BLINN RECOGNIZES 11 VETERINARY TECHNOLOGY GRADUATES
Eleven graduates of Blinn College’s Veterinary Technology Program were welcomed to their new profession recently during a pinning ceremony at Texas A&M’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.
Blinn’s 2016 veterinary technology graduating class includes: Marie Amaya (Missouri City), Julie Baker (Bryan), McKaela Brownlow (Burleson), Brandie Craig (Center), Taylor Foster (Kingwood), Keri Gardner (League City), Kayla Goynes (Mont Belvieu), Abigail Kreimeyer (Sugar Land), Dan Severn (Wellborn), Karly Shimerka (Houston) and Alyssa Smithson (Gainesville).
“These students have worked extremely hard throughout the past two years,” said David Sessum, program director. “They all have the skills and the compassion to enjoy long careers as veterinary technicians.”
Veterinary technology is one of the fastest-growing professions in the nation, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Veterinary technicians assist in diagnosis and surgery, sample collection, sample submission, client communication and research, and support veterinarians in much the same way nurses assist doctors.
Blinn’s is one of just eight accredited programs in the state that offers veterinary technology training. The College’s partnership with Texas A&M’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences allows Blinn students to get hands-on training in every aspect of the wide-ranging field.
Up to 20 students are admitted to the program each Fall. A strong science and mathematics background is required to complete the academically rigorous two-year commitment, and students must demonstrate an interest in the profession with 40 hours of supervised veterinary experience before submitting an application for admission.
Once enrolled, first-year students participate in clinical rotations at five different veterinary clinics for one-week stints. Second-year students perform clinical rotations for eight weeks at Texas A&M. Each student is required to participate in one-week clinical rotations at five different veterinary clinics, where they perform the same tasks as a fully-credentialed veterinary technician.
“The level of education Blinn’s vet tech students receive is unparalleled,” Sessum said. “Our students participate right alongside veterinary medicine students at Texas A&M University and use state-of-the-art equipment you can’t find at other facilities.”
After earning their Associate of Applied Science, program graduates are eligible to take their state and national exams to become fully-credentialed licensed veterinary technicians (LVTs), with an average starting salary of $31,000. While most LVTs work in private practices, graduates also find employment with animal shelters, stables, reproductive facilities, zoos, wildlife facilities, pharmaceutical sales, the military and homeland security.
For more information about Blinn’s Veterinary Technology Program, visit: www.blinn.edu/twe/vet_tech/.
Veterinary technology is part of Blinn’s Division of Health Sciences, which offers associate degree nursing, dental hygiene, emergency medical services, physical therapist assistant, radiologic technology, fire science and vocational nursing programs to meet the demand for quality healthcare professionals throughout the state of Texas.
Story and photo courtesy of: Blinn Communications