Registered Veterinary Technology

Earning an AS degree in Veterinary Technology from Pierce College qualifies a student to sit for the Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE). The comprehensive scope of the Veterinary Technology major provides the student with the skills and knowledge necessary for employment as a Registered Veterinary Technician in many different capacities and settings. The curriculum integrates lecture classes with hands-on lab classes and outside clinical experiences, and meets or exceeds all American Veterinary Medical Association standards. Students are given ample opportunity to work with a wide variety of domestic animals here on campus. The coursework is separated into three categories: general education, entry-level, and advanced classes. Prior to being permitted to enroll in advanced classes, students must complete all prerequisites and submit prerequisite verification forms to the RVT Program Director. Students must earn at least a “C” in all categories of classes. The advanced-level coursework can be completed in two years, (including summer sessions), but many students take longer to complete the program. The Veterinary Technology Major is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association. Academic counseling is strongly recommended prior to starting the RVT program. Please see the FAQ section below for more details.

Completing the Associate Degree in Veterinary Technology does not necessarily meet the university-admission requirements for transfer. An Associate Degree is not a requirement for transfer to either the CSU or UC campuses. Private and out-of-state colleges and universities have unique transfer requirements. However, if you would like to transfer to a university and earn an associate degree, early educational planning can make this goal achievable. You should meet with a counselor early in your studies to develop an Educational Plan that fulfills both transfer requirements and associate degree requirements.

Students must complete one of the following General Education Plans:

• LACCD GE LACCD General Education Plan (21 units)
• CSU GE CSU GE Breadth Certification Plan (39 units)
• IGETC Intersegmental GE Transfer Curriculum (34-37 units)

• Humanities - 3 units
• Health - 2 units
• PE - 1 unit
• Social and Behavioral Sciences (B1 and B2)
• English
• Math (intermediate algebra)

*It is strongly recommended that the English and Math requirements be met prior to beginning the Advanced-Level Program, as these skills will be utilized regularly.

• VETTECH 180 Animal Care Experience
• ANML SC 181A Field Work
• VETTECH 401 Intro to Vet Tech
• ANML SC 501 Principles of Animal Science
• ANML SC 510 Animal Health & Disease Control
• ANML SC 511 Anatomy and Physiology of Animals
• ANML SC 512 Anatomy/Physiology of Animals Laboratory
• BIO 3 Introduction to Biology
• Chemistry 51
• Microbiology 20

• VETTECH 410/411 Small Animal Nursing I Lecture and Lab
• VETTECH 412/413 Small Animal Nursing II Lecture and Lab
• VETTECH 435/436 Veterinary Diagnostic Imaging Lecture and Lab
• VETTECH 420/421 Clinical Procedures I Lecture and Lab
• VETTECH 422/423 Clinical Procedures II Lecture and Lab
• VETTECH 424 Dentistry for Veterinary Technicians Lecture and Lab
• VETTECH 430/431 Clinical Pathology Lecture and Lab
• VETTECH 441 Large Animal Nursing Lecture and Lab
• VETTECH 470 Lab Animal Care Lecture and Lab
• VETTECH 480 and 481 Clinical Experience for Veterinary Technicians

Students must complete all prerequisite courses with a grade of C or better. All prerequisites must be completed or in-progress at the time of approval; in other words, they must be completed by the end of the Spring semester in which you are applying, not during the following Summer. Prerequisite Verification Forms may be submitted during the semester in which prerequisite courses will be completed. Forms are available online on the VTSSR Canvas site in April of each year. To self-enroll in the VTSSR site, please click here: VTSSR self-enrollment. Due dates and further instructions are printed on the form; no late submissions will be accepted for any reason whatsoever. All qualified students who submit Verification Forms by the due date are approved to enroll in the Advanced-level courses. There is no wait list to enter the RVT Advanced Program. However, because we generally have more applicants than we have space for in our classes, approval to take Advanced-level courses does not guarantee enrollment in any particular class, registration priority is what determines if you can register for a course. If a course becomes full, approved students may have to wait until the next offering of the class to attempt to enroll in the course again. All applicants meet with program faculty when submitting their forms and will be given guidance on scheduling of coursework. Students who have taken courses at schools outside of LACCD must have their previous coursework approved for credit through the Academic Counseling Office prior to submitting Verification Forms. Students must provide proof of credit along with their Prerequisite Verification Forms during their meeting with the program faculty. Obtaining credit may take several weeks and should be done well in advance of meeting with the faculty.

Deadline to submit forms to start the advanced program in Fall 2023 is April 27, 2023.

Student entering the advanced level registered veterinary technology courses must meet the following physical requirements due to safety concerns:

1.  Students must be able to stand on their own feet for 3 hours at a time.

2. Students must be able to remain alert for 3 hours at a time.

3. Students must be able to bend at the waist and hold this position for several minutes.

4. Students must be able to kneel on one knee for several minutes.

5. Students must be capable of reacting to danger and have the ability to respond with rapid evasive movements.

6. Students must have the physical strength and stamina to restrain a large dog or small ruminant (approximately 80-120 pounds in weight).

Accommodations will be provided for students with disabilities.

*These requirements are the most current standards and are being reviewed.

• Tier 1: Cal/Works, DSPS, EOPS, Foster Youth, Active Duty/Veterans.
• Tier 2: Athletes, Promise, Completion.
• Tier 3: Continuing and new students, starting with 60-100 completed units, then 45-59 completed units, then 30-44 completed units, then 15-29 completed units, then 1-14 completed units, then 0 completed units.
• Tier 4: Students who lost priority.
• Tier 5: Open enrollment.