By Kathleen Berger, Executive Producer for Science and Technology
Jamie Ottinger was a registered veterinary technician for about five years before she pursued change.
“I was at a point where I wanted to know what was next,” said Ottinger.
Ottinger isn’t alone. According to the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine, many vet techs leave practice after about five years.
“There’s not really a way to move up. And therefore, there’s a very high turnover rate in the profession of veterinary technology. Right now, the average is five years,” said Cindy E. Cravens, DVM, Community Practice-Veterinary Health Center at the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine.
Ottinger discovered an opportunity at the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine that would soon advance her career. The College of Veterinary Medicine launched the Bachelor of Science in Veterinary Technology (BSVT) program. The BSVT program is an online bachelor’s completion degree for veterinary technicians anywhere who have an associate degree.
For Ottinger, becoming one of the program’s first students seemed like the perfect next step. Ottinger would also become one of two students to first graduate from the program with a bachelor’s degree in veterinary technology.
“It was very exciting,” said Ottinger. “Having higher education and giving our animals the best care is very beneficial with this program.”
There are only three bachelor’s completion programs nationwide, and Mizzou’s program is the only one at a college of veterinary medicine.
“We get to actually use all these assets and experts in the field to create a really amazing curriculum,” said Cravens, the BSVT program director.
The continued education and degree help technicians, like Ottinger, transition into specialty medicine. Ottinger now works for the Missouri Veterinary Dermatology Center in Wentzville.
“I didn’t realize I would like working in dermatology as much as I do,” she said. “It’s really interesting and much more in-depth than I expected it to be. And I feel like my degree did help me in that aspect.”
