A pronounced theme in the world of modern veterinary medicine is the ever-growing demand for educated, credentialed veterinary technicians who are capable of operating in a clinical setting and adding to the overall culture of a practice. These individuals can be expected to smoothly matriculate into the career setting they have chosen for themselves.

In order to become one of these individuals, there is a process. To quickly sum up said process, this includes attending a two-to four-year accredited veterinary technology program (American Veterinary Medical Association Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities [AVMA-CVTEA]), earn decent grades, then pass a national licensing exam. This process is a commitment but should be enjoyable for an individual whose passion is to make a difference in the veterinary field.

To produce these capable, credentialed individuals, there are a variety of veterinary technology program options available. The shared goal of all these programs is to train and foster individuals to fill the need mentioned above.

Program types

We all know medicine is always modernizing, and the veterinary technology academia entities are no different. Focus can be placed on veterinary technician training and the variety of educational opportunities available to these prospective individuals. Program options for brick-and-mortar programs, online programs, and even hybrid (a combination of the two) programs are going to grab the researcher's attention with promises including accelerated timelines, hands-on relevant skills opportunities, competitive tuition costs, and accomplished faculty to aid in the learning process.

The type of educational program that would benefit someone the most is completely dependent on the individual. As with all things, both brick-and-mortar and online programs come with their own lists of positives and negatives. The trick becomes choosing a program best for the individual based on a variety of factors such as schedule flexibility, other jobs/careers, families, and even their personal walk in life. Another important factor to be taken into consideration is the learning style(s) of the individual interested in enrolling in a program.

It is important to really understand how you learn best so that this educational experience is feasible and does not become a burden. There is an immeasurable amount of learning style assessments online that can cater to discovering this information. These outline the strengths of a potential learner and aid in making the best decision.

Different learning styles

There are four basic, commonly discussed learning styles:¹

Visual: learners prefer seeing and observing.

Auditory: learners prefer to learn by listening to the content matter.

Kinesthetic: learners thrive with hands-on, getting their hands dirty activities to reinforce didactic concepts.

Reading/writing: learners prefer memorizing written materials.

Some learners may fall under multiple learning styles; one of the types may surpass the others, or they could end in types that apply equally to an individual. It is impossible to completely sate the needs of all types of learners; however, successful programs focused on student success should strive to format their classes to accommodate all styles in some form.

Some students thrive in a hands-on, well-structured environment like a standard college experience. Others may benefit from a more flexible schedule, preferring an online, self-paced program. Students fresh out of high school may prefer a more traditional setting, while more established, nontraditional students may not be able to accommodate the requirements of such a program. None of these programs are a wrong choice; they all have their own specific strengths to offer to a variety of students.  

Brick-and-mortar (in-person) programs

Brick-and-mortar programs are perhaps the most easily recognized and understood. These programs follow a traditional school model that includes gaining general education courses in conjunction with courses to pursue credentials as a veterinary technician. In-person programs offer face-to-face class time, as well as face-to-face labs for psychomotor skills. A perk to this type of program is generally the access to animals and the repetition of certain skills. The accrediting body for all veterinary technician students, the AVMA-CVTEA requires students complete a set number of skills at least one time.² However, to become proficient, repetition is important to gain much needed muscle memory and confidence.

The structure these programs provide is also a pro in favor of in-person attendance. The classes are formulated and scheduled into semesters or quarters as determined by the educational facility they are involved with. Students are expected to come to class regularly and participate in a group setting. Assignments, tests, and quizzes are set at a specific date and time, allowing for little room for confusion. The faculty and educators who staff the program are on-campus or in-person for any ancillary support necessary for students: faculty can hold office hours, study/review sessions, and more. In-person programs are wonderful for college freshmen who have just graduated high school and have the flexibility to conform to this type of schedule.

Yet, another resource that in-person programs offer is a support group consisting of like-minded peers, who are generally attending the courses for a number of the same reasons as everyone else.³ This resource can be invaluable when utilized for study groups, discussions, and even moral support. These students will potentially get to know each other very well over the course of their program.

As much as the structure and scheduling can be a pro for some students, there are others who would find it impossible to accommodate the tight scheduling, and ultimately could not be successful in such a course. Most veterinary technician programs are two to four years long; this is quite a long time to commit to an in-person program. In-person programs are great for those students who desire to live the "true college experience;" dorm living, dining halls, hanging out with friends, and being on their own.

Another con to this type of program is the necessity for capping class sizes. Facilities can accommodate only so many students safely and successfully, and the animals utilized in learning environments can only be utilized so many times.

There are 222 active, accredited veterinary technician programs in the United States. Most of them (212) are in-person, as they have historically been the only option for those individuals wishing to pursue veterinary technician education and licensure.⁴ There is at least one brick-and-mortar veterinary technician program in the majority of states in America.

All of the aforementioned learning styles can succeed in this environment. There is something for everyone—lectures and material are provided in person for the visual, auditory, and reading/writing learners, while the kinesthetic learners can thrive, performing skills with knowledgeable faculty present for questions and feedback.

Online programs (distance education)

The remaining 10 programs have either begun to offer distance education or began and were accredited as strictly online programs. The evolution into modern technology and convenient learning began back in 1995 when the CVTEA accredited its first distance program at St. Petersburg College in Florida.⁵ In the almost 30 years since that initial approved accreditation, only nine more programs have successfully been approved for online learning. This evolution is not happening terribly quickly, but the demand for the idea of online or distance opportunities has become more popular in recent years.

Some of this increase in demand can potentially be attributed to the incorrect idea of "because the nature of the program is online, this translates to the program being easier." In theory, this idea does make sense; however, the opposite is most likely true—online programs are actually more difficult to successfully complete.

In contrast to the brick-and-mortar programs, there are a few schedule options that serve to accommodate just about anyone interested in achieving the goal of graduating from a CVTEA-accredited veterinary technician program. Popular programs, such as the one associated with Penn Foster College and Purdue University, promise a veterinary technician degree earned "at your own pace." Due dates and expectations are given a wide range, and students can complete the program as quickly or as slowly as they deem necessary or appropriate. This is a very flexible option for students with other careers, children, families, and more. Benefits of this program include stable retention of participating students (the likelihood of becoming overwhelmed and quitting is decreased) and efficiency—a student may be able to complete the coursework fairly quickly, accelerating the overall timeline of their post-secondary education.⁶ Despite the apparent ease, self-paced may not be for every student. Excelling in such an environment requires quite a bit of self-motivation and determination, or the money and time spent within the program is ultimately wasted. It can be easy to slide into procrastination habits and continue to move tasks and assignments to the bottom of the priorities list when faced with the idea of "learn at your own pace."⁶

Other programs do maintain the same semblance of structure as the in-person programs, but the course work and expectations can be completed from the comfort of the individual's home. Due dates and expectations do have a hard deadline. For students who struggle to motivate themselves, or chronic procrastinators, this type of program can be a happy medium if in-person is simply not an option. Auditory, visual, and reading/writing learners will certainly thrive in this environment. Course content is provided via a learning management software, lectures are recorded by knowledgeable faculty, assignments can easily be uploaded for review, and quizzes and exams can be facilitated quite easily. Kinesthetic learners, however, may not be as fulfilled or successful in such a program.

Online programs certainly have more leeway when considering class sizes. Generally, there are more students enrolled in each course due to the ease of circulating the learning material and the time the faculty has to facilitate the course.

One large contrast between these two types of programs is the completion of the required CVTEA psychomotor skills. As mentioned above, in-person programs have access to resources, supplies, and even animals that make it smooth sailing to perform skills and repeat them regularly. In an online program, the faculty, staff, and students must rely on the aid of veterinary clinics local to the student's home. Affiliated clinical sites can be sought out by veterinary technician program faculty or by the student who wishes to complete their skills at that site.

Legalities do exist in the form of liability and memorandums of understanding. However, arguably the most difficult aspect of approving clinical sites comes in the form of the site passing a CVTEA site visit. Certain standards must be met for the CVTEA to deem the site an appropriate primary learning environment for students. The CVTEA states ,"Practical veterinary experience that expands student knowledge and builds proficiency of acquired skills through task-specific exercises is a required portion of the curriculum."² This is a non-negotiable requirement for any program. Students should gain the knowledge and confidence to perform the skills that they learn about during their time in a veterinary technician program.

Another drawback when discussing clinical affiliates is any variation of the skills that are taught and discussed in the course content. CVTEA requires "gold standard" medicine be taught to the students within the program. Gold standard medicine is not always what is utilized in clinics. This does not necessarily mean the clinic is in the wrong, just that there are usually multiple ways to correctly complete a task. Adaptability of the skills should, of course, be a point of learning, but it can be confusing to students who have never attempted a certain skill prior and have expectations based on what they learned from their program. 

Hybrid programs

Now that in-person and distance learning options are available for individuals who wish to build a career in the vet field, there is one other type of program that is simply a combination of the previously mentioned two. Generally, hybrid programs offer lectures and course material in an online format, while offering hands-on skills labs in-person.

These programs can also offer in real time classes via video chat software. The pandemic necessitated an uptick in this teaching/learning style to adhere to social distancing, a term we have become very familiar with, to keep individuals safe. In the post-pandemic world, the popularity of these resources has remained.⁷

The importance of credentialed veterinary technicians

Why is it so important that so many program types be offered to potential students? The answer comes back to a hot topic in the veterinary field at the moment—the number and correct utilization of credentialed veterinary technicians. There is a distinction between on-the-job trained veterinary assistants, and formally educated credentialed veterinary technicians. That is not to say those individuals are not an asset to a healthcare team; however, the skill sets and in-depth knowledge set the credentialed individuals apart. The formal education held by the credentialed individuals creates a "baseline of knowledge and skills that is well understood and accepted."⁷

In recent years, it has become quite obvious within the veterinary field the shortage of credentialed individuals has adversely affected the amounts and level of care able to be offered.⁸ According to a study, the projected growth of patients over the next 10 years is astronomical.⁹ This desperate need has highlighted the importance of solid educational opportunities that can provide the training and repeated clinical experiences necessary to create knowledgeable technicians that can matriculate into a busy environment and flourish, all while continuing their personal growth and education.

These credentialed individuals are paramount to patient care, bridging the gap between the clients and the veterinarians, and are essential to the day-to-day successes within the facilities they choose to be associated with; armed with the knowledge and skill sets necessary to perform their duties.  

How do I choose the best program for me?

Every individual is going to have differing needs and requirements for attending a veterinary technician program. It will be important to ask yourself a few questions: What can I feasibly commit to? Classes several times a week? Synchronous zoom classes once a week? Working on assignments after my busy 9-5 job? What is going to motivate me? Desiring to help animals? Wanting to make more money? Wanting to create a life-long career that is rewarding?³ The chosen program should be one that decreases stress and mental fatigue as much as possible, while also buffeting mental wellbeing and a school/life/work balance considerate to the individual and those closest to them.

So many factors are involved in this decision-making process, and it is an important process, but the availability and flexibility of the programs mentioned above will help to create a scenario where most potential veterinary technician students can thrive and join the field they love.

Bethany Gabrie, LVMTg, MBA, is a credentialed veterinary technician with 10 years of veterinary clinical experience and seven years of technical education experience in veterinary, technician, and assisting school programs. She graduated with associate and bachelor's degrees from Morehead State University in 2012 and 2014; she also earned her master's degree in business administration from Lincoln Memorial University in 2018. She is currently the program director for a veterinary assisting program in southern Indiana.

References

7. Malvik, Callie. 4 types of learning styles: how to accommodate a diverse group of students. Rasmussen University. https://www.rasmussen.edu/degrees/education/blog/types-of-learning-styles/
8. CVTEA accreditation policies and procedures. American Veterinary Medical Association.https://www.avma.org/education/center-for-veterinary-accreditation/committee-veterinary-technician-education-activities/cvtea-accreditation-policies-and-procedures-appendix-g
9. Cohort vs. Self-Paced Learning. Wharton Online. https://online.wharton.upenn.edu/blog/cohort-vs-self-paced-learning/
10. Programs accredited by the AVMA Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities (CVTEA). American Veterinary Medical Association. https://www.avma.org/education/center-for-veterinary-accreditation/accredited-programs-cvtea
11. Burns, Katie. The backbone of veterinary technology for 50 years. American Veterinary Medical Association. https://www.avma.org/news/backbone-veterinary-technology-50-years#:~:text=CVTEA%20evolves&text=In%201995%2C%20the%20committee%20accredited,technician%20to%20serve%20as%20chair
12. May, Connie. Self-paced training courses: pros and cons. Online GMP Training. https://www.onlinegmptraining.com/self-paced-training-courses-pros-and-cons/
13. Gaye, Fatoumata. The rise of zoom and its impact on higher education. The Wesleyan Business Review.https://www.wesleyanbusinessreview.com/recents/the-rise-of-zoom-and-its-impact-on-higher-education
14. Lloyd, James W. Pet Healthcare in the US: Are there enough veterinary nurses/technicians? Is there adequate training capacity?. Animal Health Economics, LLC. https://www.marsveterinary.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Characterizing%20the%20Need%20-%20VN%20-%20FINAL_2.24.pdf
15. https://www.marsveterinary.com/tackling-the-veterinary-professional-shortage/