New vet degree program offered at OSU

COLUMBUS – A new academic program, being offered by Ohio State University’s Department of Animal Sciences in collaboration with Columbus State Community College, is adding career opportunities for students interested in the field of veterinary medicine.
The dual degree program
is a four-year curriculum that offers career options in the field of veterinary medicine without requiring a professional degree.
Types of jobs. Students who complete the program are trained for such positions as veterinary technician, animal behavior counselor, biomedical research technologist, laboratory animal manager, veterinary instructor, health technologist, specialty practice technician, and clinic or hospital team leaders and/or staff supervisors.
“Eighty-five percent of our first-year students majoring in Animal Sciences indicate an interest in pre-veterinary medicine, but only about 40 percent of them go on to apply for entry into a professional school. Over half of the students are changing their minds,” said Amy Lahmers, Ohio State’s Department of Animal Sciences student services coordinator.
“This is the first time Ohio State is offering students the opportunity to obtain a veterinary technology degree.”
About the program. Students enrolled in the veterinary technology program will complete their first two years at Ohio State as an animal sciences major.
The third and fourth years are split between Ohio State and Columbus State with a focus on small animal medicine and the responsibilities of a veterinarian technician or technologist.
Students are also required to complete four 150-hour internships – one at Ohio State’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital and three at private clinical practices, research centers, emergency/specialty hospitals, diagnostic laboratories or zoos.
Degree. Graduates receive a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from Ohio State and an Associate of Applied Science in Veterinary Technology from Columbus State.
In addition, graduates become registered with the Ohio Veterinary Medical Licensing Board to become a registered veterinary technician in Ohio, and are eligible to take the Veterinary Technician National Exam that is recognized in more than 40 states to certify veterinary technicians.
Contact information. For more information visit http://ansci.osu.edu/students_undergrad.html, or contact Amy Lahmers at lahmers.8@osu.edu, or Brenda Johnson, Columbus State Veterinary Technology Program Director, at bjohnson@cscc.edu.