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If you’d like to learn more about the Veterinary Technician program, we’d love to talk with you.
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Program Overview
Get the skills and learn procedures to improve the health and well-being of veterinary patients.
Madison College offers two paths to becoming a Veterinary Technician. Students working as veterinary assistants can learn semi-remotely as "Satellite" students.
Satellite students are employed as veterinary assistants working an average of 20 hours per week in a veterinary clinic. Hands-on skills are completed during select face-to-face labs, while theory is completed 100% online. For more details contact the Program Director or the School of Health Sciences.
Madison College's Veterinary Technician Program has been accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) since 1974. Visit the AVMA's website to learn more about essential veterinary technician skills students learn in our program.
Common Veterinary Technician Duties
- Collect samples and perform diagnostic laboratory tests
- Administer and monitor anesthesia
- Apply and maintain bandages
- Place intravenous catheters
- Client education and communication
- Perform dental procedures and oral radiographs
- Radiography, EKG and other diagnostic tests
- Perform physical examinations, gather medical histories, draw blood and take vital signs
- Provide emergency first aid
- Prepare and assist with surgery
- Animal pharmaceutical training
- Animal nursing care
After graduation, pass the Veterinary Technician National Exam to become a certified veterinary technician.
Program Requirements
You must demonstrate the ability to meet the essential functions of the Veterinary Technician program.
Transfer Credit
The Veterinary Technician program only accepts transfer credit for the 091 courses from other AVMA accredited programs/schools. Course syllabi and AVMA Essential Skills covered in those courses need to be provided to the Veterinary Technician Program Director for evaluation and consideration of transferability.
Following successful completion of this associates degree, students may complete a Bachelors of Animal Science at either UW River Falls or UW Platteville in two additional years.
Program Details
12 credits of core program courses available each semester.
Veterinary Technician classes are offered at the Madison College Truax campus.
Careers
Earning your Associate Degree in Applied Science program at Madison Area Technical College prepares you for valuable work as a Veterinary Technician or Laboratory Animal Technician.
Veterinary Technologists and Technicians are some of the fastest growing occupations. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 21% job growth from 2022 to 2032.
Technicians are usually employed by:
- Small/companion services
- Large animal/equine facilities
- Mixed animal or exotic animal practices
- Humane societies
- Research environments
With additional education and/or work experience, graduates may find employment as:
- Hospital Managers
- Facility Managers
- Pet Food Company Representative
- Drug Company Representative
Resources
Accreditation
Madison College's veterinary technician program is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities.
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Curriculum and Experience
Prospective program students, the information below reflects the basic requirements for students admitted for the 2026-2027 academic year. To learn more about Madison College, visit us.
Current and newly admitted program students, go directly to your Degree Progress Report to view:
- Progress toward your specific requirements
- Alternative (in lieu of) courses to meet specific requirements
If you have questions after reviewing your degree progress report (advisement report), please see Advising Services.
Pre-Program CoursesFirst SemesterSecond SemesterThird SemesterFourth Semester -
Admission
Apply Now – Secure Your Spot on the Waiting List!
This program operates on a waiting list. To be eligible to enroll in program classes, students must first complete academic preparedness requirements and go through the declaration process.
Before submitting an application, be sure to:
- Review the Waiting List section.
- Review the admission requirements for deadlines, materials, and requirements.
- Estimated Wait Time: Up to 0-1 year wait time between when students are core ready and when they become eligible to enroll in program classes. This timeline may vary depending on how many students complete the declaration process each semester.
- Program Capacity: 72 spots each Fall semester. Up to 4 University of Wisconsin - Platteville and up to 6 University of Wisconsin - River Falls articulation students.
- Make sure you can meet the program’s essential functions safely, reliably and efficiently within the scope of practice. If you need accommodations, contact our Disability Resource Services office.
Need help? Learn more about the Madison College experience and get support with your application.
Start your application today and take the next step toward your career goals!
Additional Notes
Students are required to meet the current admission requirements, academic preparedness requirements, and complete the declaration process. Requirements are subject to change based on updates to accreditation requirements or Madison College program assessment data.
Questions?
Contact Enrollment Services at EnrollmentServices@madisoncollege.edu or 608.246.6210.
Get Started!
Apply to Madison College and take the first step towards your Veterinary Technician career.
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Waiting List
This program uses a waiting list to manage program admission due to capacity limitations and program demand. This means there are typically more applicants than there are open seats in the program. A waiting list helps us manage applications in a way that is fair and transparent.
This program has academic preparedness requirements that must be completed before beginning core classes. When you’ve completed all academic preparedness requirements, you will complete the declaration process.
Pre-core students can run their Degree Progress Report to confirm which academic preparedness requirements are satisfied/not satisfied and view specific ways to satisfy requirements.
Mandatory workshop in Brightspace
Prerequisites:
- Algebra (testing, college coursework or bachelor’s degree in a related biological science)
- Chemistry (high school or college coursework)
- English and Reading (testing, college coursework or bachelor’s degree)
Course Requirement:
- Principles of Animal Biology
Questions?
Contact Enrollment Services at EnrollmentServices@madisoncollege.edu or 608.246.6210.
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Career Outcomes
Madison College Veterinary Technician Program prepares graduates for entry level veterinary technician positions. Our mission is to provide accessible, high-quality, learning experiences in the field of Veterinary Medicine to improve animal and human health.
- Participate in facility management utilizing traditional and electronic media and appropriate Veterinary Medical Terminology and abbreviations.
- Communicate in a professional manner in all formats, written, oral, nonverbal and electronic.
- Read and follow protocols and procedures accurately and within time constraints.
- Work as a team member demonstrating initiative, and applying time and stress management techniques.
- Identify and manage stressful and emotional work situations.
- Follow and uphold applicable laws and the veterinary technology profession’s ethical code to provide high quality care to patients.
- Safely and effectively administer prescribed drugs to patients, and accurately dispense and explain drugs to clients.
- Demonstrate and perform patient assessment techniques, husbandry, nutrition, therapeutic and dentistry techniques in a variety of animal species (including laboratory animal species, companion animals and food animals).
- Safely and effectively manage patients in all phases of anesthetic procedures, as well as safely and effectively select, utilize and maintain anesthetic delivery and monitoring instruments and equipment.
- Demonstrate and integrate all aspects of patient management for common surgical procedures in a variety of animal species.
- Properly package, handle and store specimens for laboratory analysis, properly carry out analysis of laboratory specimens. (Blood, urine, feces, tissues, skin scrapes, discharge, body fluids)
- Safely and effectively produce diagnostic images.
Veterinary Technician National Exam Scores
January 1, 2022 - December 31, 2024
- The three-year pass rate (based on a September 1 to September 1 reporting year) on the Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE): 75.2% pass rate for first-time test takers (National average is 64%).
- The number of first-time candidates that have taken the VTNE, for the corresponding timeframe as the reported VTNE pass rate: 117 first-time test takers.