Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

This course is designed for veterinary assistants currently working in the field who are either 1) eligible under the Oregon Veterinary Practice Act to sit for the VTNE, and who wish to use the course to prepare for the examination; or 2) not eligible to take the VTNE, but who wish to gain a foundation of knowledge upon which to build. 

Those students who are eligible under the Oregon Veterinary Practice Act to sit for the VTNE are, if they pass the examination, then qualified to become Certified Veterinary Technicians in the state of Oregon.   Therefore, the goal of the course is to familiarize the student with basic knowledge and principles in the following areas: Anatomy and Physiology, History and Physical Examination, Medical Records, Medical Nursing, Surgical Nursing, Dentistry, Hematology/Urinalysis, Immunology, Radiography, Microbiology, Avian, Reptile and Laboratory Animal Medicine, Anesthesia, Pharmacology, Nutrition, and Parasitology.

This is a four-credit-hour course consisting of four lecture hours per week for one term. Credits in this course are not transferable to a four-year school towards a baccalaureate degree.   Required texts for the course are: Principles and Practice of Veterinary Technology, Pratt; and VTNE Preparatory Course Notes, Fletcher. An optional text is Review Questions and Answers for Veterinary Technicians, 3rd ed., Colville.    

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This course is presented as a series of lectures covering the above topics.   

Grades will be based on the student’s understanding of the course content, as demonstrated by periodic take-home tests and attendance in lecture.  To receive a passing grade, the student must achieve an average of 70% on course tests as well as attend a minimum of 80% of the lecture classes.

 Upon successful completion of the course, the short-term outcome will be that the student will have satisfactorily accomplished the goals and objectives of this course content guide and confirmed, as provided in the assessment above.    
The desired long term outcomes are for the student to gain a sound overview of the basic principles utilized in veterinary technology; to gain a foundation of knowledge in veterinary technology upon which to build as he/she advances in the profession; to further the student’s understanding of and competency in his/her role in the veterinary team; and, if the student is eligible or becomes eligible under the Oregon Veterinary Practice Act to sit for the VTNE, to successfully pass that examination and thereby qualify to become a Certified Veterinary Technician in the state of Oregon.   
1.0  Anatomy and physiology 
    Instructional goal:  
    The goal is for the student to develop an understanding of basic anatomical and physiological principles, with an emphasis on those
    most relevant to clinical veterinary practice.   
2.0  History, physical exam, medical nursing, medical records
  
    Instructional goal:    
    To develop knowledge and understanding of basic principles of history taking, physical examination, small animal medical nursing, and
    proper medical record keeping.   
3.0   Surgical nursing and aseptic technique; wound healing and bandaging
    Instructional goal:    
    To gain knowledge and understanding of surgical nursing, aseptic technique, wound healing, and the principles of bandaging. 
4.0   Veterinary dentistry 
    Instructional goal:  To gain knowledge and understanding of the basic principles of veterinary dentistry in small animal species.  
5.0  Hematology and Urinalysis
    Instructional goal:    
    To gain knowledge and understanding of collecting blood and urine samples and aspects of hematologic and urine laboratory testing. 
6.0  Immune system physiology and immunology  
    Instructional goal:    
    To gain knowledge and understanding of immune system physiology in health and disease; the principles of vaccination; and
    immunological laboratory testing.
7.0  Principles of radiography
    Instructional goal:    
    To gain knowledge and understanding of the diagnostic X-ray machine, its function and utilization.   
8.0  Microbiology
    Instructional goal:  To gain knowledge and understanding of the principles of microbiology as it relates to animal disease. 
9.0   Avian, Reptile, and laboratory animal nursing and procedures
    Instructional goal:  To gain knowledge and understanding of the basic principles involved in avian, reptile, and laboratory animal
    physiology, handling, and nursing care.    
10.0   Veterinary anesthesia
    Instructional goal:  To gain knowledge and understanding of the principles of anesthesia in domestic animal species.  
11.0  Pharmacology
    Instructional goal:  To gain knowledge and understanding of pharmacologic principles, as well as to become familiar with the      
    categories of veterinary medications and individual commonly used drugs within those categories.    
12.0  Clinical nutrition
    Instructional goal:  To gain knowledge and understanding of nutritional requirements in the various domestic animal species, and the
    role of nutrition in disease.    
13.0  Parasitology
    Instructional goal:  To gain knowledge and understanding of basic concepts of parasitology, and to become familiar with parasite
   species commonly encountered in small and large animal clinical practice.