The Veterinary Technician program at MATC is a two-year associate degree program in applied science conducted under the direction of licensed veterinarians and certified veterinary technicians as well as instructors in the General Studies area. It emphasizes hands-on animal skills and the technical information necessary to perform certain duties under the supervision of a veterinarian. At the end of the two semesters of training, students are required to spend the summer interning under the supervision of a Wisconsin Veterinarian for 320 or more hours in a period of eight or more weeks. This program is accredited by the American Veterinary Association and was developed in cooperation with the Wisconsin Veterinary Association. It has been approved by the Wisconsin Board of Vocational, Technical and Adult Education as an associate degree program. The courses were developed to follow the guidelines of the American and Wisconsin Veterinary Association.

What do Veterinary Technicians do?

Veterinary technicians, while always working under the supervision of a veterinarian, provide many services to the patient and the patient's owner. Duties may include animal restraint, sterilizing surgical instruments and equipment, administering and maintaining anesthesia, assisting with surgical procedures, administering medications and performing prescribed nursing care under the direction of the veterinarian; assisting with radiology, running laboratory tests, preparing animals for surgery, giving post-operative care, keeping inventories. Technicians also work in the reception area and examination rooms taking histories, filling out records, explaining medication usage and instructing the owner about follow-up examinations and treatment.

Last Updated 12/2005