What is a vet tech?
A quick review of types of veterinary support personnel:
- Veterinary assistant: A person who provides assistance to a veterinarian, veterinary technician, technologist or office manager. (May or may not have an associate degree or diploma.)
- Veterinary technician: A licensed para-professional who provides technical support to veterinarians, biomedical researchers, and other scientists. (Associate degree required.)
- Veterinary technologist: A professional who provides technical and managerial support at an advanced level. (Bachelor’s degree required.)
A student who wants to become a veterinary technologist at Nebraska must first:
- Earn an Associate of Applied Science degree from any AVMA-accredited veterinary technician program (not offered at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln—start at one of the programs listed below or another accredited program outside Nebraska)
- Pass the national veterinary technician certification examination (VTNE) to qualify for licensure in Nebraska
- Complete the Bachelor of Science veterinary technology degree requirements
Where can a student get an Associate of Applied Science degree in Nebraska? There are two public schools that offer this degree, and one in western Iowa:
- NCTA: The Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture in Curtis, Nebraska. NCTA is part of the University of Nebraska system.
- Northeast Community College in Norfolk, Nebraska
- Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs, Iowa