Obtaining a license to become a veterinary technician (vet tech) in Oregon is different in some respects from the process followed in many other states.
There are three routes to obtaining certification as a vet tech in Oregon.
You can:
- Complete a Bachelor’s degree in Veterinary Technology or a related field such as Zoology and have gained at least 1,500 hours of relevant work experience as a veterinary assistant, or
- Complete an Associate degree in Applied Science – Veterinary Technology or a related field and have gained at least 3,000 hours of relevant work experience as a veterinary assistant, or
- Complete 6,000 hours of relevant work experience as a veterinary assistant
Whether coming from the college route or the work experience route the applicant must have passed the Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE).
In addition to passing the VTNE applicants for licensing must pass the Oregon Jurisprudence Exam/Regional Disease Test, as well as attend and finish a 20 hour radiation safety course..
In Oregon a license is obtained from the Veterinary Medicine Examining Board
In 2005 the Oregon Veterinary Technician and Assistant Association (OVTAA) was formed to win recognition for vet techs and vet assistants in Oregon. The OVTAA is a membership organization which seeks to present a voice for technicians and assistants in the state of Oregon on matters relevant to these employees
There is one campus in Oregon accredited by the American Veterinary Medicine Association (AVMA) to provide approved training in veterinary technology.
Portland Community College
Portland Community College
Portland Community College was founded in 1961. It was accredited by the AVMA in 1989.
The college offers a two year Associate Degree in Applied Science – Veterinary Technology.
Its curriculum includes the following topics:
- Veterinary Medical Terminology
- Introduction to Veterinary Technology
- Animal Nursing and Restraint
- Animal Health Record Systems
- Veterinary Parasitology and Pathology
- Pharmaceutical Mathematics
- Radiation Safety
- Specimen Collection
- Hematology and Urinalysis
- Clinical Laboratory Procedures
- Veterinary Microbiology
- Basic Animal Science
- Anesthesiology
- Surgical Nursing and Lab Animal Procedures
- Veterinary Procedures
- Applied Radiography
- Veterinary Public Health and Sanitation
- Small Animal Diseases
- Large Animal Diseases and Procedures
- Animal Nutrition
- Cooperative Education – linking clinical practice to actual business administration
Portland Community College
Veterinary Technology Program
P.O. Box 19000
Portland, OR 97219
503-244-6111
www.pcc.edu
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