Veterinary Technology Program

Animal lovers who also excel at science and are up for the challenge of rigorous learning should look to the highly-respected and nationally honored Ridgewater College Veterinary Technology program. A combination of a nurse and a medical technologist, a veterinary technician works very closely with a veterinarian and is an integral part of the animal healthcare team.

Program delivery

• Willmar campus
• Fall start

Skills you will learn

• Surgical nursing
• Anesthesia
• Laboratory work
• X-ray and imaging
• Patient care and nursing
• Pharmacology
• Client education
• Kennel management and animal care

Choose Ridgewater

Ridgewater’s nationally recognized Veterinary Technology program has earned accolades for both the program and its faculty. If you want to work with animals but would rather be the veterinary technician than the veterinarian, Ridgewater is the benchmark for excellence for students in the Upper Midwest. To be the best, it’s great to learn from the best! Ridgewater’s Vet Tech department of two veterinarians and seven veterinary technicians helps ensure that students in small, personal classes learn exactly what future employers demand. Students are set up for success through extensive hands-on lab experiences in the campus Paws and Claws clinic as well as at community partner facilities. We want you to succeed so much that we invite you to test the program’s fit for you by taking our online introductory course.

Program Distinctions

Ridgewater’s Veterinary Technology program has been ranked as one of the top 50 veterinary technician programs in the country. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has granted Ridgewater College’s Veterinary Technology program FULL accreditation. The program has been on FULL accreditation since 1993.

Dr. Allen Balay, Ridgewater’s Veterinary Technology instructor, has been recognized as one of the top 40 veterinary technology instructors in the country.

Ridgewater has earned “FearFree” certification whereby both staff and students commit to providing animal health care with less fear, anxiety, and stress for animals.

Program attributes that help students thrive

• On-site Paws and Claws veterinary wellness clinic
• Kennel facility with 50+ dogs, cats, small animals, and exotics
• Small class sizes with 8:1 student-to-staff ratio
• State-of-the-art equipment, labs, and facilities, including dental, X-ray and surgery units
• Strong regional partnerships for field trips and hands-on experiences with large or exotic animals
• Local, regional and international internship opportunities
• 95% job placement rate

Veterinary Technology students who succeed in the program love animals, science, and medicine, and are diligent, conscientious, reliable, and compassionate. After all, you’re really training to become a veterinary nurse!