Veterinary Nursing Program

TMCC Veterinary Students

If you are passionate about helping people and have a soft spot for animals, becoming a Veterinary Nurse can help you to achieve all your professional goals. As a critical member of a veterinary team, you provide hands-on care for animals in need, while advising owners on optimal at-home care.

Why Choose Veterinary Nursing?

The Veterinary Nursing Program is a two-year degree program that leads to an Associate of Applied Science in Veterinary Nursing. The degree enables the graduate to take the Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE) and go on to become a licensed professional. The program has prerequisites and general education requirements. Applicants for this limited entry program are accepted by the end of the Spring Semester for the class starting in the Fall. Students will receive hands-on experience at the veterinary facility at TMCC's Meadowood Center (North) and at partner veterinary hospitals in the greater Reno area.

The Veterinary Nursing Program is fully accredited by the AVMA–CVTEA (American Veterinary Medical Association Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities). The CVTEA requires that all students are vaccinated for rabies. Information regarding vaccination is provided once students are accepted into the program.

What Will I Study?

The Veterinary Nursing Program has prerequisites and general education requirements. Prerequisites must be completed before June 1 of the year in which you are applying for consideration for the Veterinary Nursing Program. An application to the program must be submitted on or before the last Friday of the Spring Semester, prior to the new class beginning each Fall Semester. Students in the program will complete 73 credit hours of courses that provide the student with the basic understanding and skills to fulfill the function of a Veterinary Nurse. These include (but are not limited to) anatomy and physiology, veterinary office and clinical procedures, animal nutrition, diagnostic imaging, pharmacology and toxicology, surgical anesthesia, nursing and dental procedures, critical care and advanced clinical practices. 

Students can complete the Veterinary Nursing Program on a part-time basis (eight semesters of core classes instead of four). Prerequisites are required to start the program; however, the general education classes can be completed while enrolled. Students can also transfer into the program from another AVMA-CVTEA accredited vet tech/vet nursing program. Please contact us for more information and to start the conversation about the alternative options we offer.

Steps to Apply

  1. Apply to the College
    All applicants must have a student ID number (NSHE ID) which is assigned when a student applies to a college in the NSHE system. If you do not have an ID number, you must complete the TMCC application for admission.
  2. Submit the online Veterinary Nursing Program Application
    Complete and submit the Veterinary Nursing Application. The application opens on January 1 and is due no later than the last Friday of the Spring Semester.
  3. Have a Letter of Recommendation Sent to Us
    This letter can be uploaded along with your application. The letter must be from a veterinarian, veterinary technician, practice manager, high school or college instructor or someone else related to education or the animal field. This is required. A second letter of recommendation is encouraged and can earn an additional point toward your application.

Requirements

Please be prepared to upload the following documents along with your online application:

Required for All Applicants May Be Required for Some Applicants
  • A resume. Make sure that all documented work experience can be verified.
  • A one-page essay describing your past animal-related experiences. Discuss what you have done to prepare yourself for a career as a veterinary technician. Animal-related experiences for the essay can vary and do not need to be actual work experiences (for example: growing up on a ranch, participation in FFA, dog training and agility, etc.).
  • If you have no TMCC coursework: Please meet with a TMCC academic advisor first.
  • If you have taken classes at an institution other than TMCC: You will need to submit an unofficial transcript of any classes taken at an institution other than TMCC.
  • If you have a degree from another institution: Include a copy of the degree or make sure it is marked on your transcript.
  • If you have earned your State Certificate of Skill Attainment in Veterinary Science: You will need to submit your high school transcript.
  • If you do not have at least six months of verifiable work experience in a veterinary facility/hospital: You will need to submit a completed/signed Vet Tech Task Observation Form. You must complete 50 hours of observation at a veterinary hospital; the Task Observation Form is used to document this time, and must be uploaded with your application.

Application Review

Students Starting Surgery

Completed applications are reviewed after final grades for the Spring Semester are in the TMCC system. Applications are ranked according to our Admission Criteria Points System outlined below.

A letter of acceptance or denial will be emailed by mid-June. Upon receipt of a letter of acceptance, students are required to return a form indicating if they are accepting (or denying) admission by a designated date. After such time, students will be contacted again via email with details for registration for the Fall Semester and information about our scheduled orientation session.

In the event of a full class and a tie in points among applicants, members of an admissions team from the program will review an essay to break the tie and select students for the incoming class.

Students who are denied admission are welcome to apply again for the following year.

Admission Criteria Point System: 18 Maximum Possible Points

Previous Education
Maximum = 5 points
Master's Degree 5 points
Bachelor's Degree (in Science) 3 points
Bachelor's Degree (non-Science), Associate Degree, NAVTA Vet Assistant Program Certificate 1.5 points
State Certificate of Skill Attainment in Veterinary Science 0.5 points
GPA for Prerequisites
Maximum = 3 points
Science Course; ENG 101; Math 120 or higher.
3.5-4.0 GPA 3 points
3.0-3.4 GPA 2 points
2.5-2.9 GPA 1 point
Overall GPA
Maximum = 3 points
Based on school's overall GPA or FPA for general education requirements.
3.5-4.0 GPA 3 points
3.0-3.4 GPA 2 points
2.5-2.9 GPA 1 point
General Education Requirements
(no points involved, unless in case of a tie)
Courses must be successfully completed with a C or better.
English 101/113  N/A
English 102/114  N/A
Math 120 (or higher)  N/A
Science
(recommended: BIOL 190/190L, BIOL 191/191L, BIOL 100, BIOL 112, BIOL 113, BIOL 137, or approved course)		  N/A
Human Relations
(recommended: CE 201; CPD 124, 129, 132; EPY 101; MGT 171, 201)		  N/A
Social Science/Humanities  N/A
U.S. and Nevada Constitution  N/A
Diversity
Note: as this requirement can be the same as an approved Social Science/Humanities class, you may receive 1 point for the dual purpose class.
(recommended: ANTH 205, 208, 229; EDU 203; ENG 231; GEOG 200; HIST 208, 209; PHIL 210; PSY 276; SOC 205, 276)		  N/A
Veterinary Work Experience
Maximum = 5 points
Note: This is for work experience in the field of veterinary medicine, in a veterinary facility.
Be sure that your veterinary work experience can be verified on your resume or you will not be eligible to receive any points.
4 years or more 5 points
2-3 years 4 points
1-2 years 3 points
6 months to 1 year 2 points
3-6 months 1 point
Letter of Recommendation
Maximum = 1 point
Please have at least one signed Letter of Recommendation on official letterhead. Scan all your letters into one PDF document and upload it with your application. This letter is required. The letter can be from a veterinarian, veterinary technician, practice manager, high school or college instructor or someone else related to education or the animal field. You can have an additional letter sent to the program that may be counted for 1 point. 1 point
Repeat Applicant
Maximum = 1 point
If you are a repeat applicant to the program, and your previous application met all of the requirements, you will be given 1 point for reapplying this following year. 1 point

Program Worksheet

View our Program Overview (special admissions procedures, core requirements, prerequisites, etc.) in the current TMCC College Catalog.

Required Coursework

Many students who are admitted to the TMCC Veterinary Nursing Program have many, if not all, of the General Education requirements for the AAS degree completed prior to starting the program; this enables you to graduate with the AAS degree upon completion of the program and sit for the VTNE.

If you have not previously met with a TMCC Academic Advisor, it is in your best interest to do so.

Prerequisites

All prerequisite classes must be completed by the end of the Spring Semester (June 1) prior to admission into the program. Complete each course with a minimum grade of "C":

  • Science: BIOL 190/190L, BIOL 191/191L, BIOL 100, BIOL 112, BIOL 113, BIOL 137, or approved course (3-4 credits)
  • ENG 101 or ENG 113: Composition I or Composition I for International Students (3 credits)
  • MATH 120 (or higher): Fundamentals of College Mathematics (3 credits)

Questions

Please contact us if you have any questions.