How does being an RVT affect your vet school app?

[Vet2Be123]

Hey all, im a junior in HS and am looking through my career opportunities. I want to be a vet and work at a vet hospital. At my local college, there is a program where you can complete RVT and then get transferred to a University to finish undergrad for another 2 years. I was wondering how this would influence an application to vet school? I'd assume that they'd be happy with that, as I would have more hands-on and relevant experience. On the other hand, I might not have as much general knowledge. Was wondering if anyone has done this or if you know how it influences an app. Thanks!

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[pinkpuppy9]

Hey all, im a junior in HS and am looking through my career opportunities. I want to be a vet and work at a vet hospital. At my local college, there is a program where you can complete RVT and then get transferred to a University to finish undergrad for another 2 years. I was wondering how this would influence an application to vet school? I'd assume that they'd be happy with that, as I would have more hands-on and relevant experience. On the other hand, I might not have as much general knowledge. Was wondering if anyone has done this or if you know how it influences an app. Thanks!

I'm confused, what's the point of this program having you get a degree after you go through a tech program? I've never heard of something like this.

Being a tech doesn't necessarily mean you'll automatically have better/more experience than an assistant who is trained on the same tasks. As for knowledge, no school expects any applicant to have real 'veterinary knowledge' beyond what is necessary to perform whatever veterinary jobs you had.

Being a tech doesn't automatically earn you favor over someone who wasn't a tech, either. I think most applicants are not RVTs/LVTs, either.

 

[10999KL]

Hey all, im a junior in HS and am looking through my career opportunities. I want to be a vet and work at a vet hospital. At my local college, there is a program where you can complete RVT and then get transferred to a University to finish undergrad for another 2 years. I was wondering how this would influence an application to vet school? I'd assume that they'd be happy with that, as I would have more hands-on and relevant experience. On the other hand, I might not have as much general knowledge. Was wondering if anyone has done this or if you know how it influences an app. Thanks!

When I emailed OSU Admissions I was stuck between pursuing an MPH or going into a tech program. I was currently a vet tech at a clinic but I wanted to know what would be more valuable. This is what I got back from OSU and WSU:

Tech program:
Pros: animal hours and likely veterinary hours that could lead to employment to gain more veterinary/animal hours
Cons: not usually considered rigorous like a grad program. Vet tech programs even if they are intensive are usually 100 level courses (no upper division credit for apps) and have about 12-15 units a semester. They can also be expensive and if your long term goal is a veterinarian and you want to go right away, going through a program to potentially not take the VTNE exams and not get licensed. Cost for a private tech school where I'm at is $30K and the public one is ~$8K total.

Grad program:
Pro: vigorous and more closely related to vet school in terms of content intensity simply because these are 500+ level courses
Cons: potentially no animal or Veterinary experience. If you need hours for your VMCAS this won't always provide those to you (depends on what program you're in)

Personally I wanted more vet hours. I entered a tech program. However due to personal reasons, I felt it wasn't for me, and I entered my MPH One Health program a year later. I also work as a vet tech and a research assistant as part of an IACUC protocol so I get both veterinary and animal hours. There is a way to make up the animal and vet hours in grad school, but there is not usually a way to make the tech programs look more "rigorous".

I hope this helps!

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[10999KL]

Hey all, im a junior in HS and am looking through my career opportunities. I want to be a vet and work at a vet hospital. At my local college, there is a program where you can complete RVT and then get transferred to a University to finish undergrad for another 2 years. I was wondering how this would influence an application to vet school? I'd assume that they'd be happy with that, as I would have more hands-on and relevant experience. On the other hand, I might not have as much general knowledge. Was wondering if anyone has done this or if you know how it influences an app. Thanks!

I apologize I misread that you were a junior in high school to be that you're a junior in College...

I should add I did my undergrad first before entering a tech program... Honestly it depends on what you want to do. Depending on what state you're in, you may be able to get a job as a vet tech without having the licensure and so then you'll be taught on-the-job, gaining valuable tech experience without the schooling and the title so that if you wanted to focus on something else in undergrad you could.

Every person is different so don't limit yourself based on what you think will look good; do what you want to do, but know that you will probably have to retake Anatomy if you go through a tech program, and you may have to retake other vet school required electives because they're lower level courses in a tech program. If you are planning on going to veterinary school later they usually require those courses to be upper-division so unfortunately you are forced to retake them even if you aced them

(I actually had to retake the 100 level animal anatomy course in the tech program even though I aced the 400-level animal anatomy course for my undergrad).

Sorry for the confusion! I'll read better next time

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[10999KL]

I'm confused, what's the point of this program having you get a degree after you go through a tech program? I've never heard of something like this.

Being a tech doesn't necessarily mean you'll automatically have better/more experience than an assistant who is trained on the same tasks. As for knowledge, no school expects any applicant to have real 'veterinary knowledge' beyond what is necessary to perform whatever veterinary jobs you had.

Being a tech doesn't automatically earn you favor over someone who wasn't a tech, either. I think most applicants are not RVTs/LVTs, either.

Usually within a veterinary technician program you get an Associates of applied science or an Associates of General Studies. If someone wanted to take this degree and transfer it to a university or a four-year College to then have a bachelor's of some kind it just allows them to transfer by having the degree. They wouldn't become an RVT/LVT/CVT without taking the VTNE and/or the state license test though.

But I agree that going through a tech program in this case may not actually be worth it because OP is talking about then transferring it to get some kind of 4 year degree. Unless OP wants to be a RVT, or wants to have the licensure as a back-up plan in case vet school doesn't work out.

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[JaynaAli]

I personally think if you want to be a tech, go to tech school. If you want to be a vet, go to a cheap undergrad, find a vet to shadow, complete the requirements for vet school, and go to vet school. Some people have good experiences doing tech school before hand, but you can get in to vet school with just shadowing a vet and in some states you can get lots of hands-on experience even without being licensed, so I think it is more important to be conscious with your money/tuition fees and getting what might be an 'unnecessary' degree isn't the best choice. I imagine that a good percentage of the courses for vet tech school likely do not fulfill prereqs for vet school. I understand the rationale that being a CVT/RVT or whatever makes you more hireable for vet experience, but I'd rather see you come out with less debt in the end and cut costs wherever possible by not taking lots of extraneous classes. Your future self will likely appreciate that, even if you can't appreciate it now.

 

[pinkpuppy9]

Usually within a veterinary technician program you get an Associates of applied science or an Associates of General Studies. If someone wanted to take this degree and transfer it to a university or a four-year College to then have a bachelor's of some kind it just allows them to transfer by having the degree. They wouldn't become an RVT/LVT/CVT without taking the VTNE and/or the state license test though.

But I agree that going through a tech program in this case may not actually be worth it because OP is talking about then transferring it to get some kind of 4 year degree. Unless OP wants to be a RVT, or wants to have the licensure as a back-up plan in case vet school doesn't work out.

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I just don't see the point in this program giving you the RVT degree first then saying "Okay now get another degree." Like, usually the goal of going through a tech program isn't so you can get a bachelor's after, it's generally to start a career as a tech. Unless it isn't a legit program and OP moreso means it's an option she's considered doing just for the sake of being a tech while trying to get a four year degree. Idk.

I know of four year tech programs, but not something like this.

 

[10999KL]

I just don't see the point in this program giving you the RVT degree first then saying "Okay now get another degree." Like, usually the goal of going through a tech program isn't so you can get a bachelor's after, it's generally to start a career as a tech. Unless it isn't a legit program and OP moreso means it's an option she's considered doing just for the sake of being a tech while trying to get a four year degree. Idk.

I know of four year tech programs, but not something like this.

Yeah I agree. It doesn't make sense in the sense to become a tech just to be a tech if you're trying to go further than that. Like mentioned above the cost of school is important so it could be seen as a waste of financial resources and time if classes would have to be retaken or wouldn't count on VMCAS.

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[vetcetera]

I think that there are definitely benefits to doing a vet tech program and then transferring to finish your bachelors. For context: I completed my bachelors, worked in a lab, then completed a vet tech program, became certified, worked in practice, and am now applying to Vet school. Mine is a circuitous route to vet school to be sure (definitely don't recommend...), but the hands on experience that I have gained from working as a vet nurse has been invaluable. I was pre-vet in college, but the animal experience and shadowing I did those four years did not give me as real a picture of vet med as working as a nurse did (at least in my case). While I don't have first hand experience with the program structure you are describing, one of my classmates in college during my undergrad did complete a similar program; She became an LVT, transferred to Cornell, completed her bachelor's and then went on to Cornell for vet school. The pros: CHEAP tuition for the first two years of your undergraduate degree (depending, of course, on which program you choose, but many are very affordable!), invaluable experience in the field, and qualifications to have a job in the veterinary field while you are still in school. In order to get all of your requirements for vet school completed in the last two years of your bachelors means you have to have a pretty rigorous course load, but if it is something you think you could take on, it can be a great path to a DVM! I would also say that Veterinary Nursing is not a lesser position in veterinary medicine, nurses and doctors just occupy different roles- it may turn out that you decide that veterinary nursing is the career for you! If not, working as a nurse can help to affirm your DVM career goals. Ultimately, the most important thing is to make sure your path works well for you. Think about how you learn best, and how each program will cater to those strengths

 

[FrostySparrow]

I've spent the past 4 years as an OTJ vet tech (almost completed with tech school and a bachelors.. separate degrees), it's definitely helped me gain experiences!! I was ultimately still waitlisted for my dream school, so if you do it... don't go in with the impression that it will be your golden ticket!
Each applicant has something that makes them stand apart from the others, something that makes them memorable... being an RVT/CVT (in my opinion) is not that.
I have it as a back up plan, to gain more experience while continuing to be a tech (if not accepted this cycle.. and with NAVTA wanting to make all techs licensed). However the extra costs associated was a concern and I waited to start the program towards the end of my bachelors.
If you can get a job in a clinic as a receptionist and be trained as an assitant/OTJ tech, that will get you needed experience.
Prior to doing so... shadow/volunteer! I was hired for an internship at 15 and offered a FT position at 16 (sophomore year of HS). I'm glad I did the internship first to get an idea of what to expect!!

 

[LetItSnow]

I personally think if you want to be a tech, go to tech school. If you want to be a vet, go to a cheap undergrad, find a vet to shadow, complete the requirements for vet school, and go to vet school.

QFT. Just doesn't make sense to me to expend the time/money to become a certified tech and work as one, thereby decreasing the number of years you have to earn a vet's salary. In the end, you're more likely to hurt your financial future that route than just pursuing vet school.

Nothing wrong with being a tech, of course, and plenty of people go into teching and then decide to be a vet, and that's perfectly cool and gives them the benefit of having plenty of veterinary experience for their application.

But if the ultimate goal is vet school, I wouldn't use intermediate time to pursue a tech degree/certification.

I'd rather see you come out with less debt in the end and cut costs wherever possible by not taking lots of extraneous classes. Your future self will likely appreciate that, even if you can't appreciate it now.

I think you just can't overstate JaynaAli's point. From my perspective (mid-life, veterinarian, career changer) this should carry a much higher weight than other factors.

The situation where it might make sense is for a younger person who wants to work in veterinary medicine but isn't sure if they want to be a tech, a veterinarian, an office manager, a ... etc. Then it might make sense to pursue a somewhat less-expensive degree first.

 

[bahannahrama]

It seems like a lot of people have answered OP's question, but I wanted to throw in the suggestion about community colleges that offer RVT programs.
Not sure where you live, Vet2Be123, but I know that there are some community colleges near where I have lived that offer RVT programs. I can't speak from personal experience, but I do wish I considered attending community college for my lower division requirements to help decrease my financial strain during undergrad.

I am not exactly sure how each CC works, but one of my coworkers mentioned that she chose to attend Consumnes River College (in Sacramento, CA) since she could get her A.S in Veterinary Technology and sit for the RVT exam while completing her lower-division requirements in case she wanted to transfer to a traditional university. From her perspective, she knew she wanted to work in vet med, but didn't know what role she would prefer so completing the RVT program offered her an opportunity to get her license and fulfill lower division requirements if she did want to pursue more education.

Just a suggestion to look into that if you are interested in a tech program (Plus I would assume most community colleges are going to be cheaper than other private schools like Carrington).

I can't link it cuz I'm a noob member but the AVMA does have a page that lists vet tech programs that are accredited, including those at community colleges I think it should show up if you google "Veterinary Technology Programs Accredited by the AVMA CVTEA"

Sorry for the rambling; I am studying for botany and am le tired

 

[vetcetera]

It seems like a lot of people have answered OP's question, but I wanted to throw in the suggestion about community colleges that offer RVT programs.
Not sure where you live, Vet2Be123, but I know that there are some community colleges near where I have lived that offer RVT programs. I can't speak from personal experience, but I do wish I considered attending community college for my lower division requirements to help decrease my financial strain during undergrad.

If you choose an inexpensive school for your vet tech degree, complete distribution requirements there (English, foreign language, etc) and then transfer to a school with a more rigorous sciences program to complete your pre-vet requirements, you can actually save significantly! I attended Colorado Mountain College, and would highly recommend their program. It is very affordable, and after completing an AAS there, students have transferred to CSU, Cornell, Berkeley, and many other great four year institutions that way you only have to pay 2 years of tuition for private/4 year college, rather than 4.