Online Courses

Throughout eight semesters of online courses, you will delve into a wide array of crucial topics, ranging from anatomy, physiology, pharmacy procedures, and nutrition, to more specialized subjects such as surgical nursing, large animal nursing, and principles of anesthesia. By utilizing a distance learning format, we offer a flexible, yet immersive curriculum designed to prepare you with a solid foundation of knowledge and skills essential to become a proficient veterinary technician in various practice and non-practice areas.

In addition to these online courses, you'll also engage in hands-on experience through our mentorship program.

1st Semester

VM 10500 Intro to Veterinary Technology (1 credit)

An introduction to the profession of Veterinary Technology will be presented. It will include the many roles of veterinary technicians on the veterinary teams in practice and non-practice areas. Learning skills with an emphasis on medical terminology will be covered to help the student develop a foundation of medical vocabulary for future courses.

VM 11700 Anatomy (3 credits)

This course introduces students to the general anatomy of mammalian body systems and biologicl processes, with an emphasis on domestic animals. The course will review body systems and comparative anatomy between canine, feline, equine, and ruminant species. It will focus on anatomy of the immune, cardiovascular, nervous, muscular, respiratory, renal, endocrine, reproductive, and digestive systems.

VM 13700 Physiology (2 credits)

This introductions students to the general physiology of mammalian body systems and biological processes, with an emphasis on domestic animals. The course will place emphasis on the function of celular components, blood, the immune system, and the physiology of the cardiovascular, nervous, muscular, respiratory, renal, endocrine, reproductive, and digestive systems.

VM 20200 Pharmacy Procedures (1 credit)

This course introduces students to the concepts of pharmacy procedures used in veterinary practice. Concepts covered in this course include basic record keeping, safe handling of drugs and chemicals, inventory control, calculation of amount of drugs to be dispensed or dosed, reading prescriptions, labeling drug containers, compounding, and drug regulatory matters that impact the veterinary hospital pharmacy.

2nd Semester

VM 23000 Public & Occupational Health (1 credit)

This course provides basic instruction in the concepts of workplace safety related to the veterinary technician. This course will place an emphasis on the basic information needed to recognize hazards commonly encountered and the steps that should be taken to reduce the risk of exposure to hazards. Other practical aspects of public health will be discussed.

VM 14001 Small Animal Nursing I (3 credits)

This is the first of two courses involving nursing and management of the small animal patient. This is the introduction to small animal patient care and treatment that a technician will be expected to provide in a veterinary practice. It includes techniques, equipment, client education, management of the hospitalized patient and preventative medicine. Emphasis will be on the role of the veterinary technician in the veterinary hospital.

VM 15001 Clinical Pathology I (2 credits)

This course is the first of two courses that provides basic instruction in the concepts of Clinical Pathology to the veterinary technician student. This course will place emphasis on the terminology used in clinical pathology, as well as erythrocyte, leukocyte and thrombocyte production, function, and morphology.

VM 23500 Pharmacology I (1 credit)

This course is the first of two courses in the distance learning program that presents an introduction to the principles of pharmacy and pharmacology for the veterinary technician. Emphasis will be placed upon key concepts of how drugs work, terminology commonly used with therapeutic agents, important mechanisms and side effects of commonly used veterinary drugs, and dosage calculations.

Supported by Scott Brown, DVM 1984, PhD 1986

3rd Semester

VM 25001 Clinical Pathology II (2 credits)

This course is the second of two courses that provides basic instruction in the concepts of Clinical Pathology to the veterinary technician student. This course will focus on hemostasis, immunology, and urinalysis evaluation, as well as the fundamentals of clinical chemistry and cytology evaluation.

VM 23001 Small Animal Nursing II (2.5 credits)

This is the second of two courses involving nursing and management of the small animal patient. This course continues the concepts of small animal patient care and treatment that a technician will be expected to provide in a veterinary practice. It includes techniques, equipment, client education, management of the hospitalized patient and preventative medicine. Emphasis will be on the role of the veterinary technician in the veterinary hospital.

VM 23600 Pharmacology II (1 credit)

This course is the second of two courses in the distance learning program that presents an introduction to the principles of therapeutics and pharmacology for the veterinary technician. Emphasis will be placed upon key concepts of how drugs work, terminology commonly used with therapeutic agents, important mechanisms and side effects of commonly used veterinary drugs.

VM 23901 Dentistry (1 credit)

This course is an introduction to veterinary dentistry for the technician, with emphasis on basic dental anatomy, pathologies and treatments, dental charting, intraoral radiography, dental cleaning and periodontal disease management.

4th Semester

VM 14700 Surgical Nursing (1 credit)

This course is designed to instruct veterinary technician students in the basic principles of veterinary operating room protocols and sterilization of surgical supplies commonly used within a veterinary hospital. Emphasis will be placed upon key concepts of surgical preparation of the patient, and the role of the circulating nurse and surgical nurse. In addition, the concepts of proper instrument care, sterilization procedures and inventory rotation will be covered.

VM 14801 Large Animal Nursing I (2 credits)

This is the first of two courses involving nursing and health management of the large animal patient. This is the introduction to large animal patient care and treatment that a technician will be expected to provide in a veterinary practice. It includes techniques, equipment, client education, management of the hospitalized patient and preventative medicine. Emphasis will be on the role of the veterinary technician in the veterinary facility.

VM 23101 Diagnostic Imaging (2.5 credits)

This course involves principles of imaging that are necessary for the performance of diagnostic imaging procedures in a veterinary hospital. This course provides an introduction to x-ray generation, image formation, exposure factors, scatter radiation, grids, film, screens, safety, basic terminology, positioning, darkroom techniques, artifact identification, advanced positioning techniques for the small animal, large animal techniques, contrast techniques, technique charts, basic ultrasound, diagnostic imaging in exotic animals.

5th Semester

VM 23701 Large Animal Nursing II (3 credits)

This is the second of two courses involving nursing and health management of the large animal patient. This is the introduction to large animal patient care and treatment that a technician will be expected to provide in a veterinary practice. It includes techniques, equipment, client education, management of the hospitalized patient and preventative medicine. Emphasis will be on the role of the veterinary technician in the veterinary facility.

VM 22501 Parasitology (2 credits)

This course provides basic instruction in the concepts of parasitology to the veterinary technician student. Emphasis will be on the basic information needed to accurately identify parasites commonly encountered in veterinary medicine. Emphasis will also be placed on life cycles and zoonotic aspects of the parasites covered.

6th Semester

VM 23200 Principles of Anesthesia (3 credits)

This course involves the basic principles of anesthesia and anesthetic delivery for the veterinary technician. This course focuses on the preparation of the patient for anesthesia, the agents used as pre-anesthetics, induction agents and general anesthesia, the physiologic impacts of anesthesia on the body, multi-species anesthetic techniques (small animal, large animal/equine, pocket pets), managing high risk patients, anesthetic complications, and pain management.

VM 22900 Lab Animal Medicine (2 credits)

This course will provide instruction in the concepts of Laboratory Animal Health Management to the veterinary technician student. This course will place an emphasis on the information needed to work with laboratory animals as well as issues that apply to laboratory animal medicine along with the care of laboratory animals and exotics and specific procedures that are used in laboratory animal and exotic pet medicine. Students are expected to achieve a level of understanding of laboratory animal care and management so that they will be able to communicate effectively with the veterinarian and other individuals.

VM 24500 Veterinary Management Topics (1.5 credits)

This course provides basic instruction in the concepts of a veterinary technician's role in the management of day-to-day operations of a veterinary clinic. This course will emphasize problems related to ethical and liability issues, medical records, inventory, marketing and fees, writing cover letters and resumes, and job interviews. Students must be currently working/volunteering at least 10-15 hours a week at a veterinary facility.

7th Semester

VM 23400 Microbiology (2 credits)

This course is designed to enable the veterinary technician to satisfactorily collect and process specimens, and characterize and identify microorganisms that may be encountered in veterinary practice situations. This course will introduce microorganisms commonly encountered in veterinary medicine. Common laboratory techniques used in Microbiology will be illustrated.

VM 24000 Nutrition (1 credit)

This course will provide an overview of nutritional concepts as they apply to common domestic small and large animal species and selected exotic companion/avian pets. Basic concepts for understanding nutritional needs for all species will be introduced as well as the therapeutic use of diets as they relate to animal nursing.

Supported by Blaise of Sebaste

VTDL Selective/General Elective (2 credits)

8th Semester

VM 22800 Integrations (2 credits)

This course will provide instruction in the concepts problem-based learning for the nursing process (patient evaluations, interventions, and desire resolutions) using a cased based approach. This course will integrate foundational knowledge form anatomy, physiology, with the information in the veterinary technology courses. Cases will involve different domestic animal species.