Associate of Applied Science in Veterinary Nursing

Accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association since 2021

Criteria for Program

• General high school diploma or equivalent and be at least 18 years of age by their second semester
• A competitive admission process will be based on the following criteria:
  
  • Strong communication skills, compassion, detail-oriented, manual dexterity, and problem-solving skills
  • Experience (animal care, veterinary healthcare exposure, general work experiences)
  • Evidence of self-motivation, self-determination, veterinary nursing career awareness, leadership, and awareness of the VN Program
  • Academic ability with a 3.0 high school or 3.0 college GPA (whichever is most recent). 3.0 college GPA to be maintained throughout the VN Program.
• Interview with Program faculty prior to acceptance to evaluate prospective Vet Nursing candidate
  • Invitations for interviews will be extended in the fall and spring based on the completion of the admissions application

Animal Care Duty 

Marian University's Ancilla College provides a unique teaching environment for our students, which includes maintaining on-site housing for dogs and cats. An essential part of the education provided by the veterinary nursing program is learning the duties and responsibilities of animal care and sanitation. Therefore, animal care duty is a vital part of that learning experience, and all veterinary nursing students are assigned mandatory kennel duty. Animal care duties are performed before and after classes.

To learn more about the veterinary nursing profession, we recommend the following websites:

The National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA): NAVTA provides resources for vet techs, including information about specializations, continuing education, and conferences.

American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA): The AVMA offers resources on veterinary education, advocacy, and accreditation.

American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB): This association is responsible for the VTNE exam and can provide information about licensing and regulation.

Indiana Veterinary Technician Association: This association is comprised of credentialed technicians throughout the state of Indiana as well as Veterinary Nursing/Technology Students.

AVMA's Veterinary Technology Programs Accredited by the AVMA CVTEA: A list of accredited veterinary technology programs for those seeking to enter the field.

Reporting Animal Concerns

The humane care and use of animals are of paramount importance to Marian University's Ancilla College. Specific concerns about the treatment of animals should be reported to the Chair of the IACUC (Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee).  Specific concerns about the treatment of animals maybe reported in person, by email, or by letter.  Those registering concerns may include his/her name or the concern may be anonymous.

Concerns should be reported in a letter sent to Marian University's Ancilla College, addressed to:

Or contact Marianne Dosmann, RVT MS, Director of Veterinary Nursing at 574-936-8898 x 379 and Mdosmann@marian.edu.

All claims will be investigated. To facilitate in a thorough investigation, claims should include the date, time, species involved, specific animal identification number and names of college student, staff, or personnel if possible. Any individual reporting a concern about animal care and use has freedom from reprisal for his/her action.
Animal husbandry concerns should be discussed with the facility supervisor. If the problem remains unresolved, please contact the Director of Veterinary Nursing Program and any of the above contact options.