Veterinary Technology 

The Veterinary Technology Handbook has been developed to familiarize students with materials pertaining to the program and the profession. Veterinary Technology students are responsible for knowing the material in this guide and seeking clarification as needed. 

Vet Tech Handbook.

Students that are interested in entering the Veterinary Technology Program should first apply to the College. Application to the College can be completed online through the college web site at: http://www.laguardia.edu/Admissions/Prospective-Students/ or by contacting the LaGuardia admission’s office.

Upon application students should choose “Undeclared Health: Veterinary Technology” as their major. Choosing this major places a student in the pre-clinical phase of the Veterinary Technology Program. This is a non-competitive step.

Not all students admitted to the preclinical phase move on to the clinical phase of the veterinary Technology Program. Admission into the clinical phase is highly competitive and is based on the grade point average (GPA) earned in selected pre-clinical courses known as “KEY” courses and the number of seats available. (See: “The Candidacy Process”).

Pre-Clinical Phase

The pre-clinical phase of the Veterinary Technology Program is made up of basic, pre-requisite courses that prepare students for subsequent clinical phase courses.

“Key” Veterinary Technology Pre-clinical Courses

• SCV 101 Introduction to Veterinary Technology (3 credits)
• SCC 110 Foundations of Chemistry (4 credits)
• ENG 101 English Composition I (3 credits)
• MAT 106 Mathematics of Medical Dosage (2 credits)

The clinical phase of the Veterinary Technology Program at LaGuardia Community College is comprised of a series of courses that introduce students to topics in small, large, exotic and research animal technology. Specific areas of study include veterinary anesthesia, nursing, dentistry, radiology pharmacology, pathophysiology, laboratory techniques and animal handling.

These courses are instructed in lecture and live animal laboratory formats. On campus coursework is further supported by two off-campus Internships in each of the Spring II semesters. Please see the online course catalog for in-depth course descriptions and prerequisites.

Additional information regarding Animal Care Responsibilities, Clinical Phase Academic Standards, Laboratory Etiquette and Dress, the Veterinary Technology Resource Room, and other policies can be found in the Vet Tech Handbook.

In support of the LaGuardia’s mission to educate and graduate its students to become critical thinkers and socially responsible citizens, the College has undertaken a team approach toward advising, designed to support you in your major from orientation through graduation.

Your Advising Team is made up of faculty, professional and peer advisors. They will guide you at every step during your college career. They are ready to help you:

• Explore your major
• Select introductory and advanced courses
• Connect you with campus support services
• Prepare an educational and career plan

Visit the Advising page to learn more about when to get advised and how to prepare for an advising appointment, and check out the Advising Calendar for information sessions, events and more.

The field of veterinary technology is an ever-growing, dynamic area of veterinary medicine. The licensed veterinary technician plays a pivotal role as part of the veterinary team. Graduates of the LaGuardia Community College veterinary technology program find jobs as licensed veterinary technicians (LVTs) in a wide variety of settings. These include privately owned or corporate veterinary practices, research institutions, animal shelters, regulatory organizations, zoos and industry. More information on a career in Veterinary Technology can be found at: www.NAVTA.net

In small and large animal practice settings the licensed veterinary technician assists the veterinarian performing tasks including general animal care, anesthesia, surgical assistance, medical treatment, laboratory testing and radiography. The veterinary technician also functions as a behavioral, nutritional and general client counselor. The job responsibilities of the licensed veterinary technician may also extend into practice management.

Licensed veterinary technicians also work as laboratory animal technicians in research and teaching institutions. In these settings they care for a wide variety of species, including rodents, carnivores, herbivores, and non-human primates.

Exemplary licensed veterinary technicians with an interest in specialization can go on to pursue advancement in specific areas of the veterinary technology field. The NAVTA Committee on Veterinary Technician Specialties (CVTS) oversees the Veterinary Technician Specialties. There are currently 16 Veterinary Technician Specialties (VTS) in areas such as dentistry, anesthesia, emergency and critical care, anesthesia, behavior, internal medicine, zoo medicine, surgical technology, equine technology, and clinical pathology.  More information on the CVTS and specialty certifications can be found at: https://www.navta.net/specialties/specialties.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics , the number of veterinary technologists and technicians is expected to grow by 20% from 2016- 2026.

Explore career possibilities on  Career Connect.

Current Students
Log in to the CUNY Portal to review your Degree Audit to find out what classes to take. 
Have questions about using Degree Audit? Visit LaGuardia’s Degree Audit page for tutorials and how-to guides.

Prospective Students
Review the Vet Tech Curriculum and the recommended course sequence below.

Pre-Clinical courses must be completed or transferred before or during the same Fall I semester that a student applies for “Intent to Vet Tech” (VTA000).

The Vet Tech Curriculum and Recommended Course Sequence applies to Vet Tech students that begin their course of study Fall I 2013 or later. Vet Tech students are advised to complete specific courses to meet the requirements of the Flexible Core and of the Program.

Entry into the clinical phase of the Veterinary Technology Program is competitive. Students are admitted based on a GPA ranking system. Applications to the clinical phase of the Veterinary Technology Program (Candidacy Process) can be made once a year in the Fall I semester. In order to be eligible to apply for the clinical phase students need to ensure that all of the pre-clinical KEY course requirements are be completed by the end of the Fall I semester in which the student wishes to apply.

A student interested in applying for the clinical phase of the Veterinary Technology Program at LaGuardia Community College must do so by completing the Application for Candidacy Form by emailing the Health Sciences Department at HealthSci@lagcc.cuny.edu in the first three weeks of the Fall I, 12-week term. There are no credits, no meetings and no charges involved in registering for this “application code”, it is merely an administrative designation. Students should save the receipt of this application for their files.

To apply for candidacy for the clinical phase of the Veterinary Technology Program, a student must meet all of the following requirements:

1. Be officially registered at LaGuardia as an Undeclared Health: Veterinary Technology Major.
2. Be registered for Intent to Vet Tech (VTA 000.4599) in Fall I semester (by the deadline date noted on the academic calendar)
3. Have successfully completed all 4 of the preclinical KEY courses list below with an earned grade of C or better by the end of the Fall I semester in which they are applying.
   • ENG 101 - English
   • SCC 110 - Foundations of Chemistry
   • MAT 106 - Mathematics of Medical Dosages
   • SCV 101- Introduction to Veterinary Technology
4. Have successfully completed a minimum of 12 credits with a minimum GPA of 2.5 by the end of the Fall I semester in which they are applying.
5. Be registered for or have successfully completed SCB 208 (Vertebrate Anatomy and Physiology I) with a grade of C or better by the end of the Fall II semester following their application semester.
6. Applicants must have completed a letter of volunteer or work experience and essay (as described below) by December 31st of the year in which they are applying.

Details regarding the following are also found in the Handbook:

• Veterinary Technology Volunteer/Work Requirement
• Residency Requirements for Licensure
• Repeating Courses for Candidacy
• Student Ranking
• Decision Letters
• Candidacy Attempts

Spring 2020 CR/NC Policy – How it applies to Health Sciences Candidacy Programs

The following course sequence is recommended for new students. Current students should check their Degree Audit and the information above for recommended Flexible Core courses.

First Year, Fall I
Pre-Clinical Phase

First Year, Fall II

First Year, Spring I
Clinical Phase

First Year, Spring II

Second Year, Fall I

Second Year, Fall II

Second Year, Spring I

Second Year, Spring II

For information about this program’s retention and graduation rate visit the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment website page.