Students graduating Cuyahoga’s program regularly exceed the national 72-percent pass rate for the Veterinary Technician National Exam, which permits them to practice. They exceed the state average of 84 percent. In all, 94 percent of Cuyahoga veterinary technician students pass.
The success is due to dedicated students and instructors, plus hands-on labs relating to companion animals, livestock and exotic species. The student-teacher ratio is one to 18, and the school has cultivated partnerships with 50 veterinary facilities in northeast Ohio.
The college values careers, with 59 percent enrolled in technical job-training courses, but also offers student clubs and assistance, like a four-year school. Still, tuition is among the lowest of Ohio colleges.
Cuyahoga Community College
2900 Community College Ave.
Cleveland, OH 44115
800-954-8742
tri-c.edu
The Stautzenberger program is the largest in Ohio, according to the college. Their faculty consists of nine veterinarians and 13 registered veterinary technicians, representing animal clinics, hospitals and zoos.
Labs are equipped with the newest technology, such as a digital dental X-ray, so students learn on the equipment they’ll use at their first job. Students also use laptops in their class daily, allowing them to become familiar with the software they may use in a veterinary office.
The independent college grants Occupational Associate Degrees, which allows students to focus on occupational courses.
Stautzenberger College, Brecksville
8001 Katherine Blvd.
Brecksville, OH 44141
440-838-1999
sctoday.edu
The Vet Tech Institute allows students to earn their Associate of Applied Science Degree, Veterinary Technician in 16 to 18 months, with eligibility to take the national licensing exam and to become a registered veterinary technician. The college, based in Columbus, also provides dormitories and job placement after graduation.
The coursework involves working alongside a staff veterinarian in the on-campus kennel and clinic. The full veterinary clinic is equipped with an X-ray and surgical area as well as an office.
The Vet Tech Institute at Bradford School
2469 Stelzer Rd.
Columbus, OH 43219
800-678-7981
vettechinstitute.edu
Purdue University offers a long-distance program for veterinary technical students. Students complete coursework online and develop relationships with veterinarians near their home, working with various types of animals, such as companion animals and livestock. For clinical-type labs, students are videotaped performing a task or procedure.
The coursework is as rigorous as what the students would experience on Purdue's main Indiana campus. In addition, the university has a generations-old reputation as one of the nation's leading research institutions.
Purdue University
625 Harrison St
West Lafayette, IN 47907-2026
765-496-6579
800-276-5958
purdue.edu