who meet the minimum admissions criteria can out-of-state students be admitted to the Veterinary Technology program.