Wisconsin Ag Connection - Vet Tech Program Added to UWRF

Wisconsin Ag News Headlines

Vet Tech Program Added to UWRF
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 10/12/2006

The University of Wisconsin-River Falls' Food and Environmental Sciences Program has added a new veterinary technology program to its roster of majors. The move was approved earlier this year to give students a shorter school term option while still being able to work in the veterinary field and receive a bachelor's degree.

According to Larry Baumann, professor in the animal and food science department at UWRF, students who complete the program earn a two-year associate animal science degree

"Students who want to work with animals as a career can now get a degree without the full route of becoming a vet," said Baumann.

While the veterinary technology emphasis is still new, six to eight students who are currently enrolled or interested in enrolling. Baumann has been the driving force behind the vet tech program.

The program is designed so that students will spend about three and a half years at UWRF taking general classes with the animal science major and then will go on to take another year and a half of the vet tech classes at Madison Area Technical College or another university that offers them.

Currently a partnership exists between MATC and UWRF for the program since MATC is the only college in the state that offers these courses.

Baumann said they are working to have the vet tech program become nationally accredited. As part of the program students must intern in a veterinary clinic for the entire summer. Student can also use the program as a segue to other degrees.