Veterinary Technology

Degree Available-Associate of Applied Science

The inaugural degree program of Lone Star College-Tomball began in 1988 as one of the finest veterinary technology programs found in the United States. Now in its twentieth year and recently inspected and fully reaccredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Veterinary Technology Program has distinguished itself as the first exemplary program for Lone Star College-Tomball. It is the only Lone Star College System program to be recognized twice by the State of Texas as an exemplary program.

Located on a beautiful tree lined rolling hill campus, Lone Star College-Tomball is only 30 miles north of Houston, Texas on SH 249.  Away from the chaos of a large urban area, the city of Tomball (population 10,000) provides all the supportive needs for the student with the autonomy of a quiet east Texas community.  With an enrollment of over 7,000 students, Lone Star College-Tomball has grown each year since 1988 when the college first opened its doors to 1200 students.

Full accreditation status was granted prior to its first graduation class in 1990. The Veterinary Technology program boasts an impressive 99.8% passage rate on the State and National Board Examination. This success rate is unparalleled in the State of Texas and is rated as one of the highest passage percentages among the 140 accredited programs in the United States and Canada.

Today the program accepts 48 college entry-level students once a year each fall.  Applicants are in four basic categories: (1) those with college degrees, (2) those that have all non-veterinary technology courses (i.e. Math, English, etc.), (3) those students with some non-veterinary technology courses but not all, and (4) those students that have yet to attend college.  Most students matriculate through the 72 credit hour program over two years (six semesters), although some students choose to complete the program at a more leisurely pace in three years.  Classes include lecture and practical hands-on laboratories.  Most courses are taught on campus with one LSC-Online course.  Night classes are available in the fall semester.  The final semester is spent off campus completing the required clinical (internship) at a veterinary clinic or hospital, the Houston Zoo, a research hospital (MD Anderson, Baylor, or University of Texas), a specialty hospital (orthopedics, oncology, equine surgery, radiology, dermatology), or other approved preceptorship site.

Because the Veterinary Technology program is fully accredited by the AVMA, students are allowed to work in all areas of animal health care. A student typically spends time in laboratories working with cows, dogs, cats, horses, pigs, sheep, goats, birds, exotic animals and traditional laboratory animals like mice and rats. Upon graduation the student is free to pursue any type of animal care situation they so wish, since their training at Lone Star College-Tomball has qualified them for a wide spectrum of health care areas with a variety of species. As a result of the outstanding reputation of Lone Star College-Tomball's Veterinary Technology program graduates, our students typically have 8-10 jobs available in the immediate Harris County area.

Academically serious students anticipating entrance into the Veterinary Technology program must be at college level in Math, English, and Reading [after admission examinations are completed and have been reviewed]. If admission examinations indicate the student is in need of remediation, the student must successfully complete those requirements before applying for entry into the program. Application deadline is June 1st of each year.

In addition to the admission requirements of the Lone Star College System, the following are requirements for admission into the Veterinary Technology Associate of Applied Science degree program:

Note:  Students should submit a Lone Star College-Tomball application along with current (official) college transcripts to the admissions department at Lone Star College-Tomball.  After a visit with an advisor in the admissions department, the student should submit an advisor-signed application to the Veterinary Technology program along with a duplicate of college transcripts.  The application to the program must be co-signed by a Lone Star College-Tomball advisor during the student's visit in the admissions department.  The Veterinary Technology admissions application form is available at the admissions desk or at the link below.

Program applications are reviewed and evaluated for fall admission on June 1st of each year. All applicants will be notified of their admission status to the Lone Star College-Tomball Veterinary Technology program following the applicant review date concerning their status.

Each student is required to take the following courses:  VTHT 1345, VTHT 2323, VTHT 2431, VTHT 1441, and VTHT 1191 within one calender year before registering for the Veterinary Technology Clinical VTHT 2360 (internship).  Failure to complete the required courses will result in delay of the internship until requirements are met.

Because the program is fully accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association, graduating students are eligible to sit for the State and National Veterinary Technology Board Examinations when they have completed all required course work.  Out-of-state students may take both examinations in Texas or they are eligible to return to their home state for examination and registration/certification.