About the Program
The Veterinary Nursing Program is a science-based veterinary nursing program offering an Associate in Applied Science (AAS). The Veterinary Nursing Program at Purdue University is designed to allow a student to gain the knowledge, information, and skills necessary to practice as a veterinary technician. It is an AVMA accredited program. Upon graduation, students are eligible to take the Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE).
This unique program is a part of the four-year curriculum with the Associate in Applied Science (AAS) embedded within the Bachelor of Science in Veterinary Nursing (BSVN) degree. Years 2-3 offer students over 1200 hours of clinical experience in Purdue’s Veterinary Hospital.
Entry to the AAS degree is a competitive entry process. Students electing to complete the AAS only are students who have previous college experience or degree.
For more information, see the Veterinary Nursing website.
Careers
As part of the veterinary team, credentialed veterinary technicians perform a wide range of veterinary nursing, imaging, anesthesia, dental hygiene and diagnostic laboratory procedures in a veterinary practice. Other career opportunities include specialty practice, clinic/hospital team leaders, research, veterinary technology program educators, pharmaceutical sales, wildlife rehabilitation, zoo and shelter medicine.
Credentialed veterinary technicians are required to maintain continuing education according to state regulations. Information about continuing education programs is available through the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine’s Office of Lifelong Learning.
The AAS plan of study in veterinary nursing does not meet the requirements for application to veterinary school to become a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM).
Veterinary Nursing Major Change (CODO) Requirements
Critical Course
The ♦ course is considered critical.
In alignment with the Degree Map Guidance for Indiana’s Public Colleges and Universities, published by the Commission for Higher Education (pursuant to HEA 1348-2013), a Critical Course is identified as “one that a student must be able to pass to persist and succeed in a particular major. Students who want to be nurses, for example, should know that they are expected to be proficient in courses like biology in order to be successful. These would be identified by the institutions for each degree program”.
