Veterinary Technology | University of Missouri-Columbia

Skills & Competencies

Skills developed through this program

Auto-populatedfrom O*NET via SOC 29-1131.00

Skills

Active ListeningReading ComprehensionActive LearningScienceCritical ThinkingComplex Problem SolvingJudgment and Decision MakingSpeaking

Knowledge

BiologyMedicine and DentistryCustomer and Personal ServiceEnglish LanguageMathematics

Abilities

Oral ComprehensionWritten ComprehensionOral ExpressionProblem SensitivityDeductive ReasoningInductive ReasoningNear VisionInformation OrderingWritten ExpressionSpeech Recognition

Tasks

Treat sick or injured animals by prescribing medication, setting bones, dressing wounds, or performi
Inoculate animals against various diseases, such as rabies or distemper.
Examine animals to detect and determine the nature of diseases or injuries.

Technology

Document management softwareMedical softwareData base user interface and query softwareSpreadsheet softwareOffice suite software

Tools

Ambu bagsAngiography cathetersAnimal catching polesAnimal electrocardiograph ECG unitsAnimal snaresArterial line cathetersArthroscopic surgical equipmentAspiration cathetersAutomated chemistry analyzersAutomated microbial identification systemsAvian restrainersBandage scissorsBarcode scannersBattery-operated orthopedic drillsBenchtop centrifuges

Work Values

AchievementIndependenceRecognitionRelationshipsWorking ConditionsSupport

Career Pathways

Occupations this program prepares you for

Auto-populatedfrom O*NET + BLS

Occupations matched to this program, with median wage, top wage, growth, and openings
SOC	Occupation	Method	Wage	Growth	Openings
Match confidence: medium29-1131.00	Veterinarians	title_inference	$125,510 median$212,890 top	+9.61%	830

Program Pathways

Credentials this program stacks toward

No program pathways.

What You'll Learn

Key competencies developed through this program

Auto-populatedfrom NSX Competency Framework

Mastery: proficient (Level 3)(based on Bachelor's Degree)

Complex case diagnosis — independently examine animals presenting with ambiguous or multi-system disorders, integrating clinical, laboratory, and imaging data to reach definitive diagnoses in an autonomous practice environment.
Advanced surgical intervention — plan and perform complex orthopedic, soft-tissue, and emergency surgeries, managing intraoperative complications without referral in a full-service veterinary hospital.
Herd and flock health management — develop comprehensive preventive health programs including vaccination, parasite control, and biosecurity protocols for large-animal operations in a production agriculture context.
Specialized diagnostic imaging — conduct and interpret advanced radiographic and ultrasonographic examinations for atypical presentations, guiding non-routine treatment plans in a specialty or referral hospital.
Critical care management — stabilize and treat critically ill or severely injured animals, making high-stakes clinical decisions autonomously in an intensive care unit setting.
Pharmacovigilance and drug resistance — monitor patient responses to treatment, recognize adverse drug events, and adjust therapeutic strategies to combat resistance patterns across a diverse patient population.
Zoonotic disease investigation — lead on-site investigation and management of potential zoonotic outbreaks, coordinating with public health agencies and advising clients in a community or agricultural setting.
End-of-life and ethical decision-making — navigate ethically complex euthanasia, quality-of-life, and resource-allocation decisions with clients, applying bioethical frameworks in a professional clinical environment.
Mentorship of clinical staff — guide veterinary students, interns, and technicians through diagnostic reasoning and procedural skill development within a teaching hospital or clinical rotation context.
Evidence-based protocol development — review current literature and translate findings into updated clinical protocols for common and emerging conditions in an independent or group veterinary practice.

Program Details

Detailed information about this program

No detailed information available.

Requirements

What you need to earn this credential

No requirements listed.

Financial Aid

Eligible funding programs

No funding information available.

Scholarships

No scholarships listed.