Become A Veterinary Technician

New vet school for Tennessee?

The proposed College of Veterinary and Comparative Medicine (CVCM) would be an integral part of the LMU Division of Health Sciences, which currently includes the DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine (LMU-DCOM), the Caylor School of Nursing and the School of Allied Health Sciences. As such, in addition to its veterinary faculty and facilities the proposed College would share the experienced faculty and high-quality facilities available to the other disciplines within the Division. In fact, the field of comparative medicine relies on this interdisciplinary study between human and animal medicine and involves physicians, veterinarians and basic scientists working together to make improvements in both human and animal health. “The proposed College of Veterinary and Comparative Medicine would be an asset to LMU’s Division of Health Sciences,” said Dr. Ray E. Stowers, vice president of health sciences and dean of LMU-DCOM. “Students enrolled in the proposed college would have the opportunity to learn from the medical school faculty and share state-of-the art facilities with the entire Division. We look forward to enrolling students in this exciting new program.” Earlier this month the Tennessee Department of Agriculture identified four areas in the state that are eligible for federal assistance in filling a shortage of large-animal veterinarians, including Hawkins, Greene and surrounding counties near LMU. Large-animal medicine is a core focus for the LMU program. The federal program, which provides financial assistance to help vet students pay up to $25,000 in tuition a year in exchange for service in underserved areas underscores, the need for quality trained veterinarians in Tennessee and throughout Appalachia. Currently, there are 28 vet schools in the United States and only one in Tennessee. LMU has experienced rapid growth over the past decade with enrollment up 154% (1,753 in 2000 to 4,445 last fall).In the last five years alone, the University has grown to include LMU-DCOM, the physician assistant program and the Duncan School of Law (LMU-DSOL). Throughout this growth, LMU has continued to honor its mission of providing programming and opportunities to the people of Appalachia and beyond. The proposed College of Veterinary and Comparative Medicine is another example of this mission-based growth. LMU has investigated the feasibility of a College of Veterinary and Comparative Medicine for over a year. Guided by CVCM Executive Dean Peter Eyre (former Dean of the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine) and strategic consultants, LMU trustees and administration have visited schools around the country and in Canada to learn more about initiating a college. Stowers and CVCM Dean Randy Evans have helmed LMU’s efforts. As part of the pursuit of the College of Veterinary and Comparative Medicine, the University will also seek accreditation at Level VI as required. "The proposed College of Veterinary and Comparative Medicine will seek to fulfill the mission of Lincoln Memorial University of serving the health and wellness needs of animals and people within rural communities, especially within the Appalachian region, by providing an educational opportunity to Appalachian residents," Evans said. "The CVCM will make veterinary education more affordable to deserving students by offering a high-quality accelerated six-year combined pre-veterinary and doctoral level veterinary medical curriculum when compared to the present eight-year curriculum model." LMU’s School of Allied Health Sciences, for which Evans has served as dean since 2007, is already home to a highly successful veterinary technology associate and bachelor degree program accredited by the American Veterinary Medicine Association. LMU veterinary technology program graduates qualify to take the national veterinary technician licensing examination in order to become a licensed veterinary technician/technologist. Lincoln Memorial University is a values-based learning community dedicated to providing educational experiences in the liberal arts and professional studies. The main campus is located in Harrogate, Tennessee. For more information about the undergraduate and graduate programs available at LMU, contact the Office of Admissions at 423-869-6280 or e-mail at admissions@lmunet.edu.

Online Medical Courses | What Does a Vet Tech Do?

If you’ve ever brought your pet into the local Veterinary office you’ve definitely interacted with a Vet Tech . They can often be seen as the first point of contact and will be the first one to assess your pet’s condition. They perform several and varying tasks throughout the day, but have less training and education than a Veterinarian.

Job Description They’re typically responsible for many front and back office tasks including getting the animal ready to see the Vet, taking a temperature, getting a medical history, listening to what the problem is, and doing a basic check-up on the animal or examining the problem if it’s an injury. In an emergency they will be able to determine if the Vet needs to be called in right away.

As the assistant to a Veterinarian you’ll be doing all of the things that they don’t want to. In many offices you’ll be the lowest person in the hierarchy and expected to handle all of the unpleasant or menial tasks. You’ll also be the lowest paid person in the office. It’s just the nature of the job and should be shrugged off completely.

Skills Needed as a Vet Tech

Of course a Vet Tech needs to be good with animals. This is not a quality that should be learned on the job. If you like the idea of helping animals but have a fear of them on any level, or are awkward around them, you might want to consider a different line of work. You don’t have to be like Steve Irwin and jump into murky waters to wrestle crocodiles, but you can’t shy away from animals because you will be expected to be the expert.

Handling animals gets easier as the job goes along, but you don’t want to spend your first 6 months getting comfortable around animals. It’s not fair to your coworkers who will have to cover your slack until you get up to speed in this department. It is possible to spend more and more time with animals even before you start your training to get over your discomfort. You could also see a therapist that can help you overcome the underlying cause of your fears.

The other skills and education needed will all be incorporated into the Vet Tech program you choose. They will teach you all of the information and knowledge you’ll need on the different animals, primarily focusing on domesticated animals if you’ll be working in city-based offices. You can also choose to specialize in farm animals if you’ll be living in more rural areas, or you can opt for wildlife if you plan to work in zoos, national parks, or other facilities that deal with these animals.

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