New General Education Requirements went into effect Fall 1994 for freshmen and for transfer students with fewer than 24 semester credits. Veterinary Technicians and Veterinarians working together form an effective, highly sophisticated animal health care team. Each has their own roles, responsibilities, and educational requirements. Veterinary Technicians are the veterinary equivalents of the nurses and technical support personnel in a human hospital. They perform many of the same kinds of activities as human nurses, radiography technicians, medical technologists, anesthetists, and surgical technicians.
Veterinarians are the veterinary equivalents of human medical doctors.
Their role is to diagnose diseases, perform surgery, and prescribe medications. They have overall responsibility for patient care. This first year is open to any student who has been accepted for admission to North Dakota State University, and serves as a career exploration period. Courses during this first year include five Veterinary Technology courses and general education courses. In the Spring of the pre-professional year, students may apply for admission into the Professional Veterinary Technology Program.