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Are you interested in a challenging and rewarding career in veterinary nursing? Do you want to learn more about local educational options?
Visit Pensacola State College’s Veterinary Technology program Open House from noon to 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 10, on the Warrington campus, 5555 W. Hwy. 98.
The public is invited to meet the program instructors and tour the college’s state-of-the-art facility in Building 3200. The free event also includes financial aid information, a student association exhibit, freebies and refreshments.
Veterinary Technology program director, Sarah Meyer-Paterson, says the two-year program covers a wide range of skills including animal behavior and husbandry, clinical procedures, anesthesia, lab diagnostics, medical and surgical nursing, radiology, dentistry, and office management.
“Students also complete supervised clinical rotations at approved area veterinary hospitals,” Meyer-Paterson adds. “This gives students technical experience working with patients and clients, as well as seeing a hospital’s daily operation and staff interaction.”
She points out that a particular strong point of Pensacola State’s Veterinary Technology program is its national accreditation by the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Committee on Veterinary Technical Education and Activities.
“This accreditation enables PSC program graduates to sit for the national board exam to earn credentials in the state where they choose to practice,” Meyer-Paterson says. “While most graduates stay in the local area, some have ventured to other states to practice and advance their careers within veterinary nursing.”
Employment opportunities abound locally and across the country in veterinary hospitals, biomedical facilities, wildlife facilities, academia, industry and more. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of veterinary technicians is expected to grow 19 percent nationally, faster than the average for all occupations, through 2024.