St. Petersburg College Offers Vet Tech Study Online

St. Petersburg College (SPC) was originally established in 1927 as a junior college and was part of St. Petersburg High School at one point. Since June 2001, when it became a four-year college, SPC has been ranked 3rd among the nation's "Top 10 Tech-Savvy Community Colleges." Today, this institution has a total enrollment of more than 40,000 students.

St. Petersburg College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

St. Petersburg College's online vet tech program is unique for it provides those students interested in animal care with a new career opportunity. This associate degree is offered both online and on-campus, but the convenience of studying from home makes this online program worth the while.

This degree program will take around three years to complete as a part-time student and in order to complete the program; you will need a total of 51 credit hours. (This does not include the 18-22 credit hours of general education that are required for admission into the program-more details to follow.)

Some of the online courses offered through this program include:

• Animal Anatomy
• Veterinary Medical Terminology
• Animal Nursing
• Large Animal Diseases
• Avian and Exotic Pet Medicine
• Animal Laboratory Procedures
• Animal Physiology

Four of these courses are veterinary work experiences that each include 64 hours of clinical work in either a veterinary clinic, hospital, animal shelter, or emergency animal clinic. Each work experience has a prerequisite of the one prior to it.

Along with these courses, students participating in this online degree program are required to work 20 hours per week at a veterinary clinic or hospital.

The courses of this program can be accessed via the ANGEL learning interface.

There are several admission requirements to SPC's online program. They are as follows:

• Admission into St. Petersburg College
• Completion of all admission applications, paid application fees, and high school or college transcripts. If you already have a higher education degree, then you will not be required to submit these transcripts.
• Completion of 18-22 credit hours of general education and support courses such as; English composition, Speech/Communications, Biology, and Math. These courses may be obtained at another accredited college or university and transferred, but a grade of "C" or higher is required.
• A minimum grade point average of 2.0 or higher for all high school or college coursework.
• Completion of entrance exams
• Students must submit documentation proving 40 hours of veterinary technology observations and discussions with a veterinarian at a veterinary clinic or practice prior to entering the program.
• Completion of a drug screening questionnaire.

The cost for SPC's online associate degree in veterinary technology is $99.59 per credit hour for Florida residents, and it is $363.22 per credit hour for non-Florida residents. The total cost of the program if you are a Florida resident is $6,598.08 whereas total cost for a non-Florida resident is $19,223.64. This price includes all books and materials as well technology fees.

These costs are subject to change, so for the most up-to-date figures, check out SPC's web site.

Most students often wonder, "Is there a job for me right after graduation?" According to St. Petersburg College, there are five veterinary technician openings for every graduate of this program across the globe. Veterinary technicians are very useful in veterinary clinics and hospitals for they have the ability to assist veterinarians with general animal care, radiology, nursing, anesthesia and surgery, and laboratory work. They are essentially the "right-hand man" for a veterinarian.

The average salary for a vet technician, according to SPC, is about $12-$14 per hour. These salaries may vary according to experience and location.

This particular vet tech program is accredited by the AVMA and was awarded the "Most Outstanding Online Teaching and Learning Program", by the Sloan Consortium in 2007.

There are sick animals all over the world in veterinary hospitals and clinics that are waiting for you to make the right decision. Good luck!

St. Petersbrug Veterinary Technology Distance Education Program, http://www.spcollege.edu/courses/program/VETTC-AS

American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), www.avma.org

2007 Sloan C-Awards, http://sloanconsortium.org/2007awards

Why Choose St. Petersburg College, http://www.spcollege.edu/central/international/whychoosespc.html