In response to a shortage of trained veterinary paraprofessionals in Alaska, the Interior-Aleutians Campus and the Chukchi Campus supported by the College of Rural and Community Development are proposing the Veterinary Sciences certificate (VTS) consisting of a 37-38 credit certificate program. This certificate is designed to articulate into a proposed AS degree and a proposed track for individuals to complete requirements to be eligible for the National Veterinary Technician Examination.
In the absence of trained veterinary care in rural Alaska, primary and crisis care for animals has come from a variety of sources, including local dog mushers or other animal enthusiasts and village based health care workers. These rural residents already have life-skills in animal and or human care and would like to formalize these skills. When even these informal options are unavailable injured and sick animals are most often disposed of by local law enforcement, if any are available or by the owner themselves. Formal training in veterinary science would allow rural communities to practically and humanely deal with animal health issues.
In the alternative food production arena, the shortage of adequate rural veterinary care has affected the ability of interested people to have successful large animal or poultry farming operations. Such production operations may involve cattle, swine, sheep, goat, reindeer, bison and poultry. These producers ideally would have access to individuals with the skill to help appropriately manage disease, avoidance, nutrition and husbandry issues.
Additional roles of students trained in the veterinary field are identification and management of public health issues. These may include zoonotic diseases including rabies education and prevention, animal disease recognition and education, water and food quality testing, and meat and seafood inspection.
Objectives of the VTS certificate program:
1. To prepare a group of educated Alaskans that meet current life-skill and workforce needs in veterinary sciences, focusing on the rural worker.
2. To contribute to our vocational educated Alaskan workforce by providing a program that links work-based skills and hands-on learning to postsecondary education, particularly in rural Alaska in keeping with the university mission.
3. To provide a career ladder beyond entry-level to an underemployed rural workforce.
4. To provide an education ladder beyond the certificate by providing a pathway leading to additional degrees and educational tracks.
