Taylor Epp, Director

Veterinary nurses are compassionate, highly motivated paraprofessionals dedicated to animal health care. As integral members of the veterinary health care team, they are entrusted with diverse medical responsibilities that include animal nursing care, laboratory specimen analysis, surgical assistance, anesthesia, radiographic imaging (x-ray), nutritional management, dental prophylaxis, physical therapy, and client education. These varied duties afford the veterinary paraprofessional a profound impact on every aspect of animal care. Their involvement enables veterinary hospitals and animal care and research facilities to offer expanded services efficiently and effectively.

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) recognizes two levels of training for the veterinary paraprofessional:  a two-year certification and a four-year bachelor's degree.  The Certificate of Completion at Michigan State University is a two-year training program. After completion of the pre-clinical courses, students complete clinical clerkship training at the Michigan State University Veterinary Medical Center. Through the clinical clerkships, the students develop and apply their knowledge and problem-solving skills in a functional hospital setting.  The two-year level of training is most appropriate for individuals who seek employment in privately owned veterinary clinical practices.

The Bachelor of Science degree in Veterinary Nursing requires four years of academic training. In addition to the core curriculum of the Certificate of Completion, the students complete the general education requirements of Michigan State University and elective courses.  The elective courses allow the students to focus on potential career paths within the veterinary profession such as production animal medicine, equine and companion animal medicine, pathology, biomedical research, and practice management. Their training offers exposure to clinical specialty areas such as emergency medicine, cardiology, ophthalmology, equine anesthesia, and necropsy.  The four-year bachelor's degree level of training is linked with employment in research facilities, vivaria, industry, educational institutions, pharmaceutical companies, and large-group or speciality practices.

The state of Michigan requires that any person practicing as a veterinary professional must be licensed and registered with the state. Regulation of veterinary professionals is the responsibility of the Veterinary Board of Examiners in the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulation. The credentialing examination is only available to qualified graduates of accredited training programs. The Veterinary Nursing Program is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and graduates of the Certificate of Completion or Bachelor of Science in Veterinary Nursing are eligible to take the National Board Examinations for licensure.

Enrollment in the Veterinary Technology Program’s academic certificate and degree options is limited.  Students are admitted for fall semester only.  Applications for admission are accepted through early February of the year that admission is sought. For additional information, contact the Veterinary Nursing Program, Veterinary Medical Center, 736 Wilson Road, Room A-22, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824-1316 or visit http://cvm.msu.edu/vt.

The Certificate of Completion articulates with an Associate in Applied Sciences degree from Lansing Community College.  For specific degree requirements for the Associate in Applied Science, contact Lansing Community College at http://www.lcc.edu.

Bachelor of Science

Admission

The number of students who can be admitted to the Bachelor of Science degree program in veterinary technology is limited.  All persons who are interested in applying for admission to the bachelor's degree program in veterinary nursing must complete an application which can be found, along with the application process instructions, by visiting www.cvm.msu.edu/vt.

Applications for admission to the bachelor's degree program in veterinary nursing are accepted through early February of the year that admission is sought.

Students who are enrolled in colleges and universities other than Michigan State University should contact Michigan State University's Office of Admissions and the College of Veterinary Medicine regarding admission to the bachelor's degree program in veterinary nursing as transfer students.

To be considered for admission, an applicant must have a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 2.75 and a minimum of a 2.5 grade-point average of the last 12 credits completed and a minimum of a 2.0 grade in all math and science courses:

1. Completion of at least 28 credits of the University graduation requirements or transfer equivalents with a cumulative grade-point average of 2.5 or higher including:
   1. One of the following: (Mathematics 101 and 103) or (Mathematics 103 and 114) or (Mathematics 116 or 124 or 132 or 152H).
   2. Biological Science 161 and 171.
   3. Tier I writing course.
   4. Additional credits selected from an Integrative Studies in the Arts and Humanities course numbered below 211, an Integrative Studies in the Arts and Humanities course numbered 211 or higher, an Integrative Studies in the Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences 200-level course, and an Integrative Studies in the Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences 300-level course.

The final selection of students to be admitted to the baccalaureate degree program in veterinary nursing is based on the cumulative grade-point average of all courses taken, the grade-point average calculated on all courses in mathematics and the physical and biological sciences, and the grade-point average of the last 12 credits. The selection process also  includes submission of a personal statement, letters of recommendation and documentation of 80 hours of veterinary related experience.

Students who complete the requirements for the Bachelor of Science degree in Veterinary Nursing will be qualified to take the National Board Examinations for licensure as veterinary-technicians.

Requirements for the Bachelor of Science Degree in Veterinary Nursing

1. The requirements for a bachelor's degree as specified in the Undergraduate Education section of the University catalog; 120 credits, including general elective credits, are required for the Bachelor of Science degree in Veterinary Nursing.
   The completion of the Mathematics courses referenced in item 2. b. below may also be used to satisfy the University mathematics requirement.
   
   The University's Tier II writing requirement for the Veterinary Nursing major is met by completing the following courses:  Veterinary Medicine 410 and 413. Those courses are referenced in items 2. a. below.
   
   Students who are enrolled in the Bachelor of Science degree in Veterinary Nursing may complete the alternative track in Integrative Studies in Biological and Physical Sciences that consists of the following courses: Biological Sciences 161, 162, 171, and 172; and Chemistry 141. The completion of Biological Science 171 satisfies the laboratory requirement. Biological Science 162 and 172 and Chemistry 141 may be counted toward both the alternative track and the requirements for the major referenced in item 2. below.
2. The following requirements for the major (102 credits):

   a.	All of the following courses (72 credits):
   	BS	161	Cell and Molecular Biology						3
   	BS	162	Organismal and Population Biology						3
   	BS	171	Cell and Molecular Biology Laboratory						2
   	BS	172	Organismal and Population Biology Laboratory						2
   	CEM	141	General Chemistry						4
   	VM	110	Veterinary Medical Terminology						1
   	VM	120	Veterinary Comparative Nutrition						2
   	VM	130	Comparative Anatomy for Veterinary Nurses						2
   	VM	140	Pharmacology for Veterinary Nurses						2
   	VM	150	Hospital Procedures and Communication						2
   	VM	155	Veterinary Nursing Careers and Professional Development						1
   	VM	160	Small Animal Nursing Skills						3
   	VM	165	Large Animal and Laboratory Animal Nursing Care Techniques						2
   	VM	170	Hematology and Immunology for Veterinary Nurses						2
   	VM	175	Clinical Pathology Laboratory I for Veterinary Nurses						1
   	VM	176	Clinical Pathology Laboratory II for Veterinary Nurses						1
   	VM	205	Preventive Animal Health Care for Veterinary Nurses						3
   	VM	210	Surgical Nursing for Veterinary Nurses						2
   	VM	215	Surgical Nursing and Anesthetic Management Laboratory						1
   	VM	245	Parasitology for Veterinary Nurses						2
   	VM	250	Veterinary Comparative Clinical Physiology						5
   	VM	255	Small Animal Diseases and Management						3
   	VM	265	Dentistry Techniques for Veterinary Nurses						1
   	VM	270	Advanced Skills Development for Veterinary Nurses						1
   	VM	275	Large Animal Diseases and Management						3
   	VM	295	Biomedical Research and Regulatory Issues for Veterinary Nurses						1
   	VM	303	Anesthesiology for Veterinary Nurses						2
   	VM	304	Radiology for Veterinary Nurses						2
   	VM	305	Hospital Practice Management for Veterinary Nurses						2
   	VM	410	Veterinary Nursing Clerkship in Anesthesiology						3
   	VM	411	Veterinary Nursing Clerkship in Radiology						3
   	VM	412	Veterinary Nursing Clerkship in Companion Animal Medicine						3
   	VM	413	Veterinary Nursing Clerkship in Companion Animal Surgery						3
   b.	One of the following options (0 to 7 credits):
   	(1)	One of the following courses:
   		MTH	116	College Algebra and Trigonometry					5
   		MTH	124	Survey of Calculus I					3
   		MTH	132	Calculus I					3
   		MTH	152H	Honors Calculus I					3
   	(2)	MTH	103	College Algebra					3
   		and
   		One of the following:
   		MTH	101	Quantitative Literacy I					3
   		MTH	102	Quantitative Literacy II					3
   		MTH	114	Trigonometry					3
   		MTH	201	Elementary Mathematics for Teachers I					3
   		STT	200	Statistical Methods					3
   		STT	201	Statistical Methods					4
   	(3)	Successfully complete the proctored mathematics placement exam with a score of 19 or higher.
   c.	At least 7 credits from the following courses approved by the student’s academic advisor:
   	ABM	100	Decision-making in the Agri-Food System						3
   	ABM	225	Commodity Marketing I						3
   	ACC	230	Survey of Accounting Concepts						3
   	ANS	305	Applied Animal Behavior						3
   	ANS	313	Principles of Animal Feeding and Nutrition (W)						4
   	ANS	314	Genetic Improvement of Domestic Animals (W)						4
   	ANS	407	Food and Animal Toxicology						3
   	ANS	413	Non-Ruminant Nutrition						4
   	ANS	445	Equine Exercise Physiology						4
   	EPI	390	Disease in Society: An Introduction to Epidemiology and Public Health						4
   	PHM	350	Introductory Human Pharmacology						3
   	VM	285	Clinical Nutrition for Veterinary Nurses						1
   	IBIO	300	Neurobiology						3
   	IBIO	313	Animal Behavior						3
   	IBIO	341	Fundamentals of Genetics						4
   	IBIO	369	Introduction to Zoo and Aquarium Science						3
   	IBIO	408	Histology						4
   	IBIO	413	Laboratory in Behavioral Neuroscience (W)						4
   	IBIO	415	Ecological Aspects of Animal Behavior (W)						3
   d.	At least 18 credits from the following courses or from the courses listed in item 2. c. All course selections must be approved by the student’s academic advisor:
   	VM	414	Veterinary Nursing Clerkship in Equine Medicine and Surgery						3 to 6
   	VM	415	Veterinary Nursing Clerkship in Food Animal and Equine Medicine and Surgery						3 to 6
   	VM	450	Veterinary Nursing Clerkship in Emergency Medicine						3
   	VM	451	Veterinary Nursing Clerkship in Cardiology						3
   	VM	452	Veterinary Nursing Clerkship in Neurology						3
   	VM	453	Veterinary Nursing Clerkship in Ophthalmology						3
   	VM	454	Veterinary Nursing Clerkship in Critical Care						3
   	VM	466	Veterinary Nursing Clerkship in Large Animal Anesthesia						3
   	VM	470	Veterinary Nursing Clerkship in Food Animal Medicine						3 to 6
   	VM	480	Veterinary Nursing Clerkship in Clinical Pathology						3
   	VM	482	Veterinary Nursing Clerkship in Necropsy						3
   	VM	483	Veterinary Nursing Clerkship in Biomedical Research						3 to 12
   	VM	484	Veterinary Nursing Clerkship in Zoo and Wildlife						3 to 12
   	VM	486	Veterinary Nursing Clerkship in Clinical Parasitology						3
   	VM	490	Veterinary Nursing Clerkship in Special Problems						3 to 12