VETERINARY TECHNOLOGY (VT)

VT 1011 – Topics in Veterinary Technology I.
Prerequisite: None.
This preparatory course is designed to introduce the student to the veterinary healthcare team and the roles performed by veterinary technicians.
One lecture hour a week. Credit: One semester hour.

VT 1021 – Topics Veterinary Technology II.
Prerequisite: None.
This preparatory course is designed to introduce the student to various aspects of veterinary medicine including restraint, laboratory techniques, surgical nursing and hospital management. One lecture hour a week. Credit:
One semester hour.

VT 1101 -- Medical Terminology.
Prerequisite: None.
This course is designed to introduce the student to the various aspects of terminology in the veterinary technology field, including construction, meaning and pronunciation.
One lecture hour a week. Credit: One semester hour.

VT 1104 -- Introduction to Veterinary Technology.
Prerequisite: Admission to VT Program.
This course is designed to introduce the student to the scope of a veterinary technician's duties, career opportunities, salary ranges and organizations available to veterinary technicians, the rules and regulations that govern technicians and provide the students the opportunity to identify domestic breeds, breed characteristics and demonstrate appropriate restraint. The student will also begin developing skills in sanitation procedures, admitting and discharging patients, performing physical examinations, administering drugs, using veterinary software and maintaining medical records.
Three lecture and three laboratory hours a week. Credit: Four semester hours.

VT 1112 -- Veterinary Technology Math for Meds.
Prerequisite: Admission to VT Program.
This course is designed to provide the student with a beginning level of understanding of math as it relates to the health field. Students will review basic math skills and learn how to apply this basic knowledge to medication dosage calculation. Specific areas covered include basic units of measurements, abbreviations, equivalencies, apothecary, household, metric conversions, dosage calculations, calculations by weight, fluid therapy, and percent solutions. The student will have the opportunity to learn and practice math skills necessary for dosage calculation and administration.
Two lecture hours a week. Credit: Two semester hours.

VT 1114 -- Veterinary Technology Anatomy.
Prerequisite: Admission to VT Program.
This course is designed to provide the student an opportunity to identify and compare the anatomical structures of common domestic animals in preparation for the study of physiological processes.
Three lecture and four laboratory hours a week. Credit: Four semester hours.

VT 1214 – Anesthesia and Surgical Nursing.
Prerequisite: Completion of preceding VT courses (as listed in the degree curriculum) with a grade of "C" or better.
This 16-week course in anesthesiology is designed to give the student a working knowledge of the various common chemical agents associated with modern veterinary anesthesia. In addition to drug pharmacokinetics, students will also learn and develop skills in the proper operation and maintenance of anesthetic machines, induction and monitoring of patients, maintaining accurate anesthetic records, and recognizing anesthetic emergencies.
Three lecture and four laboratory hours a week. Credit: Four semester hours.

VT 1223 -- Veterinary Technology Physiology.
Prerequisite: Completion of preceding VT courses (as listed in the degree curriculum) with a grade of "C" or better.
This course is designed to provide the student with the cognitive skills to comprehend the principles of body function, which are basic to the performance of the skills expected of a Veterinary Technician. The course will cover comparative function of domestic animals beginning at the cellular level and progressing through the systems of the body.
Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three semester hours.

VT 1224 -- Laboratory Techniques I.
Prerequisite: Completion of preceding VT courses (as listed in the degree curriculum) with a grade of "C" or better.
This course is designed to provide the student an opportunity to perform hematological techniques including; sample collection, preparation, identification and counting blood cells, determination of hematocrit, sedimentation rate, hemoglobin content, and red blood cell indices. Along with hematological performances, internal and external parasites are identified, and classified, with discussions of their significance within veterinary public health, epidemiology and prevention.
Three lecture and four laboratory hours a week. Credit: Four semester hours.

VT 2006 -- Preceptorship.
Prerequisite: Completion of preceding VT courses (as listed in the degree curriculum) with a grade of "C" or better.
This is an occupational experience afforded by cooperative effort between the student, Murray State College Veterinary Technology Program and the approved professional veterinary medical or allied medical clinical practice establishment.
Forty laboratory hours a week for eight weeks. Credit: Six semester hours.

VT 2103 -- Laboratory Techniques II.
Prerequisite: Completion of preceding VT courses (as listed in the degree curriculum) with a grade of "C" or better.
This course is designed to provide the student an opportunity to perform blood chemistry tests, urinalysis and aspiration techniques for cytological exam to aid in evaluating and interpreting physiological or pathological bodily functions. Hematology and parasitology laboratory applications will be carried over from Laboratory Tech. I. Other serological and body function tests will be incorporated during the course of study.
Two lecture and four laboratory hours a week. Credit: Three semester hours.

VT 2113 -- Radiology.
Prerequisite: Completion of preceding VT courses (as listed in the degree curriculum) with a grade of "C" or better.
This course is designed to introduce the student to various aspects of radiology, including positioning, exposure, developing techniques and trouble-shooting. The course also includes exposure to ultrasonography, fluoroscopy, scintigraphy, and nuclear radiology. Safety and technique are emphasized throughout the course.
Two lecture and four laboratory hours a week. Credit: Three semester hours.

VT 2123 -- Animal Pathology.
Prerequisite: Completion of preceding VT courses (as listed in the degree curriculum) with a grade of "C" or better.
This course is designed to provide the student with the cognitive skills to recognize general pathology common to the domestic animal. The student will be expected to assimilate information and enter into a decision-making process at the level necessary for the practicing Veterinary Technician. Sections to be covered in this course include general pathology, immunology, toxicology and common diseases of domestic animals, including zoonotic diseases and preventive measures.
Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three semester hours.

VT 2124 -- Pharmacology and Small Animal Medical Nursing.
Prerequisite: Completion of VT courses (as listed in the degree curriculum) with a grade of "C" or better.
This course is designed to introduce the student to the various aspects of pharmacology including: recognition of general types and groups of drugs, routes of administration and dosage regimen; pharmacokinetics; and, labeling and packaging of drugs for dispensing. In addition the student will have the opportunity to expand skills acquired in VT 1214, and VT 1224.
Three lecture and four laboratory hours a week. Credit: Four semester hours.

VT 2213 -- Veterinary Clinical Management and Human Relations.
Prerequisite: Completion of preceding VT courses (as listed in the degree curriculum) with a grade of "C" or better.
This course covers basic office procedures, staff, and client relations; the human-animal bond; ethics, professional conduct, and marketing.
Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three semester hours.

VT 2214 -- Capstone and Large Animal Medical Nursing.
Prerequisite: Completion of preceding VT courses (as listed in the degree curriculum) with a grade of "C" or better.
This course builds on the skills and knowledge learned in all previous Veterinary Technology courses and Microbiology. The course will also include pre- and post-op nursing considerations as related to food animal and equine patients under various clinical presentations.
Three lecture and four laboratory hours a week. Credit: Four semester hours.

VT 2223 -- Wild, Zoo and Laboratory Animal Care.
Prerequisite: Completion of preceding VT courses (as listed in the degree curriculum) with a grade of "C" or better.
This course is an introductory course in handling, restraint, nutrition, breeding, and common diseases of wild, zoo and laboratory animals.
Two lecture and three laboratory hours a week. Credit: Three semester hours.

VT 2224 -- Animal Reproduction, Nutrition and Production.
Prerequisite: Completion of preceding VT courses (as listed in the degree curriculum) with a grade of "C" or better.
This course is designed to provide the student with; a review of basic physiology, genetics, reproduction, breeding soundness examination of common domestic animals, and an introduction to artificial insemination and embryo transfer. Basic food nutrients, nutritional requirements and ration formulation will also be included. Both facets of the course will be related to production.
Three lecture and three laboratory hours a week. Credit: Four semester hours.

VT 2810 -- Special Problems in Veterinary Technology.
Prerequisite: Approval of program chairman.
This course is a study and/or analysis of a selected area and/or topic in Veterinary Technology. May be taken more than once.
Credit varies from one to four semester hours.