Veterinary Technology (Diploma)

The Veterinary Technology Diploma program (VTEC) is now available in two formats: You can choose to study either full-time (in-person) or part-time (hybrid).  

No. You must decide when you apply which cohort you are applying for: the in-person, on campus, two-year option, or the hybrid part-time, three-year option.   

There is a strict maximum of 30 student in each cohort. The differences in teaching methods means that many of the courses in the part time option are structured and sequenced differently than the full time, on-campus option and therefore even if there were space, it will be difficult to match up courses to switch between the part time and full-time cohort (or vice versa). 

All applicants must spend 80 hours working in a veterinary hospital or clinic, observing or working with a Registered Veterinary Technologist (RVT) and/or Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) so that the Task Observation Form (TOF) can be completed. Hours and TOF must be signed off by a veterinarian, RVT, or hospital manager. 

Please log all animal related work experience (e.g. volunteer work in rescues, shelters or with wildlife, work experience at a dog daycare, boarding facility or pet store, farm work, horse riding, etc.). The more work experience hours and the wider the variety of work experiences you have, the stronger your application to the VTEC program will be.

Criteria reviewed for scoring are: 

Yes. There is typically a waitlist for applicants that do not receive the first seat offers for each application. If a spot becomes available, those on the waitlist are contacted.   

If you are waitlisted for the on campus full-time VTEC diploma option, you may get offered a spot for the part-time hybrid VTEC diploma option (if there is space available). If you are waitlisted for the part-time hybrid VTEC program option and do not get offered a seat, please let admissions know if you wish to be considered for the following year’s student intake.

Once the program begins, all applicants are removed from the waitlist and must re-apply for the following year.

Yes. There are four Clinical Placement courses for which you will be required to work in a veterinary hospital/ clinic, in the fall and winter semesters of the second and third year. Each student is required to complete a minimum of 120 hours work for each of these four courses – we recommend two to three days per week of work. 

It is not a requirement to work in a veterinary clinic during the first year of the program, however, it may help with your studies, and will allow you to establish the productive mentor-mentee relationships that you will need for your second- and third-year clinical placement courses. You will need access to a compliant dog and cat in the second semester of the program, to practise restraint and physical examination skills.

The clinic must be a CVBC/CVMA approved full-service small animal (or mixed animal) veterinary hospital or clinic and must agree to host the student for a minimum of 120 hours per semester (starting in the Fall semester of second year).   

The host veterinary hospital or clinic must have a DVM or RVT (with a minimum two-years clinical experience) available and willing to supervise and mentor the student. These mentors will be the student’s clinical supervisors and will work with the students to help them completing their learning outcomes, assignments and video evaluations on live animals. Students can have more than one clinical supervisor. 

If you're working in a clinic in your first year, clinic participation in your education is not required (although support is appreciated).   

You must have a DVM or RVT (with a minimum two-years clinical experience) supervising and mentoring you during your Clinical Placement courses in years two and three. You can have more than one clinical supervisor; however, all supervisors must be listed on the Clinic Affiliation Agreement. 

The clinical supervisors are not required to teach or deliver any lessons. You'll receive a course outline and you are responsible for reviewing it with your supervisor so that you are aware of the course topics that you are learning, equipment required and essential skills that you must complete to successfully complete your courses. You are responsible for discussing the essential skills assignments with the clinical supervisor, and the supervisor should assist you in finding suitable patients, ensuring you are is prepared for the skills assessment, watching you complete the skill, giving you feedback and signing any relevant paperwork that needs to be submitted to the College with the essential skill evaluation photos/videos.